E30 Zone

I have posted regarding thisproblem before - but now have a bit more insight. My 318i will start perfectly most of the time. The problem is if you stop the motor, come back to the car in a couple of minutes and try and start her again, all the lights come on on the dash, when you turn the key to start her, the lights on the dash dim as if the car where starting. The problem is she doesn't start! The starter motor doesn't spin, there's no click from the solenoid. It's not the battery either. Run starting gets her going fine, and if you short pins 11 and 14 in the diagnostic socket she starts fine! I am starting to think the immobiliser is causing a problem. Any ideas?

Take off the cover above the glovebox and find a single pin plug and socket in the loom above with black/yellow wires going to it.
Unplug this, and apply 12V+ to the part that goes to the left. (12V+ is on the red/yellow wire from the accessories socket at the back).
Does this turn the starter?
If it does, then next remove the panel over the driver's legs. Find the black/yellow where it's clipped to the steering column, and do the same trick here. This will narrow things down a bit

Brianmoooore wrote:Take off the cover above the glovebox and find a single pin plug and socket in the loom above with black/yellow wires going to it.
Unplug this, and apply 12V+ to the part that goes to the left. (12V+ is on the red/yellow wire from the accessories socket at the back).
Does this turn the starter?
If it does, then next remove the panel over the driver's legs. Find the black/yellow where it's clipped to the steering column, and do the same trick here. This will narrow things down a bit

note, if LDH will be under passenger side !