E93 M3 Random starting problem. (100% SOLVED)

[anselmw]

I am starting down the same path of no starting. Your post has been very informative. My issue is complete no power front the car at all as if no battery is attached but battery is fine and was replaced twice and tested to confirm it was not the battery. Can't be boosted. Dealer has checked the connections and tightened down everything, reregistered the battery, no codes have ever registers whenever this has happened. They think it might be the CAS but can a faulty CAS cause complete no power? Can a bad IBS do the same?

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

I am starting down the same path of no starting. Your post has been very informative. My issue is complete no power front the car at all as if no battery is attached but battery is fine and was replaced twice and tested to confirm it was not the battery. Can't be boosted. Dealer has checked the connections and tightened down everything, reregistered the battery, no codes have ever registers whenever this has happened. They think it might be the CAS but can a faulty CAS cause complete no power? Can a bad IBS do the same?

Hello. First of all i am sorry to hear that, and i can feel your pain. But believe me your problem is a lot easier than mine. Because you do not have power, so something obviously wrong and you can pin point a lot faster. Mine was seem like everything working normal, all of a sudden was replicating the issue so it fools you to find the problem.

So here is the question. Does your key fob open the door?

[anselmw]

Originally Posted by SaNGRia

Hello. First of all i am sorry to hear that, and i can feel your pain. But believe me your problem is a lot easier than mine. Because you do not have power, so something obviously wrong and you can pin point a lot faster. Mine was seem like everything working normal, all of a sudden was replicating the issue so it fools you to find the problem.

So here is the question. Does your key fob open the door?

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Unfortunately mine is intermittent. Similar symptoms, it will start, park car for a few hours, come back, no power at all, then next day power is back and you can start the car!

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

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Unfortunately mine is intermittent. Similar symptoms, it will start, park car for a few hours, come back, no power at all, then next day power is back and you can start the car!

Ok then i misunderstood. So ok. if you want to find this problem by your own, the easiest way i figured out is you have to have this OBD Cable with diagnostic Program

I want to clear something. When you say there is no power, Can you describe this? Like no power at all like dead? Or at least you can unlock the car?

One of the first thing Go to Recall center :
http://www.bmwusa.com/standard/conte...eoverride=true

Write your last 7 Digit to find out is there any battery cable or some sort of recall for your vehicle.

My suggestion is go to eBay and look for ISTA BMW Diagnostic tool so u can purchase one of them and follow the instruction to set this system in your computer.

Once you complete it, you will wait to replicate the issue and connect this cable to your car and start diagnosing the way i did. That way you can see everything LIVE and can easily find out which module or terminal is not responding!

Note : If you are having a dead battery symptom, i can't promise this cable will work or not during this problem! I never experienced this one /:

[anselmw]

Thanks, I will try this. Issue for me is that when there is no power, the car acts like there is no battery attached. It does have comfort access. When you go to the car, nothing is on, need to use key hole to open the door. When you check the battery it is fully charged and the when you try to boost, nothing happens. Wondering if it is a bad ground but all battery cables were retightened. Can't really use a scanner because the OBD port gets no power.

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

Thanks, I will try this. Issue for me is that when there is no power, the car acts like there is no battery attached. It does have comfort access. When you go to the car, nothing is on, need to use key hole to open the door. When you check the battery it is fully charged and the when you try to boost, nothing happens. Wondering if it is a bad ground but all battery cables were retightened. Can't really use a scanner because the OBD port gets no power.

So do not go to battery at this time. Try to measure under the hood. If you get the same voltage under the hood so we know your red cable is fine! If you do not get any voltage so you need to check ur main battery cable.

Let me know!

[anselmw]

Originally Posted by SaNGRia

So do not go to battery at this time. Try to measure under the hood. If you get the same voltage under the hood so we know your red cable is fine! If you do not get any voltage so you need to check ur main battery cable.

Let me know!

Thanks will give it a try when I get my car back. Hopefully it will be fixed under warranty so I do not need to co to use to trouble shoot .

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

Thanks will give it a try when I get my car back. Hopefully it will be fixed under warranty so I do not need to co to use to trouble shoot .

I hope so too. I will def want to hear from you back. So let me know what they did or did not find out

[chuckvic]

Intermittent no start here. After eval at dealer bad starter no more issues. Came on all of a sudden.

Chuck
2009 with 86324 miles

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by chuckvic

Intermittent no start here. After eval at dealer bad starter no more issues. Came on all of a sudden.

Chuck
2009 with 86324 miles

Miles about right to fail. I am glad you fixed it quick

[m3toboot]

Sangria, you are a champ for persevering with this and solving your problem. Well done!!!

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

Thanks will give it a try when I get my car back. Hopefully it will be fixed under warranty so I do not need to co to use to trouble shoot .

Hey, Whats going on? Did you fix your problem? Please keep us posted

[anselmw]

Originally Posted by SaNGRia

Hey, Whats going on? Did you fix your problem? Please keep us posted

Car is still at dealer, will definitely updated once it comes back. Hopefully this week but they did mention they thought it could be the CAS.

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

Car is still at dealer, will definitely updated once it comes back. Hopefully this week but they did mention they thought it could be the CAS.

Hmm, so they re still testing the car! From what i understand is they successfully replicated the problem and can not find the issue yet? And they said maybe CAS?

I wanna know how they test it during this problem!

Can you please ask them, when the issue was persist, were you able to read the data from the OBD II? If so which modules did responded? (If car can not turn on at all, many modules will not respond).

I am still curious about do you have voltage under the hood during this time period!

[anselmw]

Originally Posted by SaNGRia

Hmm, so they re still testing the car! From what i understand is they successfully replicated the problem and can not find the issue yet? And they said maybe CAS?

I wanna know how they test it during this problem!

Can you please ask them, when the issue was persist, were you able to read the data from the OBD II? If so which modules did responded? (If car can not turn on at all, many modules will not respond).

I am still curious about do you have voltage under the hood during this time period!

I wish I had the car to test the connector but I believe there was voltage here because before I took it in, the battery charger showed voltage from the front when I attached it.

Not sure they have replicated the problem which is why they are suggesting CAS. They did say the trouble shooting manual to confirm if it was the IBS cable, there would still be some fault lights which there were none.

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

I wish I had the car to test the connector but I believe there was voltage here because before I took it in, the battery charger showed voltage from the front when I attached it.

Not sure they have replicated the problem which is why they are suggesting CAS. They did say the trouble shooting manual to confirm if it was the IBS cable, there would still be some fault lights which there were none.

Ok. Since you are under the warranty, they should replace it then.

If it was not under the warranty they would ask you to replace it right now!

And who said that it could be the CAS? I do not trust anyone, esp. BMW SERVICE ADVISORS. Oh God, They all need advice!

I ask them specific questions and all i hear is, We are here to make money sir, and honestly i do not know your answer! Really! I will work at the BMW Dealer and i will not study my homework!

Looks so funny and they literally don't know anything about the car!

[anselmw]

Originally Posted by SaNGRia

Ok. Since you are under the warranty, they should replace it then.

If it was not under the warranty they would ask you to replace it right now!

And who said that it could be the CAS? I do not trust anyone, esp. BMW SERVICE ADVISORS. Oh God, They all need advice!

I ask them specific questions and all i hear is, We are here to make money sir, and honestly i do not know your answer! Really! I will work at the BMW Dealer and i will not study my homework!

Looks so funny and they literally don't know anything about the car!

So agree with them not knowing that much. When I brought it the first time, I said IBS and they said no codes. Just got the word they replaced the IBS cable and I can pick up tomorrow. Hopefully this is the issue. Can't fault them as car is just out of warranty and they are covering the issue still. As I pick up this car I am dropping my M coupe back for limp mode issues after spending a fortune to repair a bunch of stuff. I guess getting loaner car is good but would rather have a reliable car. Was tough having both my bimmers not running. We will see if
IBS cable fixes the problem.

[SaNGRia]

Originally Posted by anselmw

So agree with them not knowing that much. When I brought it the first time, I said IBS and they said no codes. Just got the word they replaced the IBS cable and I can pick up tomorrow. Hopefully this is the issue. Can't fault them as car is just out of warranty and they are covering the issue still. As I pick up this car I am dropping my M coupe back for limp mode issues after spending a fortune to repair a bunch of stuff. I guess getting loaner car is good but would rather have a reliable car. Was tough having both my bimmers not running. We will see if
IBS cable fixes the problem.

It doesn't seem like IBS to me! Let see i don't wanna upset you. I hope this is the problem!

[anselmw]

Originally Posted by SaNGRia

It doesn't seem like IBS to me! Let see i don't wanna upset you. I hope this is the problem!

No worries about upsetting me. That already happened when I had to tow the car the first time and went through two tow trucks as the first one had no clue how to put the car in neutral. I ended up doing it for the 2nd one but he knew how to do it.

Well it will sit a few days after I pick it up so it will be a good test if it solves the problem or not as it seems to come back after short amount of inactivity.

[anselmw]

So I picked up my car today. They could not replicate the problem but still changed out the IBS cable(61-12-7-616-200) and adaptor leads. I will see how it goes the next few weeks.

[anselmw]

Update, after a short bit of success. Left car for 4 days with car on battery tender to make sure it is not battery related. Come back Monday and it starts but today I drive to work. Go to car, does not unlock and alarm is going off. Use key to get in, car is complete dead like before. I get a multimeter and check front boost point as well as battery. 12.4 volts at front terminals so battery is good. I attach booster and it does not work. So left car in lot and will get towed to dealer again tomorrow. This is getting crazy.

Does anyone know if there could be a faulty alarm sensor that goes off and puts car in a mode that turns off all power?

Other thing I am thinking is that even though the M3 is not included in the positive cable/fuse box issue, I am thinking since it was built in the same period and is basically a 3 series there, it has to be impacted as well. Going to try and shake the box, if it starts after that, has to be the same issue.

[SaNGRia]

Mmm. I am telling you you need to diagnose the way i did! Do not trust dealer either! They will not spend time like you do! You should see the live terminal values when the car acting like this! You may think car act totally like dead but you may also get some electricity on some terminals during that time! Did Dealer gave you any information about terminals? Did you ask them any question about getting any electric on terminals?