Need help w x5 not starting

[mrkbbd]

the valet key has a chip, just no battery, I think it gets power from the ignition to be able to disable the immobilizer

[youry]

You might be right but I asked once a guy from Greenwich BMW if I can start the car with the plastic key and he confirmed that I can do it. Maybe he was wrong.

Originally Posted by primetime

youry...the use of the plastic wallet key is to open the door in case you lock your self out, with the actual keys still locked inside the car.

[primetime]

Originally Posted by youry

You might be right but I asked once a guy from Greenwich BMW if I can start the car with the plastic key and he confirmed that I can do it. Maybe he was wrong.

Yeah..I'd say that guy has no clue what he's talking about..Kinda scary he actually works at a dealer...

[primetime]

Originally Posted by mrkbbd

the valet key has a chip, just no battery, I think it gets power from the ignition to be able to disable the immobilizer

Thats correct...

[danGIMP]

Originally Posted by vnlecom

It sounds like something is draining your battery. Maybe the dreaded FSR (final stage resistor) that every x5 seems to be plagued with at some point.

Hey, I searched this forum for FSR and it sounds like I have that problem even though my mechanic told me it was just a dead battery and nothing wrong with the charging/electrical system. What's the best way to definitively determine if that's the problem? What's the typical symptoms?

I read something about the blower turning on after turning off the engine -- is that normal? Sorry for new n00b questions, but I haven't really worked on cars since taking auto shop in high school back in the early 90s.

[vnlecom]

After you stop and turn off the car, listen for a very soft blowing noise coming from the console. It is NOT the fan in the engine compartment which continues to run for some time after turning off the car. This is normal. The sound you're looking for is very subtle inside the cabin.

[victor2002]

I heard it doesn`t open the glove compartment, in case you leave the car with a valet parking and you have important documents inside the glove compartment (passport, etc), so they won`t be taken out of the car.

[X5Sport]

I had been having similar issues with my '05' not starting if it was left for more than a few days. It was particularly apparent on cold days when the overnight temp had dropped to about 5 deg C.

After a lot of mucking about by one dealer who tried to identify whether it was the battery or something else, accused me of playing with the wiring - which I hadn't - and could not find the fault, I took it to a second dealer who kept the car for a few days to try various things.

It then turned out to be the problem was neither the battery, electronics or diesel engine pre-heaters but the actual starter motor. It was drawing too much current which caused other issues due to the voltage drop on all the systems and very slow/poor starting. They changed the starter motor itself and I've not had any troubles since.