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Thread: Key programming loss?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Warren, Ma, USA
    Posts
    4
    My Cars
    2003 325I

    Key programming loss?

    Hi everybody, I'm new here and this is my first post.

    This morning my 03 325I 5Spd decided to no longer start. It had run 3 times around town with no issues but after visiting my parents home for about 15 minutes it will no longer crank AT ALL. No click or anything. The battery is 12.9, the starter has never had any indication of failure and there were no problems prior to this. After doing some reading I think it may be the key losing its connection. The dash lights come on like usual but with the door open and key on the car does not make any beeping sound. I only have one key and the battery in it has been dead since I bought the car 2 months ago.

    Is there any better way to test if this is the issue? Is there any other reasons for it no crank to happen so suddenly? My other thought is clutch safety switch?

    Any help would be great! Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    12,462
    My Cars
    36 Cylinders
    A diagnostic scan of the ews module, and some live logging of the clutch switch will tell you what is going on.
    It could be a lot of things, so you can avoid speculation and guessing this way.
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Warren, Ma, USA
    Posts
    4
    My Cars
    2003 325I
    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    A diagnostic scan of the ews module, and some live logging of the clutch switch will tell you what is going on.
    It could be a lot of things, so you can avoid speculation and guessing this way.

    Thanks for the reply. My code reader is just a generic CEL reader. I will order a 1.40 interface to get live data and see what happens next.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    12,462
    My Cars
    36 Cylinders
    Simple checks you can do is to make sure that your battery leads are tight and free of corrosion.

    Since it's manual transmission, have you tried bump starting it?
    -Abel

    - E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
    - 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
    - 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
    - 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
    - 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
    - 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
    - 2016 Mini Cooper S

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Warren, Ma, USA
    Posts
    4
    My Cars
    2003 325I
    The leads are tight and clean and the battery is about a year old from a good brand. I haven't tried to bump it. Its on a relatively flat dirt (Spring in MA means mud) driveway so I can't get any roll without a tow vehicle which I don't have right now.

    My next steps are to get a buddy to help pull it tomorrow and to stop at BMW to get a valet key to see if that can start it.

    Will update. Thanks again!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Los Angeles
    Posts
    5
    My Cars
    2002 BMW 325i
    I saw a video on how to do a quick check key pairing. In the video he said, the quick check is turn the key the first click in the ignition then open the door, if you hear the beeping sound the key pairing is good.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    St. Joseph, Mo.
    Posts
    3,000
    My Cars
    95 m3+, 03 ZHP, Mk4 Tdi
    Quote Originally Posted by 328 Power 04 View Post
    A diagnostic scan of the ews module, and some live logging of the clutch switch will tell you what is going on.
    It could be a lot of things, so you can avoid speculation and guessing this way.
    exactly - test, don't guess.

    i'd do a scan and i'd also watch data to see if the clutch switch is being recognized. you can also check for voltage at the ignition switch, or, at the starter itself - while the key is being turned.
    at some point in the e46 run, the clutch switch became more than just a simple switch so testing takes a bit more thinking....
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Warren, Ma, USA
    Posts
    4
    My Cars
    2003 325I
    Hey everybody, so my hunch about the key turned out to be correct!

    The dealer was able to get one for me overnight and when I put it in she started right up. Im glad it was an easy fix.

    The scan tool will be in soon and I will have it for the next issue that pops up.

    Thanks again to everybody that replied!

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    St. Joseph, Mo.
    Posts
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    95 m3+, 03 ZHP, Mk4 Tdi
    a rare parts cannon success....
    '95 325iS - auto to manual swap done!

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