Red Battery symbol, then abs dsc please help
 

Well I started driving 2001 x5 3.0i 5mt.
Stopped to take some pictures of the car, when I got back in and started the car I was hit with red battery symbol.
I restarted car, same thing so I continued to drive.
When pulling up to my destination I was hit with abs and dsc and all.
When starting car to leave back home I got around the corner with battery lights, abs, dsc, and no the airbag lights!
Pulled over to restart car, now car doesn't start. Leaving my car in the city for acouple days so please someone help me try to figure out before I go to the shop and waist money.

Battery seems to be fully charged. When turning key over all I get is two click clicks all lights on dash illuminate but no start.

Before i pulled over windows were rolling up so slow.
Then with car off the windows went up fast like normal.

Could it be alternator???
Sorry for long post but information should help.

Thanks

Normal BMW Christmas Tree dashboard when the charging Voltage is low and/or the battery is bad.

This could be due to a bad alternator. but I had a battery with a bad cell and it caused the exact same problem as you described, turned out the alternator was fine, 50k miles later and still on the same alternator but a replacement battery.

Ya that's what I was thinking. I'dk I hooked a battery charger to jump it but it says battery is fully charged and just won't turn over.

So many battery chargers are capable of some form of battery testing or estimating a batteries charge. But many are misleading as well.

A bad battery can have a good surface Voltage but not enough output.

With any electrical system problem, you start by verifying the battery is good. A poor mans check it to put a Voltmeter on the battery terminals or the under hood jumper terminals and measure the battery Voltage at rest, then turn the headlights on for 2 minutes and see how low the Voltage drops.

If you do not have a Voltmeter you can use the Hidden OBC Menu and display the Voltage directly on the dashboard.

BMW X5 - Access the Hidden Onboard Computer (OBC) Functions.

Also what happens if you attempt to jump start the vehicle?

I also keep something like this in my car as well - http://www.amazon.com/CP-02B-8000mAh...ni+jumper+pack

charging issue .

Get your credit card out-buying either a battery, alternator or both. But, simple solutions if that helps.

When I try to jump start I get same thing.
Christmas lights on dash CLICK CLICK and no turn over.

I guess next step is checking voltage... car is over 30 miles away. I left it in the city that's only problem hahah

Easy solution fix yes.... but not really trying to throw money at an alternator or a battery if it's not the issue...
It's the holidays and my money is going towards family rather than myself.
I'll double check to make sure it's battery before buying an alternator.
I'll double check fuses...


Thanks for the help so far. I got another day before I go back to the car and test and call a tow truck. It's either going to my house or to the shop

So there could also be a bad connection somewhere in the system and/or a bad engine to body ground connection.

Could be the starter as well, but with the Christmas Tree dash board, it clearly seems like a bad battery and/or an alternator problem.

You really need a multimeter to get some "real" measurements to narrow things down. Walmart, auto parts stores, home centers. Radio Shack (if they are still around) and hardware stores should have a decent meter for under $30 that will get the job done.

A few options are to remove the battery and take it to a parts store for charging and testing. If the battery is bad, you have half the job done once the battery is out.

How old is the battery? Usually 4+ years many batteries are on borrowed time often anyway.

If the battery is original, I think the problem is obvious.

^ agree