Battery Light?

[equate975]

This is weird

I have driven my car 500-600 miles no problems at all. Brand new battery and I never had an issue starting. The lights didnt dim when the music was up louad or anything to suggest low power.

I did however notice my battery light was on very dim. I didnt even know until I drove it at night because it was so dim. I figured it was a short in the cluster or it didnt like something, but I didnt really worry about it because I didnt have any problems with my battery or starting.

Well tonight with my first trip out of town in the m3. I pull into a gas station, fill up, and it decides it wont start. The starter would just click once then give up. All the lights were on and bright, and the music was up and nothing seemed like a battery issue. Lucky I was able to pop start it on the first try to drive it home. I decided when I got home there was a hill that goes down to my house. So I stop at the top and turn the car off, I try to start it and I can hear it click once then the car slid forward a bit and it started right up. I shut it off again and it started just fine again.

Any one know whats going on?

EDIT:

Also, on the trip back. I was watching the battery light closely, every now and again I could see it get brighter then dimmer, but for the most part its hardly even on.

[Ryan Stewart]

Check to make sure all the connections are secure. From the alt to the starter then to the firewall. If one of those screws backed off just a bit the spade could be wiggling back and forth and only a small amount is contacting the stud.

Ask me how I know.

[equate975]

Yeah ive been playing around with it.

The engine ground strap is down tight, the starter wires are down tight, the battery terminals are not loose.

One thing I have found thats odd, is my electric fans dont work. If I turn them on sometimes if I wait a while they kick on, but once I try to start the car they shut off again.

Right now they are hooked straight up to the powerblock on the firewall with a switch to turn them on and off. Im thinking something in that pile of mess must be loose.

[equate975]

Got it

Bolt was loose on the terminal, tightened it back down and it fired right up :) As far as I can tell the battery light is off now.

Thanks rizzyan

EDIT:

oh how do you know?

[Ryan Stewart]

The nut on my starter backed off just a bit after a couple thousand miles and my batter light would be on dimly and flicker from time to time. Tightened it down and all better.

[Jason89i]

glad to hear you got the problem fixed.

i just wanted to give every one a heads up. when the e36 alternator fails, it does not necessarily trigger the "charge" light on the dash. of course, the same thing usually happens with the m20 motor, but the e36 alternators seem to fail more frequently.

ive logged 70-80k miles on 4 of my cars. ive had 2 alternators fail (and a buddies did the same) without any light going off in the car. you can get about 45 minutes max. of driving with a full battery and dead alternator. first the lights dim, fans go slow, then the abs light goes on, then she starts to sputter and ultimately dies.

my advice, get a spare alternator now. most likely it will happen.

cheers, jason