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Thread: Help - E34 wont start

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Waterloo, ON Canada
    Posts
    11

    Default Help - E34 wont start

    95 E34

    I turn the key and nothing (like I'm trying to start it outside of park)

    Central door locks no longer working, interior auto lights not coming on.

    I've checked fuses and cannot see any blown. Battery is still good - dash lights, radio, headlights all come on. Tried boosting with another vehicle - nothing. Checked fusible link - everything looks good - no cracks

    Any ideas?

    Just incase anyone was interested....

    $1200 later - the door lock capacitators were shorted - driver and passenger. Other wiring and shorting had occurred. Computer thought the doors were locked and would not engage the starter !!

    8 hrs of diagnostic and repair to electrical wiring system under the rear seat.

    Ouch
    Last edited by kwbimmer; 03-20-2007 at 04:59 PM. Reason: Problem solved

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    East Brunswick, New Jersey
    Posts
    879

    Default

    Is the battery charged? How old is the battery?
    '01 540it, 6/01
    '03 325i 5 speed, 9/02
    '10 535ix. 9/09
    '10 mini 6 speed
    '15 mini countryman 6 speed

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    395

    Default

    Sounds like a dead battery. If none of your interior lights come on, its probably a dead battery. Test for voltage at rest and during crank. Rest voltage should not be below 11 volts. Voltage during crank should not be below 9 volts.
    Greg Mannino
    Car Audio.Video.Security.Navigation Guru
    Electrical/Mechanical Specialist

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Waterloo, ON Canada
    Posts
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gmannino
    Sounds like a dead battery. If none of your interior lights come on, its probably a dead battery. Test for voltage at rest and during crank. Rest voltage should not be below 11 volts. Voltage during crank should not be below 9 volts.
    Battery is still good - dash lights, radio, headlights all come on

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Waterloo, ON Canada
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    Default

    Battery is still good - dash lights, radio, headlights all come on

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Great Britain
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    446

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    Sounds like classic sysmtoms of a cracked fusible link.

    Have a rummage around bmwe34.et until you find the section about replacing the fusible link.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Thunder Bay, Ontario
    Posts
    2,538

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    Simple check would be to try jumping it with another vehicle/known good battery. I,ve had mine fail to start due to a weak battery, the car would run, but not send enough to the solenoid to start.

    Plus, jumping is free

    Is your battery under the seat? If so, I believe your fusible link would also be there somewhere. If the batt. is in the engine bay, the fusible link sits aft of the passenger side strut tower, under a little black plastic cover.

    Welcome Ontarian.

    10/90 Build 525im, 630,000+km, Eibach/Sachs, Engine Rebuild
    *RIP Oskar the DOG *

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Iowa, USA
    Posts
    407

    Default

    Also if your battery is bad it may draw away the boosting current to itself as opposed to the starter
    1995 525i "Stefanie"

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Waterloo, ON Canada
    Posts
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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave M
    Simple check would be to try jumping it with another vehicle/known good battery. I,ve had mine fail to start due to a weak battery, the car would run, but not send enough to the solenoid to start.

    Plus, jumping is free

    Is your battery under the seat? If so, I believe your fusible link would also be there somewhere. If the batt. is in the engine bay, the fusible link sits aft of the passenger side strut tower, under a little black plastic cover.

    Welcome Ontarian.
    Yeah - tried jumping but to no avail...

    Battery is under the seat - where abouts under there is the fusable link - what does it look like?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Waterloo, ON Canada
    Posts
    11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by pingu
    Sounds like classic sysmtoms of a cracked fusible link.

    Have a rummage around bmwe34.et until you find the section about replacing the fusible link.
    Fusible link is fine - took it apart and inspected it - no cracks

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