No start, no clicking nothing

S

stal023

Member
 South Carolina
Well, I jumped in the car (2006 3.0 manual) to go to work and it started to turn over and then went completely dead (as in absolutely no sounds what so ever). Tested the battery and it is good, connection is good. Trunk light is on and if I turn the key to post 2, all dash lights come on and head lights come on. Only light that doesn't come on is the dome light but that hasn't been coming on for a couple weeks now (could just be a coincidence).

The car was starting really labored but I just thought it was due to the cold and then we got warm weather and the car fired right up every time (for about a week). Drove it the night before. No problems.

I had gotten a new scanner and ran all the systems with the innova 5610 and it showed that the alternator was giving higher voltage. I don't remember exactly what it said and I didn't take a screenshot but I know it was under 15.

I've read the ignition switch goes out on these but I'm seeking advice on where to go next?
 
Does the fuel pump come on? Have you tried a jump start from another battery/vehicle? Tap on the starter motor does seem a good idea to me also. No idea where it is though. Maybe a fuse?
 
Had the exact same symptoms recently, was the starter motor. Whacking it & jiggling the wires did get me around for a couple of days (as we were on a Zed Forum run!) until I could get home and replace it. From playing with it after I removed it I think the solenoid failed rather than the motor itself. There was just … nothing … on turning the key.

The starter on both pre-facelift and facelift cars is on the lefthand side of the car (driver's side in the US) under the intake manifold towards the rear of the engine bay.
 
How big of a PIA is it to remove? Most vehicles it's really easy.

What fuses would you check?

So y'all are really thinking starter over ignition switch?
 
You could verify ignition switch or starter by putting a multimeter across the starter connections (there's a square-ish plug from memory that is the signal wire to solenoid) and checking you get 12V when the ignition is turned on. If you're not getting anything at the starter that would point to the ignition switch. If you're getting 12V (mine was) then the Solenoid sounds suspect.

Not sure which generation of car you have (put it in your signature!). On a pre-facelift (M54) the starter is pretty easy, don't have to remove much and access is moderately good. On a facelift (N52) you can do it without removing the intake manifold but it's a right royal PITA. You are at least stood up leaning into the engine bay, not underneath it. From memory I removed the sound generator pipe/resonator to get better access, and the starter only just about wiggles free between the bell housing & intake manifold.
 
I put what car I have in the original post, 2006 3.0i manual, which my understanding is the N52. It looks like an absolute PIA to even get to the starter. Can I even get a multimeter on it without taking off all sorts of sh!t? From what I see when you go get to the starter, the solenoid is on the top, and that bolt that runs to the battery is what I want to connect the voltmeter up to? (Here is a video I am watching - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jUnXJ9t_7M)

If it is the starter, do y'all recommend taking the manifold off or trying to fight everything?
 
buzyg said:
Does the fuel pump come on? Have you tried a jump start from another battery/vehicle? Tap on the starter motor does seem a good idea to me also. No idea where it is though. Maybe a fuse?
Click to expand...
Nope, no noise whatsoever. Tried to jump the car, no luck.
 
stal023 said:
2006 3.0i manual
Click to expand...

Ah, missed that was in the original post. Mine is a N52, same engine. You should be able to pull the cable off and get a multimeter on it. Space is tight though, underneath the manifold.
 
caius said:
stal023 said:
2006 3.0i manual
Click to expand...

Ah, missed that was in the original post. Mine is a N52, same engine. You should be able to pull the cable off and get a multimeter on it. Space is tight though, underneath the manifold.
Click to expand...

Do I need to pull the cable off to test?
 
stal023 said:
Do I need to pull the cable off to test?
Click to expand...

Yup, should have a metal clip on it you squeeze to release it. Towards the front of the car end of the starter on the smaller cylinder from memory.
 
caius said:
stal023 said:
Do I need to pull the cable off to test?
Click to expand...

Yup, should have a metal clip on it you squeeze to release it. Towards the front of the car end of the starter on the smaller cylinder from memory.
Click to expand...

I'm not following. The starter has 2 nuts, one that connects to the battery and alternator and then the smaller 10mm that goes to the electrical connection. Aside from that you have 4 torx bolts holding the starter in. If I want to test, why would I take any wires off? Isn't the point to see if I have :fuelfire: voltage running through it? I am not challenging, just asking for when I get in there.
 
Ah, sounds like your starter is different to mine. The M54 starter was as you've described, in which case just scope the 10mm to check if it's getting the trigger signal or not
 
You shouldn't be able to hear the fuel pump unless you stick your head right by the tank. Mine makes no audible noise whatsoever. BMW starters are known to fail with no warning, thats exactly what mine did.
 
caius said:
Ah, sounds like your starter is different to mine. The M54 starter was as you've described, in which case just scope the 10mm to check if it's getting the trigger signal or not
Click to expand...
I haven't looked at mine but that is what I see described in all youtube videos plus super similar to any other starter out there.

Update: I just looked up the part for my car and I see a third bolt, even smaller. Is that the test spot you are referring to?
 
The N52 starter I replaced looks like https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-377503-oem-bosch-remanufactured-starter-n52-n54-n55-30l/, there's the big bolt that the positive cable connects to from memory, it's grounded through the body I believe and there's a square connector with a pin inside, which is the trigger wire from the ignition to kick the motor into gear. That's the plug I'd suggest pulling off and checking it has 12V going to it when you turn the key in the ignition.

Red circle is the battery positive connection, yellow square is the trigger wire. These point towards the front of the engine with the starter in the car.

Screenshot 2025-02-14 at 19.39.53.png
 
caius said:
The N52 starter I replaced looks like https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-377503-oem-bosch-remanufactured-starter-n52-n54-n55-30l/, there's the big bolt that the positive cable connects to from memory, it's grounded through the body I believe and there's a square connector with a pin inside, which is the trigger wire from the ignition to kick the motor into gear. That's the plug I'd suggest pulling off and checking it has 12V going to it when you turn the key in the ignition.

Red circle is the battery positive connection, yellow square is the trigger wire. These point towards the front of the engine with the starter in the car.

Click to expand...
caius said:
The N52 starter I replaced looks like https://www.turnermotorsport.com/p-377503-oem-bosch-remanufactured-starter-n52-n54-n55-30l/, there's the big bolt that the positive cable connects to from memory, it's grounded through the body I believe and there's a square connector with a pin inside, which is the trigger wire from the ignition to kick the motor into gear. That's the plug I'd suggest pulling off and checking it has 12V going to it when you turn the key in the ignition.

Red circle is the battery positive connection, yellow square is the trigger wire. These point towards the front of the engine with the starter in the car.

Screenshot 2025-02-14 at 19.39.53.png
Click to expand...

Brilliant. Yes I was able to get home and get a flashlight in there and see exactly what you are referring to. What's the truck getting in there to pull that clip?

I also tested fuses and the battery. I can rule those out. All signs point to the starter or ignition switch. I did set up my phone near the starter to see if it captured any noise while I tried to start and I get 1 click, which I would suspect the starter.
 
stal023 said:
Brilliant. Yes I was able to get home and get a flashlight in there and see exactly what you are referring to. What's the truck getting in there to pull that clip?
Click to expand...

I managed to wiggle my hand in and release the clip, then wriggle the wire up through a gap in the intake manifold to get the multimeter probe on it. Possibly depends how thick your forearm is as to whether you can get in there, underneath the intake manifold. The plug has a metal clip on one side of it that needs squeezing inwards to release it from the holder.

You could try tapping the solenoid (smaller round bit of the starter) to see if it frees up at all, if it cranks once then you know the ignition is good without having to unplug the trigger wire. I was using a 3/8" extension bar to tap it (it was the heaviest thing in the toolkit I had with me) and that seemed to kick the solenoid two out of three times. (I ended up bump starting the car the other times. Or just not turning it off, my other half drove five hours home without turning the car off at the end of the meet :lol: )
 
Ain't no way and I'm female and have small hands and no way I can fit my hand between the manifold slots. I can kind of get a hand in there from the side where the big battery/alt wires are coming in enough to push on the metal but then no way to actually pull the connector. My plan is to go buy the longest needle nose pliers I can find to be able to snag that as I don't want to take the manifold off of this isn't the starter.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom