[tee92]

To begin, I know I should’ve covered terminal with a rag or ziptied it up away. I learned my lesson! So I was tidying up the battery wiring since I just picked up my car about a week ago, unfortunately I bridged the negative to the positive lead on the power distribution box. Sparks started flying, so I waited until they stopped, grabbed a rag and removed the ratchet from the battery. I assumed this fried my battery, so my next step was to get a new battery. I get my new battery (Duralast H8) and connect all my wires to find out my car wouldn’t start, not even electronics, nothing. I ran a voltomter to my battery and it came back 12.5V, furthermore I tested the positive post under the hood and the hex stud to get 12.5V again. I narrowed it down to the first fuse on the power distribution box by running the continuity setting on my voltometer. Today, I went to a local junkyard and picked up a used power distribution box, there was continuity on all fuses, so i knew this would work. I get home, install my new distribution box. My cars electronics now work, car locks and unlocks, just will not turn on when I press clutch in and push start/stop in. Any ideas what else I may have blown? Or what I could have missed when reinstalling my battery? I have checked my connection and everything seems to be fine. Thanks in advance guys, i appreciate the help.

[gbalthrop]

Originally Posted by tee92

... I get home, install my new distribution box. My cars electronics now work, car locks and unlocks, just will not turn on when I press clutch in and push start/stop in...

QUESTIONS:
1) "Will not turn on" is NOT helpful. Does the Starter Crank the Engine, but the engine does NOT Fire, or does the Starter not even turn the engine?

If you had INPA or ISTA we could quickly get the needed Terminal Function & Voltage Data, but we CAN get that data otherwise, assuming you have a multimeter, it will just take longer. Please answer the following IF the Starter does NOT crank the engine:

2) Does Remote Key continue to Lock/Unlock Doors?
3) When you put Remote Key in Insert Compartment, does Radio operate?
4) When you press START WITHOUT pressing Clutch pedal, does Instrument Cluster light? Does A/C Panel light and Blower operate? Windows & Seats operate?
4a) Measure Voltage at Jumpstart Terminals and proceed if > 12.0V
5) As YOU listen over Left Fender/Wing with hood up, listening for "Clicking" from the area of the Starter Solenoid under the rear of the intake manifold, have helper Press START button with foot on clutch. Is there ANY "Click" sound? Is it a single click, or a ratchet-like clicking, ~ 5 clicks per second?
6) If Starter does NOT crank engine, measure battery voltage at Jumpstart terminals again and record/report value.
7) IF Voltage STILL > 12.0V, attach a single jumper cable as an auxiliary Ground cable: One end to Hex-Pin Chassis Ground "Jumpstart Terminal" and other end to good metal on engine head or block.
8) Attempt to crank starter again, and note any difference.
9) Refer to Diagram of Cables attached to Rear Power Distribution Panel in photo attached to NEXT post, and identify the point on the Panel that the wrench made contact with.
10) Since there were MANY electrical system changes effective 3/1/2007 in the middle of the 2007 Model Run, please provide the Month & Year Build Date of your vehicle, and/or the last 7 characters of your VIN so we can lookup wiring diagrams in ISTA.

Let us know results of those tests, and answers requested, and we can suggest "next steps".

George

[gbalthrop]

Attached is BMW Training Manual Diagram of RPDP
Note each of 3 B+ Supply Cables (LARGE, Med, small)
Function of each (what components supplied) shown in table

George

[tee92]

Originally Posted by gbalthrop

QUESTIONS:
1) "Will not turn on" is NOT helpful. Does the Starter Crank the Engine, but the engine does NOT Fire, or does the Starter not even turn the engine?

If you had INPA or ISTA we could quickly get the needed Terminal Function & Voltage Data, but we CAN get that data otherwise, assuming you have a multimeter, it will just take longer. Please answer the following IF the Starter does NO crank the engine:

2) Does Remote Key continue to Lock/Unlock Doors?
3) When you put Remote Key in Insert Compartment, does Radio operate?
4) When you press START WITHOUT pressing Clutch pedal, does Instrument Cluster light? Does A/C Panel light and Blower operate? Windows & Seats operate?
4a) Measure Voltage at Jumpstart Terminals and proceed if > 12.0V
5) As YOU listen over Left Fender/Wing with hood up, listening for "Clicking" from the area of the Starter Solenoid under the rear of the intake manifold, have helper Press START button with foot on clutch. Is there ANY "Click" sound? Is it a single click, or a ratchet-like clicking, ~ 5 clicks per second?
6) If Starter does NOT crank engine, measure battery voltage at Jumpstart terminals again and record/report value.
7) IF Voltage STILL > 12.0V, attach a single jumper cable as an auxiliary Ground cable: One end to Hex-Pin Chassis Ground "Jumpstart Terminal" and other end to good metal on engine head or block.
8) Attempt to crank starter again, and note any difference.
9) Refer to Diagram of Cables attached to Rear Power Distribution Panel in photo attached to NEXT post, and identify the point on the Panel that the wrench made contact with.
10) Since there were MANY electrical system changes effective 3/1/2007 in the middle of the 2007 Model Run, please provide the Month & Year Build Date of your vehicle, and/or the last 7 characters of your VIN so we can lookup wiring diagrams in ISTA.

Let us know results of those tests, and answers requested, and we can suggest "next steps".

George

Thanks for the speedy reply, George.

1) Thanks for that, starter does not even turn the engine.
2) Yes, the remote key locks and unlocks my doors.
3) When I insert the key, the radio does not turn on.
4) When I press the start button once, wipers engage and parking brake light. I press it one more time and my cluster lights up, however ac does not light up or blow, seats and windows do not work.
5) I actually do not hear my starter clicking, but I do hear something near the chargepipe area. This noise comes on without having the foot on clutch as well.
6) Measured voltage at the post and hex stud, 12.0V.
8) After attaching single jumper cable, no difference was noted. Could it have been where I attached the other end?
9) The cable that was in contact was #6
10) Sorry, I do not know the manufacture date of my car. The last 7 of the vin are: P023377.

Thanks again, George.

Best regards,
Alex