****,****,****,****... 540 wont start... Help!

[525SEI BRIT]

Hi please help,

My 1995 540i Manual will not crank. All I can here is a load clicking from the starter solenoid.

Background: I’m currently working in Munich and my car is in the Tiefgarage of my apartment block (a Tiefgarage is like a lift so 2 cars can be parked in the same space, one above the other, mine is on the lower deck = very dark!!)

I’ve not really used it much for the last few months, winter here, just to the gym/supermarket and back. Did not move it for last week and yesterday I go to start it and nothing. Battery flat, cycle to the supermarket and bye a jump starter/booster hook it up and it provides some power so now I can here the solenoid. But it won’t crank. Charge up the booster all night and try it again this morning, no better, tried to get a normal jumpstart from a neighbour and it still wont crank!

Now what?!?!

Terminals are tight; fuse’s seem ok, no previous starting problems.

Is it possible the neighbours little diesel Daewoo just wasn’t up too it?!


Thanks in advance for your help im in a bit of a predicament right now and don’t know were to turn.

Steve.

[Jon K]

Sounds just like its really...really.... flat. Does your apartment have a security truck? Get something with a decent alternator in it and hook it up - leave it hooked up for several minutes, dont hook it up and just start cranking.

If this does work for you there is a good chance your alternator is bad. Unlock the OBC once you get the car going and check your voltage.

[Omega]

First things first, fully charge the battery. You have no chance getting it started without full power especially when the car is cold.

With a charged battery , if the starter continues to click try rocking the car in gear. This can free the starter. If you cannot rock it, use a long piece of wood (brush/mop handle) and strike the starter a few times. Try starting it again. This is easier to do if one person turns the key and another strikes the starter but it is possible to do by yourself.

I suspect that the battery condition is the main culprit but the starter could also be "sticky". Clouting it usually works temporarily.

Hope this helps.

.

[whiskychaser]

Hi please help,

My 1995 540i Manual will not crank. All I can here is a load clicking from the starter solenoid.
Battery flat, cycle to the supermarket and bye a jump starter/booster hook it up and it provides some power so now I can here the solenoid. But it won’t crank. Charge up the booster all night and try it again this morning, no better, tried to get a normal jumpstart from a neighbour and it still wont crank!

Is it possible the neighbours little diesel Daewoo just wasn’t up too it?!

If the sound you get is like a machine gun - tap, tap tap its almost certainly a low battery. Dont know what booster you have but most wont turn over a 1.6 let alone yours. If the Daewoo has a battery as big as yours then you stand a chance if you use heavy duty jump leads. Trickle charge the battery and it should be fine. And before anyone else says it, dont lock yourself out when you remove the battery!

[Tiger]

Sounds like your battery is dead... check the voltage. If not then possibly the starter is bad.

[525SEI BRIT]

Thanks all, I knew the battery was flat, but I was quite surprised at just how much juice it needed. Tried again this evening with a friends big Merc and it seemed as though we just run the battery down even further. So we decided to hook up the batteries direct. only then after running the Merc for at least five minuets did my BM turn a few times and eventually fire and run like nothing had ever happened.

I’m going to monitor it for a few days. Wondering if the positive terminal under the bonnet could be faulty. Would explain the failed earlier attempt!