Flooded battery tray!

[Paul Eggleton]

This morning I gave the car the start of what was planned to be a mammoth weekend of cleaning, claying and polishing. Now we haven't used it for a week or so and do suffer the occasional low battery which needs a bit of a charge. So, when I went to put the car back in the garage after stage 1 of cleaning I get the flicking lights, and clicking of relay battery death dance....

I then go to jump it using our other car, connecting direct to the battery, where to my horror I find the battery sitting in 2 inches of water!!!!! Where the feck did that come from???!!!!

I used a power washer which I've done many times before but as far as I'm aware water has never got into the battery tray and certainly not to the extent of 2 inches deep.....

I dried out the tray, found the battery at 7 odd volts, and expected to have to go down to BMW and buy a new battery. I put it on a fast charge and 30mins later it started! It's now on a trickle charge for a few hours and I'll test it in the morning to see if it's held.

Has anyone had this before and know where the water could have come in from???

Cheers

Paul.

[glendog74]

I had a similar issue before, albeit on the other side of the boot where the plastic tray is:

http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2968&highlight=water+boot&page=2

I never did find out why it happened but it hasn't occurred since. Could have simply been the seal not pushing against the lid when shut? :smt102

[Paul Eggleton]

I had a similar issue before, albeit on the other side of the boot where the plastic tray is:

http://www.cslregister.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2968&highlight=water+boot&page=2

I never did find out why it happened but it hasn't occurred since. Could have simply been the seal not pushing against the lid when shut? :smt102

I hope that's it. I can't recall if the boot light was on or not....

[Pip1968]

I was going to say the same thing. An old e30 I had had got wet inside the boot wheel arch area. I think it happens when the seals degrade. On top of that I think the way the boot is designed whenever it is opened and wet the water always seems to run inside. Maybe with all the snow some water froze around the seal and caused contortion of the rubber seal and allowed water ingress until the rubber was warm enough to reform.

Pip

[Paul Eggleton]

I was going to say the same thing. An old e30 I had had got wet inside the boot wheel arch area. I think it happens when the seals degrade. On top of that I think the way the boot is designed whenever it is opened and wet the water always seems to run inside. Maybe with all the snow some water froze around the seal and caused contortion of the rubber seal and allowed water ingress until the rubber was warm enough to reform.

Pip

Thanks Pip, car has been garaged so has been protected from cold to a degree.
hopefully it's the open boot lid that's caused it.

[LSC46]

Wow, hope its not a commons prob on these cars

[shimmy]

Wow, hope its not a commons prob on these cars

only common for those that shut their dogs in the boot bv

[Sailorbaz]

Is there not a vent by the battery which is hidden behind the bumper with wee rubber flaps protecting it?

[shimmy]

Is there not a vent by the battery which is hidden behind the bumper with wee rubber flaps protecting it?

yep, and also there is a drain from the battery :smokin:

[NZ_M3]

My money's on the tail light gasket.

[Pip1968]

Yes, good one NZ M3. That is another area other than the boot seal that can degrade. The only thing that does not make sense is the car is apparently garaged.

Hmm... it must have been out at some point in the snow/rain - overnight parked up at Paul's bit on the side? :hahaha:.

Pip

[DuncanR]

The only thing that does not make sense is the car is apparently garaged.

mY MONEY IS ON THE GARAGE ROOF !!:hahaha:

[shimmy]

mY MONEY IS ON THE GARAGE ROOF !!:hahaha:

start the year as you mean to go on! :thumbs:

[Paul Eggleton]

mY MONEY IS ON THE GARAGE ROOF !!:hahaha:

I still think I missed having the boot popped without knowing it.

Came up nicely though - excuse crap camera phone pic.



Note my attention to H&S with an extension lead and lots of water :bigcry:

[Mark CSL]

Had this on a csl before but it had had a bump and the seam sealer in the rear wheel arch was letting in water :bigcry:

Put the hose in the rear wheel arch and watch for water geting in the boot :thumbs: