HELP! 01 X5 3.0 won't start!

CENY · #1 03-15-2011, 12:32 AM

Very frustrated! I have had no problems at all with this vehicle.It's never thrown a code and has always performed exceptionally. Tonight, I had just driven to the store and home and it sat for about 40 mins before I returned to find it would'nt start. The lights come on, the door locks and window works, lowbeams are bright, it has gas in the tank, and when you try to start it no sound except for one click comes from under the hood. All else with the exception of it not starting seems normal. It is not very cold out and even in extreme temps it has been great. I have'nt done much to the car other than change spark plugs back in Oct 2010. I have no idea whats wrong.

Please share your ideas and knowledge.

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o. l. t. · #2 03-15-2011, 12:53 AM

The good news based on your description is that it seems to be getting ignition current all the way forward. Considering all that go wrong between the key and the starter motor, you can eliminate a large portion of the chain right there. You may just have a bad solenoid.

CENY · #3 03-15-2011, 01:51 AM

Thanks for responding. Is changing the solenoid a DIY job? Is there a way to know or to check to see if thats the problem? I'm already losing my mind

TwinTurboGTR · #4 03-15-2011, 06:47 AM

How many miles are on the X? Someone had the same problem a few weeks ago and it was the IVM module, but that is rare for that to happen. You will have to test the system to get a thorough answer. Start at your battery. You should be pulling 13.6 to 14.2 v from the battery. If that checks out, look at fuse and fusible links in the boxes in the engine bay and glove box. But from that "Click" it sounds like your starter. Use a test light to see if that is the case. Using a test light will show you if you are getting power to your starter. If you are, then your starter is no longer good. Another way to tell if it is the starter is to give it a few blows with a hammer. Don't start crankin' on it, but give it a few taps. Doing that repositions the plunger and core just a bit, allowing you to make contact. Sometimes starters get stuck on a spot that is too worn down, not allowing contact. So those few hits may turn the contacts enough to get the X to start.

CENY · #5 03-15-2011, 10:57 AM

Thanks, I got up this morning to try to start the car but still nothing. I am going to try what you have proposed and i'll repost later to let you know my findings. Oh it has 117,435 on the dash and never thrown a code. It's an awesome truck and I really want to get her back right.

TwinTurboGTR · #6 03-15-2011, 11:27 AM

117K is low for a starter to go bad, but then again CV boots go bad after 30K or so. Something that normally doesn't go bad till 60K. But yea give the starter a whack(Slight) and see if that repositions the plunger and contacts.

CENY · #7 03-15-2011, 07:08 PM

Thank You all for your help today. Turns out it was the battery. I assumed that when the battery goes bad things in the cabin malfunction but nothing did so I assumed the worst. Thanks for all the inquiries. Im going to buy a battery in the morning..any suggestions?

TwinTurboGTR · #8 03-15-2011, 07:14 PM

Well great I'm glad. See it pays off to follow an order. See if it were me, I'd expect the worse and start pulling my fusible links and starter and alternator, haha. I explain it better than I can do it. Anyways, a good battery would be a Bocsh, interstate is another one. Either of those battery's will set u back just over a 100. You could go back to factory, but those are 275 300?

motordavid · #9 03-15-2011, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CENY

Thank You all for your help today. Turns out it was the battery. I assumed that when the battery goes bad things in the cabin malfunction but nothing did so I assumed the worst. Thanks for all the inquiries. Im going to buy a battery in the morning..any suggestions?

Auto Zone, Batteries Plus, et al; all have the direct replacement.
It's a cake DIY, eg less than 30 mins.
GL, mD

CENY · #10 03-16-2011, 01:46 AM

Thanks David, I'm gonna do it 1st thing in the morning. The battery died again. However I noticed the gear shift light stays on and with the car completely off there seems to be something running involuntarily in the cabin near the climate controls. Is this normal? I never noticed these things because thankfully I've never had a problem.

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