Dash lights flashing then car 530 wont start... HELP!!

[Magicdrshoon]

I went to go home last night, I got in, started the car and everything was rosy.

I sat for a minute, and then the dash started acting REALLY weird! I didn't let it go on long enough for me to remember exactly what lights were flashing on the dash, but what I do remember is that the odometer was flashing alternately to the other dash lights. There was definitely one red dash light, I think it was the hazard light, but I’m not sure. But they were flashing really fast. So I erred on the side of caution and switched the engine off immediately.

Now it won't do anything! I put he key in, turn the ignition on, the odometer comes up but nothing else, turn it further to start and... Absolutely nothing.

I think it's definitely electrical. It's had some kind of a fault for a while, telling me random bulbs have gone around the car, some times when I arm or disarm the alarm it just blinks the hazards at me until I press the button again.

It has been making an intermittent noise, kind of like a hydraulic groan that seems to come from behind the steering wheel. It doesn't seem to change when I move the steering wheel, select another gear (auto), or turn the air con on/off (these are all things I thought it could be!!). It might not happen for 2 weeks, but then as soon as someone else gets in it'll do it again!

I'm sure that not all of these things are related, but in case one of them is I thought I'd include it to help with the diagnostic!!!!

Obviously the main thing I need to do is get it started again, anyone got any ideas?

Thanks!!!

[robmpulse]

Test your battery. Maybe the light that came on was either your battery or alternator light????

start there.

[Magicdrshoon]

Thanks for the help. I tried that, I put a DVM across the terminals and got just over 12VDC, I thought you were supposed to get about 13V. So I got my booster pack out and tried it again and still no joy.

I checked all the fuses that were under the back seat, and they were all fine. i was just about to thow in the towel when I thought I'd have one more look under the bonnet.

I found another fuse box! I checked them all and fuse 17 had blown (7.5A). On first look, it said that that was for the gear shift illuminations, which hasn't been working since I've had the car. I thought it wouldn't do any harm to replace this while I was there. Low and behold it fixed it, it started up and purred like a kitten!!

On further investigation I found out that that fuse also has something to do with the ECU.

I know I should now do some investigation in to what made it blow, but I think I may just carry a couple of spare 7.5A fuses, and if it happens again I look into it. I could be that it was just an old tired fuse.

Anyway... my baby is running again!! :redspot

[pat3022]

Thanks for the help. I tried that, I put a DVM across the terminals and got just over 12VDC, I thought you were supposed to get about 13V. So I got my booster pack out and tried it again and still no joy.

I checked all the fuses that were under the back seat, and they were all fine. i was just about to thow in the towel when I thought I'd have one more look under the bonnet.

I found another fuse box! I checked them all and fuse 17 had blown (7.5A). On first look, it said that that was for the gear shift illuminations, which hasn't been working since I've had the car. I thought it wouldn't do any harm to replace this while I was there. Low and behold it fixed it, it started up and purred like a kitten!!

On further investigation I found out that that fuse also has something to do with the ECU.

I know I should now do some investigation in to what made it blow, but I think I may just carry a couple of spare 7.5A fuses, and if it happens again I look into it. I could be that it was just an old tired fuse.

Anyway... my baby is running again!! :redspot

I know it's been some time since this post but...

I'm having similar symptoms with my car, except it's a manual trans.
Have you had any issues since replacing that fuse?
I'm half-way thinking you bumped or wiggled something while accessing the fuse. ???

[paperplane94]

Could be a fusible link problem.
"e34 fusible link" on google, feeling lucky.