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No Power - Insert Key FOB and nothing comes on at all

54K views 32 replies 8 participants last post by  1978sharkster 
#1 ·
First I want to apologize my initial post in this community has to be a support request, and if this has been submitted here before, my searches haven't found anything like the issue I have.
I purchased a used BMW 3 series on 11-14-2012, I am a first time Bimmer owner and love the car and the technology that makes it a Bimmer. The car has 95k miles on it so the warranty is void any the four year period ended on 11-23, the car was not purchased from a BMW lot either.

Vehicle Information (Please request any further details you need, as I am not yet used to knowing what you need to assist)
2008 BMW 328i - 6 Speed Manual Transmission
Does not have Comfort Access, I only have one Key FOB, and the valet key can only open the driver door and trunk. On where to place it for ignition.
Here is a link to the car that I purchased, http://www.karsmart.com/web/1539/vehicle/5344855/2008-BMW-3 Series-328i

My Support Request (I am hoping this is something I can handle myself)
I will start with what happen directly before my Bimmer never showed any electrical response what so ever. I simply took a few friends for a ride to the gas station to use the ATM. I arrived at the gas station turned the car off, everyone got out of it and I used my key FOB to lock my car. My friend went in to use the ATM and me and my other friend stood outside and smoked a cig. Literally less than five minutes later we walked to my car, I hit unlock on the key FOB and nothing happened at all. So I used my valet key, opened the door noticed no lights in the cabin. Placed my key FOB into the slot and nothing turned on, no gauge cluster, no lights nothing, I instantly died inside.
At the time the only thing I could think of being a possibility of what wrong was a dying battery, being that it was kinda cold I was hoping that was the issue. A state police officer pulled into the gas station and I thought my luck cashed in. We attempted to jump start the car and still nothing turned on. At the time I didn't want to think the battery was so dead that a jump start wouldn't work. I was looking in the trunk making sure no battery connections were loose and I noticed the road side phone number. I gave them a call to see what could be going on. At first the rep didn't catch that the gauge cluster didn't come on, so the rep thought that my key FOB lost sync with the car. They had me go through some steps to try and sync it and get the car to start. As soon as I got them to understand that nothing at all turns on that said it had to be the battery or worst.
My Bimmer has drove perfectly since I purchased it. I have never received any battery warning or key FOB warning lights.

What I have tried so far (And Still searching online and attempting things as I find more information)
My car died last night, I attempted to buy a battery at Wal-Mart that night but they didn't have mine in stock. First thing in the morning I purchased one from AutoZone. Put in the battery, double checked all the connections in the trunk, everything seems good and tight, no breaks in any wires. Still nothing at all, so sadly I had it towed to my house. My last car was a 2001 Mitsubishi Galant and when its battery died completely it wouldn't turn or anything for hours, while the ECU was setting its self up. So I thought maybe thats what mine is doing, but still after six hours nothing.
I believe from the information I have read since last night, that I need to tell my Bimmer a new battery is installed, but it first has to show some vital signs before that can be done.
The battery I purchased is a Duralast Platinum (P/N: H8-AGM)

I am now in the process of checking every single fuse in the glove box. Its very hard because I open my passenger door as its still locked. I can move the seat around to make room for a better angle and be 6ft4in isn't helping.
I'm not aware of any other location for fuses.

Reading this article doesn't make me feel any better, http://sandiegobmw.wordpress.com/2010/03/29/bmw-with-a-dead-battery-stop-tow-save-tons-of-dough/
I hope changing the battery hasn't made things worst. As I'm thinking my battery isn't the problem at all. I was very very very careful while changing the battery though.

With all that said, I come here for your help. Bimmer's are way more complex than car's I am used to and work on. I am a very handy mechanic with cars in general, but in the past few years more and more electrical modules are added and makes things that much harder. I come to this community because you all as a whole know these cars far better than I do.
My bank account is still bouncing back from the recent purchase, and the numbers I am hearing from the service center make me sick. I'm hoping so hard this is something I can handle on my own, or at least doesn't cost to much.

Thank you all for your time and any help or information you can provide. Please let me know what you need from me that can help out._a_
 
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#2 ·
Do you have the service history on the car? Was the car ever in a wreck? When you tried jumping the car, where did you try jumping it from?
 
#3 ·
Here is a link to the CarFax

The second owner did have a front end collision, which might not of been that bad since its reported damage cost was under $500. When we tried jumping it, it was from under the hood on the jump terminal.

BUT I have good news friends, after checking all the fuses, quad checking the battery cables, she lives again! Thank the Bimmer Gods!

I'm guessing that where it sat so long with a dead battery, as the one that was in it I was only getting 10V when testing it, the car needed time to setup things.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Does anyone know how I can test the Intelligent Battery Sensor and Rear Power Distribution box. One of these I believe has a bad wire or dying.

What I did is leave my key FOB in the socket and in the trunk I started wiggling the connections. My car will turn on the power for a second, and sometimes it stays on after I let go of the wires. Then it drives fine, but after sitting for a while it stops working.

---Edit

So Im thinking it has to be the IBS.
I found a article talking about the E90 Voltage Supply & Bus Systems, and I noticed that my car doesn't have the connection from MRS to BST (now I know what the random wire not connected to something is).
Since the last owner wrecked the car I'm taking a wild guess that the BST popped. Which would mean the power distro box would had to been replaced.

Sorry to post something from another forum... http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6313
 
#6 ·
Ugh, sorry to keep posting just want to track things i'v done so someone can say DONT DO THAT or help rule things out.
I'v been doing a lot of reading today, probably to much. But I found a few places saying to try and disconnect IBS and the car might start. But there issue is different than might, their cars come on just don't start. Might doesn't even come on. Still tried the IBS disconnect and nothing.

I'm really trying to figure this out, the closest service center is in Lexington. And I'm getting tow quotes of $300+, then put on top of that the $110+ for them to find out whats wrong. Its going to be at least 3 weeks until I can afford that, because I have rent, insurance and car payment all due.
 
#8 ·
I believe so. It was a BMW labeled battery with P/N: 61-21-7-575-572. Which my Google's return nothing.
As far as my car not coming on at all, from what i'v read has nothing to do with the IBS because i'm not finding anything say it cuts the power. So now i'm thinking it is the BST in the positive battery cable.

I am trying to find information as to where exactly I should test voltage to figure out if that's the case. As far as readings go in the trunk, I always get the same output.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Its dark and raining outside so I can't get the exact voltage. BUT I was 12.6 plus on all spots tested. Directly on battery POS to NEG, battery NEG to both spots (one at a time) in the attached image.

Forgot to add, I am aware that I need to get it programmed and synced up. Problem is, I need the car running before I can do that.
I am not finding any information that says that if its not programmed/synced that I would get no power at all. I am only finding information state that the battery life wont be good as the IBS isn't told about the change.
 

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#14 ·
Remove the fuse box behind the glove box and check for corrosion on the power wire that is most likely the problem there was a SIB but i cant find it i have it printed out at work i can get the number tomorrow if there is corrosion you have to replace the power distribution box and the power wire from the battery to the fuse box
 
#15 ·
to replace the wire you have to pull the carpet up on the right side of the car to do that you have to remove the a pillar panel front and rear sill panel b pillar panel remove the back seat it just pulls up then remove the c pillar panel there in a tree pin holding it down
 
#16 ·
Yes I push the FOB in completely, stupidity is not the issue at hand this time to say the least. Also please note, after I installed the battery and getting it towed to my house it did come on and start. I drove it for 2 hours, went to a friends house said for a few hours drove home but then a few hours after getting home it no long had power again.
When it came back on, about the only thing I did that I think that made it come on was making sure all connections in the trunk were good, which they were. But I think moving them made it work, but now that isn't doing the deed.

In regards to SIB, is that a recall? BMW cover this stuff even without warranty?

Also, is there any way I can get the passenger door open? There's no way my big lanky self is gonna be able to get the fuse box out. I barely can check the fuses without the door open.
 
#18 ·
The only door that opens when I pull the door handle twice is the drivers door. I thought that was by design, but with you question I guess that relates to one of two minor problems my car had when I bought it. Which are,, TPMS error light (the cluster diagnostics says its inactive) which I have aftermarket wheels. And my passenger door doesn't unlock ever but does lock.
 
#20 ·
My value steams are metal, which also made me think they were the TPMS sensors. I figured a battery was dead or something, since doing a reset in the cluster didn't do anything.
I was about to fix these two problems, but then this hard core issue happened. I'll worry about them later.
 
#21 ·
to remove the glovebox so you can get to the fuse box theres a fabric panel on the left of the kick panel you have to remove a t20 torx and you push the panel back and it pops off then take two t20s off the back off the kick panel and two t30s on the air bag you can pull it down make sure you unplug the air bag and the light in the back then your is 4 t20s holding the glove box in
 
#26 ·
I'm good now that I know for sure what the problem is. I confirmed it by wiggling the B+ cable on the back off the fuse box with my driver door open. Soon as the cabin light came on I popped open the passenger, then pushed in the key FOB and started my car..

So I plan to un-mount the fuse box and leave it in the glove box so I can wiggle it easier while waiting for my parts to come in.
 
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