x5 3.0td auto sport starting problems HELP

[ollie-929]

having problems with my x5 starting..
starts 95% of the time starts excellent.. 5% of the time it wont start it will turn over but not fire.. BMW are being useless and arent sure what was wrong, anyone had this problem before??
any ideas what it could be??
let me know asap..
much appreciated..
thanks
ollie.

[Laurence]

I had a similar problem with my Diesel
The issue I had was that the car wouldn't start. I had been using all day, parked at the shops, came out and ... nothing. It would turn over but not start.

To cut a very long story short...tha car was towed to the local dealer who had it in for a week trying to sort the problem.
It turned out that the fuel rail sensor was faulty - this was after the dealer replaced the fuel pump and three injectors

I can only assume that the fuel rail sensor was sending duff information to the ECU - its possible that if the sensor was reporting the fuel rail as high/low, the ECU would not let the engine fire up.
The part itself is cheap, so may be worth replacing as a start?

The problem with intermittent faults like yours is that they are very hard to trace.
I hope this helps, let us know how you get on.

[supersteve]

Ignition switch.

Either clean it or replace it. Your choice.

[mattieb]

Ollie
Just had the same prob and called out a very nice man (RAC actually) and within 60 secs of arriving, despite having a van full of diagnostic electrickery he emerged with a hammer. With me turning the engine over he gave a gentle knock to the fuel tank on the driver side near the rear wheel and the engine fired into life!!
Got to be worth a go?

[blueagle]

Guys,

We should have a permanent thread for all X5 diesel owners. This will help future buyers of X5 diesel which will be sold in the US latter part of this year.

[podell911]

I have had a series of problems with my X5
1) The first cost £1000 and involved replacing 2 injectors.
They were leaking and hence loosing common rail pressure.

2) Intermitant spinning but will not start.
Nice man from The AA attached a battery booster and INSTANT fire.
If the battery is >4 years old chances are under starting conditions the voltage drop is too great and the UCU thinks ther is a malfuction and does not trigger the injectors.
I replaced the battery and no more problem untill...

3) Intermitant spinning but no start!!
This time the nice man from the AA checked the OIL level (I new this to be neen the low mark but with a service due within a week or two!!) his comment was he had found on another X5 that low oil level was trigering the oil senser in the sump and again the ECU will not allow the engin to start. I put 1Ltr oil in and no problem for the past week.

Hope my rambelings help some one.