(100% Solved) E92 - M3 - Engine Start Problem - DIY Expert Required

Its a battery cable issue. There was a recall issued a year or two ago. See this related thread:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=493511

Morning.

Failure number 5 - same thing

I made a video.
https://vimeo.com/252644191

And I have some battery pictures.
https://ibb.co/ejQg8b
https://ibb.co/fnq3Mw
https://ibb.co/duFQZG

What do you guys think?

gaz_0001 wrote

Morning.

Failure number 5 - same thing

I made a video.
https://vimeo.com/252644191

And I have some battery pictures.
https://ibb.co/ejQg8b
https://ibb.co/fnq3Mw
https://ibb.co/duFQZG

What do you guys think?

Not to change the subject on you while you are having some issues but I noticed it said TV in your Idrive. What is that? Part of Apps?

bsd damon wrote

Its a battery cable issue. There was a recall issued a year or two ago. See this related thread:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=493511

Your issue was unrelated to the recall. The recall was for the connection at the fuse panel.

Bad EDC module (assuming you have EDC). Doesn't allow the car to go to sleep and the battery discharges. That was my issue.

carenthuziast wrote

Bad EDC module (assuming you have EDC). Doesn't allow the car to go to sleep and the battery discharges. That was my issue.

OP isn't having battery issues though. Car cranks and starts after multiple attempts.

doogee wrote

OP isn't having battery issues though. Car cranks and starts after multiple attemps.

Once you get the battery going, it may regenerate a bit. I think if he left the car undriven for 3-4 days, it wouldn't even crank.

I agree this isn't a battery or power issue. If I were a betting man and inclined to throw parts at it, I'd agree with the starter solenoid suggestion.

But with no tools, and nowhere to take it for proper diagnosis, what is the the next step supposed to be? I hope you're not relying on guesses from a forum.

BOOF-M3 wrote

Not to change the subject on you while you are having some issues but I noticed it said TV in your Idrive. What is that? Part of Apps?

I didn't do anything to get it there. It was just there actually, but I don't think it does anything. I pressed it once and there was just a blank screen.

carenthuziast wrote

Once you get the battery going, it may regenerate a bit. I think if he left the car undriven for 3-4 days, it wouldn't even crank.

I left it for 22 days over Xmas. On my return back, it fired first time.
This week, its not started twice though.
Had to leave it for 15 min then it started.

deansbimmer wrote

I agree this isn't a battery or power issue. If I were a betting man and inclined to throw parts at it, I'd agree with the starter solenoid suggestion.

But with no tools, and nowhere to take it for proper diagnosis, what is the the next step supposed to be? I hope you're not relying on guesses from a forum.

Errrrrr......

Half and half.

There is a BMW garage. But I will need to tell them what to do.

Anyone able to identify the age of the battery from these pics?

https://ibb.co/ejQg8b
https://ibb.co/fnq3Mw
https://ibb.co/duFQZG

gaz_0001 wrote

Anyone able to identify the age of the battery from these pics?

https://ibb.co/ejQg8b
https://ibb.co/fnq3Mw
https://ibb.co/duFQZG

Take it to a shop. The age of the battery doesn't matter.

Omg, it's the starter, just change that and you'll be set. I had the EXACT problem and I was mashing the brakes and the start button because I was so frustrated back in 2016.

This was temperature dependent in my case. The colder it got, the more frequent it happens. In hot weather, like deep south, NEVER happened.

Once I heard the starter was trying to click and verified my battery was brand new, went to FCP and bought a new BOSCH starter. Fires up like a new car.

Here's my thread.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1319988

WingZeroX5 wrote

Omg, it's the starter, just change that and you'll be set. I had the EXACT problem and I was mashing the brakes and the start button because I was so frustrated back in 2016.

This was temperature dependent in my case. The colder it got, the more frequent it happens. In hot weather, like deep south, NEVER happened.

Once I heard the starter was trying to click and verified my battery was brand new, went to FCP and bought a new BOSCH starter. Fires up like a new car.

Here's my thread.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1319988

If you are living inside your engine compartment I am jealous.

BOOF-M3 wrote

WingZeroX5 wrote

Omg, it's the starter, just change that and you'll be set. I had the EXACT problem and I was mashing the brakes and the start button because I was so frustrated back in 2016.

This was temperature dependent in my case. The colder it got, the more frequent it happens. In hot weather, like deep south, NEVER happened.

Once I heard the starter was trying to click and verified my battery was brand new, went to FCP and bought a new BOSCH starter. Fires up like a new car.

Here's my thread.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1319988

If you are living inside your engine compartment I am jealous.

Rofl, it made it way easier to get to the starter bolts in the back though!

Morning,

Update:
Took the car to "BMW".
After 9 days, they said it could be the starter or could be the CAS controller.
I told them to go ahead and replace the starter.
They could not get a starter for 10 working days.
I brought them a new starter 2 days later.... Lol
I let them fit the starter.

14 days total it took.

I have the car back now. It seems to be working fine so far. Fingers crossed.

gaz_0001 wrote

Morning,

Update:
Took the car to "BMW".
After 9 days, they said it could be the starter or could be the CAS controller.
I told them to go ahead and replace the starter.
They could not get a starter for 10 working days.
I brought them a new starter 2 days later.... Lol
I let them fit the starter.

14 days total it took.

I have the car back now. It seems to be working fine so far. Fingers crossed.

So did the new starter fix the issue? Having a similar problem. Thx!

jpE92M3 wrote

So did the new starter fix the issue? Having a similar problem. Thx!

Yes mate. It fixed the issue.
I put the part number at the bottom of the first post.

I had a very detailed topic about our possible starting issues about 3 years ago : http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1142234
If that was the starter issue what I don't understand is how come BMW Service can make a comment like it can be either CAS or Starter? It is very easy to find this out using the damn ISTA!

In order to find the problem, when this NO START occurring, look at the terminal 50E and see what is the voltage. If Terminal 50E does get the juice (12ish Volt anything lower battery having some juice prob) while you attempt to start and starter just clicks it is clear that starter is dead. . And the Volt has to go back to 0 after the car started. If the value is still higher solenoid is not doing the job anymore!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=379&v=9NBxDfOFfwQ

6:15 watch the terminal 50E while car starting! Because of your only starter having random problem, you can see that values while you are attempting to start.

As far as the CAS goes, if u re having problem with the Cas, ISTA will tell you cas can not read the terminals. I had reach that terminals using the CAS module!

Could've saved a whole lot of trouble by listening to the advice of replacing the starter in the first place like doogee and I said.

I got my starter in 2 days from FCP, rofl 10 days BMW lol...

Got a similar problem. Going to do the starter....