Battery Dead, cant get in!

[chief_rucka]

I did a search on the forum already and also went on bmwe34.net

but im still confused "hence a newb", bare w/ me ladies and gents..

I have a 1990 e34 525i
I havent driven it for about 3 years and the battery is dead i tried opening it w/ the double locking system but no deal, i read about people using a battery charger of some sort but i confused what it is? is it a regular jump start or batter charger pack? if possible anyone can give me a picture of the battery charger specifically what i can use to give power to the trunk light and remember im a newb give me a warning where to plug it in? and where i can purchase one?

thanks sorry if this may be confusing..

[Milkboot]

I read in the bentley manual [which is defeniatly worth the money] that there is a "emergancy" way to get in, which is the passenger side door if your battery goes dead, try that. :)



I did a search on the forum already and also went on bmwe34.net

but im still confused "hence a newb", bare w/ me ladies and gents..

I have a 1990 e34 525i
I havent driven it for about 3 years and the battery is dead i tried opening it w/ the double locking system but no deal, i read about people using a battery charger of some sort but i confused what it is? is it a regular jump start or batter charger pack? if possible anyone can give me a picture of the battery charger specifically what i can use to give power to the trunk light and remember im a newb give me a warning where to plug it in? and where i can purchase one?

thanks sorry if this may be confusing..

[chief_rucka]

I read in the bentley manual [which is defeniatly worth the money] that there is a "emergancy" way to get in, which is the passenger side door if your battery goes dead, try that. :)

do i just open the passenger side door trying the double locking method, i tried opening the passenger door regularly but still didnt work.

[weiss_535is]

I did a search on the forum already and also went on bmwe34.net

but im still confused "hence a newb", bare w/ me ladies and gents..

I have a 1990 e34 525i
I havent driven it for about 3 years and the battery is dead i tried opening it w/ the double locking system but no deal, i read about people using a battery charger of some sort but i confused what it is? is it a regular jump start or batter charger pack? if possible anyone can give me a picture of the battery charger specifically what i can use to give power to the trunk light and remember im a newb give me a warning where to plug it in? and where i can purchase one?

thanks sorry if this may be confusing..

Emergency locking/unlocking from Bentley -
To manually unlock the passengers door place the ignition key in the lock cylinder and lift door handle while turning the key fully in the clockwise direction. To lock the door manually turn the key fully in the counterclockwise direction.

[BillionPa]

so, in addition to a new battery, i would perform an oil and coolant change, and dump all the gasoline from the tank and fill it halfway with fresh.

[BillionPa]

oh and flush the brake fluid asap!!!

[shogun]

First he has to open the doors before he can start with maintenance.

I assume the battery is completely dead after 3 years. The emergency unlocking procedure is probably the best. Try on passenger and drivers door. I do not know where you live and if you have right hand or left hand drive.
So to talk about passenger door is meaningless.
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/trouble/Locked.htm

[BMWCCA1]

To the best of my recollection, early cars (at least early E32s) used the driver's side. BMW later switched to the passenger front door in probably 1989 or '90, so it wouldn't be accidentally engaged in normal use. I would think the "side" stays the same regardless of RHD or LHD. Insert key, lift door handle, turn key against the normal stop in the unlock position, and continue to turn it another 45º or so in the same direction. It should engage a manual unlock of that door. It's been decades since I've had to do it (since BMW quit using Varta batteries), but I think that's how it worked. I'm sure the owner's manual shows the procedure

[shogun]

would think the "side" stays the same regardless of RHD or LHD.

Yes, that is correct, I know it from the U.K. boards.
They always say try it on driver side which is in fact for LHD the passenger side, and that might be confusing for him now.
And many people also do not know where that is, if you tell them it is on the right side of the car, is that from position sitting in the car or standing in fornt of the car and looking at it? ;)

[kuplo]

What we had to do last year was to just open the trunk, and use some jumper cables to one of the trunks interior lights, that was enough to get the doors unlocked using the normal key in the door lock method.

We attempted doing the emergency unlock on both the driver and passenger doors but it didn't work for us, but we have a 91 525i if that makes any difference. Just something to keep in mind if the normal emergency unlock doesnt work maybe. But also make sure if you go this route that the polarity is correct. We didn't and ended up with a smoking trunk interior light the first time we tried it. We finally got it right the second time.:p

[BMWCCA1]

This is a pretty good link discussing both procedures: http://www.bmwe34.net/E34main/Trouble/Locked.htm

[Zeuk in Oz]

I find that you can usually open the boot (trunk), and then I bribe a skinny 10 year old to squeeze through the arm-rest hole in the rear seat and open a door. :D

[BMWCCA1]

I find that you can usually open the boot (trunk), and then I bribe a skinny 10 year old to squeeze through the arm-rest hole in the rear seat and open a door. :DEasy, if you have the pass-through, but it's not a very common option on this side of the pond.

[Omega]

Easy, if you have the pass-through, but it's not a very common option on this side of the pond.

Also won't work if the door is double-locked (deadbolted) as you can't pull the locks up internally. This would make deadbolting the doors pointless.

If the key-in-the-door trick doesn't work - and it never did on my old e34 - try clipping jump leads onto the battery under the hood and connect to a fresh battery to power up the car.

On the 525 M50 the battery is at the front of the engine bay, on the right hand side of the car (when viewed sitting in the drivers seat) The EARTH strap is at the front of the battery (near the lights) and the LIVE is at the rear.

You will have to crawl under the front of the car and follow the wiring but this is possible. I did it a few times :D You could also clip a live to the main feed of the starter and an earth to another point on the car body.

Good luck regardless!

[BMWCCA1]

If the key-in-the-door trick doesn't work - and it never did on my old e34 - I can't imagine why it never worked for you. Every time I had to try it on many different E34/32 cars over the years, it worked as described. Maybe you were just trying the wrong door? Of course, YMMV.

[chief_rucka]

thanks for the replies you guys! im gonna have to try the trunk light method or going under the car method, i cant open either drivers or passenger doors. but being a newb i have to find a safe way in doing these correct i dont want smoke like "kuplo". thanks again fellas ill let you guys know what happen after.

[Omega]

I can't imagine why it never worked for you. Every time I had to try it on many different E34/32 cars over the years, it worked as described. Maybe you were just trying the wrong door? Of course, YMMV.

It was the correct door, passenger door (to left of driver) on an RHD car.

The lock button would move, not enough to unlock the door but just enough to make me think it was going to work...... Fell for it EVERY time. I think that the connector rods were worn and I couldn't get the lock to pop.

I even called a locksmith the first time it happened and he jemmied the top of all 4 doors and tried to pull the buttons. Even he couldn't pull the locks :) and due to the armouring around the lock you can't slim-jim e34's either.

Chief_Rucka: I hope you got in!...

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