Engine shut off/would not restart at traffic light

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by JCL

If it is spinning over OK, you don't need a jumpstart.

Could be fuel, or ignition. Since you could smell fuel, seems you had enough fuel flow and it would be more likely to be ignition.

Always a good idea to keep the tank in the top half in cold weather.

So is it stranded, or did it restart? Either way, start with the codes.

Thanks JCL,

It is stranded in a Taco Bell parking lot, luckily the lot was at the intersection the car died in. Some great folks pushed me out of the intersection and a tow got me in the lot.

I sure hope it is not the ignition. I agree that it is not the battery, though I was hopeful it was.

When turning the key, the vehicle makes the signature BMW "starting sound" over and over. If that makes any sense? The sound your X5 makes just before the engine ignites and you breath a subconscious sigh of relief. This as opposed to "clicking"which is what I heard when my battery was fully drained a couple of months ago.

As a further confession, I have been habitually not filling my tank up fully or even past half for a week or two now. Either due to being in a rush, or kidding myself in thinking spending less more frequently feels better.
^That's me clinging onto the fuel line freeze!!

The only unusual thing is, why would an ignition failure occur when the engine is already running? Perhaps I need some elaboration on what you mean by ignition? My understanding was that the ignition would be a factor if the car didn't start in the first place.

[JCL]

Essentially, engines only need three things to run: Compression, fuel, and ignition. Those things do need to be in the correct ratios, and at the right time, but that is it. Ignition is just spark. If you didn't have spark, you would flood it and smell fuel. An ignition problem could be anything from an ignition switch, to a control module, to a sensor, to the spark plugs. Ignition problems are far more common than fuel problems.

[TheGodfather]

Originally Posted by JCL

Essentially, engines only need three things to run: Compression, fuel, and ignition. Those things do need to be in the correct ratios, and at the right time, but that is it. Ignition is just spark. If you didn't have spark, you would flood it and smell fuel. An ignition problem could be anything from an ignition switch, to a control module, to a sensor, to the spark plugs. Ignition problems are far more common than fuel problems.

Makes perfect sense. Thank you.