If your immobiliser is not syncing or your key is a problem reset the whole system by unplugging both battery terminals. Touch the positive and negative together to discharge any residual charge in the system for 20 seconds. Leave the terminals off the battery no longer touching. Turn on the headlights to continue the discharge - of course no lights will come on but your aim is to reset the electronics entirely and drain any residual charge. After 15mins have passed, connect up the terminals to the battery don’t worry about the small spark when connecting the terminal. Get back inside the car and start the car up. This saved me walking 5miles home or calling emergency pickup. Credit to the BMW guy from England and his YT vids. He suggested it, I tried it and it worked.
Ground strap! Just throwing it out there for others who might have a no start, no crank condition, you may also consider the engine to chassis ground strap as a possible culprit. I have a 2010 E83 x3 w/ e52 engine. One day it just would not start, the starter was only a few months old, but I did replace it anyway. Prior to that I had also used a long screw driver to test voltage going to the starter when turning the key and that tested fine. I tried a jumper between slots on the EWS as well. I had codes for alternator missing, water pump missing, intake solenoid. I finally found the idea to try grounding the engine. Ran a jumper cable from a good point of contact from a manifold bolt to the chassis. Car started right up! Checked the ground strap (by front right wheel with bottom cover removed) and found my ground strap was broken in the middle and was now two pieces.
THIS got me going again after weeks of troubleshooting. Forgot to bolt the ground strap back on after rebuilding the engine. Thanks for this reminder!!!
Whoa this is kinda crazy, I was checking out your “oil filter housing gasket replacement” video which was 6 years ago and you look much younger now brother !!!!. Happy to see you being healthy and I’m about to fix my oil filter housing gasket tomorrow by myself. Thank you for your best tutorial and happy new year my friend :)
I love the video, but your leaving out a huge detail to diagnosing a no crank no start. Check the ews harness. They are prone to corrosion and will short out pins on the ews. It will give the same symptoms of a bad key. Please do a video on this. Check your ews harness if everything else is OK and you think you have a bad key.
Wow this could not have come out at a stranger time, i had just watched the other video with Ismael and couldve sworn it was just released, so seeing a 3 year difference was a bit of a surprise!
As already mentioned, key beep is only to be trusted if you know that your car beeps. The ones with Euro factory settings don't. If the car does the crank/no start, it could also be the instrument cluster (as also already mentioned in the first video), since it is a bridge between networks on which EWS and DME reside.
Came here to say this. I have a 2006 330ci and it does not beep when I have the key in he first position with the door open. I don’t know if the car was coded that way or the fact that it was a euro delivery car means it have euro factory settings.
Yep correct, a lot of other markets follow the Euro spec as well. EG; In Australia here. My E46 will only ever beep if I leave the headlights manually on and leave the car. There's actually a lot of differences I've found, another being there is no seat belt warning (you can take your seatbelt off at anytime and it does nothing, not even seatbelt light). Well at least the E46s in Aus do this lol
My car has an intermittent no crank, i take the key out turn it around and it usually starts, I guess the key is bad but I've never heard the door beeps (maybe European cars don't do it?) I've taken the ignition switch out and cleaned it but it didn't make any difference. I don't have a spare key to try and its £170 for a new one from BMW :(. Keep up the good work
I have an E46 2002 320i intermittent crank but no start, i can tell when the engine is not going to start because everytime it is going to fail/only crank when i turn the ignition key the orange image showing a birds eye view of the car does NOT light up all the other dashboard illuminations light up correctly., i then have to just keep turning the key on and off until the display illuminates that orange car icon/ i.e car door and lights check 'picture'. Do you have a tips for as to were to start looking. 50's kid its awesome to see you keeping up the tutorials, simply my favorite e46/bmw utuber content creator..
Thank you that was very good info, i would just like to add that i had the problem where as my e46 320d did not crank and it was a blown 50amp fuse behind the glovebox
Thanks guys, you saved me an expensive trip to the garage, I took the chip out of my key as I was swapping out the battery, couldn’t work out why it wasn’t starting 🙄, was about to call a tow truck to the repair shop.
WOO THANKS. yesterday I was pretty sure my key went bad. No beeping with the door open anymore. I wasn’t sure but I got a new key ordered anyway. Glad you guys mentioned the key thing in the beginning. Thank you!
So, your vid was just what i was lookoing for; thanks. Bought a 530i with one key. Down the line it wouldnt start one day. Battery was charged and it was defionately like something was grounded. Fiorst bypassed manual clutch switch. Began to wonder about key as i had split it open trykiong to replace fob battery.. it did work after that. Anyway, first click open door trick worked; no beep. Got valet key made it working great. I couldnt find any other source on that info and even BMW parts guy said he hadnt heard that. Anyway; a big thanks for the info. John
Thanks alot my zhp started a no crank and no start just befor I laid it up for winter. It was intermittent. Work good sometimes and not other times I know my batt is getting old. 6 yrs so I'm leaning g towards that cause if the dme dosnt see 12 volts or more it will do the same thing, no crank no start. I will definitely be testing the ews in the spring I seen them slots but didn't know that what they was for. Thanks for the info
Don't forget, if you don't tighten down that positive cable running across the engine bay to the 19mm its not going to crank obviously. Because that positive cable runs to the starter solinoid. ✌️ Also your battery can surprise you as well. Can show 13v but it doesn't mean it necessarily has the amps to turn the car over if its damaged. Literally can happen out of nowhere.
Holy shit. This is so fucking simple I’ve got to try this. Everytime I look into this people be so complicated this was perfect simply clear and to the point thank you
The Clutch switch seems like it could be a culprit also. My e46 has had a no crank condition on warm ambient air days. when the weather cools, the car starts!
Hi advice please I have e46 1.8 petrol in uk. Normally it works fine but when it’s super cold and freezing I dont hear any fuel priming on ignition and car doesn’t start, if I crank and give it gas it will eventually start and be fine for the rest of the day. What would you say is the problem here? I’m thinking relay or pump?
@@mtamomoo550 I tried doing my CCV, but I don't have all the tools needed so I gave up on this one. However, because of him I did my valve cover gasket and my oil filter gasket. I am looking forward to more maintenance and projects knowing I have the 50sKid 😎
Thanks this helped solve my issue. I got a new key and it started right up. My car doesn’t beep at all with the door opened and the key turned on so just a heads up for others.
Hey 50’s Kid, Do you know if a car with a bad EWS or ignition cylinder can still be roll started? My car will roll start but nothing happens when I turn the key, EWS plugged in or bypassed. That is the short version of my question. More detailed. Started reviving a car that sat for 5+ years. Got it running and driving and eventually it stopped starting. Diagnosed it with your video to the starter. Replaced starter and the car would turn over, I forgot to plug the EWS back in so it wouldn’t start. Now that I figured that out. The car wont turn over at all even when I do the bypass truck but like I said above it can be roll started with 0%. Will run and drive until I run out of fuel
First thanks for the videos! Unfortunately in this case after watched this more than a dozen times and THINK there is an error here in the last statement you 50sKid made at then IF I follow the logic of what you are testing here..... The fuse test mentioned jumps the 12V line AROUND the DME (effectively bypassing for the unit for the purposes of accessing crank). As such IF you HAVE crank (during bypass) you can diagnose the problem of no crank/start (with NORMAL hookup ie NO bypass) as one of the 2 active components present (ignition switch or starter).... Makes sense. HOWEVER you state at the END a conclusion I don't think can be inferred..... IF No crank/start BEFORE bypass, and NO CRANK after bypass MUST BE DME.... I don't see how that can be true. Since we NEVER have successful CRANK can't conclude what part(s) are defective. Any one, two or three could be preventing spark out of starter (starter it's self, DME, Ignition switch.... Right....? A negative ONLY test is not conclusive. Or so would think as this is MY current situation (after checking battery/fuses/key)... Any thoughts?
So i watched the video and hoped this was going help solve my no crank no start on my e46 99 323i. But when went to pit the fuse in the harness plug there was only one actual point of contact. No wire going to one of the slots. So what would i do from that situation. Thanks for any help. Your videos are great!
I have a 2001 E46 318i It does have an instrument cluster thats from a USA model 323i and was able to code all ZCS values to it, but not the VIN does have an error code for EEPROM. It's Euro model and it does beep when in position 1 and when it does beep the key turns the car over and starts as it should, but when it does not beep the car does nothing I sometimes have to do this a dozen times or so to get it going, so is this a Key problem awesome video BTW...
My 2001 bmw 325i it cranks but it doesn’t start it has low fuel pressure I changed the fuel pump twice fuel filter and fuel pressure regulator and it still don’t start what could be the problem
Great video! I tried this on my e83 (2008 x3) and I could not fit a fuse in the immobilizer cable harness. Fortunately, the car started after having the immobilizer unplugged for 10 minutes!
I’ve also did the fuse in the ews & no crank no start my question is why are my fuses not working when I remove them and test with the test light only one side of the fuses is getting power basically it’s not a full connection
Great video and good info. I’ve got a question on ABS system. Is there anything manual process to troubleshooting the module before I send it out for repair and not waste people’s time and money?
Hey what’s up? I have a 2003 bmw 330xi and whenever it gets a bit hot(70 plus degrees) or when I drive my car a little hard, the car won’t crank. I have to wait about 10 minutes and then it starts up perfectly like nothing happened. It seems it is a temperature issue but how do I diagnose what the actual problem is? (Starter, fuse, wires, cables, etc) Thanks.
Okay guys, my 2001 325Ci will not crank. Battery is +12.5 volts good. Checked all fuses in glove box and under hood with DVOM, all okay. Per the video, key in ignition position 1, open door and the car beeps, indicating the EWS is recognizing the key, but the engine will not crank in key position 2. Following the second part of the video, I bridged the EWS connector slots with a 30 amp fuse; the car cranks but doesn't start, thus the starter and ignition key are good. First test validates the EWS and key, second test validates the ignition switch and starter. What am I missing?
Did what you said to test weather it was the starter , Ing.or the Ews and it was the Ews my question is when replacing the Ews will you have to reprogram the Ews and how do you do this ? and will a used Ews be good the work with thk u Ranman Olde school automotive
Thank you for the video I have an e53 with intermittent no crank no start. Moving the steering wheel column up and out makes it start. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Great information Thanks for this if you replace the battery in or key fob. Could this fix it? But you need EWS can you recode and do you need a new key?
I have a 2002 525i that wont crack or start, I did the test for the key, one click and open the door there is no beep, the second test the car turned over fine, does that mean my key is the problem?
quick question when I connect the fuse it cranks , I have already replaced the ews n starter & still no crank , only when I take out the ews n put a fuse it cranks, could it be the ignition switch ?
My e46 has no start issues but it cranks. I checked the ews status the reading seems ok with no issues at all. Fuel pump working but it has no injector pulse.
The info is a lil conflicting for me because you say when you put the fuse in EWS and start car and it cranks then starter and ignition switch are good and if it doesn't crank then 1 of the 2 starter or ignition is bad so what tell you if the EWS is bad that's the part I'm missing
Ciao , ho una bmw alpina b10 3.2 , è uguale alla e39 528i, ti scrivo la sintomatologia del malfunzionamento: avvio intermittente, a volte riparte dopo qualche ora o la mattina dopo ; l'ha tenuta un elettrauto 2 giorni ma non ha trovato problemi dalla diagnosi, pensando fosse la chiave ho provato la seconda ma il problema si verifica con entrambe ; ho cambiato il switch di accensione pensando fosse quello ma nulla ; la batteria ha 5 anni ( solo una volta il primo giorno che si è presentato il problema ho smosso la batteria e ho sentito una sorta di sfrigolio proveniente dal portabagagli quella volta l'auto è subito partita). Non so se può esserti utile ma il problema si è presentato dopo un lavoro di saldatura sulla marmitta
So what happens if it beeps without the key in the ignition? And we'll here is my issue....03 325xi 132k unhooked the battery to check fuses (fuse area in glove box has obvious corrosion) checked fuses, then hooked battery back up. Started the car and the abs and brake light came on and stayed on. I then read where someone said they drove theirs around for a little bit and the lights went out. So I start the car, drive around my town for about 15 mins and parked back in my driveway. Lights did not go off. Shut the car off. Cycled the key a couple times and went to start it and nothing happens, does not turn over. So with the key in my hand, I open the door and it starts dinging ( and no the headlights are not on) put the key in turn the 1st click, and mileage and airbag light come on, then 2nd click and nothing, I'm pretty sure that's when all the other lights and the fuel Guage is supposed to come on. But nothing, and then attempt to start it and nothing. Please help. I just traded my only transportation for this.
Hi i put fuse in to hot thise wires. Also took out strater and tested it. It works. It cranks when on car and connect wires straight to strater from battery on a side. It cranks. Also replaced ignituon switch. Still no crank. What else could it be? Is there any more relays in e46 related to starter except the one in aws block?
Hi Jason, So I rebuilt my engine with your video guidance and when I went to crank it with the fuel pump fuse removed so I could build oil pressure without starting I have no crank. The battery is new, I did the checks from this video and your 2018 video and nothing. Everything electrical works but cranking. The car was without power for at least a year if that might be the issue? I looked up the INPA scanner and it says doesn't work with Windows 10 so I wonder if there is a new scanner to see if I have lost sync? A
Mine had no crank then I follow all directions til the last one that u put that fuse on the connection and mine crank and started but died right away... you didn't say if it started and died what could it be??😅help
If I'm not getting power to pin 1 on ews could it b egs cause I get the beeping and power to ignition switch and it cranks when I jump the ews4.3 this is on 01 525i
Hello, thanks for the video as I was able to follow your steps and sure enough I found my problem. After pulling the intake to put a starter on my daughters car and getting the same no start I was blown away. I found this video and it got me back on track. So, I realize quickly after performing this test my EWS lost communication bc it cranked over but no start up. So, to Ismael, what can you do to fix the EWS box. I also changed the switch after seeing this video.
Only thing I’ve noticed on many e46 going bad is ews module or ews module internal relay which can be fixed in 2 seconds with a piece of wire , or if the car shows electrical problems u gotta go through canbus .
@@fde4683 If it can be fixed in 2 seconds and it takes weeks to get the hardware and software and hours to install the software and hours to find out how to use the software, hardware, then that labor will cost more than the labor of 2 seconds.
Hello Jason, Thank you for the great videos, I'm a big fan of yours! I have an interesting case that happened to me and my E46 330xi recently and I wanted to share with you, and if possible to get an advise. Couple of weeks ago when I was starting off with the engine warmed up, I got the brakes, ABS, DSC warning lights on. Maybe a few moments later the engine stalled and the wheels like suddenly stopped- it was like a violent/sudden stop of the vehicle and the engine was dead. After that I managed to start the engine again and I noticed that there was a warning sign next to the gear selector indicator on the dash board. Therefore, my first thoughts were that there was a kind of problem with the automatic transmission. I drove the car for like a 500 m, and then it happened again- the engine stalled and the car violently stopped (wheels blocked). Next I was towed to a garage, where after a troubleshooting, they determined that there was some kind of problem with the engine control module (DME). The diagnostics software determined that the ABS and transmissions modules have recorded errors of not receiving CAN-bus data from the DME. The DME module was sent for a repair and it is now working- the vehicle, it's engine and transmission are now working fine. However, what bothers me is that they could not determine the root cause of the DME failing and also I cannot fully understand the reason why the wheels are blocked when the engine fails. Is it because of the ABS system applying the brakes in an emergency mode or the transmission is "locked" because it receives no signal from the engine module... The DME repair shop stated that it was probably a kind of high voltage shock and they had to replace the CPU module of the DME. Now due to all of this I'm really worried to drive the car since I do not know what's the root cause of the DME failing and also I do not know what would be the effect if this happens on the highway at high speeds.. Will the wheels/transmission be "locked" again? I would be very interested to hear your opinion on the case and especially if you have some experience with something similar. Many thanks!
Hey man, when you put the fuse to skip the EWS, my car just does 1 click,same with the EWS connected, any sugsestions? battery is okay,checked it already
I can a bmw e46 318i cranking but not starting..... it was blowing a 30 fuse in the engine box and it stop after I change the coils and the plugs.... still crank and no start..... could it be the ews? The immobilizer is showing up when I scann it
Good morning. I have a start sequence problem on my BMW E46. On stage 1, all the lights on the dashboard light up as if we were in stage 2. And in stage 2 it remains the same. Then in step 3 it starts normally. So, I would like to fix the problem from step 1 and step 2. If you have any idea. Thanks in advance.
Would this test work on a 2006 535 e60? I’m having the no crank/no start which happened very unexpectedly & sudden. Trying to properly diagnose before I pull intake manifold to get to starter. Thanks in advance
hello there , i have 1999 e39 cranks no start after i replaced 12v battery, fuel pump works good ignition coils sparking when i crank, fuel pressure is good in the injectors bar. still won't start....... wish u can help me to solve the problem .... best regards
Thanks guys,I got 2 e46 check engine light is on I have no idea what the problem is if you want to make a video on my cars please comment love your videos
Hey there l just did a m54b30 swap on my 2002 525it. I get a crank no start issue. No fuel delivery or no spark. Also I can not connect to the ecu for some reason. I swapped the m54b30 with intake manifold and all accessories into the 525i car. Used 525i engine harness and old style bolt in coil packs. I've swapped the fuel pump and crank position sensor with know good parts and no change. I've swapped the ecu and dme with key and ignition barrell from a known good car and still the same. Do you think you could point me in the right direction of what to check next by chance?
UPDATE! I hooked a jumper cable to the negative jump connect and the "hook" bracket to the right of the VANOS and crank city....so my engine must not be grounded?
Hola Jason ma encanta el trabajo que haces eres un profesional y lo bien que lo explicas todo sigue hacin eres grande gracias te veo desde España concretamente de Andalucía, Málaga .
Hey guys. I have a E46 320 diesel. It just clicks when I want to crank it. The starter seems ok. I took it out, cleaned it, replaced the carbon brushes. It works perfectly of the car. When I put it back in it just clicks. On push start, the engine starts in a second. Do you know what could be the problem ? Thank you
Using the electrical connections on the back of the solenoid, you should be able to activate the solenoid by itself; the starter by itself, and both together. The action of the solenoid completes the starter ground, thus your situation sounds like the solenoid is not grounding the starter.
@@charlesschuster7963 I have already done that. I think that one on the copper coils is damaged. I have changed the starter and ihow r works great. And in the mean time, after taking it from the car and putting it back again for 4 or 5 times, I became a pro. I set a new record.😀😀😀
My e46 320d doesn't do the beeping. But it does the beeping when I have the lights on. I have no crank no start. New battery fitted, starter motor tested. Still won't start. Any ideas guys?? Not even cranking its just clicking
