Cold weather starting problems...

Normally my X3 is garaged every night, but when I travel the car gets left outside. Every time I've traveled in the cold and the car is left outside overnight it won't start the next morning. It cranks over fine but just cranks and cranks and cranks until it finally just starts or I floor the gas pedal. Any ideas on what could be? I don't think it's the battery, the starter turns the engine over just fine. Maybe an air/fuel mixture issue, like a sensor or something?

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Originally Posted by '07 AlpineX3

Normally my X3 is garaged every night, but when I travel the car gets left outside. Every time I've traveled in the cold and the car is left outside overnight it won't start the next morning. It cranks over fine but just cranks and cranks and cranks until it finally just starts or I floor the gas pedal. Any ideas on what could be? I don't think it's the battery, the starter turns the engine over just fine. Maybe an air/fuel mixture issue, like a sensor or something?

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for grins and giggles, do you know how to use a multi-meter to check the voltage? As an 07 it is likely that could be a contributing factor to it.

Could be condensation in the fuel lines. I had the same problem once last year. I normally park in the garage. Went snowboarding over the weekend and stayed at a cabin by the resort. A couple of days later when trying to go home in the early morning the car wouldn't start. It had been well below zero over those nights. I bottle of HEET and it started up right away.

There are two different colored bottles of HEET. One is less damaging to seals and such than the other. I don't remember which, but I'd go with the easier stuff. Just keep a bottle in your car and put it into the tank if/when the car doesn't crank after sitting in the cold.

Well, the car died just as I was pulling out of my driveway last night. I had it towed to the BMW dealer and apparently it is the eccentric shaft sensor. Apparently there is an oil leak that is coming through the sensor and shorting it out. They want 1452 + tax to fix it (522 parts, 930 labor), he said they have to take the top of the engine apart to fix it. Has anyone else had this repair? Does that sound like a reasonable cost?

Got the car back and it runs great. I had them update the transmission software and the difference is unbelievable, drives great. Highly recommend it if your transmission isn't shifting well. Cost me an extra 150, which is a little steep in my opinion, but well worth it.

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Originally Posted by '07 AlpineX3

Well, the car died just as I was pulling out of my driveway last night. I had it towed to the BMW dealer and apparently it is the eccentric shaft sensor. Apparently there is an oil leak that is coming through the sensor and shorting it out. They want 1452 + tax to fix it (522 parts, 930 labor), he said they have to take the top of the engine apart to fix it. Has anyone else had this repair? Does that sound like a reasonable cost?

I'm glad they got it all sorted out. I just did a search and it's not an easy job:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=697252