Engine cranks like normal but doesn't start. Try it again and it starts.
 

Sorry, tried to be very descriptive in my title. I've been doing some searching and it's really hard to filter through posts when the titles just say something like "Doesn't start" or "Spark plug"

Anyway, as the title states, for the last 2 days, my X5 starting having an issue starting. The battery is only about 2 weeks old, so plenty of juice. Also, just FYI, I've only had the car for a month so I don't know its service history.

Anyway when the car has been sitting, for say half an hour or more and I come to start it, the engine cranks like normal... the car just doesn't start. Or sometimes it does after 5 seconds or so and then it seems to stumble to life. If I let it crank or 5 seconds and get nothing, I turn the key back and then start it again. So far every time I've done this it starts up immediately like normal.

My first thought was the fuel filter. With 130k miles I have no idea if it's been changed so I'm assuming it hasn't and it's on my list of things to do. I'm also thinking fuel pump but I don't know how hard this is to do so I'll start with the filter first.... Anyway, reading posts, with similar but not the same problems (some cars don't start at all, some start up fine in the morning, but not later... etc.) it seems I need to consider spark plugs and the MAF too.

Also, in the interests of full disclosure, I'm getting sporadic 1158/1160 codes. The light goes on and off so my guess is I've got a small air leak somewhere, I just haven't had time to track it down.

As cheap as all these things are to do (with the exception of the fuel pump I'm sure...) I'd just do them all, but I moved earlier this year and no longer have a garage. My building doesn't allow us to work on our cars in the garage, so I have to be sneaky about whatever I do or find a friend with a garage to borrow to do the work.


Anyway, what does the wise forum think?
:popcorn:

For the last 18 months mine has done exactly the same thing. I starts on the first try about every 10 times, it always starts on the 2nd try. I've gotten so used to it I just hit it once turn back and do it 2nd time.

My Indy mechanic can't figure it out. My coils are original at 143,000 miles someone thinks it might be the coils.:dunno: I would have replaced them when I replaced the valve cover a few weeks ago but, it was another $500 for parts for my 3.0. I can live with it unless it starts getting worse.

So did you try the other things like MAF, Fuel filter, fuel pump and spark plugs?

Not the kind of response I was hoping for.... :-S

I didn't know this was multiple choice,

None of the above... can you give me some more choices, Snarkman?

Spark plugs I replaced at 99,000... irridiums are forever or 100K whichever comes first. Fuel filter and fuel pump I don't think so; a bad fuel delivery is a problem throughout the running cycle of the engine it would show other symptoms... like stalling, What makes you think it would be the MAF... mine is in excellent shape, new filter, no cracks, no bad seals, clean, no faults:dunno:

Sorry, I guess I was just hoping for a "Do this and all is good" kind of reply. Not an "I have the same problem and I don't know" reply. Not your fault, just damn... not what I was hoping to hear.

My thought with the fuel filter is actually more the fuel pressure regulator. If this is bad, maybe after sitting the pressure slowly leaks out. On first crank the engine just isn't getting enough fuel and by the time of the second crank the fuel pump has built the pressure back up. Same theory with the fuel pump if it's getting weak or leaking. If this leak is really slow (like half an hour or so to reduce the pressure enough...) then maybe I wouldn't smell the fuel?

As for spark plugs this was just a suggestion I saw in another post when someone said their car wouldn't start. Their car wouldn't start at all so the problem was a bit different and spark plugs make sense at that point... but still... cheap and probably should be done anyway.

MAF is always an unknown. On the M5board, we go through them like candy... fortunately, someone found out we could buy two cheap MAFs meant for VW Golfs, throw away the housing and use them on in the M5 housings. When MAFs go, they don't always throw codes and can prevent the car from starting. The first time they went on my M5 it started out with the car dying shortly after starting. Very quickly (within a day) it progressed to the car not starting on some tries and while I was waiting for the MAFs to arrive in the mail, the car just stopped starting all together. This was my experience, but others have had similar but different symptoms. The problem with the X5 is similar enough I didn't want to rule it out.... plus a can of CRC MAF cleaner is so cheap... why not try it.

Fuel pump thats easy and its under the seat ,than go from there ,thats were i would start mine did the same thing got one from the junk yard fifty bucks and starts first try now a have a back up hahahah

Unplug your MAF sensor and then try starting the car. If it starts then the MAF needs to be replaced. I have had that happen before.

Key up a couple of times without cranking. That is, key on/key off, key on/key off. Then crank. The pump should prime the system. If it starts right up, your fuel rail may be bleeding down through a leaking injector or fuel line.

Here is a inexpensive version. 1/3 the cost at BMW dealer:dunno:

BMW*X5*Mass Air Flow Meter from CarPartsWarehouse

Started in about 3 seconds. Better.

Fuel filter..change it. Had his happen to my 540i, worked like a charm.

Mine 01 3.0 125K started this about a year ago, maybe a little longer. I would get in try starting it up and it would not start. On the second try it would start right up. Read lots of posts and finaly found one that suggested turning on the key for a few seconds maybe 5 or 10, then continue to crank. Did this ever since and it works every time. Something about giving the fuel pump time to start pumping fuel. Whatever it is it was nice to find a way around it that doesnt cost anything for once.

Replacing the fuel filter, spark plugs and cleaning the MAF now. I'll report back if this fixes the issue as it seems I'm not the only one with these exact symptoms.

without a good jack and some jack stands, pulling the panel off to get to the fuel filter is a PITA... I got the filter replaced and cleaned the MAF but decided to call it quits before getting to the spark plugs.

So far, it appears to have worked. The car sat for 30-45 minutes while I cleaned up and after that it fired right up. I'll make the final call in the morning though when I go for coffee.

Ok, just to finish off the thread in case someone searches and finds this. After the fuel filter and cleaning the MAF, the car starts right up now!

Bumping this old thread since my 4.6is with the stack of service records and long list of recent work is doing this.

I was planning on having the injectors ultra sonic cleaned and rebuilt anyway so I will start there. I will then look at the MAF ( I think it is right next to the Dinan airbox) and clean it and move to the fuel filter and fuel pump last. I checked fuses and we are all good there ( only checked fuel pump fuse).

I started it up three days ago to move it out of the garage so I could clean it and then moved it back. Now this.

Just goes to show that even with lots of recent work and service records these older BMW's are still a risk. I don't mind, I have 4 other cars to drive and look forward to learning to to fix this issue.

I would concentrate on getting it running right first. Looking at the age and miles of that fuel filter could be the culprit and should be changed in any event. If you have a bad fuel pump you should get a code by scanning the vehicle. See what the scan shows as a starting point first.

Do you say that because if the fuel filter is bad then it will dirty up my freshly cleaned injectors? The main reason I was going to start there is it did not require me to go underneath the X. I was looking into it last week as preventative maintenance anyway.

I tried all of the key on key off tricks mentioned above. It smells like gas in the engine bay whenever I try to start it. Made me think it was leaking injectors.

Most likely you flooded the engine by starting it up and only driving it out of the garage and then started it up to drive it back in. This was discuss in a previous thread. If you are going to start it up, drive it around the block so that the system is in closed loop and not open loop.


If you can smell gasoline in the engine bay, you engine is probably flooded. Depress the gas pedal all the way to the floor and crank the engine. This should clear the cylinders of any excess fuel and should start the engine.

Fix the excessive fuel in the cylinders or else you will be replacing cats

I cant recall if I did two starts or just one when I backed it out. I might have left it running since I was only using compressed air to blow out dust etc.

I pulled the fuel pump fuse and it started and ran for about 5 seconds. Put it back in and same thing. Died. Did all of this while pressing down on the pedal all the way. Maybe I should leave it alone for a few days to let the gas evaporate some. Or is that not realistic?

Scan the X5 to see what codes are triggered and use this information as a starting point of diagnosis.

Not throwing any codes. I don't have INPA either.

Ideally, I would like to hear from someone that has dealt with this in the past, but so far the old threads that I am digging up are helping quite a bit. I seriously doubt it is a fuel pump or fuel filter issue. Maybe I will be lucky and it will be the fuel pump relay or ignition switch.

If it ran for 5 second, the cylinders should have been cleared of any excess gas. You don't need to put the pedal to the floor if it started previous. By putting the pedal to the floor you are telling the computer that you are trying to clear a flooded condition so it is not sending a signals to the injectors to fire. With no signal to the injectors the cylinders are not getting any gas so the engine won't start.

Well upallnight, you called it right. It was because I started it and let it run for about 5 minutes and then turned it off. it was in open loop.

I have let it sit for a week and then put the fuel pump fuse back in and it more or less started if I gave it gas( just one time). I stopped giving it gas and it died and I was back to square one.

So I let it sit another week with the fuse for the fuel pump out and tried again. This time planning on giving it gas after it starts until it warms up a little but. It worked. I went drove it around for awhile and then parked it.

I did remove the glove compartment to access the fuel pump relay, but that is it for any extra work.