X5 doesn't start

Gonda · #1 01-21-2012, 10:57 PM

My 2008 X5 was running fine until this morning. It cranked, ran and died right away. After that, it just cranked. No error messages, just showed the Exclamation "!" and engine signs. Last night when I filled up, I shut the engine, but still left the key in so my daughter could listen to the music, after a while all the lights and music went dark. I started the car and it ran fine till this morning. Please help if you know.

BGM · #2 01-21-2012, 11:04 PM

Battery is dunzo and needs to be re-charged (and might need to be replaced as it's getting near the end of it's life).

Gonda · #3 01-21-2012, 11:08 PM

I also tried jump start, but it's no help. I thought if battery bad, it can still runs when you jump start.

BGM · #4 01-21-2012, 11:19 PM

Is it still under warranty for Roadside Assistance to come out ? I know the battery jump is tricky on it--the connectors upfront have a hard time getting good contact which limits the flow all the way back to the battery in back on the charge (it needs more juice sometimes because of that).

Gonda · #5 01-21-2012, 11:24 PM

Thank you BGM for your reply. Unfortunately, I'm out of Roadside Assistance now. Should I try jump start again and leave it for about 1 hour?

BGM · #6 01-21-2012, 11:33 PM

Well I guess jumping it yourself is the only way. What size engine did you try jumping it with ? I've had mine jumped by Roadside--the portable box they had wasn't enough so he also had to connect his little mini-SUV to it to get it enough juice + he monkied with the connectors while I was starting the engine--the front connections are tricky.

Gonda · #7 01-22-2012, 12:06 AM

I jumped start it with my V6 tacoma.

BGM · #8 01-22-2012, 01:09 AM

That should be enough I would think. The Roadside guy was playing with the connectors while I was trying to start it and he finally got a good connection. Maybe mess around with the connection while someone is starting it.

ard · #9 01-22-2012, 01:15 AM

You could have a dead cell and no jumping/contacts will work.

You can drag it to a dealer, pay $200 for diagnostics...and maybe get told it will be $500 more for a battery.

Or you could replace the battery at not-a-BMW-dealer and see how that goes.

Just guessing really.

JCL · #10 01-22-2012, 01:33 AM

It sounds from the description that it cranks but won't catch. If so, that is unlikely to be a battery problem. If it was a battery problem it wouldn't crank

Also not a good idea to fiddle with jumper cables while they are connected and the jumper vehicle is running. You can send a voltage spike to the vehicle being jumped and electronic modules can be damaged that way