Help - Immobiliser preventing starting on my Touring (Warks)

Wed Jun 22, 2011 9:09 pm

Hi All,
I've no idea how this happened, the car battery has gone flat, when charged up the indicators keeping flashing for 20 seconds or so then stop then start again. The module in the ECU area is clicking.
The key fob does not do anything now, before we got to this point, the car was centrally locked with the key fob and the ignition key does not fit the doors! I managed to break in to the car using my newly acquired burglar skills.
So because i can't get the grey key to de-immobilise the car, the ignition, although all on, will not fire the car up.
Does anyone know an electrical person in the Warks area?
I'm stuffed here as i want to sell the car......running.
Any help welcomed....
Thanks
Jon

Thu Jun 23, 2011 12:05 am

Connect a wire from the battery + terminal to the + terminal on the coil, and see if it starts.

Thu Jun 23, 2011 8:07 am

Brianmoooore wrote:Connect a wire from the battery + terminal to the + terminal on the coil, and see if it starts.

Ok Brian, will try later and report back, thanks.
Jon

Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:15 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:Connect a wire from the battery + terminal to the + terminal on the coil, and see if it starts.

Brian, have tried that with no success. Have now carefully removed the immobiliser unit under the dash and tried connecting pos on battery to pos on coil but still nothing. We're thinking that the circuit to the starter motor is deliberately broken somewhere and spliced into the immobiliser circuit? Any thoughts, still got all the ignition lights but nothing happens when you try and fire it....Ahhhhgggh!

Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:26 pm

When you say it won't start, do you actually mean it won't crank?
Important difference!

Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:33 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:When you say it won't start, do you actually mean it won't crank?
Important difference!

Yes sorry, it won't crank. A very important difference!
What do you reckon?
Jon

Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:49 pm

Trace the black/yellow wire from the ign switch to starter motor.
There's a connector just above the glovebox area where the inhibit circuit breaks it on an auto,so that's the most likely place an alarm installer would use.
From there,it will go via C101 to the starter.

Fri Jun 24, 2011 1:54 pm

daimlerman wrote:Trace the black/yellow wire from the ign switch to starter motor.
There's a connector just above the glovebox area where the inhibit circuit breaks it on an auto,so that's the most likely place an alarm installer would use.
From there,it will go via C101 to the starter.

Ok Malcolm, thanks. I'm cautious to try and not disturb too much of the wiring, it definitley isn't my strong point (if there are any!)
Also, what's the C101?
Thanks again,
Jon

Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:00 pm

C101 is where the engine loom joins the body loom,a large round connector on the engine bay side of the bulkhead.Seperating this connector,and pulling the plug through the bulkhead from the ECU,is all you need to dis-connect electricaly when removing an E30's engine.

All you are looking for at the moment,is to make sure that the black/yellow is intact over it's visible length.It should run through three connectors in total,I think,one close to the ign switch/steering column,and the two I mentioned above.

Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:03 pm

daimlerman wrote:C101 is where the engine loom joins the body loom,a large round connector on the engine bay side of the bulkhead.Seperating this connector,and pulling the plug through the bulkhead from the ECU,is all you need to dis-connect electricaly when removing an E30's engine.

All you are looking for at the moment,is to make sure that the black/yellow is intact over it's visible length.It should run through three connectors in total,I think,one close to the ign switch/steering column,and the two I mentioned above.

Ok, good knowledge. Will print this out and study more.
Cheers Malc.
Jon

Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:08 pm

Unscrew the cover of the diagnostic socket (can't tell you where it is, 'cause you haven't told us what engine!), and use a piece of wire to link together pins 11 and 14. This should engage the starter.

Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:11 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:Unscrew the cover of the diagnostic socket (can't tell you where it is, 'cause you haven't told us what engine!), and use a piece of wire to link together pins 11 and 14. This should engage the starter.

Brian, how stupid of me! I thought you would have remembered the epic head rebuild and subsequent non starting due to incorrect cabling up on my part? No?
It is of course the throbbing 316i M40 power plant (102 bhp i think?!)

Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:28 pm

I do look at rather a lot of technical problems! Diagnostic socket on your car is on the bulkhead near the fusebox, with a large screw on cover on it.

Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:47 pm

Brian/Malcolm,
We've had it running now. Found where the yellow/black wire was split and bridged it, it still didn't go though so we joined the pos on the abttery to the pos on the coil, fired up lovely.
I think i still need to have the immobiliser unit looked at as it controls the central locking and that won't work with the ignition key. I don't have a door key to operate it manually. Otherwise i'd bypass it and carry on as normal.
Thanks a million to you both as usual.
Wish i could shake your hands!
Jon

Fri Jun 24, 2011 3:09 pm

Righto!

What you have done with Brian's trick with the wire from the battery to the coil is to replace the solid green wire that runs from the ign switch to the coil,this wire has a break in it somewhere where Mr Alarm Installer has been at work.

Most likely place is behind the glovebox area,where BMW kindly installed a socket in this wire...if you are vey lucky(I never,yet,have been)you will find the original plug,with a loop of plain green wire,fastened to the harness nearby,just remove what's in there and put the loop back.Otherwise,make a suitable loop up and install it.

This green wire follows a similar path to the black/yellow that you have just sorted.

Fri Jun 24, 2011 3:14 pm

daimlerman wrote:Righto!

What you have done with Brian's trick with the wire from the battery to the coil is to replace the solid green wire that runs from the ign switch to the coil,this wire has a break in it somewhere where Mr Alarm Installer has been at work.

Most likely place is behind the glovebox area,where BMW kindly installed a socket in this wire...if you are vey lucky(I never,yet,have been)you will find the original plug,with a loop of plain green wire,fastened to the harness nearby,just remove what's in there and put the loop back.Otherwise,make a suitable loop up and install it.

This green wire follows a similar path to the black/yellow that you have just sorted.

Ok, sounds straight forward, i will have a look in a bit.
Thanks again.
Jon