Starting Issue

doogee · 08-26-2015, 01:40 PM

For the past few months, about once a month I'd come out to the car and it wouldn't start. Dash lights up, press start and get nothing.

Now since last Saturday the problem has gotten worse. 80% of the time I get in all I get is a click from the starter. The same kind of sound you get with a dead battery.

After enough presses of the Start button (sometimes up to 20 times) the starter will eventually run and start fine. Cranks nice and fast.

I pretty much have it narrowed down to the starter itself. I checked the IBS, replaced the engine ground strap and battery. It isn't the start button. Oddly, it seems to be much more reliable once its been driven for a while and is still hot.

Just wanted to check in to see if anyone has had the same kind of issue and what the solution was before pulling the trigger on a starter.

Thanks

BPMSport · 08-26-2015, 01:53 PM

Check the cable that runs to the starter and alternator from the rear of the car. I've seen this happen when it's not fully secured.

I had this issue back in 2010 and it turned out to be the IBS in my case.

doogee · 08-26-2015, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Check the cable that runs to the starter and alternator from the rear of the car. I've seen this happen when it's not fully secured.

I had this issue back in 2010 and it turned out to be the IBS in my case.

I'll check the cable for sure.

When your IBS was no good, was the start problem intermittent as well?

I unplugged mine and the issue is still there.

Thanks for the info.

BPMSport · 08-27-2015, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doogee

I'll check the cable for sure.

When your IBS was no good, was the start problem intermittent as well?

I unplugged mine and the issue is still there.

Thanks for the info.

Yes, it was intermittent. Sometimes it would start, and sometimes it would just click and nothing would happen. It would always fire on the second try.

ASGM3 · 08-28-2015, 12:58 AM

Im facing the same issue with my car ( 2008 coupe with ess vt2) . sometimes , the dash lights are on but theres nothing when i press the start button .
What works many a times is if i get out of the car lock and unlock it ( give a gap of 2 mins) and then try again .

doogee · 08-31-2015, 08:05 AM

Just an update in case anyone wondered what fixed my issue.

I ripped everything apart and removed the starter yesterday to find the connection on the wire from the solenoid to the motor itself was loose.

Gave my solenoid a tap with a hammer for good luck and threw everything back together and it's been starting great ever since.

Knuckles · 09-08-2015, 06:37 AM

Iv had a very similar gripe since a month after buying the car, went to go start it one morning. Pressed the start button, you get a little whine and the lights come on and go out with the engine management one remaining. It's pretty consistent that the first start of the day takes anywhere between ten and twenty starts of this kind. However for the rest of the day the car will start perfectly. Initially I thought it was something iv done wrong, should I be holding the button, tapping it, do I need to put the key in and wait 30 seconds, is the clutch firmly down. But no matter what I do it still fails. Took it back to the garage and they didn't experience the fault at all so didn't address it. I experienced it the next day so it's going back. Iv got a little video of it playing up. One thing I am wary of is yesterday it did start from cold for the first time in a long time. I want the problem to be there so the dealer can fix it

08-26-2015, 01:40 PM	#1
doogee Major 770 Rep 1,263 Posts Drives: '08 M3, '09 328xi Sport Wagon Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ancaster, ON, Canada iTrader: (0)	Starting Issue For the past few months, about once a month I'd come out to the car and it wouldn't start. Dash lights up, press start and get nothing. Now since last Saturday the problem has gotten worse. 80% of the time I get in all I get is a click from the starter. The same kind of sound you get with a dead battery. After enough presses of the Start button (sometimes up to 20 times) the starter will eventually run and start fine. Cranks nice and fast. I pretty much have it narrowed down to the starter itself. I checked the IBS, replaced the engine ground strap and battery. It isn't the start button. Oddly, it seems to be much more reliable once its been driven for a while and is still hot. Just wanted to check in to see if anyone has had the same kind of issue and what the solution was before pulling the trigger on a starter. Thanks
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08-26-2015, 01:53 PM	#2
BPMSport BimmerPost Supporting Vendor 3592 Rep 7,300 Posts Drives: 2x Harrop E90 M3, E92 M3, E39 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SoCal iTrader: (9) Garage List 2000 BMW M5 [0.00] 1990 BMW 735i Turbo [0.00] 2008 BMW M3 [7.50] 2015 BMW M3 [0.00] 2015 BMW M5 [0.00]	Check the cable that runs to the starter and alternator from the rear of the car. I've seen this happen when it's not fully secured. I had this issue back in 2010 and it turned out to be the IBS in my case.
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08-28-2015, 12:58 AM	#5
ASGM3 Second Lieutenant 16 Rep 275 Posts Drives: E92 M3 6MT ESS VT2-600 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: India iTrader: (0)	Im facing the same issue with my car ( 2008 coupe with ess vt2) . sometimes , the dash lights are on but theres nothing when i press the start button . What works many a times is if i get out of the car lock and unlock it ( give a gap of 2 mins) and then try again . __________________
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08-31-2015, 08:05 AM	#6
doogee Major 770 Rep 1,263 Posts Drives: '08 M3, '09 328xi Sport Wagon Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ancaster, ON, Canada iTrader: (0)	Just an update in case anyone wondered what fixed my issue. I ripped everything apart and removed the starter yesterday to find the connection on the wire from the solenoid to the motor itself was loose. Gave my solenoid a tap with a hammer for good luck and threw everything back together and it's been starting great ever since.
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09-08-2015, 06:37 AM	#7
Knuckles New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: BMW E92 M3 White Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Scotland iTrader: (0)	Iv had a very similar gripe since a month after buying the car, went to go start it one morning. Pressed the start button, you get a little whine and the lights come on and go out with the engine management one remaining. It's pretty consistent that the first start of the day takes anywhere between ten and twenty starts of this kind. However for the rest of the day the car will start perfectly. Initially I thought it was something iv done wrong, should I be holding the button, tapping it, do I need to put the key in and wait 30 seconds, is the clutch firmly down. But no matter what I do it still fails. Took it back to the garage and they didn't experience the fault at all so didn't address it. I experienced it the next day so it's going back. Iv got a little video of it playing up. One thing I am wary of is yesterday it did start from cold for the first time in a long time. I want the problem to be there so the dealer can fix it
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