Left lights on, dead batt, now won't start?

[ILoveMPower]

Alright, well I work 3rd shift (12-8am). After a long day's work, I mistakenly left my headlights on. Obviously, after my car (90 535iM) was shut off, only the parking lights were on all day. Well, after a good days sleep, I went to start it up to go to work only to find the battery dead.

Now, when I pulled in to my driveway the day before, my OBC was telling me I had about 30-35 miles before I ran out of gas. I tried to jump/charge the batt. and start her several times. It cranked like a champion, but just wouldn't turn over. So I went out and got 2 gallons in a gascan. Now, the new gascan's you are forced to buy SUCK! They are supposedly leak-proof, but somehow I spilled gas all over my car and driveway. Not to mention that I was holding it there for about 15 minutes and probably only a gallon had left the gascan.

Anyways, IT STILL WON'T START! Do I just need more gas? Or is it something else..? It just keeps cranking but won't turn over, and the crank is not weak whatsoever.

Thanks,
- Jeremy

[liquidtiger720]

so wait..you ran out of gas and have a dead battery?

[ILoveMPower]

so wait..you ran out of gas and have a dead battery?

Yes, and that's why I'm asking: "after putting gas in and charging the battery, why won't my car start?"

[Jay 535i]

did you charge it, or just try jumping it, theres a difference, if the battery is very dead and the jump leads arent up to scratch then it wont start

Yeah. Buy a cheap battery charger from Autozone or whatever and plug 'er in for a few hours. Worked for me when I made that same mistake.

[SRR2]

You say that it cranks well, so that rules out the battery. I've seen, maybe once or twice, conditions where the lights were left on and the same thing happened. In my case I was able to fix the problem by disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes to reset the ECU. You might want to give that a try. When you disconnect the battery, remove ONLY the ground connection. If you've worn down the charge in the battery by all this cranking, it might not hurt to top off the charge, but if it's still cranking well, it's probably not necessary.

[Jay 535i]

You say that it cranks well, so that rules out the battery. I've seen, maybe once or twice, conditions where the lights were left on and the same thing happened. In my case I was able to fix the problem by disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes to reset the ECU. You might want to give that a try. When you disconnect the battery, remove ONLY the ground connection. If you've worn down the charge in the battery by all this cranking, it might not hurt to top off the charge, but if it's still cranking well, it's probably not necessary.

It's possible that the battery has enough juice to turn the crank, but not fast enough to start the engine.

[ILoveMPower]

It's cranking just like it normally would before I had this little ordeal, and yes I've had the battery charging, not just the initial jump attempts.

I might try that battery disconnect for a bit, maybe I do need to do something along those lines.

My OBC has a red light next to the 'CODE' button lit as well, do I need to do anything with this?

[Jay 535i]

It's cranking just like it normally would before I had this little ordeal, and yes I've had the battery charging, not just the initial jump attempts.

I might try that battery disconnect for a bit, maybe I do need to do something along those lines.

My OBC has a red light next to the 'CODE' button lit as well, do I need to do anything with this?

I think you need to enter your stereo code, since power to the stereo was interupted.

[SRR2]

It's not the stereo! Jeez!

It's the 'code' in the OBC that disables the ignition. If you don't remember setting it, you're going to have to disconnect the battery to clear it. I don't know how long it takes to clear the code though by disconnecting the battery.

To set the code, you pick the code function after shutdown but before fully removing the key. You key in a four-digit code and hit set. Then, when you want to start up, you turn the key to 'run' and re-enter the same four-digit code and again push set. The clock appears when the code is cleared.

[ILoveMPower]

What a fantastic post...erm it wont start, ive tryed the battery and the fuel but still nothing....10 posts later...erm but the code lock funvtion on the OBC is lit...do you think thats causing it...

sell the car mate...to someone a little brighter

Thanks for your kind words.

[Paul in NZ]

Hey `Mpower to explain,the code function is a type of immobilser,it disables your ignition so you will crank and crank but you have no spark.If you have an owners manual read the section on how to reset your code.
And CSchollum just keep it down ok......we have ALL done things which can be regarded as stupid,and dont need a knee in the groin to remind us.

[Paul in NZ]

agreed but you can tell and or YELL

[Bill R.]

correct way to reset it so the car will start. You have a built in antitheft device that allows you to enter a code in the obc, this code will allow you only to start it after its been entered, in case its lost or you have a problem like yours, to cancel the code you have to
1. disconnect the battery and then reconnect
2. Turn the key to position one. The alarm will sound
3. A time of 15 minutes will now be displayed on the obc, it will count down
4. After the 15 minutes has counted down with the key on you can start the car.



It's cranking just like it normally would before I had this little ordeal, and yes I've had the battery charging, not just the initial jump attempts.

I might try that battery disconnect for a bit, maybe I do need to do something along those lines.

My OBC has a red light next to the 'CODE' button lit as well, do I need to do anything with this?