Battery Dies every 2 years!!!

[ddiorio1313]

I have had my 1997 318ti for 6 years now, and I have to replace the battery every 2 years! The first time it was the BMW battery and I thought it was the alternator because I just bought the car, but it was the battery. The second time I took my car to have it looked over for winter and the battery wasn't holding a low level charge. So my mechanic swithed the battery over from BMW brand to interstate. 2 years later I took it in for a winter inspection and sure enough the battery wasn't holding a low level charge, so I had it replaced with another interstate battery.

This morning I went to go to work and the car cranks but won't turn over, and the battery light was on, and I just had started it the night before.. What is the deal...could the battery be dead again! 2 years on a battery is nothing! So, I am starting to wonder if there is something else wrong that is draining my battery... I don't have any after market stereo stuff in my car so it isn't that.

Any ideas would be great, or if you need any more details from me let me know....

[J!m]

My Optima is four years old and still cranking fine. it also spent four months sitting outside at the body shop the first quarter of this year, and started without the jump box when they finally got to it.

There could be a draw, and it's fairly easy to locate a draw. It could also be something as stupid as dirty and/or loose battery terminal connections, or at the other end of the ground cable from the battery to the body...

[stormos]

got a bosch silver battery. been in since i bought the car, driving my amp nicely too.

[halobeamin]

i dunno what kind of battery i have.. but with ALL of the draw from it (believe me it's crucial) i love it.. it's always 100%

[aceyx]

I've run the same battery since . . . '98. My brother left the car sitting forever up in Ithaca, NY and it died.

It's more likely that you've got a slow draw of some sort, but check the terminals on the alternator too. If they get corroded or are loose, it won't throw a full charge to the battery.

[ddiorio1313]

Thanks for the input...What exactly is the 'Draw'? Plus. I looked the battery over last night and the connections to the posts are clean and tight. I did notice that in the top front of the battery there is some kind of vent of some sort. I noticed that a liquid had been coming out of it, not alot, but more of small spatters. I looked down in the container that holds the battery and there is a bunch of chunky/fuzzy yellow build up down there. It is right where the black/negative wire grounds to and there is a skinny tall silver post coming up from that area also. I should have taken picures, but din't think about it til now.

After trying to get it to turn over again last night it sounded a little different, like it wasn't really trying to crank over. I am starting to wonder if it is the starter now? I had that replaced at about 36,000 miles and now I have 99,500 miles on the car.

I am going to try and jump it tonight and if that doesn't work I will have to have it towed to my mechanic.

thanks for any help...

[J!m]

That crusty stuff is acid eating what ever it can. That is causing a bad ground, classic battery draining material.

Get that battery to a land-fill as soon as possible, get an Optima (or other SEALED gel-cell/spiral cell battery), replace that ground cable, and clean all that corrosion and crap out with a baking soda & water solution. You may have to pull the battery box itself as well to make sure you get under the box.

The long screw is the battery hold-down. Depending on the corrosion, it may or may not come out. Soak it well with WD-40 or whatever you prefer before attacking it with the 10mm wrench. The clamp is captive on the bolt, so just loosen it and it (should) all come out together.

[NOTE: if you go with the Optima, you want to order the ORANGE top model. It has the terminals reversed for an easy fit with the stock cables in the ti. I have a red top (same internally), which I then had to replace the ground cable with a longer one for it to fit properly. I did not know about the orange top at that time.]

Clean it thoroughly, or next time you check, there will be a big hole where the battery was...

If there is rusty metal there now (very likely), use POR-15 or cold galvanizing spray to protect it (after removing the rust). Cover with color-matched paint if you care; the battery box should hide your work.

Well, what are you waiting for? Your car is being eaten by acid! Run! Fix it now!

[ddiorio1313]

Awesome... I am goig to have to try that...I get out of work today at 3, so I will go home and do that right away! I am hoping that is all it is... I would hate to have to put a new starter in $$$! I looked online for the orange top Optima battery and only found Red Black and Grey...I guess I can ask at the autopart stores if maybe they changed the top color.

Where did you get your batery? I have these stores in my area: Autozone, Advanced Autoparts, Pep Boys, and I believe a NAPA.

[J!m]

I got mine from a starter/alternator re-manufacturing place.

They will have to order the orange top, unless they stopped making it (not likely), or as you said, changed the color.

Look at the red top. The positive is on the right, and negative on the left. The Orange top is the same battery internally (cca rating etc.), but the positive is on the left, and the negative is on the right. This arranges the terminals exactly like the factory BMW battery, so everything fits exactly the same. Since you most likely need to change the ground cable anyway in your car, the red top and a slightly longer ground cable may be the hot ticket...