2001 BMW 325i Causing Hell...

About 2 weeks ago my car was slow to start. Then I tried to crank it after running into a store for 5 minutes or so and it wouldn't start at all, just a clicking noise. All of the peripherals like the radio, lights, etc. were working fine. Once I got jumped off I went straight to Autozone and they performed a charging system and battery check. The charging system checked okay (so the guy said), and the battery had about 515 cranking amps. I replaced the battery at his recommendation with a Duralast 49L. 2 weeks later and I had no problems until yesterday I'm on the way home and the battery light comes on a few times. When I got to the house I cut it off and immediately tried to power it back on and again just the ticking noise. It was late so I let it rest for the night. Turned it on the next day and it turned on fine. I let it idle a while and cut it off and tried to crank it back up and it wouldn't crank. I took a look and it seemed like the wires to the battery were loose so I tightened them up, jumped it off and drove around the block about 4 miles or so. The battery light came on intermittently and also the brake, dsc, and anti-lock brake lights came on intermittently too. When I got it home I just let it idle for about 2 or 3 minutes and without warning and without the temperature gauge going up it overheated spewing anti-freeze everywhere. Tried to pour more antifreeze into it and the reservoir seems to be broken.

The only thing I could thing is there wasn't enough power to cut the fan on? I had it serviced under 3000 miles ago at the dealer. It was frickin 2000 bucks and I don't have any cash to fix it right now so it definitely stays parked for at least 3 weeks.

What could the root problem be?

What service was two grand?!

Originally Posted by Mapless

What service was two grand?!

Frickin stinks. All spark plugs, change all filters, change oil, brakes and rotors every tire, drive belt, etc. 100,000 mile service. Ultimately they screwed me on it though I will never take the car back there even in the shape it's in now. I was scammed. The experience and now the car like it is now makes me want to sell it and lease a frickin 06 Volvo or something. I don't have the money to support the crazy service charges and I'm not handy enough to work on it on my own. I was hoping someone may have an idea what may be going on and what it might cost me.

Any aftermarket stereo equipment?

Sounds like a charging system problem. The alternator/battey light should NEVER be on when the car is running. Your battery is going dead because it is not being charged. Your car is running on low voltage, with all the computers contain within, strange things WILL happen. This will include the possibility of the radator fan not running when needed.

There are probably multiple problems but likely the battery is not one of them.

Originally Posted by misterlance

Any aftermarket stereo equipment?

Funny you should ask. Blitzsafe iPod Auxillary that plugs into the CD Changer interface. Installed 2 months ago.

Originally Posted by derondantzler

Funny you should ask. Blitzsafe iPod Auxillary that plugs into the CD Changer interface. Installed 2 months ago.

Suspicious. I think there is a thread about battery drain and these devices. Although I can't imagine an iPod draining a battery unless the car set idle for several weeks.

Originally Posted by chuck92103

Suspicious. I think there is a thread about battery drain and these devices. Although I can't imagine an iPod draining a battery unless the car set idle for several weeks.

And I take it out of the car everytime I go in a place leaving only the unplugged dock connector this includes when I get home I don't leave the iPod plugged in over night or anything.

Replaced alternator at local electric shop instead of dealer. It runs now but service engine soon light is on and it is idling kind of funny. I'm going to drive it the weekend and see if the idling clears up.

Sounds like charging system problem too. If the charging system is on the boundary of failing when you do the check. It just happened that it didn't show any issue.

Like someone mentioned already, the battery light should never be on if the car is running.

Over heating is entire another issue. water pump at 100K is not uncommon at all.

eel

Well, with the replaced alternator it runs. I got it home but it ran hot again. This time I see the guage go up to red when I get it in the driveway. Was a little low on coolant as a result of replacing the expansion tank and refilling the system. However, I filled it back up and let it run in the driveway with the hood up only to find that the fan isn't powering on at all. Auxiliary fan switch maybe? Any way you know I can check that? My biggest problem is the closest dealer is 45 miles away.

I have a 2001 330I and it has the same symptoms as you had with your charging system. The charging system will not charge the battery and the battery light flashed on and off a few times and I too just put in a diiferant Ipod BMW cd player.
What was the problem with your car?

Thank You, Roger

PS. The battery light does not come on when the key is in the on postion.

In regards to your engine light after your alternator change, there is a good chance the shop did not properly hook up the vacuum system that the alternator is plugged into...

I don't know a lot about these issues, but my battery light was coming on intermittently (the red one, which the book says means stop now). The car was running fine.

Turned out there was a TSB (they didn't give me the number). and replacing the voltage regulator solved the problem.

E46 alternators are weak - I went through two of them in my M3.

Will leaving the battery hooked up while putting in a alterantor fry the voltage regulator

Originally Posted by bmw325i82

Will leaving the battery hooked up while putting in a alterantor fry the voltage regulator

Not sure, buy why would you leave the battery hooked up when doing this install anyways? Doesn't seem smart to me...

I was in a hurry lol stupid move,i had it tested yesterday