[Paul95]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

Got a code reader? If you have a power draw the system will record it. Do you have any aftermarket electronics? If your alternator is bad, your idle voltage should be way lower than 14 volts.

Can you run a voltage test after you've driven the car for awhile? Because if its still at that voltage after a little bit of driving, then its not the battery or alternator but something else draining it.

No codes associated with starting or engine... Will test voltage after little bit of more driving.

[lukasB]

So do you have check engine light on or not when the car is running?

[Paul95]

Originally Posted by lukasB

So do you have check engine light on or not when the car is running?

When the car is running the yellow check engine light is off. When car doesn't want to start at all the yellow check engine light comes on

[icon2015]

Although the voltage seems to be in the right values. I think your problem is that the alternator is not charging the battery when you have your car running. This might because of one of the following:
1. bad alternator
2. bad wiring from alternator to battery
3. bad battery

Also measure both in front and back of the car the voltage, so you can see if, when running at idle, the voltage has big difference from the front side(alternator) of the car to the back end side(battery). Also measure at idle front and back with all consumers on too.

[Paul95]

Originally Posted by icon2015

Although the voltage seems to be in the right values. I think your problem is that the alternator is not charging the battery when you have your car running. This might because of one of the following:
1. bad alternator
2. bad wiring from alternator to battery
3. bad battery

Also measure both in front and back of the car the voltage, so you can see if, when running at idle, the voltage has big difference from the front side(alternator) of the car to the back end side(battery). Also measure at idle front and back with all consumers on too.

Measured back and front, the difference was 0.1V or none. I think I have parasitic drain when the car is not running and is not locked. When I turn off the engine and quickly go out of car, lock it, the drain stops (I can safely come after any time and run it). Drain occurs only when the car is not locked. Also every time I hear strange noises when I open and close the doors for example when I am vacuuming but the car and I open doors one by one. Next time when I won't start the car I will test the battery voltage, when I jump start and if it's charging on idle.

[lukasB]

Originally Posted by Paul95

When the car is running the yellow check engine light is off. When car doesn't want to start at all the yellow check engine light comes on

Have you checked your ground strap yet? If not take a look if it's not broken or turning green

[Paul95]

Originally Posted by lukasB

Have you checked your ground strap yet? If not take a look if it's not broken or turning green

Where can i find ground strap? on M47/T2 2005 engine?

Another theory by me : when the car is not locked, I open the door and hear a minimal sound from engine. It occurs every time time when I open and close the door (doesn't matter which one). As I am thinking this might be the glow plug relay? I have fault code on glow plug relay (tho it was replaced and was brand new), can it be broken and heat up glow plugs no matter what temperature it is and not show up on dash?

[lukasB]

Originally Posted by Paul95

Where can i find ground strap?

Another theory by me : when the car is not locked, I open the door and hear a minimal sound from engine. It occurs every time time when I open and close the door (doesn't matter which one). As I am thinking this might be the glow plug relay? I have fault code on glow plug relay (tho it was replaced and was brand new), can it be broken and heat up glow plugs no matter what temperature it is and not show up on dash?

It connects the driver's side engine mount bracket to the body. Look for braided cable. You will see it from underneath. Part # 12427549393

[Paul95]

Originally Posted by lukasB

It connects the driver's side engine mount bracket to the body. Look for braided cable. You will see it from underneath. Part # 12427549393

It's completely green. I also noticed that I when I left the car overnight and came back I missed 1.0V from battery. It was 12.0V in morning

[Pladi]

Originally Posted by Paul95

It's completely green. I also noticed that I when I left the car overnight and came back I missed 1.0V from battery. It was 12.0V in morning

Battery voltage drops depending on what is ON and used by the car. MAke sure you are measuring during the same ON time. So ACC os ON or not so on.

[Paul95]

So I bought tester today to measure current, I turned off the car, set tester to 10A, put one end on the negative cable (detached) and another on battery (negative). I saw 14.23 Amps and the tester died. I think I am having a big drain when the car is turned off.

[lukasB]

replace your ground strap

[icon2015]

Originally Posted by Paul95

So I bought tester today to measure current, I turned off the car, set tester to 10A, put one end on the negative cable (detached) and another on battery (negative). I saw 14.23 Amps and the tester died. I think I am having a big drain when the car is turned off.

You have set the tester to the limit of 10A (interior fuse limit) , it measured 14.23 A for a few seconds, (42% above 10 A limit) and obviously it died . The measure of electric flow (Ampere - A) into a circuit is done in series, not parallel connection (as you have done).

So if you want to measure the electric flow you will of your car you can either pick a clamp-meter or a multi-meter.
With clamp-meter you can put the clamp to the negative cable and set it to DC A. eg.:

With multi-meter, which i think you bought, you will remove the ground cable from the battery and then, connect the red cable of multi-meter to it, and the black cable of multi-meter to ground connection of battery, eg.:

[ozziewizzle]

Heyy buddy, just get a new battery! It's the least expensive route and if it turns out not to be...at least you have a known quantity in your battery when you do change the alternator or whatever it turns out to be, if not battery.

[QuadManiac]

Originally Posted by icon2015

The measure of electric flow (Ampere - A) into a circuit is done in series, not parallel connection (as you have done).

Originally Posted by Paul95

put one end on the negative cable (detached) and another on battery (negative).

Icon - You mis-read his post - he said that he measured from the negative battery terminal to the disconnected cable clamp - he is measuring in series, correctly, and at first glance it appears to show a rather large parasitic current draw.


Paul - There is another test you need to make, before you can come to this conclusion... replace the fuse in your current meter - you're going to need to re-use it.

Since there are so many electronic devices in our car that are always powered, and since they all have fairly large capacitances onboard, you must measure the parasitic current AFTER this capacitance has been charged up.

When you disconnect the battery cable, the electronics temporarily draw energy from this capacitance; energy which will be replaced immediately when the battery cable is re-connected - causing a short lived but very high current draw from the battery (this is called 'inrush current'). Your brief measurement of greater than 10 Amps could have just been that inrush current - those capacitors being charged back to battery voltage.

SO, you need to do the same test but isolate it from inrush issues. Here's one way: Loosen the battery cable clamp but hold it in contact with the battery terminal. With one meter lead on the terminal and the other on the cable clamp (make the meter lead connections while terminal and clamp are STILL in contact with each other) separate the clamp from terminal... The capacitance was never allowed to discharge and so you will now be measuring the current being drawn by all the electronics in the car (and any faulty parasitic currents) without having to re-charge the capacitance. If THIS is more than an Amp or so, then you have a parasitic current issue - of course make sure that doors are closed, all lights are off, etc., etc.

However, if you do not see undue parasitic current, I agree with the others - it is most likely that your battery needs to be replaced.

[ewicky]

Originally Posted by Paul95

So I bought tester today to measure current, I turned off the car, set tester to 10A, put one end on the negative cable (detached) and another on battery (negative). I saw 14.23 Amps and the tester died. I think I am having a big drain when the car is turned off.

Originally Posted by icon2015

You have set the tester to the limit of 10A (interior fuse limit) , it measured 14.23 A for a few seconds, (42% above 10 A limit) and obviously it died . The measure of electric flow (Ampere - A) into a circuit is done in series, not parallel connection (as you have done).

So if you want to measure the electric flow you will of your car you can either pick a clamp-meter or a multi-meter.
With clamp-meter you can put the clamp to the negative cable and set it to DC A. eg.:
With multi-meter, which i think you bought, you will remove the ground cable from the battery and then, connect the red cable of multi-meter to it, and the black cable of multi-meter to ground connection of battery, eg.:

??? OP describes correctly putting a tester in series to measure current, then you link to him 2 videos describing measure current.

14A+ is not unheard of for a car that's recently been re-energized. The only issue is that blows 10A meters. Let's follow the steps to properly measure current with a cheap multimeter, without blowing it.
1. with battery connected normally, connect the multi-meter between batt (-) and car chassis. It will read close to zero because all the current is going thru the existing ground cable.
2. turn off loads and lock the car like you normally do.
3. trunk light doesn't turn off with locking the car, so manually remove the bulb. Alternatively, crawl inside the trunk, close it, and use your BMW official glovebox flashlight to read the meter.
4. now, and only now, disconnect the ground cable from batt. That will force all current thru your meter.
5. Current may be several amps. iDrive, audio amp, car phone/BMW assist, engine start button, gear selector, HVAC flaps, etc. stay energized for a few minutes. After the car has gone to sleep, you shouldn't see much current drawn at all. I know there's an official doc, but off the top of my head, I'd say anything more than 150mA would be worrisome. Comfort access is known to be the biggest sleep-mode-drawer, esp if a key is near.

The most common battery-draw fault causes are aftermarket equipment, IBS failure, or repetitive sleep-wake cycles caused by some other malfunctioning module triggering wake-up.

The most common no-start cause is driver's failure to hold the brake

edit for clarity: it is important the meter remains connected while you are disconnecting the ground cable, so the car keeps an uninterrupted stream of electrons. The whole point of this method is so the car doesn't loose power at any point.

[icon2015]

My bad, indeed I miss-read, I am trying to give a hand of help here this is the reason I gave him 2 links to videos describing how to measure current flow.
In my experience, with bmw e9x, this kind of issue, is 99% located at IBS, alternator or battery. Considering that the car is still at stock equipment and nothing else was added, OEM nor aftermarket.

[Paul95]

Hey everybody, I appreciate all your help and here is an update.

The problem is still not solved

I've been at electricians, they checked if my car had parasitic drain, and found out that the ECU is waking up car as it is moved a little bit. Also changed all cables on battery terminal. This fixed my car but now after 3 months I found moisture at my battery place and the problem still occurs, will try to pour over water from different places to see where the leak is coming from.

The water is coming from under wheel housing or somewhere else.
In photo I marked which places are wet (yellow).

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