2003 bmw wont start

dennyire

I have a 2003 bmw 520i petrol....high mileage

All over Christmas fine but yesterday turned over a little but wouldnt catch
Tried to jump start it but no joy

Lights, radio electrics all ok, but now all i get is a click click click sound when i try to start it

Maybe its starting motor and tried rocking it in reverse but no good

Anyone any ideas and also any ( cheap ) mechanic on south side dublin that might call out have a look

Many Thanks

If it did more than click when you tryed to jumpstart it (ie turn over without starting) and it clicks without the other car connected then it's defo the battery

A 1.3 Ka wouldn't jumpstart my 2.5 ZT yesterday. What car were you trying to jump it off ?

dennyire

RoverJames wrote: »

If it did more than click when you tryed to jumpstart it (ie turn over without starting) and it clicks without the other car connected then it's defo the battery

A 1.3 Ka wouldn't jumpstart my 2.5 ZT yesterday. What car were you trying to jump it off ?

First time jumping it tried to turn over without the clicking.

Then I switched off ignition and tried again but just got this continuos clicking but no sound of attempt toturn over

Jump started with one of these portable jump start machines I got from next door neighbour, and this was fully charged

Clicking both with jump leads connected and without them connected

dennyire

dennyire wrote: »

First time jumping it tried to turn over without the clicking.

Then I switched off ignition and tried again but just got this continuos clicking but no sound of attempt toturn over

Jump started with one of these portable jump start machines I got from next door neighbour, and this was fully charged

If it attempted to turn over the starter is fine, new battery and you'll be fine me thinks (98% sure). Lots of those portable jump start machines are total crap to be honest.

dennyire

Thanks James

Atlas are not far from me so may have a battery in stock...hopefully they can fit it too as if battery under rear seat and positive coonection under bonnet may be beyond me to fit it

Owen

You're battery is in the boot, not under the rear seat. It's there so the car can have better weight distribution and balance.

bmw535d

your battery is at the end of it's life, now it is very important that when you get a new battery you get the charging cycle reset or your ibs(intelligent battery sensor) lead will **** the new battery in a year or less.failure to do this will result in buying another battery next year, as i found out the hard way.

dennyire

PaintDoctor wrote: »

You're battery is in the boot, not under the rear seat. It's there so the car can have better weight distribution and balance.

You sure its in boot ? I read that somewhere too that it was on left side but when I checked there was a compartment there for CD changer ( never used ) Any particular place in boot ?

My boot so full of junk , will empty tomorrow and look

mjth2004

dennyire - not to sound funny but I'm guessing it was a little too cold for your bmw!

I had similar problem last week, with a little internet searching all signs pointed to the fuel pump relay! Long story short, took out the glove box changed the horn relay for the fuel pump relay & the car started no problems!

Fuel pump relay can be a little tricky to get to & remove but it is very doable (DIY)!

bmw535d

its at the right side of the boot under the cover, remove the two screw clip yoks and wiggle the cover off, and it is defiantly the battery as the tell tale clicking sound is a sound iv'e hear too often with my BMW.

dennyire

mjth2004 wrote: »

dennyire - not to sound funny but I'm guessing it was a little too cold for your bmw!

I had similar problem last week, with a little internet searching all signs pointed to the fuel pump relay! Long story short, took out the glove box changed the horn relay for the fuel pump relay & the car started no problems!

Fuel pump relay can be a little tricky to get to & remove but it is very doable (DIY)!

It started first time every day during cold snap until last night when temp started to rise...ironic!!!

dennyire

bmw535d wrote: »

its at the right side of the boot under the cover, remove the two screw clip yoks and wiggle the cover off, and it is defiantly the battery as the tell tale clicking sound is a sound iv'e hear too often with my BMW.

Thanks..will check that in morning....does that mean that there is a positive and negative on battery in boot or just negative in booy and positive under bonnet where I hooked up to?

dennyire

dennyire wrote: »

Thanks..will check that in morning....does that mean that there is a positive and negative on battery in boot or just negative in booy and positive under bonnet where I hooked up to?

The +ive under the bonnet is purely there for jumpstart reasons The actual battery has a -ive and +ive pole and cable to them like any other battery.

dennyire

dennyire wrote: »

It started first time every day during cold snap until last night when temp started to rise...ironic!!!

Mine was the same Such is life with a battery really.

dennyire

Thanks James....will try out in morning when its bright and ( hopefully ) dry and let you know

If a jump start direct from battery starts it up, do you think I will still need a new battery, though answering my own question, i have had car 4 years so battery at least that old so probably should change it

dennyire

dennyire wrote: »

If a jump start direct from battery starts it up, do you think I will still need a new battery,

Yep
Unless it went flat due to something being left on, which probably isn't the case. €125 mine cost me yesterday in a tire outlet, no cash off even though I was taking the battery away to fit myself :rolleyes:

smokie2008

Connect the the leads to the battery on both your car and the other car with the other car running......then leave for a half hour.

The alternator on the other car will charge your battery.

Start your car with the other car still running. I'd be almost certain its your battery. And I'd say the leads your using are all plastic and very little copper wire inside to carry the current which is why it won't start.

I work for a breakdown Company and I get this all the time.

bmw535d

dennyire wrote: »

Thanks James....will try out in morning when its bright and ( hopefully ) dry and let you know

If a jump start direct from battery starts it up, do you think I will still need a new battery, though answering my own question, i have had car 4 years so battery at least that old so probably should change it

your battery is nearly 8 years old

bmw535d

isn't it ironic just a couple of days ago i posted here informing you of the stinking ibs lead,
when this morning i was awoking by my car alarm to go out and discover that the key would no turn it off no matter what i did,
car was immoblised key did nothing,so i got the boot open and disconnected the battery to discover the alarm on bmw's have back up battery's :mad:.

so i had to scram to my jeep and take the battery out of it and put it into my 5series and start the car to stop the god dam alarm. so it turns out this is my third battery fecked in 3 years in my 2004 bmw. WTF..

im lucky it went flat over night at the house. as the last time i was 15 miles away and went into the shop to come out to a dead battery after driving 40 miles. im in a dilema now, do i put in the old battery fully charged and be nervous of getting stranded,

or do i go to the expense of buying a new battery for it to last a year. or do i go to the stealers and get the ****ing ibs lead reset again?:(


hate hate hate the way BMW over complicated the charging of a battery.god dam efficient dynamics.

maidhc

bmw535d wrote: »

im lucky it went flat over night at the house. as the last time i was 15 miles away and went into the shop to come out to a dead battery after driving 40 miles. im in a dilema now, do i put in the old battery fully charged and be nervous of getting stranded,

Are you sure that is actually the problem and not something else (like the alarm) is draining the battery?



The OPs problem could also be the starter, they often fail and you hear the solenoid trying to engage the gear, but the starter itself won't turn over.

bmw535d

maidhc wrote: »

Are you sure that is actually the problem and not something else (like the alarm) is draining the battery?



The OPs problem could also be the starter, they often fail and you hear the solenoid trying to engage the gear, but the starter itself won't turn over.

well it happened this morning again with the jeep battery do yes it does seem that i have a parasitic drain over night, now how the hell is that going to be found:(.

jimmyw

I subscribe to a motoring magazine and by coincidence they are doing a project at the minute on an 01 Beemer 530d estate.They had a similar problem with their battery going flat which was eventually traced to the fan resistor.They also had a problem with another drain (not enough to flatten the batt) on a traffic master thingy.I don't know if yours is like this BMW535d though.

bmw535d

jimmyw wrote: »

I subscribe to a motoring magazine and by coincidence they are doing a project at the minute on an 01 Beemer 530d estate.They had a similar problem with their battery going flat which was eventually traced to the fan resistor.They also had a problem with another drain (not enough to flatten the batt) on a traffic master thingy.I don't know if yours is like this BMW535d though.

na mine is the newer model, but could be the same fan resistor or the cd player not going into sleep.

jimmyw

They said their drain was about 110Ma when BMW state it should be no more than about 40.Apparently you need to wait about 16 minutes to let the car go to sleep to check the drain.They call it the hedgehog unit.Its a known problem I believe.I haven't a clue about beemers myself.

maidhc

maidhc wrote: »

The OPs problem could also be the starter, they often fail and you hear the solenoid trying to engage the gear, but the starter itself won't turn over.

I doubt it as it turned over ish before the clicking started so the starter did engage

dennyire wrote: »

First time jumping it tried to turn over without the clicking.

Then I switched off ignition and tried again but just got this continuos clicking but no sound of attempt toturn over

bmw535d

seems the cold has taken out 2 ibs leads in ireland, check under you battery, id bet 50 euro its damp, the damp fecks the ibs lead which drains your battery. no idea why its damp but i suspect it has something to do with the cold weather, ive been reading about this all day. currently need a new ibs lead and a visit to the stealers, i am not a happy bunny today.