2003 E39 Touring occasionally won't start, starter just clicks

[LysanderSpooner]

The title pretty much sums it up... occasionally when turning the key to start the engine, the starter just clicks like the battery is dead. Wait a few seconds, try again, and voila! She starts as if the battery is fully charged, which it is. What's up with that?!? TIA!

[Coupenut]

Check your battery connections. I had a similar problem with my 740iS. Turns out the positive battery connection was loose.

Sent from my SM-T817V using Tapatalk

[ECSTuning]

When the car doesn't start can you hear the fuel pump priming?

-James

[StRaNgEdAyS]

That was the first signs of my battery beginning to die. Have it load checked to be sure.

Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

[LysanderSpooner]

Check your battery connections. I had a similar problem with my 740iS. Turns out the positive battery connection was loose.

Sent from my SM-T817V using Tapatalk

I was thinking that as I typed my post, but the car isn't nearby at the moment. I will check it and report back.

- - - Updated - - -

When the car doesn't start can you hear the fuel pump priming?

-James

Not sure, but if the problem persists after checking the battery terminals I will pay closer attention to other noises such as this.

[ryunk]

I would add the starter to the list of what could cause this. I have seen the symptoms that you describe for a starter that is going bad.

[StephenVA]

test do not guess

[LysanderSpooner]

So the positive battery terminal was loose, but after tightening it the problem remains. The battery is the correct Bosch unit installed within the past few months and voltage is about 14v at idle.

Is there a way to test the starter other than replacing it with a new one?

[StRaNgEdAyS]

Have you had a load test done on the battery?

Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

[LysanderSpooner]

Have you had a load test done on the battery?

Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

Are these symptoms indicative of a bad battery? I can't imagine a battery going from too weak (starter just repeatedly clicks) to cranking right over in a matter of seconds, but maybe I'm wrong, it has happened before... ;-)

[StRaNgEdAyS]

They are the very same symptoms my battery showed before it died completely..

Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

[FelixEsq]

Back in my 60's pony car days: starter solenoid.

More recently, I had the same problem Strange is saying: dying/dead battery.

Don't know if starter solenoids are still relevant with these newer cars.

[geargrinder]

So the positive battery terminal was loose, but after tightening it the problem remains.

Bad cable connection can be hard on a battery... adds resistance that reduces charging and also adds load when its trying to crank the motor. That might have caused your battery to have had a harder time of things.

Are these symptoms indicative of a bad battery? I can't imagine a battery going from too weak (starter just repeatedly clicks) to cranking right over in a matter of seconds, but maybe I'm wrong, it has happened before... ;-)

What Stranger said about load testing.

Because these cars take a big-ass battery, it can be near dead but still power stuff up in the car and look OK. It can even measure fine voltage wise when fully topped off, and give a strong start or two under ideal conditions, but then give it a little load or a few minutes of use and it drops right off again. Basically it can charge up to voltage but can't deliver amps when asked anymore.

That's for sure how my battery manifested when it finally needed replacement, and I've seen many similar reports here over the years. Another telltale on mine was it became super temp sensitive - when it was stone cold (early winter) then it wouldn't roll the starter, but if it was warm and toasty it seemed fine. Can be misleading because the voltage 'seems ok' after charging and with ignition on but not cranking everyting looks great... and maybe when its 100% topped off and warm it works fine but then it pukes again as soon as it drains at all or the temp drops....

Doesn't mean the starter can't crap out either however. Just sayin' that's a common pattern for the batteries in these cars it seems.

[LysanderSpooner]

Bad cable connection can be hard on a battery... adds resistance that reduces charging and also adds load when its trying to crank the motor. That might have caused your battery to have had a harder time of things.



What Stranger said about load testing.

Because these cars take a big-ass battery, it can be near dead but still power stuff up in the car and look OK. It can even measure fine voltage wise when fully topped off, and give a strong start or two under ideal conditions, but then give it a little load or a few minutes of use and it drops right off again. Basically it can charge up to voltage but can't deliver amps when asked anymore.

That's for sure how my battery manifested when it finally needed replacement, and I've seen many similar reports here over the years. Another telltale on mine was it became super temp sensitive - when it was stone cold (early winter) then it wouldn't roll the starter, but if it was warm and toasty it seemed fine. Can be misleading because the voltage 'seems ok' after charging and with ignition on but not cranking everyting looks great... and maybe when its 100% topped off and warm it works fine but then it pukes again as soon as it drains at all or the temp drops....

Doesn't mean the starter can't crap out either however. Just sayin' that's a common pattern for the batteries in these cars it seems.

Now that's the kind of response I was looking for. Now I am tasked with having Pep Boys replace the battery since they left the terminal loose in the first place. I will report back with the results in a few days.

- - - Updated - - -

I should also mention that last night when it did it I noticed that the headlights and dash lights flashed on and off in unison with the clicking sound, which now that I think about it isn't as heavy of a sound as I've heard from most starters when they're going bad and making a mechanical solenoid sound. This is more like a relay rapidly switching on and off. Anyhow... onward.

[itsbrokeagain]

That battery definitely sounds a bit weak. If all the lights flash in unison with the clicking it's showing signs of a battery not doing it's thing.

Mine did that when the battery was borderline dead. Charging it with the X5 alleviated that issue.

My other issue stemmed from the actual 12v starter solenoid wire was physically loose on the starter. Fixed the battery and two days later it went back to clicking and then nothing at all. Pulled the intake boot back and low and behold, the wire was just wiggling about. Tightened the 8mm (or was it 7) nut holding the wire on and haven't had a problem since.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and I forgot, check your grounds. The one from the engine block to the frame of the car especially as that one can cause all sorts of issues if it's missing or even just corroded.

[geargrinder]

more good stuff right there.

[LysanderSpooner]

That battery definitely sounds a bit weak. If all the lights flash in unison with the clicking it's showing signs of a battery not doing it's thing.

Mine did that when the battery was borderline dead. Charging it with the X5 alleviated that issue.

My other issue stemmed from the actual 12v starter solenoid wire was physically loose on the starter. Fixed the battery and two days later it went back to clicking and then nothing at all. Pulled the intake boot back and low and behold, the wire was just wiggling about. Tightened the 8mm (or was it 7) nut holding the wire on and haven't had a problem since.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh and I forgot, check your grounds. The one from the engine block to the frame of the car especially as that one can cause all sorts of issues if it's missing or even just corroded.

Thanks for those tips, I will definitely check those things out.

The store where we bought the battery is so far refusing to give us a new one. If after checking the above I will really be pressing them to replace it. This issue only arose some time after replacing the battery. Prior to that, the old battery was just losing charge quickly when leaving doors open for a while, lights on, radio playing, etc., without the engine running. It never did this clicking thing with the old battery. Now I suspect that the loose battery terminal has caused some dead spots in the starter armature due to arcing. I hope that's not the case, and that a new battery is all that's needed. I certainly don't want to have to go after them for a new starter as well.

Then again, if I find a loose terminal at the solenoid and that fixes it, Bob's your uncle...

[LysanderSpooner]

So long story short, the battery was toast. I guess driving around for three months with a loose positive terminal is plenty of time to do major damage, even to a brand new battery. The starter now spins like the Tasmanian Devil, the lights are nice and bright, and the car even seems to run better!

Thanks for all the help. Having a ten page printout of this discussion in hand certainly had an effect on the manager's decision to replace the battery at no cost.

[StRaNgEdAyS]

That's excellent

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[joedir]

Like everyone above says, check the cables; we just went through a scenario where the negative cable end was not tightening up on the battery terminal; we purchased new one, properly put car to sleep etc etc, reconnected new cable to car & battery and the car started right up.

[ElleShooTiger]

My 2003 540iA will do this sometimes. It will click on the first key turn but not start. Turn the key off then try again, and it starts just fine. Battery is newer, but the car does sit a lot between drives. Battery connection is solid, started connection has never been touched in the 8 years I've owned it.

I plan to pull the starter one day and check the solenoid operation and starter bearings. The grease is 17 years old now, so things are getting sticky in there.

[Chedley]

When the car sits between drives for more than a few days , it is best to hook up a battery / trickle charger to the posts under the hood, to recharge the battery. That should fix the click-no-start on the first key turn, and prevent a few other possible problems.

[JimLev]

My 2003 540iA will do this sometimes. It will click on the first key turn but not start. Turn the key off then try again, and it starts just fine. Battery is newer, but the car does sit a lot between drives.

How long does the car sit for, days or weeks?
If it starts just fine on the second try the battery should be fine, look for a bad/dirty connection somewhere, possibly at the starter like you said. Your battery connections may be tight but are they clean?
Might be good to read the voltage at the battery in the AM before you start in.
My car (11 year old battery) just sat for 16 days while we were on vacation, I purposely didn't connect my smart charger.
It started up just fine when we returned.