Hello all, I need some help. I have a 97 540i and It won't start. I just put a fresh fuel pump relay in, and a spare fuel pump fuse. I pulled the connector from the fuel pump and measured the voltage, I don't get any voltage out of the connector no matter what position the key is in. + white/blue wire, - thick brown wire. I measured the two other pins for the fuel level and I got a good healthy 11.xx volts. What is going on here?? Am I possibly doing something wrong? Thanks in advanced.
redbull713
No voltage at fuel pump connector?? E39 540i
The fuel pump relay is fused with F31, 10 amps
The fuel pump is fused with F54, 15 amps in your car.
The power to the FP is only there for a few seconds. After you turn the key to start and the engine is running power is there continuously.
Have you tried junping the contacts to keep it running without using the key?
At the FP connector brown is ground and white/blue is 12 volts from the FP relay.
This pic is from my '00 540, yours should be very similar.
![Image]()
The fuel pump is fused with F54, 15 amps in your car.
The power to the FP is only there for a few seconds. After you turn the key to start and the engine is running power is there continuously.
Have you tried junping the contacts to keep it running without using the key?
At the FP connector brown is ground and white/blue is 12 volts from the FP relay.
This pic is from my '00 540, yours should be very similar.
This is a great hint that we don't want to lose so I just added a reference to your post in the bestlinks for future leverage ...
- What are the most often recommended fuel pump & fuel filter brands (1) (2) & a DIY for replacing the fuel filter (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) & a quick test for fuel pump operation (1) (2) and replacing the fuel pump (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) & how to replace and service your BMW E39 fuel injectors (1) & the location of the K96 fuel pump relay (1).
Note: Photo downloaded & shrunk to 640x480 for posterity.
Attachments
Ok, thanks jimlev as always. I am not quite sure I understand what you are asking. I have not jumped the relay pins, I need to try that. How do I go about doing that the right way? I will check those fuses again. I just don't get why I don't have power to the pump.
Hey gang an update. I replaced the relay and checked the fuel pump fuses they are good. So I measured the voltage at the fuel pump connector while cranking and I got 10.8x volts. Is this normal? Also I don't measure any voltage at the connector except while cranking. Is there supposed to be voltage in the other key positions??
When you first turn the key to the on position there should be voltage there for maybe 2 seconds, then nothing.
When you turn it to crank you should have 12 volts again.
Your 10.8 volts is low, it should be 12 +volts.
Check the voltage right at the battery to see if it reads 12 volts, which will confirm that it's not your meter reading wrong.
If you get 12 volts (or more) at the battery you could have a bad connecting in the relay socket, the fuse socket, or the fuel pump connector.
When you turn it to crank you should have 12 volts again.
Your 10.8 volts is low, it should be 12 +volts.
Check the voltage right at the battery to see if it reads 12 volts, which will confirm that it's not your meter reading wrong.
If you get 12 volts (or more) at the battery you could have a bad connecting in the relay socket, the fuse socket, or the fuel pump connector.
help
I have the same fuel pump problem.It should work but it isnt .I need to run down the wires fuses relays and the pumps exact location.
Please help I been working in the car 3 days changing eevrything cause it sat a few years.
Its ready... it stRTS when i spray starting fluid.
where is the fuel rail also?
old thrad i know but additional facts will complete it to help manyothrs too
Thanks
I have the same fuel pump problem.It should work but it isnt .I need to run down the wires fuses relays and the pumps exact location.
Please help I been working in the car 3 days changing eevrything cause it sat a few years.
Its ready... it stRTS when i spray starting fluid.
where is the fuel rail also?
old thrad i know but additional facts will complete it to help manyothrs too
Thanks
For the record, this thread came in handy today for the thread below:
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Fuel relay location
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Fuel relay location
This was posted in the tandom-jobs thread, but it really belongs here ...
I've been through several of the best links and I've seen this particular post before. However my car seems to have a different configuration.
Here is is pic of my Relay Panel in the Trunk.
Which Relay? I have 3 to chose from.
The one in your link appears to be for a Wagon.
![Image]()
Pudl kindly informed us, in the canonical relay thread, that the answer to the prior question was already in the record:
-> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Picture & amperage & description of every single fuse & relay in the BMW E39
I'll start putting the relays here so this post #2 is a work in progress (WIP).
There are (up to) 41 relays? in 3? relay locations in the BMW E39:
Let's list all the relays we can:
- Passenger side engine bay ebox <== ABS, wipers, fuel injectors, DME, AUX, SAP
- Behind the glove box <== fuel pump (after & including 2001), blower motor,
- Battery compartment in trunk <== fuel pump (before 2001), unloader, defogger, central locking, fuel door lock actuator?
Let's annotate the pictures (in the end, we should clean this section up to have only a few pictures with all the relays labeled).
- K? = aux fan relay (1)
- K4 = interior heater blower motor relay (1)
- K5 = does not exist
- K6 = headlight cleaning relay (1)
- K? = starter motor relay (1) (2)
- K13 = rear window defogger relay
- K36 = first wiper relay (1) (2)
- K37 = second wiper relay (1)
- K96 = fuel pump relay (1) (2) <== location changed in 2001
- K? = wiper relay (1)
- K? = unloader relay (1)
- K? = ABS control module relay
- K6304 = secondary air pump relay (1) (2)
- K? = fuel injector relay
- K? = DME relay
- K? = fuel door lock actuator (2)
- K? = ?
WIP: Right now it's a mess as I gather up the relevant photos.
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While there are multiple diagrams of the relays behind the glovebox, I didn't see any clear photos of those relays in the aforementioned thread:
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Picture & amperage & description of every single fuse & relay in the BMW E39
So, I ask either others who have a picture, or bem-ster who will likely be opening up the glovebox area to test the fuel pump relay, to snap a picture of the relays shown in the diagrams so that we may annotate that picture, so that others stand on his shoulders in the future.
This diagram shows the kind of shot we need of his relays (which we can then annotate):
![Image]()
> E39 (1997 - 2003) > Picture & amperage & description of every single fuse & relay in the BMW E39
So, I ask either others who have a picture, or bem-ster who will likely be opening up the glovebox area to test the fuel pump relay, to snap a picture of the relays shown in the diagrams so that we may annotate that picture, so that others stand on his shoulders in the future.
This diagram shows the kind of shot we need of his relays (which we can then annotate):
I'm going through a probable GM3 (General Module III) quagmire at the moment. I have the typical no central lock, no interior lights, no power windows or power seats (except drivers only), no trunk button, no key fob activation. What's more troubling about mine is my car will NOT start. It cranks, but the fuel pump is not pumping thus no fuel to injectors. I have a feeling that my GM3 got fried and set off the Anti-Theft Drive Away Setting (the car suddenly shut down and alarm went blaring at 40mph the other night). So I'm worried, but I'm in the midst of checking the FP Relay and have some pics to share while I have my glovebox and related guts pulled out. Here are the pictures of:
1) General Module III (GM3) - The long rectangular white box with the silver metal heat shield.
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2) Fuel Pump Relay - I have a 2002 525i. My FPR is here behind the glove box.
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3) Fuel Pump Relay Connector - Tall black relay style box. Looks just like the FP Relay except it's twice as tall and is black.
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It was a huge huge huge pain to unbolt the plastic tray holding the GM3 and the Relay "Rack", and then to unclip the relays off of the rack. Very tight space, no room, sharp edges under there. I removed the glove box first.
If anybody has any tips or info about this possible Drive Away Program of the ZKW (GM3) please let me know. Thanks in advance!
1) General Module III (GM3) - The long rectangular white box with the silver metal heat shield.
2) Fuel Pump Relay - I have a 2002 525i. My FPR is here behind the glove box.
3) Fuel Pump Relay Connector - Tall black relay style box. Looks just like the FP Relay except it's twice as tall and is black.
It was a huge huge huge pain to unbolt the plastic tray holding the GM3 and the Relay "Rack", and then to unclip the relays off of the rack. Very tight space, no room, sharp edges under there. I removed the glove box first.
If anybody has any tips or info about this possible Drive Away Program of the ZKW (GM3) please let me know. Thanks in advance!
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