[BMW Z4 E85 2.5] Impossible to start up the car

K

Kuchi

Member
Hello guys !

I'm pretty bad in english so please excuse my bad language.
Currently my Z4 is immobilized since the engine electronics lamp has lighted up in orange. The 'service engine soon' warning lamp is also turned on with orange color. All the embedded electronic devices seem to work (radio, headlights, heating and ventilation, inside lamps, etc) so it should not be related to the fuses or the battery.
Actually I let the car at a garage and since then impossible to start up the vehicle.

Could the problem be caused by the EWS II alarm ? The car is equipped with a second alarm added by BMW which ensure the car is not moved (volumetric protection), stolen, etc by powering off the engine injection and starter. I've made some research about that and it seems it is not the problem. According to the BMW's EWS electronical overview, the engine could be started with the proper key even if the car was previously immobilized.

Someone got an idea ?

What solutions may I have ?
I've to wait for 2 weeks before the car will be moved to a BMW center. The problem occurred two weeks ago...

Thank you !

--

For technical features:
- BMW Z4 (E85) 2.5i
- Vintage : 2004
 
Depends on how long your car has been sitting. The battery can run down fairly rapidly due to drain from on-board systems like a GPS. The lights, etc, may work but not enough power to start the engine. Try putting a battery charger on the contact points in the engine compartment and charge up the battery. Then try to start up the engine.

Good luck,
Ghianut
 
Hello,

Thanks for the reply !
Actually the day before the problem occured I drove 70 kilometers (~ 44 miles) at relative high speed (140km/h or 90 mph) and the days before it was the same thing so I think it could not be due to the battery...
I also tried to charge up the battery but still unsuccessful.

Well "only" 2 weeks to wait... but still open to new ideas
 
How about disconnecting the battery for a few minutes. It may clear any software glitches. Might be worth a shot.

Edit: if you can access a diagnostic tool you could read out any fault codes in the system. Most garages should have this equipment. ( I would hope )
 
I don't know if this will help you, but I'll put down what I think I would try - some of this you might already have done.
1. When you put the key in and turn it, I think if you turn to position 2, you get the lights on the dash and position 3 is when you try and start the car - does anything at all happen when you try to start? Does the engine turn over, or try to turn over? You should be able to hear it try. If it does turn over, is there just no 'ignition' so the engine doesn't start running? Do any lights on the dash flicker? If you do this with the headlights on, do they dim/flicker?
2. I've heard the electronics in the Z do some strange things when the battery is in poor health or is discharged. Have you isolated this as a problem? Charging a bad battery may not actually do anything of use. Perhaps try swapping the battery with a known working one? Or try Richard's suggestion above - disconnect the battery, let the car stay disconnected for a while, reconnect, see what happens?
3. If the engine isn't trying to turn over with a known working battery, I would be a bit stuck. Could be anything from an electrical fault, failed starter motor, immobiliser actively stopping the engine from starting... If the engine is turning over, 'something' is stopping ignition taking place. check leads and spark plugs (long shot)
4. If still no joy, I'm pretty much at the limit as to what I'd try. Sorry!
 
I'll try to disconnect the battery, I didn't try.
However I don't have another battery to test if mine is faulty. The problem is the car is currently at a coachbuilder far away from my home or my work office, plus this is not a BMW garage so they don't have diagnostic tools.

To describe the symptoms:
- In position 2, all the onboard electronics seem to work. After the warning lamps initialization on the dash, the EML and 'Service engine soon' lamps remain lighted up with an orange color (indicating electronical problems).
- In position 3, nothing happens ! No mechanical sound. The starter is not used so I don't think it could be that.
So to answer you Dev, no the engine don't try to turn over.
I'll try to start up the car with headlights turned on like you said but the last time I tried the lights didn't seem to flicker.

That's why I was thinking about electronical faults.
I got a friend who has a device allowing to connect to the car and playing the role of a diagnostic tool. I'll try it but difficult to say when (Since it's summer, most of the garages are not opened during the weekend...).

EDIT: Ohhh I remember when I turned the key to position 2 (or 1 I don't remember), I could hear a weird sound that seemed to come from the engine compartment. That sounds like a double-click. Then to hear again the sound I had to turned back the key to position 0 and then to position 2 (or 1 :roll: )
 
Yup its a manual but the engine doesnt try to turn over.
If it's the battery it won't change anything.

I would like to test it anyway but the area around the car is not really adequate to try "Push Start"... :cry:
 
Ghianut1 said:
Depends on how long your car has been sitting. The battery can run down fairly rapidly due to drain from on-board systems like a GPS. The lights, etc, may work but not enough power to start the engine. Try putting a battery charger on the contact points in the engine compartment and charge up the battery. Then try to start up the engine.

Good luck,
Ghianut
Click to expand...

1st Post! Put something in the Newbie Section..... :thumbsup:
 
I'm back !

Sorry for the time and thanks for the help.
The car is now at a BMW center, they said me the EWS 2 alarm was activated and locked.
They also said me they have no choice but to remove the electronical device because they could not reinitialize the alarm.

Do you think, it is really impossible ?

Thanks anyway.

:(
 
Thanks everyone !

No more worries.
The BMW center called me, the EWS 2 device is out of service coz of the starter which is dead... Well $1400 for the change...

Thanks anyway guys
 
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