1995 318ti won’t start, is this a common problem?

Taken it to BMW dealer twice and of course it won’t act up for them.
Doesn’t start sometimes and have to wait 20 minutes or less before I
can try it again. All the lights come on but the engine won’t turn
over.
Anybody ever heard of this or know what it could be? One thing it is
not is key chip-or so I’m told.

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Summer wrote:
> Taken it to BMW dealer twice and of course it won’t act up for them.
> Doesn’t start sometimes and have to wait 20 minutes or less before I
> can try it again. All the lights come on but the engine won’t turn
> over.
> Anybody ever heard of this or know what it could be? One thing it is
> not is key chip-or so I’m told.
>
Right. I believe that the symptom for the EWS (key chip) is the engine
turns over but won't catch. Your problem sounds more like a starter
solenoid of physical keyswitch problem. Does it make any clicking noise
at all when you move the key from position 2 (run position) to position
3 (momentary start)?

-Fred W

"malt_hound" wrote:
> Summer wrote:
> > Taken it to BMW dealer twice and of course it won’t act up
> for them.
> > Doesn’t start sometimes and have to wait 20 minutes or less
> before I
> > can try it again. All the lights come on but the engine
> won’t turn
> > over.
> > Anybody ever heard of this or know what it could be? One
> thing it is
> > not is key chip-or so I’m told.
> >
> Right. I believe that the symptom for the EWS (key chip) is
> the engine
> turns over but won't catch. Your problem sounds more like a
> starter
> solenoid of physical keyswitch problem. Does it make any
> clicking noise
> at all when you move the key from position 2 (run position) to
> position
> 3 (momentary start)?
>
> -Fred W

It makes no clicking noise but all the electrical stuff still works. I
know this sounds crazy, however it happens most often when the weather
is hot and muggy.

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Summer wrote:
> "malt_hound" wrote:
> > Summer wrote:
> > > Taken it to BMW dealer twice and of course it won’t act up
> > for them.
> > > Doesn’t start sometimes and have to wait 20 minutes or less
> > before I
> > > can try it again. All the lights come on but the engine
> > won’t turn
> > > over.
> > > Anybody ever heard of this or know what it could be? One
> > thing it is
> > > not is key chip-or so I’m told.
> > >
> > Right. I believe that the symptom for the EWS (key chip) is
> > the engine
> > turns over but won't catch. Your problem sounds more like a
> > starter
> > solenoid of physical keyswitch problem. Does it make any
> > clicking noise
> > at all when you move the key from position 2 (run position) to
> > position
> > 3 (momentary start)?
> >
> > -Fred W
>
> It makes no clicking noise but all the electrical stuff still works. I
> know this sounds crazy, however it happens most often when the weather
> is hot and muggy.
>


Well, I need to make a correction. I broke out the wiring diagrams and
on the starting circuit page there it is, plain as day: The EWIS2
(Electronic Immobilizer Control) module works by interrupting the
circuit from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid. So, it would
be the most likely reason you are getting the symptom that you are.

One input to the EWIS2 module is the automatic transmission range switch
on cars fitted with an automatic. If yours is an auto I would try
jumpering out that switch before I did anything else. If that does not
resolve it, you could see what happens when you jumper from pion 1 to 3
on the EWIS2 module (bypassing it).

-Fred W

"malt_hound" wrote:
> Summer wrote:
> > "malt_hound" wrote:
>  > > Summer wrote:
>   > > > Taken it to BMW dealer twice and of course
> it won’t act up
>  > > for them.
>   > > > Doesn’t start sometimes and have to wait 20
> minutes or less
>  > > before I
>   > > > can try it again. All the lights come on
> but the engine
>  > > won’t turn
>   > > > over.
>   > > > Anybody ever heard of this or know what it
> could be? One
>  > > thing it is
>   > > > not is key chip-or so I’m told.
>   > > >
>  > > Right. I believe that the symptom for the EWS (key
> chip) is
>  > > the engine
>  > > turns over but won't catch. Your problem sounds
> more like a
>  > > starter
>  > > solenoid of physical keyswitch problem. Does it
> make any
>  > > clicking noise
>  > > at all when you move the key from position 2 (run
> position) to
>  > > position
>  > > 3 (momentary start)?
>  > >
>  > > -Fred W
> >
> > It makes no clicking noise but all the electrical stuff
> still works. I
> > know this sounds crazy, however it happens most often when
> the weather
> > is hot and muggy.
> >
>
>
> Well, I need to make a correction. I broke out the wiring
> diagrams and
> on the starting circuit page there it is, plain as day: The
> EWIS2
> (Electronic Immobilizer Control) module works by interrupting
> the
> circuit from the ignition switch to the starter solenoid. So,
> it would
> be the most likely reason you are getting the symptom that you
> are.
>
> One input to the EWIS2 module is the automatic transmission
> range switch
> on cars fitted with an automatic. If yours is an auto I would
> try
> jumpering out that switch before I did anything else. If that
> does not
> resolve it, you could see what happens when you jumper from
> pion 1 to 3
> on the EWIS2 module (bypassing it).
>
> -Fred W

What about a manual transmission? Would it still be the same switch?

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Got a 525 that does exactly the same. Only when hot and in the most
embaressing place possible. Git..
It gives me a legitimate excuse for carrying a motorcycle fork leg on the
back seat though!
You have to have the ignition on and whack the solenoid at the same time.
Assuming you can reach.
Solenoid is attached to starter motor so about £150 to sort.



"RDL" > wrote in message
...
> Summer > wrote:
>
> >Taken it to BMW dealer twice and of course it won't act up for them.
> >Doesn't start sometimes and have to wait 20 minutes or less before I
> >can try it again. All the lights come on but the engine won't turn
> >over.
> >Anybody ever heard of this or know what it could be? One thing it is
> >not is key chip-or so I'm told.
>
> I had an old 320i that did that (first time was at a rest area in
> the Mojave Desert in July). The tow truck driver whacked the
> starter motor with a wrench and that fixed it temporarily. I
> never did get it repaired (it was probably the solenoid). Just
> had to take a whack at it when it balked, every three months or
> so. Worth a try if it ever strands you someplace unpleasant.
>
> RDL
>
> ***************************
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