Embarising Bmw Question

Sterling Archer

Hi all, my father has a friends 07 bmw 520d and he let the battery go flat (were assuming :rolleyes:) but we can't seem to find the battery am, any help, i know bmw have a habit of putting batterys in the boot.... all halp welcome

actually got it started, but still wondering where the battery is

Regards Shane

displaced dub

suggest you get the manual out of the glovebox as the jump points might still
be under the bonnet, from memory i dont think the battery for the 5 is in the boot.

alpina

No such thing as a stupid question...;)
It's in the boot, right hand side. Be careful unattaching clips can be pretty finicky...
By the way, if it is the battery the symbol will light up on the dash on start-up.

nxbyveromdwjpg

Its in the boot. All beamers, battery in the boot, most likely on your left hand side when you open it, under a flap kinda thing.

Gumbo

as above, the battery is in the boot but you can charge it or jump it from the jumping points under the bonnet.

Stinicker

nm wrote: »

Its in the boot. All beamers, battery in the boot, most likely on your left hand side when you open it, under a flap kinda thing.

Wrong not all of them, a degree yes, the 3 series has it in the front.

Gumbo

Stinicker wrote: »

Wrong not all of them, a degree yes, the 3 series has it in the front.

Im afraid its possibe that you sir are wrong, my 3 series had it in the boot (E90 Current model) and my parents previous models E46 had them in the boot too.

which 3 series are you talking about?

anyway, thats OT the OP is on about a 5 series which is 100% in the boot.

Shane732

Stinicker wrote: »

Wrong not all of them, a degree yes, the 3 series has it in the front.

Wrong I have a BMW 3 series with battery in the rear....

The battery is in the proper place in BMW's the rear

Stinicker

kceire wrote: »

Im afraid its possibe that you sir are wrong, my 3 series had it in the boot (E90 Current model) and my parents previous models E46 had them in the boot too.

which 3 series are you talking about?

anyway, thats OT the OP is on about a 5 series which is 100% in the boot.

I remember the e36 had it in the front definitely and I could have sworn I seen one e46 also. I think it is model dependent and some of them are 24v also I think.

Gumbo

Stinicker wrote: »

I remember the e36 had it in the front definitely and I could have sworn I seen one e46 also. I think it is model dependent and some of them are 24v also I think.

nope, all E46's had them in the boot, it wasnt model dependant.

here is an E36 engine bay, and you can clearly see the jumping points in the top left corner, hence the battery being in the bboot :

http://uk.wrs.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTf2tlFa1LalkA9B5WBQx./SIG=135o7kl2c/EXP=1269720805/**http%3a//image.eurotuner.com/f/29757852/eurp_0909_05%2b1995_bmw_m3%2bengine_bay.jpg

R.O.R

kceire wrote: »

as above, the battery is in the boot but you can charge it or jump it from the jumping points under the bonnet.

Having left an E90 on trickle charge for 24 hours through the jump points, I don't think it's possible to charge it from under the bonnet. Could have been a totally knackered battery, but jumping and a good drive sorted it.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

There is a red jump terminal in the engine bay and you clip the black terminal to a ground point on the chassis.

Better is in the boot, pressing down on the rear wheels....

bonzodog2

A 1990 320 and a 1991 518 (I think,it has no badge) that I've come across recently both have battery in the front. Whats supposed to be so good about having it in the boot ?

(I dont get much contact with new BMW's !)

Gumbo

R.O.R wrote: »

Having left an E90 on trickle charge for 24 hours through the jump points, I don't think it's possible to charge it from under the bonnet. Could have been a totally knackered battery, but jumping and a good drive sorted it.

yeah maybe not for a full charge alright, mainly jumping points i suppose they are then.

unkel

R.O.R wrote: »

Having left an E90 on trickle charge for 24 hours through the jump points, I don't think it's possible to charge it from under the bonnet.

Trickle chargers are not suitable for charging a flat battery, only for maintaining a charge in a charged battery

Typically a trickle charger is about 5W so it would take several weeks to charge an empty battery or some silly long time like that

Whether you charge the battery on the battery directly or from under the bonnet makes no difference.

BTW the reason for having the battery in the boot is because it helps in the quest for perfect weight distribution

Stevie Dakota

Some E34's had the battery under the rear seat, it's the first thing that gets moved in the quest for 50-50 weight distribution.

unkel

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Some E34's had the battery under the rear seat, it's the first thing that gets moved in the quest for 50-50 weight distribution.

I never saw the battery in my E34 530i V8 in the 3.5 years I owned it but I believe you're right in that it was under the rear seat alright

Stevie Dakota

unkel wrote: »

I never saw the battery in my E34 530i V8 in the 3.5 years I owned it but I believe you're right in that it was under the rear seat alright

I can't believe you didn't look, you wouldn't believe all the gubbins packed in there!

unkel

LOL

I'm glad I'm not that inquisitive. Wasn't there a thread around here some time ago about the weirdest things people found in their cars?

peasant

Shane732 wrote: »

The battery is in the proper place in BMW's the rear

but, but ,but ...the rear is where the engine goes ...in proper cars ,anyway

Captain Slow IRL

kceire wrote: »

................here is an E36 engine bay, and you can clearly see the jumping points in the top left corner, hence the battery being in the bboot................

4 cylinder E36's had the battery fitted under the bonnet.

@OP - the battery is in the boot on the drivers side. Remove the boot mat, turn the 2x black clips 45 degrees to the right or left and trim/liner out by the bottom.

unkel

peasant wrote: »

but, but ,but ...the rear is where the engine goes ...in proper cars ,anyway

Damn sure



Things have moved on a bit in the last 50 years though although most companies still do as their customers tell them to do, even if they know it is wrong

rebel.ranter

The 4 cylinder e30 3 Series had the battery up front, the 6 cylinder e30 battery was in the rear. BMW design & market 50:50 weight distribution (or at least they used to before the environment became (an) important (marketing tool).

Fishtits

E36 4 cylinder models had the battery up front on the passenger side. The 6 pots had the battery in the boot, the owners manual explained it as being to assist better weight distribution.

E39 has the battery in the boot, on the drivers side, there are three different sizes, the mounting clamp can accommodate any of the three. Jump terminals under the bonnet, one under a flap on the engine (usually on the inlet manifold), one on the drivers strut mounting. You can charge a battery from these jump points, the low ampage of the charger (relative to starting current) means sod all volt drop.

I know bugger all about the E60, but would presume its a similar setup.

Cheers

JHMEG

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Some E34's had the battery under the rear seat, it's the first thing that gets moved in the quest for 50-50 weight distribution.

Yeah, was gonna say the auld 5 series had it under the back seat.

Esel

unkel wrote: »

Trickle chargers are not suitable for charging a flat battery, only for maintaining a charge in a charged battery

Typically a trickle charger is about 5W so it would take several weeks to charge an empty battery or some silly long time like that

There you go again! Eight faults for those two incorrect statements.

Sterling Archer

Wow some load of replys... cheers all got it started off the points under to bonnet, also found the battery ....

Not all BMWs have the battery in the boot, my brothers 99 bmw 318i coupe 1.9ltr (now crashed but for sale;) ) has the battery under the bonnet, passengers side

Gumbo

Shane_ef wrote: »

Wow some load of replys... cheers all got it started off the points under to bonnet, also found the battery ....

Not all BMWs have the battery in the boot, my brothers 99 bmw 318i coupe 1.9ltr (now crashed but for sale;) ) has the battery under the bonnet, passengers side

cool, it was confirmed that the 4 cyclinders have it up front and the 6 cyclinders have it at the rear int he E36 models.

Figerty

Yep,, Weight distriibution,, I heard the battery was in the back to compensate for the large Ass usually in the front of the BMW!!!!:)

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

Some E34's had the battery under the rear seat, it's the first thing that gets moved in the quest for 50-50 weight distribution.

1993 520 touring battery under bonnet me thinks

unkel

esel wrote: »

There you go again! Eight faults for those two incorrect statements.

Aye, I forgot that my charger was particularly useless