BMW 3-Series Starting Problems
jayleno212001
Member Posts: 1
in BMW
My BMW 94 318 did not started this morning. When I try to turn it on, I hear the clicking noise like a machine gun and nothing happens. It was working fine yesterday. Any ideas?
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abfisch
Regards,
OW
Regards,
OW
Good luck on whatever you decide.
Regards,
OW
I perform a lot of the minor maintenance and repairs on my BMW myself, but I'll probably use my local dealer if anything other than the water pump or alternator goes south.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Are you quite sure your motor turns and isn't seized?
(just checking).
My 2002 BMW 325CI has not started 5 different times in the last three months. In three of those cases the car started 10 to 15 minutes later. Took it to the dealer and they could not find anything wrong with the vehicle, nor was there a code indicating a problem. Once it would not start for 2 days. Power seems to work as radio and lights come on. We we raised the front hood, the engine seemed to make a hiss when we tried to start it, but did not start to turn over at all.
My car has 53,000 miles and I live in the upper midwest.
Any ideas?
I took the starter out and had it tested. It tested fine. I 'm wondering if there's a problem with the alternator since one of the two main leads to the starter comes through/from there.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Today when it happened, I noticed that the gas gauge needle was pegged on empty and (I think) non of the engine lights where lit. When it finally did start, the gas gauge was working. The radio was working fine.
So it seems there's a loose connection somewhere between the key and the rest of the system. Any ideas on where I should start looking?
-murray
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
You might visit our True Market Value calculator and see where you stand. TMV
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Since u have deleted it, now I am unable to know where it is.
Sometimes a repeated post can be useful
Here's the original post:
BMW FIRE REPORTED
Thanks for the note.
For awhile, if I try to start it repeatedly, it eventually starts. Until recently it degenerated, I tried for 20 mins straight and it still won't start. So I called AAA to get it towed.
The driver came and tried to start it, played with a few things and it started right up. He told me that somehow the anti-theft system is not getting the signal it needs, so it cuts the ignition off. The driver armed and unarmed the alarm a few times, and it seems to have "unjammed" the anti-theft. He recommended that I replace the battery in my key, which may cause this problem.
Has anyone seen and solved this type of problem before?
Is the car still under warranty/maintenance plan? You'll have to know the in-service date to find out..
Common maintenance issues are control arm bushings... The car shouldn't go "klunk" over bumps... if it does, looking at half a thousand..
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Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Ours came with the plastic wallet key, the valet key, and the 2 larger battery keys. The pure plastic key is in my wallet now... (Never leave home without it...)
Exactly; my 1995 3 series has run up maintenance and repair costs that amount to an unbelievable five cents per mile over the 16 years that I have owned it. To top things off, I've taken to two HPDEs this year and each time it has only managed to return 15 mpg on the track. What a disappointment...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
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My intent is to put another starter on the vehicle and if this doesn't solve the problem then junk it. Any other suggestion from BMW expert would be appreciated. - mike
DON'T start throwing parts at the problem. First, clean the battery terminals and clamps as well as the ground cables in the trunk as well as the engine grounds under the hood. Next, have the battery load tested. If the battery is good, find out how much current the car is drawing at rest- it should be 0.25 - 0.4 Amperes. If the radio is an aftermarket unit and the installer butchered the wiring harness all bets are off. Check to see if the glove box or trunk lights remain on, and inspect the wiring that goes to the trunk lid, they sometimes short due to insulation rubbing off.
If you can't perform this work yourself I STRONGLY recommend finding a shop that KNOWS BMWs. I've seen far too many people pay a mechanic their hard-earned money so that he can learn about BMWs...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-2021 Sahara 4xe-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
The Technical Service bulletin on this issue is identified thusly:
SI B61 13 05
General Electrical Systems
April 2011
Technical Service
This Service Information bulletin supersedes SI B61 13 05 dated February 2011.
If you have some "non-approved accessory" installed on the car, the dealer might bring that up.