urgent help... 325i sport wont start... and its getting dark

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:52 pm

hi guys,

tryin to get this sorted before dark!! i was drivin along... pretty fast... and in high revs... and all of a sudden my stereo cut out and the ABS light came on... so i drove home... and left the car on... then it just cut out... after this the car wont start again. when i turn the key she doesnt even turnover. also... when the key is turned... the ABS light is on, the oil light is on, the break light is on, but the other lights are slightly dimmed out. any idas... i dont know what is wrong. think it might be somethin with the electrics.. but got no idea. i will be sitting right here waitin for any help. cheers.

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:01 pm

Alternator? .. alternator could of failed causing yer Power drain and it will cut out if yer battery is getting low with a failed alternator...

Check yer alternator belts, get some jump leads to get yer car started and stick a voltmeter across yer battery with yer engine running... if yer alternator is good it should show between 13 and 15 v approx.. if its below 12v then yer alternator is porked..hope this helps

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:03 pm

Alternator was my first thought too!

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:08 pm

Check the engine earth strap dude, if its dodgy the car will ground the engine via the oil level sensor, which works for a few hours before failing with symptoms as you've described.

alternator is defo worth checking too, as are all the main battery feeds and chassis grounds

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:10 pm

jump leads?

if you do get her running run a voltage check across the battery should be 13.6 - 14.2 v with the engine on, and lower an ur alternator is broken/failing somewhere

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:22 pm

ok guys first of all thanks for all the help... i threw my brothers battery from his 18is in there and it started fine. earlier i changed the alternator belt and power steering belt... didnt seem like i did anythin wrong... maybe gave the alternator a bit of a knock. seems to be spinnin fine. sorry guys aint got a voltage checker. im gonna jump start her... and see if she cuts out again after a while. once again thank u.

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:03 pm

Were the battery terminals loose ?

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:20 pm

no battery connectors were fine... using my bros battery and the car aint cut out... im thinkin if it was the alternator then she should have cut out by now...uhmmm... strange... oh man the bloody oil light is on now!!! ahhhh!! ok im gonna continue tomrw!!

Post Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:00 pm

Ant wrote:Check the engine earth strap dude, if its dodgy the car will ground the engine via the oil level sensor, which works for a few hours before failing with symptoms as you've described.

If you try to start the engine with a dud engine-body earth strap, you will write off your engine loom.

Post Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:09 pm

ok had a mate give me a hand... and apparently... there is somethin on the alternator which makes connection with the engine... and its so rusted that it aint doin it... so gonna have to replace that. i think... i hope... well we will see.

Post Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:41 pm

That could well be the earth strap that we are on about.

Post Wed Apr 19, 2006 10:32 am

Seems I have a simliar problem..

all was good till sunday morning.. my 320 has never had a starting issue and on Sunday, turn the key and nada.. Roll start and it's fine, switch off, start up, no problem.. Leave it for 5 mintues and not turning over again...

Have no idea whats up as if it were the starter then surely it wouldn't start after being roll started?

Also got my oil light on, but it's because the oil was low..

any guesses about why it should not want to turn over cold?

Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 1:24 am

yeah guys it was was the earth strap... or so my bro tells me... thanks for all the help... he seems to have all the problems with his sport where as my 18 IS is fine... hahahaha!!!

oh mate... mine werent turnin over at all... couldnt get it goin from a rolling start either... check ur earth strap as these guys said... and make sure the voltage across the battery is runnin at the levels they said... cheers again everyone.

Post Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:50 am

Don't assume that if the strap looks good and is tight, that all is well.
I've had a couple of cases where all seemed good, but it had to be removed, everything wire brushed and reassembled to get things working.
One of these was a nice silver touring, which I got very cheap because of the fault!