Dead Beast - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

RAREM5 · 1st August 2002, 20:41

My Beast is dead. I hope it's just a dead battery. I left the cellphone charger on the cigarette lighter and left the key in the ignition lastnight.

Do you think cellphone charger could have drain the battery over night?

kevin034 · 1st August 2002, 20:56

Does leaving the key in the ignition activate more than the cigarette lighter? I believe so. If that's the case, I would say that it's not completely the cell phone but all other activated components? Just some thoughts.

RAREM5 · 1st August 2002, 21:03

key was in off position...

JFB · 1st August 2002, 21:04

A few thoughts

There should be continuous power to the cigarette lighter even if the key is removed
Powering the cell phone alone should not drain the battery
Placing the ignition in position 1 or 2 activates all the electronics in the car
Leaving all the electronics on for the night could drain the battery
Leaving a key in the ignition would be hard to explain to the police when the vehicle is stolen

RAREM5 · 1st August 2002, 21:06

JFB.. Thanks.. I need to be more clear.

Car is sitting in my garage.. I left key in ignition and off position. Car chager lefted on cigarette lighter plub.

kevin034 · 1st August 2002, 21:08

Hm ... that shouldn't have drained the battery. It's the way I park car right now (except that I take my keys). I read somewhere on this board about M5 battery charge problems? Something about BMW dealerships sending people battery chargers? Not sure, I'd do a search.

Or ... pop it in nutral and push it down a hill. Jump in, 1st gear, and pop the clutch.

JFB · 1st August 2002, 21:21

Quote:

Originally posted by RAREM5
Car is sitting in my garage.. I left key in ignition and off position. Car chager lefted on cigarette lighter plub.

When you open the doors to the vehicle, it "wakes up" various electronics components even if you don't insert the key. For example, the GPS spins up, phone turns on.

The car returns to a "sleep" mode in about 12 minutes after you close the doors.

I've not checked, but my guess is that the car stays in the "wake" mode if the key is in the ignition. That would use more power than merely charging the phone.

RAREM5 · 1st August 2002, 21:24

Man, this suck.. My neighbors are at work. Nobody around.. My other car is in the shop (routine maintenance) and my beast is in the garage. Should I call the road side assistance or should I try to jump the beast first.

fgbaloh · 1st August 2002, 21:26

I meant to ask a similar question. I just got my M5 3 weeks ago so i'm still learnig it's nuances. I have a V1 that is plugged into the cigarette charger and i always leave it on. When i start the car it has been on overnight. i try to remember to turn it off but then i forget to turn it back on in the morning. I've started leaving it on all night because I think a dead battery is better than a ticket.

Is there anyway the charger be programmed to charge only when the car is on? Is this a dealer program option?

Frank

JFB · 1st August 2002, 21:33

Quote:

Originally posted by fgbaloh
I have a V1 that is plugged into the cigarette charger and i always leave it on.

Frank
That's why many of us have wired the V1 or Passport into the power in the ceiling panel. It's very simple to do. See this link