occasionally X5 will not start, please diagnose
 

Hi all, i need some help with my car.

I have a BMW X5 2005 (E53) 3.0Diesel

About 2 months ago, I had an instance after filling up at the petrol station and the car would not start. The battery was fine and cranking hence i knew its was not the battery.

Someone there suggested that it might be the immobilizer that i should lock and reopen teh car. This did not do the trick.

Anyway I sat there waiting for a tow truck (10min) and then the car started again. This sort of incidents occured a couple of times.

2 weeks ago, stopped at the supermarket and same thing happened, this time car did not start for well over 4hrs,
The Road assistance chap came and still no joy and i waited another 2hrs for tow truck to turn up (still trying to crank the ignition but no joy)
Car was towed back home and the chap said it might be key related hence that I should try my spare key, like magic that started the car up!.

So I started carrying both keys around pretty much using them Interchangeably as both are on my key holder now ...

Well yesterday on the way from the airport, I stopped to get my daughter some sandwich and the car wont start. I tried both keys and no luck, tried locking and unlocking the car no luck. I was on the phone ringing for a taxi when the car cranked back into live.

I drive daily to work (120miles round trip), so I'm only in the car at start & end of journey and no stops in between. All these incidents seem to have happened withing short stops.

please can you guys give me some indications as to where the problem might be?

Thanks very much

cooa99

May be the cam position sensor...I had a similar problem, engine would crank but not start. Real intermittent, wouldn't do it every time. The problem got worse over time. Is your check engine light on? You may have to take it somewhere to see if any problem codes are present. My problem was the cam position sensor, replaced myself.

Good Luck
Mac

I had a similar problem but mine was the high pressure fuel rail sensor - basically it was telling the Engine Management unit that the fuel pressure wasnt high enough and therefore the engine wouldn't start.
The only option is to have the fault codes read and see if anything has been stored.

looks like i will have to book the car in to be checked. BMW want to charge £175 just to diagnose!

My car has currently go 91k miles on the clock as i have done 30k miles in the last year. Is it ready now for an Inspection. I dont want to go by the dashboard just incase it could have been reset prior to me buying it


cooa99

I think it's a DME/ECU issue

It may be best for you to find an indepedent workshop to have a look at it for you - I managed to find a diesel specialist local to me who diagnosed a problem for free and fixed it first time for a good price.
I have had no good experiences with dealers where faults are concerned as they generally have a diagnosis script to work to - this has resulted in costing me a fortune in the past with the dealer replacing parts that were not the problem.....but they "had" to do it as it was part of their diagnosis process.

As for servicing, my '02 3.0d has needed servicing roughly every 13,000 miles - I know the '05 has a different engine but I assume the service interval is roughly the same? I have just had an inspection 2 service done at 95,000 miles. In any case, I would have thought that you'd done a service of some sort in the 30,000 miles that you've done?

I dropped in at bmw on my way from work yesterday to book it in for an inspection.

They told me that it will cost £175 just to look at the non starting issue!, Am I being ripped off here or its just their standar riffoff charges

To make matters worse, the car wont' start on their drive way, so I've had to leave the car there last night and rent a car for a whole week cos they said they are busy till new week Tuesday.

I have had the car for just over a year now, and i have done all break pads & discs all round and given it 3 oil & filter changes since i bought the the car. All this i did myself

These cars do cost a fortune!

:(

At my dealer we have a diagnosing fee to pay just so people don't take advantage of free diagnosis and get the work done elsewhere... If they get the work done the fee is not applied. That would be what I would ask about.

1st, is the diagnosis fee still applied if the work is done.
2nd, what will they do for you if they misdiagnose the first time and it doesn't fix it.

Is that a bmw main dealer ?

Yes, Peake BMW in south Louisiana in the US.

try your other key, or the valet key. my primary key has been dropped and gotten wet and i think the contacts inside are finicky at best. i go to turn it over and nothing. i put the valet key in, not even start just turn to position two, then remove and put in the main key and it starts. i think the chip inside my main key is loose, or the battery is shot. putting the valet key in, or my second key tells the computer that its all good then it works.

Engine not starting
 

Had exactly the same problem recently - BMW 3.0d 04 plate. Indy garage suspected injectors leaking back but when diagnosed with codes and checked injectors the problem was fuel rail pressure sensor - it was showing half the pressure there should have been. Was replaced and all well now. Dont use BMW dealer - use a local indy garage if you have any BMW indys local. :thumbup:

OOUCH!
 

BMW told me the problems for the intermittent start were caused by :-
1 Glo plug, 1 Injector and pre-supply pump

Here are the listed costs they have given me if the job is to be done

* pre-supply pump - open Circuit = £355.61
* Glo plug No.2 = £228.3
* injector = £621
investigate coolant leak = £78.52
investigate intermittent non start = £156.4
inspection2 = £530

Others
Hand brake rachet = £384.87
play in Front Tension Struts x 2 = £425.96
cracked washer Tank = £162.46

OOUCH ! again and again. Thats the price of another car!

* denotes my non starter problem

I spoke to a someone else re injector/glo and he said it might be best for main dealer to do thi cos if it goes belly up after repairs then they will fix it again, do you agree with this ?

cooa99

I would say the pre-supply pump is more likely an issue than the injector as far as a no start situation, as it affects all cylinders. (keep in mind I don't work on or have experience with diesels as we didn't have them here in the states)

And the thing about getting the work done at the dealer is they warranty what they do. (In the US it is 2 year parts warranty, which covers labor too)

i guess i just have to cry silently and pay up. lets hope this is the last of the big bills

Is there a reason why the bm54 Radio module cannot be repaired?, 3 of the four speaker output has gone


cooa99

I was told that the front tension strut is perishiing and has excess movement.

are these the springs or something else and what othre complications could arise if not done in time?


cheers


cooa99

Those have bushings that get worn/torn, and that's why you likely feel a slight to moderate bump or clunk when first applying the brakes, especially with moderate brake application, and feel the bump/clunk when going up curbs or going over speed bumps.

The bushings being worn just make for a rough ride, and in certain situations can trick the ABS into activating momentarily, but no major worries there. You can hold off for a while, but usually once the issue is brought to mind and you realize what it is you will feel it every time you drive. ;)