Death by pin pricks recently ![Bang Head [?|] [?|]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_banghead.gif)
A week ago my battery went dead on my 93 318is. At the time I assumed that I left the lights on or something to that effect, so since the battery was getting up there in age I elected to just buy a new one (not cheap at $89).
Put the new battery in, and did not drive the car for a few days, and low and behold the battery was dead again. Jumped the car, drove it for 20 minutes, and it ran fine. Parked the car, left it for a few hours and it started right up again and drove about 30 miles, so this seems to rule out the charger system or the battery itself.
Left it overnight, and low and behold it went dead. Jumped it one more time, let it idle for 30 minutes to charge the battery, and this time I disconnected the negative post.
Next morning reattached the post and the car started right up. Bingo, it appears something is leaching the battery back down to 0 in about 12-24 hours.
Tried all obvious angles, such as the radar, radio, dome lights, glove box, engine fan still running, etc. and all appear to be in order.
Any suggestions on where else I can look? For now, I am simply disconnecting the (-) post each night and then reattaching in the morning, but I cannot keep that up for ever, so before I plunk down any hard cash on a diagnostic by my shop, I am hoping that someone might have some good feedback.
Thanks for any advice.
![Bang Head [?|] [?|]](/images/smilies/icon_smile_banghead.gif)
A week ago my battery went dead on my 93 318is. At the time I assumed that I left the lights on or something to that effect, so since the battery was getting up there in age I elected to just buy a new one (not cheap at $89).
Put the new battery in, and did not drive the car for a few days, and low and behold the battery was dead again. Jumped the car, drove it for 20 minutes, and it ran fine. Parked the car, left it for a few hours and it started right up again and drove about 30 miles, so this seems to rule out the charger system or the battery itself.
Left it overnight, and low and behold it went dead. Jumped it one more time, let it idle for 30 minutes to charge the battery, and this time I disconnected the negative post.
Next morning reattached the post and the car started right up. Bingo, it appears something is leaching the battery back down to 0 in about 12-24 hours.
Tried all obvious angles, such as the radar, radio, dome lights, glove box, engine fan still running, etc. and all appear to be in order.
Any suggestions on where else I can look? For now, I am simply disconnecting the (-) post each night and then reattaching in the morning, but I cannot keep that up for ever, so before I plunk down any hard cash on a diagnostic by my shop, I am hoping that someone might have some good feedback.
Thanks for any advice.