Odd starting issue - 1998 e36 m3

[slotcars1]

So on Saturday I went for a hair cut... got back into my car and it wouldn't start...

I turned the key... all lights came up on dash as per usual just nothing happened, no funny starter click - nothing!

So i took a walk home and got the spare key (thinking it had something to do with the issue), got back to my car and BAM it started perfectly...

Drove around on Saturday 100% fine and Sunday morning... (all with the spare key thinking that the key was the problem).

Went through to Killarney late afternoon, watched some of the track day, and when I wanted to go home, the same thing happened. All lights but nothing happens whatsoever... after a few attempts all of a sudden it cranked over and started 100% fine...

Got home and turned the car off and right through the evening I went back to try and start it again and again and it started fine...

I am very confused, does anyone have any ideas?

:argh:

 

[Peertjies]

Check your connections on your battery. I had this before and it turned out that one was lose...Just tightened it and it worked!

 

[moranor@axis]

read the codes i think...

 

[slotcars1]

Thanks

Well my battery has died a few times since I have been working on the car and it has been standing, also quite old etc.

So could it just be that the battery is poked?

 

[Peertjies]

If the battery is dead it won't start up at all. That's why I'm thinking it's just one of the connectors you need to fasten.

 

[Coupe Turbo GP]

Your starter motor is faulty, I had the same problem. I don't know how to explain in technical terms, but there are now bad spots in the starter motor / partially burnt out. It eventually moves into a "good spot" that's when the car will start as normal.

All my dash lights would come on as normal but no click or swing what so ever. Then after a couple attempts and a lot of patience it would just fire up. I also thought it was the transponder in the but ended up being the starter motor.

Hope this helps

 

[hoosain]

its your starter

 

[Gizmo]

Its your ignition switch thats going bad, my e36 does the same thing. I fitted a starter button which cured the starting issue.:thumbs:

 

[slotcars1]

Ok so I fiddled at home now, and must admit no loose battery connections, earth is intact etc.

And of course the car started over and over again...

So lets see how this goes...

Else we shall have to see

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Its your ignition switch thats going bad, my e36 does the same thing. I fitted a starter button which cured the starting issue.:thumbs:

Could it be problems with the EWS?

Since I am as clued up on that sort of stuff as a brick, if the issue was stemming from there, a push button or ignition switch would not help... as it is not picking up the transmission from the key itself?

 

[Gizmo]

Its the contacts in the ignition switch.:thumbs:

 

[slotcars1]

Just an update on this, after Gizmos comment, i took as much out that I could around the area of the ignition, cleaned, filed, cleaned again with Benzine.... and what do you know...

IT ALL WORKS AGAIN!!! not one issue for weeks now.

Thank you Gizmo - even though I cannot guarantee which one of the 1000 parts I took apart and put back together it actually was. :flyfun:

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I had this issue with my e36 318i. Would just not start and I had to wait a little while till it decided to start.

I did have an aftermarket alarm installed, so that may have been the issue, but we never really quiet figured it out. I know it was definitely to do with electronics tho. Do you have an aftermarket alarm installed?

Hope you get it sorted out and my little story shed some light on the issue.

Thanks Crash... all is sorted now with a bit of stripping and putting back together! No, all is stock - so hopefully my technically challenged attempt at DIY worked.