Car won't start

[mfindigital]

More wallet breaking, my fav.

I'll probably end up towing my car to SpeedLogic, but just wondering if anyone may have an idea.

Drove to work today, stopped at 7/11 on the way to get a electronic cigarette (this is a hint that I need to quit). Got back in my car, had a couple of slow cranks, car doesn't start. This has happened intermittently and I assume it's the starter or fuel pump.

Usually if I wait a bit for the car to cool it will fire right up, but not today. After that first attempt, the car wouldn't crank, click, nada, nothing. All electronics were good and had power, but the car makes zero attempts to start. I'm pretty sure I can hear the fuel pump cranking when I put the car in on, so I don't think it's that. The brake pedal became very firm after about 10 attempts, I probably tried starting the car 40-50 times and nothing happened.

Got towed home, had to have a second truck come out because they sent a flatbed and the driver didn't have an allen key for the transmission release into neutral. This car can be so annoying.

[Thunderguts]

Did you even try to jump start it? What were the results? Do you have a reason not to suspect the battery or ground strap? I guess it could be the starter, but I suspect power is just not getting to it.

There are plenty of other possible culprits in this thread: https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1644085

[mfindigital]

Originally Posted by Thunderguts

Did you even try to jump start it? What were the results? Do you have a reason not to suspect the battery or ground strap? I guess it could be the starter, but I suspect power is just not getting to it.

There are plenty of other possible culprits in this thread: https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=1644085

Jumping did nothing. That thread looks to reference clicking, I have nothing no sounds at all besides what sounds like some sort of powering on sound near the gear shift.

[SamelCamel]

Sounds battery related. Turn the headlights on and see if they turn off when you attempt to crank it. No clicking or crank sounds like severely low power. This will definitely happen if you have a battery that's old or even if you have a newer battery that's dead. Check the voltage on the battery or just pull the battery out and take it somewhere and have it tested.

If it hasn't been replaced in the past 3+ years, I'd replace it and make sure the car is coded properly for the new part. You might be able to jump it to get it back home.

Let us know how it turns out.

-Sam

[olds350]

Starters on these cars are a weak point and die with little to no warning. Replaced the slow starter on my wifes e91 earlier this year. Not a bad job on the n52, can't speak to the n54-55

[Thunderguts]

I can tell you exactly how to get your answer. Put a multimeter on the starter leads when you crank it and you'll know if it's the battery, relay, or starter itself. Unfortunately getting to the starter is a PITA. I would test the battery first before you do anything under the hood.

[Chainlightning]

Originally Posted by mfindigital

More wallet breaking, my fav.

I'll probably end up towing my car to SpeedLogic, but just wondering if anyone may have an idea.

Drove to work today, stopped at 7/11 on the way to get a electronic cigarette (this is a hint that I need to quit). Got back in my car, had a couple of slow cranks, car doesn't start. This has happened intermittently and I assume it's the starter or fuel pump.

Usually if I wait a bit for the car to cool it will fire right up, but not today. After that first attempt, the car wouldn't crank, click, nada, nothing. All electronics were good and had power, but the car makes zero attempts to start. I'm pretty sure I can hear the fuel pump cranking when I put the car in on, so I don't think it's that. The brake pedal became very firm after about 10 attempts, I probably tried starting the car 40-50 times and nothing happened.

Got towed home, had to have a second truck come out because they sent a flatbed and the driver didn't have an allen key for the transmission release into neutral. This car can be so annoying.

I had the exact same symptoms in July. The problem turned out to be the cable that goes from the jump-point block to the starter. I had it towed to the dealer, said it was the starter. Two weeks later, towed to deal again, said it was battery, next week towed to dealer again. They replaced the cable. No more problems. Best they would do is comp the P&L on the cable.

[JimD]

I have a cheap tester like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BT...89052226&psc=1

It will let you test the battery, alternator and starter. It is simple to use. All you do to test the battery is put the clamps of the tester on the battery and push a button for a few seconds. It has a resistor that you energize with the push button and it is checking voltage. But the display is just green, yellow or red. Very simple. You have to start the car to test the alternator but it again just is reading voltage. Your battery will not supply above 13.2V so when you have more than that, the alternator is working. I don't remember how the starter test works but I think it is looking at the voltage drop when the starter is engaged. Useful cheap thing to have in the garage when the car is acting up.

You can also jump these cars from both ends. A nice guy at the Burger King did that with me on my ex-wife's e88 and we got it started despite a totally dead battery - probably had a broken connection inside it. That ability is a rare good thing about maintenance on a BMW. If you can find two friendly people with two sets of cables and the starter and the rest of the car works, you should be able to get it started.

BMWs are EXTREMELY intolerant of any issue with the electrical supply. They are programmed to turn on the wipers, mess with the dash lights and other stuff I am forgetting when they do not like the voltage they are getting.

[NorthernDancer]

Yes, most likely a loose positive cable somewhere or bad ground cable left lower area of engine. If you were a BMWCCA member, you'd have any number of club members you could call for help.

[dtla1]

Someone already mentioned this, check the connection right next to the jump post. That is known to fray and essentially disconnect the starter.

[mfindigital]

Getting the car towed was a pain (shoutout to dtla1 for figuring out how to put the dct car in neutral when it's dead, it's a bitch the first time but super simple after you do it once).

It was the starter, it just died. It had been dying a slow death. So now I've done the waterpump, ofhg, charge pipe and starter. Can't wait until my fuel pump takes a shit so I can have the 1addicts starting 5 of issues out of the way. Guess it's important to remember that the car is 8 years old, these things tend to happen even if you are super low mileage (I'm at 58k). Repaired as per the usual by SpeedLogic, Rob remains the man.