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E39 starts fine but dead when restarting VERY INFREQUENT HELP?! Read forums, but no

3K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  acoste 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello, I have read a ton of threads, but to no avail. My 2000 Bmw 528i auto sports package 64000 miles will start fine, but sometimes, it will not restart. At first there is a click from the starter, but very quickly, it goes to nothing. I bought a new battery, and I thought everything was fine. But about a month later, it did the same thing. I thought it may have been an Ipod charger plugged into the cigarette lighter, but this did not do the trick either. I took it out and about a week later it would not start again. The last time it happened, the car started perfectly, and i drove to my son's school...about 2 miles. I turned it off to speak with him, and when i went to start it, it would not turn over at all. No lights cranking etc. I put cables on it and tried for about an hour to jumpstart it, but the most I got was clicking of the starter.

In desparation, i put cables on the battery itself instead of the engine bay terminals and it started instantly.

I have recently changed the FSU?part The part that does not/does turn the fan off, but the battery problem started around a month after this. I also have a speed sensory that is bad, so? ??? does that matter? It was this way for about three months prior to the battery problem.

I live in a small Idaho town, and there are no reliable mechanics + I am not super skilled.

[ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! PLEASE!!!!:)
 
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#2 ·
I have the same problem; the car will start sometine on it own and at other time I have to jump start it. I cannot jump it from the under hood; when I try to jump from under the hood the bendix start to spin without the ignition been switch on. I am not sure if it is the starter or an electrical problem with another circuit. If you get an answer please forward it to me.
2000 E39 528I 5 speed manual with sport package.

Claude1225us
 
#3 ·
Pingti3, sounds like you don't have a good connection from the inside of the battery cable connectors to the battery posts.
Clean both parts with sandpaper and put it back together. Also check the ground connection from the minus cable to the body.

Claude1225, sounds like you have an ignition switch problem if the starter starts spinning as soon as you connect the jumper cables to the battery post under the hood.
Should do the same thing if you connected the jumper cables to the battery because those cables go to the same place.
 
#4 ·
When you try to jump start it under the hood, the starter immediately spins/clicks even if the key is in off position, is that what you say? Spinning or clicking? Does it turn over the engine?

First solve the jump start issue under the hood. This should be caused by loose cables, bad connection. When you jump start the car from under the hood, the current flows from the source straight to the starter and then it goes back to the battery and then it goes to the front again to supply the electronics. This means that the electronics are supplied by a very long cable which means higher resistance, higher voltage drop specially if you have a bad connection somewhere.
I would start checking the cables on the starter, also the one which goes to the jumper point. The power cable that goes down from the starter into the chassis. The ground cable from the engine to the chassis. If no luck, then check cables around battery,. If no succes, then grounds and power distribution box under the front passanger carpet.

good luck!
 
#5 ·
and also check the grounding point of the engine electronics which is on the side of the front right spring tower facing the engine.
 
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