2000 323i won't crank over

[brian2000]

Please help! I'm new here as of today, I have a 2000 323i that I am trying to fix for my nephew. He just bought it (real cheap) and to say the least it needs TLC. We drove it home and parked it in the driveway and after a few days the battery went totally dead. Car locked all by itself (I swear it did) but I was able to climb under and managed to get a jumper cable on it to get some juice to it to get the locks to open. Once inside I put the key in the ignition to start it but it will not crank over. Everything comes on, lights, dash lights, I can hear the fuel pump come on, but no cranking. I have read a lot of the forums and opinions vary on possible problems. Today I tried to resync the key in the ignition today and now the key fob does nothing. Trust me when I say I am no dummy I have be working on cars for over fifty years but this car is starting to tick me off. Am I missing the obvious or is this thing have a mind of it's own. I can't afford to get it towed to a dealer so I am hoping someone can help me. Please allow me to thank you/anyone in advance for your time and effort in this request.

[tdcss]

I am havin pretty much the same problem. Please help. I have been workin on this all week and cant figure whats goin on. The only thing I can think of is somethin in the ignition switch. Any help would be awesome. Thanks

[thejlevie]

The first thing to try would be to disconnect the battery, give it a full charge, and then reconnect it.

[tdcss]

Yeah I have load tested the battery. It is at 14.1 volts and when key in start position no load is put on battery

[thejlevie]

Between the battery going dead and it being recharged have you disconnected the battery to "hard boot" the electronics? A low battery can leave the electronics in the car is a scrambled state.

[tdcss]

Ok well that is where i differ from brian2000. My battery has never went dead but I have the same situation with I turn the key and nothing happens. Sorry I never wrote that before but I have a 6month old battery in there right now. All I know is I turn the key and the dashboard all comes on but it doesnt start. Actually this morning it did start up for me 1 time and ran just fine but when i got in it an hour later again it quit starting again. I have checked all of my electrical connectios at the battery and the starter and everything is good. Any other ideas other than the ignition switch? Thanks guys

[albrazzi]

Have you checked the clutch switch, you didn't say stick or auto but they both have a lockout. I always joke the clutch is the start button, it wont start until you push it in.

[tdcss]

Sorry for not sayin but its an automatic. After about 75 tries it started again 1 time and then locked out again. This is real strange. Could it be the key? Oh and Ive havent looked real hard but how do you resync the key

[Prairieman]

same symptoms as our 2005 325iT last year. I began by fully charging and load testing the battery - it was fine. Turn the key and absolutely nothing. No clicks, no cranking, nothing.

Which told me the starter was likely the culprit. Once I removed it, we hooked it up to jumper cables for a functional test - nothing. Starter failure.

[thejlevie]

Sorry for not sayin but its an automatic. After about 75 tries it started again 1 time and then locked out again. This is real strange. Could it be the key? Oh and Ive havent looked real hard but how do you resync the key

I rather doubt that it would be the key if it started one time.

What you need to know at this point is if power is applied to the starter solenoid when the key is turned to start. If power is present at the solenoid, check to be sure that it is also present at the starter main lung and that the body of the starter is at zero volts when trying to start. If those tests are satisfactory, the starter is the probable culprit. If power isn't present at the solenoid, the ignition switch, park/neutral switch, or EWS are suspects.

[tdcss]

So I tested the starter and seems good. With the EWS Ive been reading that if its bad I wouldnt get any fuel or even hear the fuel pump turn on. I dont know if that is true but I hear the fuel pump turn on and prime whenn I turn the car on like it should.

[EuroSportChi69]

Did you bench test the starter?

When you bought the car how many keys were with it?

I had this issue before, it gave all the symptoms of a starter, but it was just the key with the chip. Once I used the valet key it fired right up.

[cessna823]

I am havin pretty much the same problem. Please help. I have been workin on this all week and cant figure whats goin on. The only thing I can think of is somethin in the ignition switch. Any help would be awesome. Thanks

Hi I had A 2003 BMW 3 Series Turn Ignition on All Good Everything Come TO Life...Engine Wont Crank...
The EWS- Emobblizer Not Seeing The Key Transmitting At The Antenna Where Ignition Key Goes In..Took Off Antenna Check With Ohm Meter Checked Out Okay...So I Took The EWS Located Right Side Under Dash Held Up With Plastic Nuts..Cut The Ties To Allow Me TO Bring EWS Box Close TO Ignition Key as Possible And She Fired Up...So Took The Key and Title TO BMW And Had A Key Made For the 3 Series BMW...She Fired Right Up...Oh I asked BMW Hey The Key Fob Is Working The Doors Locks And Trunk Open But I learned The Key Chip Operated On A 2nd Batter in the Key...I Said Make Sense and BMW Was Correct.... Hope This Helps ...!!

[bmwdirtracer]

#1 - This thread is 7 years old.
#2 - Sorry, but what you said is wrong

Holding the key near the EWS won't help anything: the only antenna which can read the key lives at the ignition switch.
There's no second battery in the key: The chip is unpowered. The key battery feeds ONLY the remote functions.