Staring engine issues

B

brawnyblue

Member
Since Sunday my 2004 2.5i has had issues starting up.

I was away for a week and when I came back I encountered the following issue
- The engine does not want to start up at first. I turn the key and the engine just chokes a few times. Usually, the second time I try while pushing the accelerator the engine will fire up
- Once the engine is hot and and the car has run for a while the issue is gone. I can switch the engine on and off without any issues
- I noticed that while the engine is trying to start up all lights quickly come on and off in the same rythm as the engine chokes
- I drove for a while to make sure the battery would be charged (in case it was just flat) and the problem was still there the next morning
- There are no other issues, no misfirers, no noises, etc.
- Just want to mention that while I was gone, I left the light switch on. My lights do switch off automatically though so I don't see how that would have drained the battery. Even then, the battery should be charged again now.
- Also, I am able to turn on lights, open the car and turn on radio while the engine is off (I only tried this for 30 seconds or so). So if it is a battery issue, the battery is not completely dead

Any idea what this could be caused by?
 
Do you know how old the battery is? I'd start by having the alternator tested to make sure it's charging the battery correctly and then have the battery tested. if you have a multimeter you can test the alternato yourself - Google for info!

Hope that helps
 
davegt said:
Do you know how old the battery is? I'd start by having the alternator tested to make sure it's charging the battery correctly and then have the battery tested. if you have a multimeter you can test the alternato yourself - Google for info!

Hope that helps
Click to expand...

Thanks. I will test those things first. The battery is quite old, 4 years at least. There is already white build up on the connectors. I have a feeling though that it could be the ignition switch.
 
Almost certainly an issue with the battery not having enough 'charge' to start the car. As davegt says above, the alternator may not be charging the battery through a fault, the battery may not be performing as well as it could due to age, or alternatively you somehow it managed to get drained while you were away - either through user error, being left for ages and draining naturally, or an electrical fault.

Just to note, the lights on the dash, the lights on the car, the radio and the locking mechanism don't require anywhere near the sort of current from the battery that is needed to start the car. How much have you driven the car since discovering the issue? It could be that you've not driven enough for the alternator to charge the battery up. Getting it started and leaving it running for a while may help you start/stop it immediately afterwards, but a day later you will have the same problem again.
 
Tim182 said:
Thanks. I will test those things first. The battery is quite old, 4 years at least. There is already white build up on the connectors. I have a feeling though that it could be the ignition switch.
Click to expand...

Why would you say that? If you turn the key and the car is trying to start, the switch is working as far as I know? It'd be a different story if you'd turned the key and nothing happened.
 
Dev said:
Tim182 said:
Thanks. I will test those things first. The battery is quite old, 4 years at least. There is already white build up on the connectors. I have a feeling though that it could be the ignition switch.
Click to expand...

Why would you say that? If you turn the key and the car is trying to start, the switch is working as far as I know? It'd be a different story if you'd turned the key and nothing happened.
Click to expand...

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29403

Have a look at this threat. Kinda sounds similar.

I am absolutely not sure about this, but if it was a an alternator or battery issue shouldn't there be a problem playing radio and putting on the lights with the engine off? I have experienced dead BMW batteries and broken alternators before (on a 2003 525i) and the sympthoms were very different. I just want to try and pin it down as much as possible to avoid having to pay a lot of labour while they try and figure out what the issue may be.
 
Dev said:
Almost certainly an issue with the battery not having enough 'charge' to start the car. As davegt says above, the alternator may not be charging the battery through a fault, the battery may not be performing as well as it could due to age, or alternatively you somehow it managed to get drained while you were away - either through user error, being left for ages and draining naturally, or an electrical fault.

Just to note, the lights on the dash, the lights on the car, the radio and the locking mechanism don't require anywhere near the sort of current from the battery that is needed to start the car. How much have you driven the car since discovering the issue? It could be that you've not driven enough for the alternator to charge the battery up. Getting it started and leaving it running for a while may help you start/stop it immediately afterwards, but a day later you will have the same problem again.
Click to expand...


Thanks, that all makes good sense. I have driven the car for about 120km since. 80 of that in one go.
 
I have what sounds like the same very frustrating issue and was really curious as to whether or not you got it resolved!

From WLH's comments it sounded like it was down to a faulty ignition switch, was this the case and how much did it cost to resolve?

Thanks very much for your help

Cheapshots
 
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