330i not starting

a11y · 09-17-2012, 04:15 PM

Was hoping I'd never have to post on any forum to say my car won't start

I've had the "low battery" warning quite often since I bought the car in June. It's not a daily driver and had been parked up in the garage for 7 days before I tried to start it on Sunday morning - it's last trip out had been a good 150miles+ run. I'd been in and out of the car since then testing various USB sticks and I (now) guess that drained the battery.

Car wouldn't start on Sunday - it turned over very slowly then died completely. Further pressing of the starter button produced nothing.

I stuck my trickle charger on and left it til tonight (approx 36hrs). Tried again. It's now turning over (sounding reasonably healthy) but failing to catch/start. I have to press the starter button again to stop it turning over, and that coincides with/brings up DSC/ABS failure messages on the screen.

Please tell me it's not totally f**ked!

I tried locking it, leaving it for an hour with it back on trickle charge (it's all I have), then trying again but it's the same result - no start and DSC/ABD failure messages.

I'm picking up a new battery tomorrow and hoping it'll start OK tomorrow with that, but I'm very concerned it's something worse - electrical? Please reassure me it's not?!!?

Any advice/suggestions welcome. Car is a 2007/57 330i 258ps manual. Stupidly I don't have any breakdown cover at the moment...

Subzero2003 · 09-17-2012, 04:21 PM

Sounds like it's the battery that's screwed. Low batteries can often cause the other electronic systems to go haywire so i really wouldn't worry about the DSC/ABD failure messages just yet.

If you put in a brand new, charged battery tomorrow and it still does the same thing - then it's time to worry

In all honesty though, it sounds like the battery has been on the way out for a while and the cells are slowly degrading to the point where it just can't hold charge any more. A bit like when the battery on your laptop becomes crap after a few years. Start up places a lot of stress/load on the battery, so it is the most likely time for the battery to show it's weakness and fail.

a11y · 09-19-2012, 03:20 PM

Thanks for your suggestion.

But no joy

Replaced battery tonight, still won't start. Engine turns over normally upon pressing the start button, but it just fails to start. Fuel pump appears to come on (I guess that's the humming noise you hear when you switch on the ignition). I suspect electrical...

The first time it failed to start (at the weekend when I first discovered this problem...) could the low charge left in the battery have created any knock-on problems for the electrical systems?

Any suggestions where to start?

gchild · 09-19-2012, 03:34 PM

If you have breakdown cover, maybe call them out and see if they can get if going/ identify the issue?

a11y · 09-19-2012, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gchild

If you have breakdown cover, maybe call them out and see if they can get if going/ identify the issue?

Don't have any at the moment - lapsed without me realising...

a11y · 09-20-2012, 07:44 AM

Nobody at all?

Please, even if you just have suggestions I'd be keen to hear them so that I can investigate. I'm totally at a loss here without a working vehicle other than my bicycle (and yes, it's raining today...)

runnr548 · 07-16-2020, 07:32 PM

I've got the same issue. Does anyone have thoughts?

therealdb1 · 07-17-2020, 04:03 AM

First thing to do is make sure you have a known good, well charged battery. These cars do all sorts of weird things once the voltage starts to drop.
Scan for any codes which might provide a clue as to where to start looking. Could be the immobiliser has activated.
Are you saying the engine turns over normally but does not fire?

runnr548 · 07-18-2020, 10:41 AM

Car running now. Solution: Talk it over with another BMW owner/mechanic/retired BMW tech. After checking several things I found searching forums/etc, and about an hour with him on the phone, it came down to the new coils. Bosch. In addition to wanting to push away from the sparkplugs, the closing of the top bail to pull the coil wiring connector did not pull the connector far enough in. Poor/no connection, as well as no code with Schwaben scan tool. WIth more force than I like to use on expensive plastic parts, I moved the coil connectors just under 1mm more than the coil bails did. Result...car runs fine. Thanks to all!

09-17-2012, 04:15 PM	#1
a11y First Lieutenant 21 Rep 309 Posts Drives: VW T5 Campervan... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Central Scotland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2004 VW T5 Campervan [0.00]	330i not starting - battery issues? Was hoping I'd never have to post on any forum to say my car won't start I've had the "low battery" warning quite often since I bought the car in June. It's not a daily driver and had been parked up in the garage for 7 days before I tried to start it on Sunday morning - it's last trip out had been a good 150miles+ run. I'd been in and out of the car since then testing various USB sticks and I (now) guess that drained the battery. Car wouldn't start on Sunday - it turned over very slowly then died completely. Further pressing of the starter button produced nothing. I stuck my trickle charger on and left it til tonight (approx 36hrs). Tried again. It's now turning over (sounding reasonably healthy) but failing to catch/start. I have to press the starter button again to stop it turning over, and that coincides with/brings up DSC/ABS failure messages on the screen. Please tell me it's not totally fked! I tried locking it, leaving it for an hour with it back on trickle charge (it's all I have), then trying again but it's the same result - no start and DSC/ABD failure messages. I'm picking up a new battery tomorrow and hoping it'll start OK tomorrow with that, but I'm very concerned it's something worse - electrical? Please reassure me it's not?!!? Any advice/suggestions welcome. Car is a 2007/57 330i 258ps manual. Stupidly I don't have any breakdown cover at the moment... __________________ It's gone - no longer an e90 330i owner**
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09-17-2012, 04:21 PM	#2
Subzero2003 Captain 19 Rep 668 Posts Drives: E92 335i Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Sounds like it's the battery that's screwed. Low batteries can often cause the other electronic systems to go haywire so i really wouldn't worry about the DSC/ABD failure messages just yet. If you put in a brand new, charged battery tomorrow and it still does the same thing - then it's time to worry In all honesty though, it sounds like the battery has been on the way out for a while and the cells are slowly degrading to the point where it just can't hold charge any more. A bit like when the battery on your laptop becomes crap after a few years. Start up places a lot of stress/load on the battery, so it is the most likely time for the battery to show it's weakness and fail.
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09-19-2012, 03:20 PM	#3
a11y First Lieutenant 21 Rep 309 Posts Drives: VW T5 Campervan... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Central Scotland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2004 VW T5 Campervan [0.00]	Thanks for your suggestion. But no joy Replaced battery tonight, still won't start. Engine turns over normally upon pressing the start button, but it just fails to start. Fuel pump appears to come on (I guess that's the humming noise you hear when you switch on the ignition). I suspect electrical... The first time it failed to start (at the weekend when I first discovered this problem...) could the low charge left in the battery have created any knock-on problems for the electrical systems? Any suggestions where to start? __________________ It's gone - no longer an e90 330i owner
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09-19-2012, 03:34 PM	#4
gchild First Lieutenant 23 Rep 340 Posts Drives: honda Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: london iTrader: (0)	If you have breakdown cover, maybe call them out and see if they can get if going/ identify the issue?
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09-20-2012, 07:44 AM	#6
a11y First Lieutenant 21 Rep 309 Posts Drives: VW T5 Campervan... Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Central Scotland iTrader: (0) Garage List 2004 VW T5 Campervan [0.00]	Nobody at all? Please, even if you just have suggestions I'd be keen to hear them so that I can investigate. I'm totally at a loss here without a working vehicle other than my bicycle (and yes, it's raining today...) __________________ It's gone - no longer an e90 330i owner
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07-16-2020, 07:32 PM	#7
runnr548 BMW Pilot 17 Rep 48 Posts Drives: 7 BMWs Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The Atomic City iTrader: (0)	I've got the same issue. Does anyone have thoughts?
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07-17-2020, 04:03 AM	#8
therealdb1 Lieutenant 106 Rep 576 Posts Drives: Graphite E93 335i Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: Norfolk UK iTrader: (0)	First thing to do is make sure you have a known good, well charged battery. These cars do all sorts of weird things once the voltage starts to drop. Scan for any codes which might provide a clue as to where to start looking. Could be the immobiliser has activated. Are you saying the engine turns over normally but does not fire?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

07-18-2020, 10:41 AM	#9
runnr548 BMW Pilot 17 Rep 48 Posts Drives: 7 BMWs Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: The Atomic City iTrader: (0)	Car running now. Solution: Talk it over with another BMW owner/mechanic/retired BMW tech. After checking several things I found searching forums/etc, and about an hour with him on the phone, it came down to the new coils. Bosch. In addition to wanting to push away from the sparkplugs, the closing of the top bail to pull the coil wiring connector did not pull the connector far enough in. Poor/no connection, as well as no code with Schwaben scan tool. WIth more force than I like to use on expensive plastic parts, I moved the coil connectors just under 1mm more than the coil bails did. Result...car runs fine. Thanks to all!
	Appreciate 0 Quote