Starting Problems Help e85 z4M 75k

[themenacedesigns]

Car is having intermittent starting issues. When jumped with a jumpbox car will start right up and run. If I turn the car off after say 15 min of driving I can start it right back up with no problem. If I park the car overnight or leave it parked for a days work at the office 8 hours or so car won't start. Headlights/dash etc lights are on fine but when I go to start the car just get clicking sound and flashing head lights. Within the past 2 months thought something was draining the battery so shop disconnected the factory amplifier and i thought it fixed the issue but couple days later same issue.

OEM battery replaced within the last 2 months. Alternator replaced last year. Got car at 55k it is now up to 75k.

Based on what I have read if it was the starter then the car wouldn't start by jumping it with a box. So I am stumped as I am more a car audio expert vs a engine guy.

Any advice?

Added Video:

Originally Posted by themenacedesigns

Video of my start issue

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ab7mrzcrjb...%20AM.mov?dl=0

[AriuSen]

Maybe similar problem to mine. My positive cable wasn't carrying full voltage to the front. Replaced cable and now it's perfect.

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by AriuSen

Maybe similar problem to mine. My positive cable wasn't carrying full voltage to the front. Replaced cable and now it's perfect.

Thanks for your suggestion I will look into that.

Right now its 50/50 if my car will start after I park it for 6+ hours. I can predict it will not start as if I turn the key to on position without fully starting the car. If the top won't operate to go down without starting the car the car won't ultimately start and I have to jump box it. If the top will go down then I can start the car as normal and it fires right up.

I am so confused

Any other suggestions anyone? Auto Scandia in Northern VA is basically saying they can't make a firm diagnosis until it happens again and they have it at their shop to diagnose. Just my luck I left it with them for 3 days straight and was told each morning they went to start it fired right up -___-

[elerner61]

And just to be clear, when you say "won't start" do you mean the car is turning over or "dead, no starter motor actvity".?

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by elerner61

And just to be clear, when you say "won't start" do you mean the car is turning over or "dead, no starter motor actvity".?

I can hear the starter trying but car will not turn over and run.

This is an intermittent issue. Some days I wake up and the car fires right up. Other days I go to start the car and the car will crank but won't start and I must jump box it to start the car.

Needless to say this sucks and I am worried about getting stuck anyone I leave the house so the jumpbox remains with me always lol.

[tiltmode43]

As elerner61 said, does the starter crank? Or do you hear a clicking sound in place of the cranking?

I assume the shop already confirmed both your battery and alternator to be in proper working order at this point, but always good to double check - have they? The reason I ask is you replaced your battery within the last couple months. Was this because your previous battery had died? If this is the case, there is a good chance your alternator was taking a hit as your previous battery was dying. I had a similar (though not identical) issue in the past that turned out to be a dying (then dead) alternator as a result of a dead battery.

Have you measured the voltage on the battery while vehicle is off & on (which would measure the charging voltage of the alternator)? These measurements can be done behind the driver's seat without any tools.

If alternator and battery are in good working order, it seems the car is not getting enough juice from time to time. When you use the jumpbox are you doing this from the terminals up front or from the battery in the back?

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by AriuSen

Maybe similar problem to mine. My positive cable wasn't carrying full voltage to the front. Replaced cable and now it's perfect.

Was your issue intermittent?

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by tiltmode43

As elerner61 said, does the starter crank? Or do you hear a clicking sound in place of the cranking?

I assume the shop already confirmed both your battery and alternator to be in proper working order at this point, but always good to double check - have they? The reason I ask is you replaced your battery within the last couple months. Was this because your previous battery had died? If this is the case, there is a good chance your alternator was taking a hit as your previous battery was dying. I had a similar (though not identical) issue in the past that turned out to be a dying (then dead) alternator as a result of a dead battery.

Have you measured the voltage on the battery while vehicle is off & on (which would measure the charging voltage of the alternator)? These measurements can be done behind the driver's seat without any tools.

If alternator and battery are in good working order, it seems the car is not getting enough juice from time to time. When you use the jump box are you doing this from the terminals up front or from the battery in the back?

Its weird so generally I hear a clicking noise up front and the headlights blink/flash as the car is making the clicking noise. I immediately then must bust out the jump box and it starts up every time.

Yes the shop confirmed the alternator battery etc are working as normal. They also checked the voltage with the vehicle off and on and found things to be normal.

Using jump box from front of car as not enough clearance for battery in trunk to connect both positive and negative.

Any further suggestions?

[Vanne]

so def the starter motor is turning over?is the starter engaging? there is an issue with our cars , thats the ignition switch is pretty crap, mine also had intermittent starting, i.e. needing to turn the key 6 or 7 times before the engine would crank.. but if the car cranks when you turn the key, that can't be it.

[gmd2003]

Originally Posted by themenacedesigns

Its weird so generally I hear a clicking noise up front and the headlights blink/flash as the car is making the clicking noise. I immediately then must bust out the jump box and it starts up every time.

Yes the shop confirmed the alternator battery etc are working as normal. They also checked the voltage with the vehicle off and on and found things to be normal.

Using jump box from front of car as not enough clearance for battery in trunk to connect both positive and negative.

Any further suggestions?

The flashing lights indicates the ECU is not getting enough power . It's very sensitive to low voltage in our cars .

[tiltmode43]

Originally Posted by themenacedesigns

Its weird so generally I hear a clicking noise up front and the headlights blink/flash as the car is making the clicking noise. I immediately then must bust out the jump box and it starts up every time.

Yes the shop confirmed the alternator battery etc are working as normal. They also checked the voltage with the vehicle off and on and found things to be normal.

Using jump box from front of car as not enough clearance for battery in trunk to connect both positive and negative.

Any further suggestions?

This might sound elementary but are your battery terminals clean & oxidation free, and tightened sufficiently? Another thing that I'm sure the shop would have checked, but worth asking regardless.

I could be wrong but I'd guess this sounds related to either battery connection or the cable as AriuSen suggested. The fact the car won't start if the top won't operate is just indicative that the system isn't getting enough juice, hence the dead battery "click" when you then turn the ignition. Then, when the jumper box is connected to the front terminal, you're bypassing the battery connection, allowing the vehicle to start. It could be intermittent due to a wire or cable moving around - sometimes it ends up with a fair enough connection, sometimes it doesn't.

Did the shop say they were able to pull any codes? No SES light doesn't mean the car isn't throwing a code, this could help.

[crawlin]

Have you checked for any drains on system? lights being somewhere, radio stuck on etc..
have you done a draw test?

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by tiltmode43

This might sound elementary but are your battery terminals clean & oxidation free, and tightened sufficiently? Another thing that I'm sure the shop would have checked, but worth asking regardless.

I could be wrong but I'd guess this sounds related to either battery connection or the cable as AriuSen suggested. The fact the car won't start if the top won't operate is just indicative that the system isn't getting enough juice, hence the dead battery "click" when you then turn the ignition. Then, when the jumper box is connected to the front terminal, you're bypassing the battery connection, allowing the vehicle to start. It could be intermittent due to a wire or cable moving around - sometimes it ends up with a fair enough connection, sometimes it doesn't.

Did the shop say they were able to pull any codes? No SES light doesn't mean the car isn't throwing a code, this could help.

Brand new OEM battery put in about 2 months ago of which I thought would fix the issue but didn't. Therefore no oxidation etc. 2nd time though I heard could be issue with cable. Another guy said his positive cable was issue when he has similar problem. I will check into that but other then that I'm stuck fml

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by crawlin

Have you checked for any drains on system? lights being somewhere, radio stuck on etc..
have you done a draw test?

Yes allegedly the amp was causing a factory drain however I am still having the exact same issues so I am starting to feel like them saying the amp was causing a drain was BS and they don't want to refund the money for diagnose and disconnecting it. Literally the exact same problems nothing has changed since it was claimed that it was causing a drain and disconnected.

This intermittent issue is so frustrating for example this morning car fired right up now problems. Whereas every single morning headed to work wouldn't start and every evening when I got to my car to head home same thing had to jump box.

HELP!!!!!

[themenacedesigns]

Just for reference all of these issues began after I got rear ended. Autobody of Vienna did the work. When I came to pickup the car it started rough and threw codes but those went away on their own. Fast forward a week after started having the dead battery issue. Its been like this for months now -___________-

What could be the issue? Obviously the battery is in the trunk and I assume a bunch of important wiring.

[antennahead]

The electrical issues of these cars is a major Achilles heel, IMO. I have been fighting a similar problem (slow drain and/or a battery that refuses to hold a charge and/or an alternator not charging properly) that still exists after a new alternator and battery last January

[StickMon]

Isn't there an explosive link in the B+ cable to disconnect it in case of an accident?
I think that widget might have been AriuSen's problem, where his cable was apparently intermittently resistive.

[Bimmer_Addict]

Originally Posted by StickMon

Isn't there an explosive link in the B+ cable to disconnect it in case of an accident?
I think that widget might have been AriuSen's problem, where his cable was apparently intermittently resistive.

Yes, your positive cable will need to be replaced in the event of an accident. Also I had similar problems with my car and it turned out that the negative battery terminal cable was cracked in half making poor contact at times. If one was in a crash I would also pull out the few pieces of trunk trim/carpet and inspect the area where the negative terminal connects to the chassis. A poor connection here could cause all these problems.

[themenacedesigns]

Originally Posted by Bimmer_Addict

Yes, your positive cable will need to be replaced in the event of an accident. Also I had similar problems with my car and it turned out that the negative battery terminal cable was cracked in half making poor contact at times. If one was in a crash I would also pull out the few pieces of trunk trim/carpet and inspect the area where the negative terminal connects to the chassis. A poor connection here could cause all these problems.

Is this still the case even without the airbags deploying?

Simple fender bender but did get hit in the rear bumper pretty hard.

[themenacedesigns]

Dropped car at Auto Scandia in Herndon VA on Monday. Told them take their time and figure it out gave them until Friday. Fingers crossed will have it resolved by Friday and will update for everyone.

[themenacedesigns]

Was told fuel pressure was dropping when car was turned off and issue was fuel regulator or fuel pump. Replaced fuel regulator as fuel pump was on back order. Still having same issue. Clicking sound and flashing headlights and some dash lights normally just ABS light.

FML

Still able to jump car under hood and it fires right up which is why I questioned why the fuel pump/regulator would be my issue. Certainly bypassing the rear battery and giving power directly under the hood must mean there is a electrical issue at the rear of the car.

very frustrated on this 1

[themenacedesigns]

Video of my start issue

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ab7mrzcrjb...%20AM.mov?dl=0