Perplexing non start problem 2004 330xi 6sp

[Sgtpete1965]

Howdy all! New to this site. Here’s the issue. Parked and have not started my car for around two months. Ran frigging great and drove equally as well. Had ankle surgery so no driving. Went to start the car and it did not turn over. I can hear the fuel pump prime but the car does not turn over. Battery was dead so tried to jump. Did not turn over. Now here’s where it gets strange. I checked the fuses in the glove box and when I dropped the fuses a rather large amount of water came dripping out of the fuses. No fuses were blown. I checked the fuses under hood and all 5 were ok. Now I had a window problem on passenger rear side. Water had accumulated in the rear passenger foot area. I figured I’d try a new battery and it still would not start. Also both key fobs no longer operate. They worked fine before changing the battery. I have had the battery changed before and fobs still worked. Can’t see why a starter would die after less then 60 days. But any ideas..?

[Sgtpete1965]

Oh...the car did not start when my neighbor knocked on my door and said my hazards were on. I did not turn them on nor was the alarm activated. Yet the hazards were on. Turnedthem off and the car would not start and all the above problems occurred

[Mless5]

I think you're getting all the signs that water damage is to blame, not the starter.

[Sgtpete1965]

So....what’s my course of action..? Dont see how that much water can get into a car and kill it in under 2 months. All the fuses are good. So I should ditch the car and sell it?

[Sgtpete1965]

2004 BMW 330xi 6 speed transmission. 151,000 on the odometer. Ok. Replaced battery and still no crank. Lights work. Dropped the glovebox fuse box and had some water(condensation...) drip out. All fuses good. My questions:
1. Maybe the security system failure..? How do I reset?
2. Starter dead..? The car does not crank at all..nothing happens when turning the key except I can hear what I’m assuming the fuel pump cycling.
3. I’m parked backwards down driveway. Is it possible to bump start it backwards? Any suggestions?
The car was driving great before parked for around two months.

[325bob]

Get somebody to tap the starter body with a heavy bar/hammer/etc while you hit the switch, my starter died at about 150K, yes, bump start in reverse if backing downhill, ignition on.

[Sgtpete1965]

Ok. Thanks. Now the obvious question because I’ve never done this. You say bump the starter? How is that done? I thought the starter was under the manifold? How to access?

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Ok. Thanks. Now the obvious question because I’ve never done this. You say bump the starter? How is that done? I thought the starter was under the manifold? How to access?

[bmwdirtracer]

Try this:
Hook up a good battery. Close the trunk, close the hood, put the driver's window down.
Close all doors. Now, lock the car -- with the key, manually, if necessary.

Now, unlock the car, get in, close the door, and try to start it. Any luck?

[Sgtpete1965]

I just put a new battery in two days ago. Windows won’t go down at all. Now the battery is showing 12.0 and 9.0 next to it. About 10 minutes ago the windows worked. And what exactly does this test mean or do..?

[bmwdirtracer]

12.0 is a battery that is 90% discharged. A good battery is 12.6 or 12.7 volts. I do not know what "9.0 next to it" means, but 9.0 volts won't even make the starter click.

When the central locking system becomes really angry, it can prevent starter activation. The fact that your flashers came on pointed to this possibility. The procedure I outlines resets central locking...IF the battery is good, and all other electrics are okay. It doesn't sound like this is true, since you're seeing 9 volts, and various other electrical issues.

[Sgtpete1965]

Thanks Chris. I’ll give your suggestion a try. I just bought a new battery a couple of days ago. But have been trying to start and mess with it so maybe it drained a bit.

[Sgtpete1965]

Chris. That did not work. The windows wouldn’t roll down. Then 10 minutes later they did and I tried your idea which did not work. We then tried to push start it but the car still wouldn’t start. New battery. No sound at all when turning thekey. Fuel pump can be heard priming but the car doesn’t crank or turn over. Push starting it didn’t seem to work. Now I’m stumped.

[Sgtpete1965]

Another interesting thing. Both fobs workedfine. Unlock and lock and trunk all worked on both. Then they didn’t. So I followed a how to sync them but got only one to work. I’m no technician but this issue seems to be with the alarm/locking system? Maybe I need to try to sync the other fob?

[Sgtpete1965]

When I try to program/sync on fob it is successful but then the other fob becomes non op. I sync the non op fob and then the one that worked becomes non op. I’m losing my mind here. Less then two months the car was fine. Now it won’t crank or turn over. Push starting did not work although I’m not sure I had enough speed. I have no ideas

[Sgtpete1965]

Ok. 2004 330xi 6 speed. 152k on the clock. Car sat for 2 months. Car does not turn over. No crank at all. Fuel pump can be heard priming. Now...behind the passenger seat is a puddle on the floor. Condensation on windows. Car would still not crank with a jump start or the new battery I subsequently put in. So I check fuses in glove box and water dripped out from the fuse box itself. Which is strange since the car obviously did not participate in anything submarine related. All the fuses were good. But the relays above the box. Can water have shorted out one? Is there a starter relay up there I can change? I’m thinking the starter may have went although it never faltered before. I’m hoping it’s something simple that one of y’all has experienced and can help me out with.

[Sgtpete1965]

So send me to another thread that doesn’t help with my particular issue. I posted after I searched for the specific problem I have. I then get directed to posts that do not help. My problem is water came out of the glove box and the car does not crank/turn over or start. I needed help figuring out what relays could be affected or if anybody had this similar problem. When I get redirected to a similar thread it seems my problem is being ignored.

[Sgtpete1965]

Floods the DME? Exactly what does that mean? My situation is water in car and water dripped from glovebox. The car does not crank or start now. It has sat for less then 2 months. Car ran fantastic prior. 2004 330xi 6 speed with 150+on the odometer. Flooded DME..what can that mean and what s the solution.

[shadowpuck]

my point is you keep posting new threads in this forum for the same problem. that spreads out the answers and makes it tough for folks to help you.

folks were trying to help you in one of your many threads, and, yet, you started another one here....

i'm trying to get these threads consolidated so we can assist.

we try to work the threads by issue/by car - so, that means all of your posts should be in just one thread. that's the best way for folks to find your thread and to assist.

- - - Updated - - -

the only reference to other threads i can find on your threads in this sub-forum are ones where we've asked that you either look at one of your threads for info, or we've tried to keep your threads in one place.
that's it....

[NeilM]

Floods the DME? Exactly what does that mean? My situation is water in car and water dripped from glovebox. The car does not crank or start now. It has sat for less then 2 months. Car ran fantastic prior. 2004 330xi 6 speed with 150+on the odometer. Flooded DME..what can that mean and what s the solution.

You’ve posted in the E36 M3 forum, so whatever info there is here doesn’t directly apply to your car. I suggest you repost in the E46 forum, see https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/f...999-2006-(E46).

Neil

[Sgtpete1965]

But I was directed to threads that had absolutely nothing to do with the problem I’m having. So being directed isn’t helping...and that’s my point. This forum is for general mechanical help which is what I need. I searched the forums BEFORE I posted. None..nada thread helped. And I’m good with it. If this is how this site helps I’ll search elsewhere. Not trying to be a dick but I was hoping for responses to my particular problem. If that’s incorrect I’ll search somewhere else...

[328 Power 04]

We simply want to see all of your problems in one thread for easy follow up. That's all.

We're ready here to help, but we just need one good running thread, since we're going to ask for questions and tests and followup.
Your problem sounds unique so you will need as much help as possible.

First, if there was water entry, it will need to be completely stripped and wires dried plus inspected. It will not be a simple relay or an easy fix.

If the ews module got wet, or shorted, it will need to be inspected and damaged parts replaced.
A basic diag scan with BMW tools may help here.
A multimeter will be a must.

[shadowpuck]

But I was directed to threads that had absolutely nothing to do with the problem I’m having. So being directed isn’t helping...and that’s my point. This forum is for general mechanical help which is what I need. I searched the forums BEFORE I posted. None..nada thread helped. And I’m good with it. If this is how this site helps I’ll search elsewhere. Not trying to be a dick but I was hoping for responses to my particular problem. If that’s incorrect I’ll search somewhere else...

oh good grief....

show me in your threads in this sub-forum where you were directed to other threads? i looked....

in this thread - no links anywhere else: https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...2004-330xi-6sp
in this thread - i was making sure that everyone was aware of your more than one open thread on this item in this sub-forum:
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...-crank-problem

when you opened yet another thread - i commented there that you now have 3 open threads for the same issue, same vehicle - that's going to make things even harder for you to get help.
so, i was trying to help you out with that information and also let the others in this sub-forum know that there are multiple places where the same discussion is happening.
again, that makes it harder for you to get help - but, hey, you do you - do things the hard way if you must.

in the end - yup, i agree with the others that have posted - you have evidence of water intrustion - you are going to need to verify that all circuits are not damaged by the water. you will need a bmw scan tool and a multimeter.

[Sgtpete1965]

2004 330xi 6 speed 151k. Car will not turn over or crank or start. Bought a BMW scanner and these showed up. OBD scan came back with no codes.

[nonturbodan]

For a no crank I wouldn't start with codes to be honest.

First suspect is battery, second suspect is starter. It seems the vehicle has some electrical power. How did the problem come about? Do you have history with the vehicle? Was this a running driving car or did you purchase it inoperative?

[Sgtpete1965]

Well. The car had zero and I mean zero issues prior to being parked for 7 weeks after ankle surgery. Not a thing wrong with her..ran great. If a starter can go bad by just sitting then that’s my problem I think. Car had some water on the rear passenger floorboard so also maybe a relay..? But all fuses are good and the fuses under the hood.

For a no crank I wouldn't start with codes to be honest.

First suspect is battery, second suspect is starter. It seems the vehicle has some electrical power. How did the problem come about? Do you have history with the vehicle? Was this a running driving car or did you purchase it inoperative?