intermittant starting problem '99 528it

I am having intermittant starting problem with the '99 528it. We had some problem with the automatic steering column adjustment. When the dealer fixed the motor on the steering column, the problem started.

The dealer had the car for a whole week and could not recreate the problem in order to trace it. When my wife drives it, it seems to not start quite frequently. Sometimes it takes repeated tries in order to get the car to finally start. She tries moving the steering column up and down, getting in and out of the car, moving seat back and forth, etc. VERY FRUSTRATING.

Any suggestions at all would be appreciated. Thank you.

boulderleaper@hotmail.com

Originally Posted by BrianW3

I am having intermittant starting problem with the '99 528it. We had some problem with the automatic steering column adjustment. When the dealer fixed the motor on the steering column, the problem started.

The dealer had the car for a whole week and could not recreate the problem in order to trace it. When my wife drives it, it seems to not start quite frequently. Sometimes it takes repeated tries in order to get the car to finally start. She tries moving the steering column up and down, getting in and out of the car, moving seat back and forth, etc. VERY FRUSTRATING.

Any suggestions at all would be appreciated. Thank you.

boulderleaper@hotmail.com

Is it where you turn the key and hear a faint click, then nothing? Then you try a few more times and suddently it'll fire up? I've had the same issue and haven't quite diagnosed it. I'm thinking it could be the key sensor ring that scans the chip in the key for the EWS security system. I've heard of some folks w/ starting issues replacing that or something else EWS-related and solving their issue. You might want to ask on Roadfly since I've read about that a couple times on that forum, or try the main 5-series forum here at Bimmerfest.

Originally Posted by vietsb

Is it where you turn the key and hear a faint click, then nothing? Then you try a few more times and suddently it'll fire up? I've had the same issue and haven't quite diagnosed it. I'm thinking it could be the key sensor ring that scans the chip in the key for the EWS security system. I've heard of some folks w/ starting issues replacing that or something else EWS-related and solving their issue. You might want to ask on Roadfly since I've read about that a couple times on that forum, or try the main 5-series forum here at Bimmerfest.

try and ignition switch cheap and easy fix its a diy thing i did mine in 25 mins

Just to add to that, My dad has a 328i convertible and had the same sort of problem, after trying it a few times it would start, he took it to the local garage and they changed the part that scans the key and from then on he has had no problems