3.0 starting - seems slow and heavy, like a flat battery...

N

Newbers

Active member
 St Albans (one days march from London)
When I start my car it seems to crank over very slowly on the starter motor, almost as though the battery is flat (which it isn't). It always starts no problem and has done this from new. It almost sounds cool (my dad's 1987 911 Super Sport is smilar) but I still find it a bit unerving!

Anyone noticed similar or am I about to get a hefty bill?
 
It's three years old. I did leave it on charge overnight (shortly after I bought the car as I wasn't sure if it had been standing) and it was the same in the morning. Everything else seems to be fine.

It's just not quite what I'd expect from a BMW hence I was keen to hear what other owners of 3.0l cars thought.
 
Mine (3.0si) started cranking slowly but was still starting (kinda sounds like an old porsche when turning over), went on for about 3 months, then the battery just died completely. With a new battery the engine turned over normally again.

As side note, when the battery finally failed the car put itself in "transport mode" so had to make a trip to the dealer, after I replaced the battery, to get that reset.
 
Thanks Nick. That's interesting, may be the battery is struggling to deliver the current the starter needs. I might try connecting to another battery with some jump leads and see if it's any different.

Transport mode sounds like a pain!
 
I had the same symptoms, albeit in a Saab. Slow crank which was especially bad in cold weather and first thing in morning. Had battery checked in a well known chain who said battery was fine. Symptoms continued for weeks until eventually it didn't always start in the morning. Took it to an Indy who changed battery. No issues from that point. I think it was a fault in one cell. So sounds like your battery is on the way out.
 
It does sound like it - I didn't get round to testing it today. I've just sold a 325 Coupe which I've had from new (ten and a half years!) which never once had a flat battery (apart from when the regulator on the alternator packed up).

This car has only done 11k miles in three years so may be it has stood flat in the past, I believe that wrecks batteries.
 
FYI I tried starting the car with the headlights on today (to put extra load on battery) and that didn't seem to make a difference. I then tried starting it whilst the battery was connected with heavy duty jump leads to the battery in my ML (which was running). This also didn't seem to make a difference.

I think I'll just live with it for now and play it by ear. At least being a manual (my first in 17 years!) I can always bump start it. Many years ago I ran a Maestro van at Uni (long story) and for a whole term I drove it without a functioning starter motor. It only really became a problem when the clutch actuator broke....


Will update when something breaks...
 
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