[Shawnalston10]

I have a 2011 335i E92 and drove to a golf course the other day and parked my car and when I went to leave the car wouldn't start or crank. My interior lights were working and my dash board was on but the car wouldn't start and I've noticed in the last month that after driving for a while and then starting my car it would take a while for my car to crank but I didn't think anything of it. I towed my car to my house assuming it was my starter on my car. I replaced that today and nothing changed. I then thought it was the IBS sensor on the battery as well so I unplugged that and still no start or crank. I've had my battery on the charger for about 8 hours and still the car won't start. Has this ever happened and what should I do to fix this? (I've replaced the HPFP within the last month as well)

[jeddo45]

Originally Posted by Shawnalston10

I have a 2011 335i E92 and drove to a golf course the other day and parked my car and when I went to leave the car wouldn't start or crank. My interior lights were working and my dash board was on but the car wouldn't start and I've noticed in the last month that after driving for a while and then starting my car it would take a while for my car to crank but I didn't think anything of it. I towed my car to my house assuming it was my starter on my car. I replaced that today and nothing changed. I then thought it was the IBS sensor on the battery as well so I unplugged that and still no start or crank. I've had my battery on the charger for about 8 hours and still the car won't start. Has this ever happened and what should I do to fix this? (I've replaced the HPFP within the last month as well)

Check the ground cable under the engine. if it's corroded at the ends, or green you'll need to replace that.

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Originally Posted by jeddo45

Check the ground cable under the engine. if it's corroded at the ends, or green you'll need to replace that.

+1 if it won't start or crank and you've already replaced the starter, replace that cable.

[clegg]

Have your battery load checked and as noted inspect/replace engine ground.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by Shawnalston10

2011 335i E92... the car wouldn't start or crank. My interior lights were working and my dash board was on but the car wouldn't start and I've noticed in the last month that after driving for a while and then starting my car it would take a while for my car to crank but I didn't think anything of it. I towed my car to my house assuming it was my starter on my car. I replaced that today and nothing changed. I then thought it was the IBS sensor on the battery as well so I unplugged that and still no start or crank. I've had my battery on the charger for about 8 hours and still the car won't start.

QUESTIONS:

1) When it "would take a while for my car to crank" do you mean (a) that the Starter had to crank the engine LONGER than normal (more than a second or two) before the engine "fired" or started, OR that the Starter did NOT immediately start to crank or turn the engine when the START button was pressed?

2) I assume that at the golf course, the Starter would NOT crank or turn the engine at all, and now after replacing the Starter, that same condition continues?

3) What, if any, sound did you hear at golf course when you pushed START? Was there any click, either single click, or a "ratchet-like" click of 5 or more clicks in rapid succession? If any click noted, WHERE did click come from, Starter or JB (Junction Box/ Fuse Box at glovebox)?

4) Same questions as (3) when you try to start NOW?

5) Is car Automatic Transmission (AT) or Manual Transmission (MT)?

6) Do you have a Multimeter to read battery voltage at the Jumpstart Terminals? If so, what is battery voltage BEFORE attempting to engage Starter? What is battery voltage immediately AFTER attempting to engage Starter? All measurements at the Jumpstart Terminals under hood & NOT at battery in trunk.

7) Do you know anyone with INPA or ISTA on their laptop who could take a few minutes to connect to your 335i & read some diagnostic screens?

INPA will quickly tell you if the required signals from (1) AT Gear Position P/N, (2) Brake Light Switch, or (3) Clutch Switch are being received by the CAS Module. CAS MUST receive those applicable signals to send START signal to Starter. It will also tell you if CAS is sending the Start Signal to the Starter Solenoid (Terminal 50 Active).

If you don't have a multimeter, you can get one at HFT (Harbor Freight Tools) for ~ $6. OR, you can use Hidden Menu 9.00 to read "System Voltage" which is battery voltage when engine is NOT running, or Alternator Output Voltage when engine running:
http://e90.wikifoundry.com/page/BC+hidden+menus

Checking battery voltage Before & After attempted Starter Activation is using the Starter to perform a load test on your battery, IF CAS is activating Starter, and if Battery Voltage goes from 12V+ to about 10V when load is applied, you have a "bad cell" or internal fault in the battery.

Quick test for bad Engine Ground Strap is to simply attache a jumper cable (as a supplemental Ground Cable) from the Chassis Ground Hex pin (Negative Jumpstart Terminal) to a clean piece of metal on the engine. If Starter ONLY cranks engine with Supplemental Ground "Jumper" attached, then the Ground Strap under the car near the Starter Motor needs inspection/ replacement.

There are some other tricks & tests you can do, even if you don't have INPA, so let us know the answers to the questions above, and do NOT just throw parts at it.

George

[Shawnalston10]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

QUESTIONS:

1) When it "would take a while for my car to crank" do you mean (a) that the Starter had to crank the engine LONGER than normal (more than a second or two) before the engine "fired" or started, OR that the Starter did NOT immediately start to crank or turn the engine when the START button was pressed?

2) I assume that at the golf course, the Starter would NOT crank or turn the engine at all, and now after replacing the Starter, that same condition continues?

3) What, if any, sound did you hear at golf course when you pushed START? Was there any click, either single click, or a "ratchet-like" click of 5 or more clicks in rapid succession? If any click noted, WHERE did click come from, Starter or JB (Junction Box/ Fuse Box at glovebox)?

4) Same questions as (3) when you try to start NOW?

5) Is car Automatic Transmission (AT) or Manual Transmission (MT)?

6) Do you have a Multimeter to read battery voltage at the Jumpstart Terminals? If so, what is battery voltage BEFORE attempting to engage Starter? What is battery voltage immediately AFTER attempting to engage Starter? All measurements at the Jumpstart Terminals under hood & NOT at battery in trunk.

7) Do you know anyone with INPA or ISTA on their laptop who could take a few minutes to connect to your 335i & read some diagnostic screens?

INPA will quickly tell you if the required signals from (1) AT Gear Position P/N, (2) Brake Light Switch, or (3) Clutch Switch are being received by the CAS Module. CAS MUST receive those applicable signals to send START signal to Starter. It will also tell you if CAS is sending the Start Signal to the Starter Solenoid (Terminal 50 Active).

If you don't have a multimeter, you can get one at HFT (Harbor Freight Tools) for ~ $6. OR, you can use Hidden Menu 9.00 to read "System Voltage" which is battery voltage when engine is NOT running, or Alternator Output Voltage when engine running:
http://e90.wikifoundry.com/page/BC+hidden+menus

Checking battery voltage Before & After attempted Starter Activation is using the Starter to perform a load test on your battery, IF CAS is activating Starter, and if Battery Voltage goes from 12V+ to about 10V when load is applied, you have a "bad cell" or internal fault in the battery.

There are some other tricks & tests you can do, even if you don't have INPA, so let us know the answers to the questions above, and do NOT just throw parts at it.

George

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

QUESTIONS:

1) When it "would take a while for my car to crank" do you mean (a) that the Starter had to crank the engine LONGER than normal (more than a second or two) before the engine "fired" or started, OR that the Starter did NOT immediately start to crank or turn the engine when the START button was pressed?

2) I assume that at the golf course, the Starter would NOT crank or turn the engine at all, and now after replacing the Starter, that same condition continues?

3) What, if any, sound did you hear at golf course when you pushed START? Was there any click, either single click, or a "ratchet-like" click of 5 or more clicks in rapid succession? If any click noted, WHERE did click come from, Starter or JB (Junction Box/ Fuse Box at glovebox)?

4) Same questions as (3) when you try to start NOW?

5) Is car Automatic Transmission (AT) or Manual Transmission (MT)?

6) Do you have a Multimeter to read battery voltage at the Jumpstart Terminals? If so, what is battery voltage BEFORE attempting to engage Starter? What is battery voltage immediately AFTER attempting to engage Starter? All measurements at the Jumpstart Terminals under hood & NOT at battery in trunk.

7) Do you know anyone with INPA or ISTA on their laptop who could take a few minutes to connect to your 335i & read some diagnostic screens?

INPA will quickly tell you if the required signals from (1) AT Gear Position P/N, (2) Brake Light Switch, or (3) Clutch Switch are being received by the CAS Module. CAS MUST receive those applicable signals to send START signal to Starter. It will also tell you if CAS is sending the Start Signal to the Starter Solenoid (Terminal 50 Active).

If you don't have a multimeter, you can get one at HFT (Harbor Freight Tools) for ~ $6. OR, you can use Hidden Menu 9.00 to read "System Voltage" which is battery voltage when engine is NOT running, or Alternator Output Voltage when engine running:
http://e90.wikifoundry.com/page/BC+hidden+menus

Checking battery voltage Before & After attempted Starter Activation is using the Starter to perform a load test on your battery, IF CAS is activating Starter, and if Battery Voltage goes from 12V+ to about 10V when load is applied, you have a "bad cell" or internal fault in the battery.

There are some other tricks & tests you can do, even if you don't have INPA, so let us know the answers to the questions above, and do NOT just throw parts at it.

George

#1 the starter had to crank the engine longer than that usual

#2 correct. Nothing changed after replacing the starter

#3 there is one single click that comes from inside the engine bay (not sure where)

#4 is still does the exact same click from the engine bay with the new starter

#5 automatic transmission

#6 I do not have a multimeter but I will go buy one and test it today.

#7 I do not know anyone with ISTA or INPA

[Shawnalston10]

On MHD my battery says 12.25 volts with ignition on and when I try to start my car the voltage drops to 11.77 volts

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by Shawnalston10

On MHD my battery says 12.25 volts with ignition on and when I try to start my car the voltage drops to 11.77 volts

I presume that is voltage DURING Starter Activation (11.77V)? What I was describing is the Voltage at rest, with Ignition OFF, AFTER attempting to start. A Defective battery will show charge in 12.0V - 12.6V range. Then you put Starter Load on it, shut off ignition, measure voltage and it has dropped to 10.0 to 10.5V range. You charge it up, it appears to have a charge (12.0+V) but put a load on it & same things happens. Usually the Starter Solenoid "Ratchets" or clicks ~ 5 times.

Please clarify test reading conditions, and also, try Jumper cable "Supplemental Ground" described earlier. If you have another vehicle or known good battery, try Jumpstarting, using Jumpstart Terminals under Hood, NEVER AT the battery on car with IBS.

If you had a good battery & good ground, and Starter was activating properly, the System Voltage would drop to the range of 10.0V to 10.5V during Starter Cranking. That is "Normal" voltage drop due to Starter current draw on battery. I don't fully understand the test conditions you have described, but it sounds like either a bad ground, loose B+ connection or something in the CAS circuit is NOT properly activating the Starter Solenoid.

Make sure your brake lights are coming on when you press brake pedal with ignition ON. Also, try moving Gear Selector to N instead of P to see if any difference. Also check to see that BOTH battery terminals are secure on the battery posts.

George

[Shawnalston10]

This cable was broken under my engine bay that runs behind the positive battery terminal.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by Shawnalston10

This cable was broken under my engine bay that runs behind the positive battery terminal.

I presume that cable goes from the B+ Jumpstart Terminal to the Starter, as the Starter Power Supply?

If you have already put the Intake Manifold back together, making it difficult to remove the other end of that wire from the Starter, you might consider REPAIRING that cable instead of replacing. The loose wire end does NOT appear to be damaged. It appears that the "Crimp" of the terminal connector simply opened somehow allowing the cable to slide out of the Connector, where the contact between the wire & connector/Crimp decreased over time (causing slow Starts, until there was NOT enough contact to carry sufficient Amps to crank the Starter. In effect, the red plastic shrink tube was all that was keeping the wire in contact with the metal terminal (thing with hole in it and red shrink wrap).

Did you locate the problem with electrical (Resistance) testing or visually?Was the cable completely separated from the red shrink wrap, or still loosely attached? What caused you to notice it?

Bottom fisherman that I am (lazy too ;-), I would simply cut the red plastic off the connector, inspect the crimp end of the connector for damage, and if OK, simply open it up, "re-orient" the loose wires on the cable end so they fit into the connector, put a piece or two of shrink wrap on the cable, crimp it back together, a light bit of solder perhaps, heat-gun the shrink wrap, electrical tape if needed, and voila -- NEW (Effectively ;-) Cable. I would spend some time trying to determine WHY that got pulled loose in the first place, and perhaps anchor the cable in such a way that does NOT recur.

I notice in your photo that there is a similar/identical connector below your left hand. You might check that to see if it is intact, or beginning to suffer same fate as the one you are holding.

Please let us know the details,
George

[TdiMark]

I am facing the exact same situation. Replaced the starter as well as cleaning VANOS solenoids, replacing DISA and CCV. Started and ran, but began to run rough on test drive.

Attempted the manual throttle adaptation procedure, but pretty sure it was done incorrectly. This caution from the Bentley Manual: "If the adaptation process is not completed correctly, the engine does not start." (Found after the fact, naturally...)

I have a Schwaben/Foxwell 510, but haven't found how to do the throttle adaptation on it yet.

Any guidance would be appreciated!