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318is · 05-07-2009, 04:42 PM

So i've got a 1991 318is, and i've been away for the last 6 months so it's been parked in storage. I just got home and tried to start the car...I turn the key and just absolutely nothing happens...no indication of any power in the car at all...it's just dead.
My first reaction was to replace the battery, but that wouldn't make much sense because the battery is pretty new.
I'm kind of stumped here...help?!

**Blackice** · 05-07-2009, 05:19 PM

Just because the battery is new, does not mean that it is charged.

Was the battery in the car over the winter ? If so I would get a charger on the battery, also check your ground and your battery connections, make sure they are clean and tight.

whataboykie · 05-08-2009, 10:07 PM

Welcome home buddy, your battery is not new, actually it's six months old and some more and has been sitting around doing nothing at all since you left. Charge that new battery up and I would believe you will be on the road again.
Don't forget about all the other stuff you should take care of when you park up for any length of time like not applying the parking brake and filling the tank up and so on...................

318is · 05-08-2009, 11:24 PM

Well it was the battery, put a new one in today and it runs fine.
thanks for the help!

mattm · 05-09-2009, 02:55 AM

did you try charging the battery? you dont need to get a new battery everytime one loses its charge, batteries arent designed to hold charge forever. especially plugged in, even with nothing turned out there is a small power loss. If you leave a vehicle off for months on end then ususally the battery will need some help. I usually get a jump start, then let the car run for abit and let the alternator charge the battery. Or you can plug in the charger for the night...

whataboykie · 05-09-2009, 10:30 AM

Hey Matt, welcome. I see you're in Nanoose. Me too, watch out for my Dolphin Grey 325iS MTec around Schooner Cove & Fairwinds. Cheers, Neil

318is · 05-09-2009, 08:21 PM

Ya i had CAA come out and jumpstart the battery, drove the car for around 45 minutes to charge the battery...then turned off the engine and tried to start it...and no go. So new battery it was.

05-07-2009, 04:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
318is Member Joined: Jul 2008 From: vancouver Posts: 44 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 0 Times in 0 Posts	1991 E30 318is won't start. No power at all in the car? So i've got a 1991 318is, and i've been away for the last 6 months so it's been parked in storage. I just got home and tried to start the car...I turn the key and just absolutely nothing happens...no indication of any power in the car at all...it's just dead. My first reaction was to replace the battery, but that wouldn't make much sense because the battery is pretty new. I'm kind of stumped here...help?!

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05-07-2009, 05:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
Blackice Moderator Name: Dave Joined: Oct 2007 From: North Vancouver Posts: 1,088 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 43 47 Times in 46 Posts Blackice's pictures '91 BMW 318i '91 BMW 318IS	Just because the battery is new, does not mean that it is charged. Was the battery in the car over the winter ? If so I would get a charger on the battery, also check your ground and your battery connections, make sure they are clean and tight.

05-08-2009, 10:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
whataboykie Member Name: gone Joined: May 2008 From: somewhere else Posts: 50 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 2 Times in 2 Posts whataboykie's pictures	Welcome home buddy, your battery is not new, actually it's six months old and some more and has been sitting around doing nothing at all since you left. Charge that new battery up and I would believe you will be on the road again. Don't forget about all the other stuff you should take care of when you park up for any length of time like not applying the parking brake and filling the tank up and so on...................

05-08-2009, 11:24 PM	#4 (permalink)
318is Member Joined: Jul 2008 From: vancouver Posts: 44 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 0 Times in 0 Posts	Well it was the battery, put a new one in today and it runs fine. thanks for the help!

05-09-2009, 02:55 AM	#5 (permalink)
mattm newbie Name: Matt Joined: May 2009 From: Nanoose Bay, Vancouver Island, B.C, Canada Posts: 2 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 0 Times in 0 Posts	did you try charging the battery? you dont need to get a new battery everytime one loses its charge, batteries arent designed to hold charge forever. especially plugged in, even with nothing turned out there is a small power loss. If you leave a vehicle off for months on end then ususally the battery will need some help. I usually get a jump start, then let the car run for abit and let the alternator charge the battery. Or you can plug in the charger for the night...

05-09-2009, 10:30 AM	#6 (permalink)
whataboykie Member Name: gone Joined: May 2008 From: somewhere else Posts: 50 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 2 Times in 2 Posts whataboykie's pictures	Hey Matt, welcome. I see you're in Nanoose. Me too, watch out for my Dolphin Grey 325iS MTec around Schooner Cove & Fairwinds. Cheers, Neil

05-09-2009, 08:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
318is Member Joined: Jul 2008 From: vancouver Posts: 44 iTrader: 0 Thanks: 0 0 Times in 0 Posts	Ya i had CAA come out and jumpstart the battery, drove the car for around 45 minutes to charge the battery...then turned off the engine and tried to start it...and no go. So new battery it was.

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1991 E30 318is won't start. No power at all in the car?