2001 525i E39 BMW No Crank No Start

[kenny k]

My apologies for the extremely clustered post guys. Its been a long time since I've written anything other than the posts online, so proper paragraphs and what not was never an issue.
Anyway i have narrowed the issue(s) down to an ALMOST positive decision that it is my EWS system. i am not certain, as theres no way for me to completely be certain. however i now know

the starter is just fine, as is the battery. the guy whom i bought the car from said that he used the ONE that i have to start the car once or twice before, being that he just lost the main key (with remote & battery), i don't know for sure if the key (transponder chip) is in working order but for now well say that it is.
i found a video, a few actually, telling me to bridge the black wires coming from the EWS under my steering wheel to the left and that didn't change anything that i noticed.
the previous owner says he replaced the thermostat and the water pump due to issues with overheating, says he also changed some sensors his ol man told him he needed to that pertained

to the temp control or whatever. said the car would start and run after that, but he was still worried about overheating (his words) so he then proceeded to change the fan an fan clutch and says he tried to start the car, battery was dead, so he charged it (or got a new one i can't remember) and after that he said the car would no longer start. so here i sit with the same predicament.

i have checked fuses, checked for loose wires or connections, i tested the starter and it spun, battery has enough voltage, everything seems to point to the EWS and or the DME. I am so heart
broken and stressed about this thing because i have a family and money isn't in abundance but i have some to put into the car. this was meant to be a reliable family car for my wife but

I'm starting to really worry. i know that my paragraphs and structure here is still really screwed up half way through my computer started acting normal and I'm in too big of a rush to go back and fix everything. nevertheless i really really really appreciate y'all taking theme to read and to reply and giving me your thoughts and opinions. literally anything helps and if someone could help me with this it would help more than i could put into words. so in advance the you so much and whatever information thats still needed, whatever is needed at all just let me know and i will be on it! simply just want to have this thing on the road again and I'm crossing my fingers and toes its not going to cost me both arms and legs.

[edjack]

What is the battery voltage?

[Mach540]

Can't read that gobblty guck....
Put some paragraphs and line breaks in to make it readable, and we'll be glad to help you out. My eyes hurt...

[edjack]

He's not Robert B. Parker!

[Mach540]

He's not Robert B. Parker!

Ummm yeah....... I don't get it..........lol

[edjack]

RBP was a writer who penned the Spenser series of books. Terse dialog.

[Dave Sal]

Get a code reader and see if you have any codes.

[StephenVA]

Lets start here:
Starting system 101
Test the battery voltage and report back what you reading you get
Battery Voltage and State of Charge:

12.66v . . . . . . . . . . 100%
12.45v . . . . . . . . . . 75%
12.24v . . . . . . . . . . 50%
12.06v . . . . . . . . . . 25%
11.89v . . . . . . . . . . 0%

(NOTE: these readings are at 80 degrees F. Battery voltage readings will drop with temperature roughly 0.01 volts for every 10 degrees F.)
(At 30 degrees F. a fully charged battery will measure about 12.588 volts, and at zero degrees F it will measure about 12.516 volts.)

Everything you wanted to know about car batteries for the DIYer:
http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/us20310.htm
https://www.yourmechanic.com/article...-a-car-battery

[geargrinder]

Can't read that gobblty guck....
Put some paragraphs and line breaks in to make it readable, and we'll be glad to help you out. My eyes hurt...

Me too.

[kenny k]

my apologies.

- - - Updated - - -

hahaha far from it. I'm embarrassed i this i forgot how to properly structure paragraph's. its been yearssss since I've written an essay lmfao

- - - Updated - - -

put it on the code reader and the code 0604 popped up which is for the EWS. I cleared it on the reader and it didn't change anything. boy o boy, i sure wish i was a mechanic or a tech!

- - - Updated - - -

the battery is reading just fine, i even jumped it to double check. not the battery. all lights and instrument cluster interior electronics work perfect, just have absolutely zero crank. this is why my guess is EWS 3. previous owner says key worked before (so he says). Thank you for your help!

[pleiades]

Auto or manual tranny?

[pleiades]

Also .... not sure this is relevant, but did you check the fuses in the e-box? Under the hood on the passenger side, underneath the cabin air filter box is the e-box with things like the DME and a bunch of relays, but also a small black box with five typical fuses. Check those fuses if you can. The e-box bolts might be corroded and hard to remove without stripping the captured nuts underneath ... unless you've already been in there.

Oh, maybe I missed it, but has this car been running okay for you until now, or did you buy it in this condition?

[gmak]

NO crank, no start? Is there a single "click" when you try to start it? If it's the EWS then it would at least crank, no?

Your description leaves a lot out. Like Pleiades says: Did the car ever crank and start?

If there is a single click, that means that the starter solenoid is firing so it's getting the signal from turning the key. That means that the starter is either not getting power or its not working. You say that it's fine but offer no evidence as to why you say that.

What I have done to diagnose this in the past is: 1. Disconnect the battery and bring it up front; 2. Get access to the starter. 3. Jumper directly to the starter, and a small jumper to the ignition wire at the starter. See if the starter turns. If it doesn't then it's the starter motor.

4. If the starter turns then you start to work back from the power cable terminal at the starter and clean every connection point, terminal, eyelet and post all the way back to the source of power in the engine compartment. Even a little bit of oxidation at these connection points can cause a power drop over the length of the power cable so that the starter isn't getting enough power.

5. If that doesn't solve it, then check all of the grounds. The starter motor case is ground - so you should test that it is grounded. there is a ground at the motor mount. There are others, but I don't remember exactly where.

[geargrinder]

Yeah. EWS code needs to be read w native bmw code reader so we know exactly what it really is... But...

EWS-derived-no-crank means the keys aren't recognized by the EWS. You're saying it's a valet key only you got with the car?

Hotwiring anything at the ignition is only going to risk burning something up, EWS3.3 Is way too smart for simple hot wire to do anything. Stop doing that... Generally don't read any DIY YouTard videos for E36 or whatever and think they might apply here...

Theres other things that can can cause no crank. But the EWS code is worrisome. If it were in my hands w diag software I'd read the EWS and be able to see if the key is recognized and then could either eliminate or validate that as a problem.
If it's not seeing the key then thered be things to check like antenna ring and putting another random E39 key in the ignition... If it sees the key but it's not authorized, then the seller was a liar but you should be able to authorize it. Etc etc etc. If the key is recognized and authorized then you chase non EWS related possibilities. Aka all the things in Gmaks list.

Maybe you need to find an Indy with the proper diagnostic software abilities.

Btw, too late for this, and I apologize for saying so, but... If you're tight on cash, and need a reliable , low cost, low maintenance , low hassle car for the wife... Don't buy an E39. Not at least unless you love DIYIng (And I only say that because I know some of our local fanboiz will jump up and say "DIY! It's EASY! EVERYBODY CAN DO IT!"), but even then that really invalidates "low maintenance low hassle".

[JaimeZX]

Not sure if you saw my thread, but I had a similar issue last year, and it did turn out to be the EWS.
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...0i-no-start!-(

Good luck man!