Hey guys,

I was wondering if someone could help me shed some light on an issue I'm experiencing with my car...

I went to the gas station to put some gas in, and when I got back in the car and turned the key in the ignition, nothing happened. The dash lights were lit up, and the xenons do not flicker. There are no clicking sounds that could be heard with the hood down, when the hood is up, I hear faint clicking. I hear fuel running for a split second.

Does this show signs of a bad alternator? Or did my starter go out?

I don't think this is a bad battery because I tried to put a new battery in my car and it did not improve the situation or make it worse.

My car only has 41,xxx miles on it. And it's 4 years old.

So it's sitting at the dealership right now, but I haven't heard from them all day, and I am wondering how badly I'm about to get raped...

New batteries do not come fully charged. You need to trickle charge the new battery overnight for it to reach full voltage to crank a car. BMWs require the full 14V.

And it IS your battery. BMW batteries tend to fail between 4-7 years, depending on the amount of maintenance you do. If you occasionally hook it up to a trickle charger they can last for as long as 10+ years but I would'nt personally bank on it.

If it was your alternator, the car would've died while driving as the spark was provided purely by the battery, not the alternator. There are a few simple solutions to start up problems, since it's a very simple system.

If the engine cranks but does not start, you have a fuel delivery problem. Check fuel pump. If the engine does not crank but clicks, it's an electrical problem most likely involving the battery (not enough umph to get the engine to turn over). If you turn the key and hear NOTHING, then it's a starter problem or the car's immobilizer.

Since the car is still under warranty, why not just have it towed to the nearest BMW dealership and have THEM deal with it?

Since the car is still under warranty, why not just have it towed to the nearest BMW dealership and have THEM deal with it?

My warranty ran out last year, since I bought the car when the warranty was 36,000/3 yrs. Blah.

I don't think it's my battery thats the problem, because the xenons don't flicker, and I read that the xenons kinda flicker when the battery goes out. But I guess it could be because I didn't leave the new battery in long enough like you had suggested.

-- I'm gonna guess it's my starter, because nothing happens when I turn the key. I can't even hear clicking unless the hood is up and I'm standing next to the engine. Wah.. :(

Thanks for your reply though, I do appreciate it. :buttrock

Edit: I forgot to mention that I hooked up the car with the Duralast 49-DL battery, and I don't know if they need to be hooked up over night or not? It's a pretty hefty battery but it did fit.

My warranty ran out last year, since I bought the car when the warranty was 36,000/3 yrs. Blah.

I don't think it's my battery thats the problem, because the xenons don't flicker, and I read that the xenons kinda flicker when the battery goes out. But I guess it could be because I didn't leave the new battery in long enough like you had suggested.

-- I'm gonna guess it's my starter, because nothing happens when I turn the key. I can't even hear clicking unless the hood is up and I'm standing next to the engine. Wah.. :(

Thanks for your reply though, I do appreciate it. :buttrock

Edit: I forgot to mention that I hooked up the car with the Duralast 49-DL battery, and I don't know if they need to be hooked up over night or not? It's a pretty hefty battery but it did fit.


I dont' think the warrenty was ever 3yr/36000 miles. That was probably your service program. I think the warrenty for the car itself is 4 year/50000 miles.

I dont' think the warrenty was ever 3yr/36000 miles. That was probably your service program. I think the warrenty for the car itself is 4 year/50000 miles.

Well. lol, that don't matter anyways because my car hit 4 years in December. Yeah, just my luck, right? :nono

Well for those of you who are keeping up with this thread, I got a phone call from my service advisor and he said the module that reads the chip in my keys (that prevents theft) has failed. Which is why I couldn't start the car.

So they are estimating $335.00 for the parts and labor, which I am probably getting gouged on, but when it comes to electronics such as this, I have no other option but to trust them.


Edit: I'll list down the part name when I get the paperwork and my car back, so that this may be a good informational post for someone else experiencing similar problems in the future. :redspot

...If you turn the key and hear NOTHING, then it's a starter problem or the car's immobilizer.

Damn, I love it when I'm right. :) Of course, shoot enough arrows and one is bound to hit. :)

Damn, I love it when I'm right. :) Of course, shoot enough arrows and one is bound to hit. :)

lol, well speaking of such, have you heard of failures such as this? Is this common? :confused

lol, well speaking of such, have you heard of failures such as this? Is this common? :confused

Common? No. Heard of it? YES. I've come across several people claiming to have this sort of problem. Except most of them have had the chip in the key go wrong, not the immobilizer module itself. Yours is the first I've heard of the immobilizer module.