Car won't crank over...

[GreenFrog]

I was running low on gas and had to drive my car to the airport (originally had called a cab but the dumbass never came, forcing me to drive so I wouldn't miss my flight).

By the time I got to the airport, 9 miles away, my gas light was on but I was confident that I'd have enough to fill it up once I'd get home (tonight). My car has been sitting idle for the past four days in long term parking and tonight I landed back.

I get to my car and start the car, but it won't crank. It's silent (beyond the faint whisper/humming of electronics activating) and I don't hear the fuel pump priming.

I thought it was a lack of gas, so I called AARP and they sent a guy to fuel up my car with 1 gallon of gas (stingy bastards!). It still wouldn't crank over. My battery was fine, because everything was turning on, but he still jumped my car and it made no difference.

Eventually had to get my car towed back home and I don't know what the hell is wrong with it.

Could it be that the fuel pump is broken? Maybe the starter is shot?

[kayger12]

If you don't hear the fuel pump priming, then most likely your fuel pump is shot.

You can also check the fuse for the fuel pump, but I doubt that's your issue.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[Rovert]

Yeah usually it's the fuel pump. Sometimes it's the relay which is a bich to get to behind the glove compartment. But you can swap it with the horn relay and confirm if you want to narrow problems down in the cheapest manner. I have a video on YouTube on what our fuel pump sounds like too.

[kayger12]

^^
Good catch, Trevor. Knew I was forgetting something.

[GreenFrog]

I don't know how to do any of the suggestions you guys have up there..

Do I need to get this towed for repairs?

Basically, when I try to start the car, I don't hear any mechanical sounds. I don't know if that means the fuel pump is shot or if it's something else. I remember the guy who came to fill up my car said that it could be the starter.

[danewilson77]

This


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqVGpkan0rE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[danewilson77]

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?4521-BMW-330i-ZHP-fuel-pump-DIY&p=97854

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[GreenFrog]

Ok, just went back to my car this morning and clicked the key three times. I heard the faint whirring of what appears to be the fuel pump, coming from the rear passenger side seat.

So, I think my fuel pump is working, actually. Granted, it wasn't as loud or dramatic as in the vids shown above because of the seat, but I did hear a whirring sound. Is that the fuel pump?

The car just won't crank.

At the same time, when I turn the key three times without trying to start the engine, I hear a vibrating sound coming from the car. It's like an electronic groan. I took a video and you can hear it here in the first 7 seconds. In the subsequent 'cranks,' I'm fully turning the key to try to start the car to no avail.

I've noticed that the red bar on the coolant gauge turns on for a few seconds when I'm trying to start the car.. can that mean anything?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_HqieVUaX0

[danewilson77]

You could try holding the gas pedal half way down, with the key in position 2,for 10 seconds, then try to start it.

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[GreenFrog]

You could try holding the gas pedal half way down, with the key in position 2,for 10 seconds, then try to start it.

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Just tried that with nothing happening. I took a longer video showing the dashboard and all:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xArQrwx-ITA

[kayger12]

Sorry- I misunderstood your first post.

You're not getting any cranking at all from the starter. In light of those videos, I'd say your starter is shot.

Anybody have any other possible culprits?

[danewilson77]

Sorry- I misunderstood your first post.

You're not getting any cranking at all from the starter. In light of those videos, I'd say your starter is shot.

Anybody have any other possible culprits?

Weird that it happened on low gas though.

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[kayger12]

Yeah- I'm betting completely unrelated. Weird timing, but most likely just a coincidence, I think.

[GreenFrog]

With little automotive knowledge I have, I think it's the starter too. As mentioned, I can hear the faint whirring of what seems to be the fuel pump. When I crank fully, no sound comes from the engine bay.

I had the hood up and one of the roadside assistance guys listening to the engine he said there were no sounds being generated as I tried to start the car.

As of now, I have a towing service scheduled to take my car from my house to the dealership... ironic because I was scheduled to come in tomorrow anyway to get my tail lights fixed under the recall. Looks like there are going to be more repairs.

Hopefully my extended warranty covers this.

Thank you everyone for the prompt responses!

[Rovert]

Get a Bosch starter. I think that's the one I have and it's got a lifetime warranty. :)

I know the starter is hard to find and get to but my friend said if you bang it a few times you maybe able to get the metal brushes to settle to contact the motor to start. Once you got it up and running drive to your shop. :) This is a common practice when a starter stops working.

[danewilson77]

That or clutch start...

[Rovert]

Oh yeah! when the car is on accessory mode and you depress the clutch, do you hear a little click coming from the clutch area? That's the safety switch so the car knows the clutch is pressed far enough down to start and not jump your car a few feet...haha.

[GreenFrog]

At the repair shop and the starter was faulty. Should be getting my car back by EOD :D

[danewilson77]

Good deal. Good you didn't go down the fuel pump path.

[HokieZHP]

I was just goiung to say it's your starter. This exact thing happened to me in early January. Had to get my starter replaced. Glad you got it figured out.

[GreenFrog]

FUCK the car still wont start despite having installed a new starter. WHAT THE HELLIS WRONG WITH IT IM GETTING SUPER FRUSTRATED!!!!! The tech shop said it could have something to do with my alarm. I do have an oem alarm system installed; could that be it?

I just don't understand. The car has been PERFECT ever since I bought it 8 months ago and all of a sudden it just won't crank over. No warning signs. No issues. No error lights.

I just come back to it after four days with low gas and it won't freaking start.

Could it be that my alarm is disabling something? The technician said something along the lines of the starter not receiving any voltage, but if they independently try to crank it, it works fine; it's just that the car itself won't send it electricity when you try to start the car.

Maybe a rat chewed some wires? The warranty cust rep said that that happens to cars parked in long term parking in airports where rodents chew up your wires.. but that's more for cars that have been sitting for weeks, he said; my car's been there for four days.

[Meric]

Turn key to start position first, push clutch pedal second. I haven't had a problem starting my car since I reversed the starting procedure. If it's an auto that you drive, then it's probably the starter.

Try other your second key. (If you have one)

I heard this btw:

"Well god forbid a starting problem come from the starter motor. My latest tow-in extravaganza resulted them finding a "bad spot" on the commutator within the starter motor. What kills me is that this isn't a rare car issue, for BMW's, M3's, or any other car."

[GreenFrog]

The car's sitting in the mechanic's garage right now and I'm at home.

They're closed tomorrow and then I have to fly out of the state for work on Monday.

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Currently trying to see if I can fly out Monday at night instead as the technician said they'll supposedly have the issue fixed by Monday.

[Meric]

Also at your last video around :040 i heard some grinding / Starter voice maybe?! Try what Dane said several times.

[GreenFrog]

I think the sound you heard at :40 was just the sound of my keys scraping against the plastic.

My car is totally silent when I try to crank the car, besides, of course, the electronics and beeping sounds.

[danewilson77]

Damn bro.

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[GreenFrog]

Looks like my key is the issue.. the guy said the microchip in my key is broken so the car doesn't recognize it, thus disallowing it from cranking the car.

Turns out the starter was NOT the issue, but they went ahead to replace it anyway.. the guy said, 'yeah we tested the starter too and it was broken anyway..." to kind of hint that I'd have to pay for that.. am I liable for their repairing that?

I think they're lying about the starter as it was completely fine the entire time.

[Johnmadd]

Ask them to put the old starter in the trunk so you can test it, if its good sell it or keep as spare.

[zj96sc]

I wouldn't pay a cent for it. Clearly not the problem. Their first step should've been to check for voltage at the starter.

Thread initially got lost in terminology. in order - engine not idling, engine not firing, engine not turning over, starter not engaging, starter solenoid not clicking, nothing.

The sound from your video in post #8, unless my ears are failing me, sounds like a blend air door stepper motor.

[GreenFrog]

So it turns out the key was the issue the entire time. Apparently the chips inside the key were broken. Brought in my 2nd key and car worked like a charm. The guy said the starter was shot anyway and that it had to be replaced.

I was skeptical and ended up getting into a pretty heated argument with him about how he sold me on giving him my business because he had a BMW tech with him to fix my car (despite the tech having gone home early that day). I ended up just paying my deductible. He said he sent the starter to somewhere to get $75 for the core.

Anyway, car works; key was the issue the entire time. But the car cranks over REALLY fast and crisply with the new starter.. so I'm not entirely annoyed with having it replaced.

[aurelius]

For future reference, E46 keys can often be fixed:

Service below will diagnose your key for $5 and, if repairable, it's another $45 to fix:

BMWGM5.com