Battery indicator light is flashing on the dash.

TOME

MEMBER
1999 BMW 540I
110,000 MILES

The day before we did jump another vehicle with the BMW. We used the special positive terminal located on the engine block but connected the negative jumper cable to a random nut on the strut (not the correct one as we read later in the manual). The car functioned fine the entire day but the next day the battery indicator light on the dash began appearing and flashing. There was also an audible hum with the radio on. Did the jump cause anything to fail? Is there a main fuse to the alternator that is possibly blown?

1 Reply

CJ MEDEVAC

MECHANIC
11,004 POSTS

AT THIS POINT, YOU DO NOT KNOW IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY OR CHARGING SYSTEM

YOU MIGHT NARROW THIS DOWN BY TAKING IT TO A POPULAR AUTO PARTS STORE WHERE THE CAN TEST BOTH FOR FREE

THEY CAN ALSO TEST FOR COMPUTER CODES....AGAIN, FOR FREE

A REALLY BUSY STORE WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCED PEOPLE ALSO CAN MAKE SUGGESTIONS AND WILL SOMETIMES GO THAT EXTRA LITTLE BIT TO SHOW YOU WHERE FUSIBLE LINKS, FUSES, AND OTHER COMPONENTS ARE LOCATED.....AGAIN, FREE NO EXPENSIVE SHOPS INVOLVED....YET

THIS WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT COMPONENTS MAY BE HAVING AN ISSUE....INSTEAD OF GUESSING

I TAKE IT THAT YOU HAVE POURED OVER THE OWNERS'S MANUAL AND STILL HAVE A QUESTION MARK OVER YOUR HEAD

I'M A JEEP CJ KINDA FELLER, AND I KNOW LITTLE, OTHER THAN BASIC STUFF ABOUT YOUR CAR. I DO HAVE ACCESS TO "MITCHELL I" AND CAN USUALLY SPIT OUT SOME GOOD DIAGRAMS OF SYSTEMS (SUCH AS CHARGING) WHICH MAY AID YOU IN DIAGNOSING WHERE PROBLEMS MAY LIE

NOT KNOWING SPECIFICS---WHEN YOU RETURN WITH AN UPDATE, ANY MORE SPECIFIC VEHICLE NOMENCLATURE AND ENGINE SIZE WILL BE HELPFUL FOR OBTAINING INFO FROM "MIT I", THIS WILL ALSO AID OTHERS WHO MIGHT JUMP IN TO TRY TO AID YOU

I'VE FOUND WITH DIYing MY OWN STUFF, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, A PAPER REPAIR MANUAL (OR SEVERAL) REALLY AIDS IN FIGGERING THIS STUFF OUT WITHOUT INVOLVING THE STEALERSHIP OR OTHER HIGH PRICED SHOPS.

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/2007-ford-taurus-tune-up

I DO HAVE MY OTHER COUNTRY BOY, PROVEN, TECHNIQUES ON OBTAINING ASSISTANCE (AND LONG TERM RESOURCES) AND KEEPING MY COSTS DOWN WHEN I DO RELY ON OUTSIDE HELP.

THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS SITE IS OTHER GUYS WILL JUMP IN AND HELP OUT TO THEIR FULLEST EXTENT, SELECT OTHERS WILL SLUFF YOU OFF TO THE DEALER. I CAN ALSO TRY TO LOCATE ONE OF THE MORE HELPFUL ONES...IF NEED BE

IF YOU ARE "CAPABLE OF TESTING AND MINOR REPAIRS" AND CONTINUE TO REPLY, STAY WITH THE PROGRAM, DO THE SUGGESTED TESTS, ETC, ASK QUESTIONS, REPORT BACK, USUALLY THIS THREAD WILL GROW UNTIL YOU ARE FIXED...AN EXAMPLE FROM MY FAVORITE FORUMS HERE, THIS FELLER HAS NOT FORMAL TRAINING, I BELIEVE HE IS 18 YRS OLD (MY KINDA GUY!)

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1982-jeep-cj7-ignition-problem-spark-distributor-cap

HERE'S A SIMPLE WAY TO SEE IF YOUR ALTERNATOR IS WORKING YOURSELF (EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A VOLTMETER, A CHEAP DIGITAL ONE IS $5-$20)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dq24oPUVmdA

KEEP US POSTED

THE MEDIC