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BMW 3-Series Starting Problems

95 messages,  Last post on Mar 12, 2013 at 11:47 PM

You are in the BMW 3-Series Forum.

What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 7 of 10

#58 of 95 Re: new starter and new battery and still NO START [roadburner] by fedlawman

Aug 07, 2012 (9:35 am)

Replying to: roadburner (Aug 07, 2012 7:41 am)
"How do they account for a $1100 labor charge?"
 
I'm guessing:
 
Check fluids, belts, hoses
Inspect filters
Inspect brakes
Inspect exhaust
Inspect suspension
Inspect, inspect, inspect....

#59 of 95 Re: new starter and new battery and still NO START [roadburner] by busiris

Aug 07, 2012 (10:56 am)

Replying to: roadburner (Aug 07, 2012 7:41 am)
+1!!!
 
It never ceases to amaze me just how much damage an unscrupulous/inept dealer can do to a brand's reputation.
 

#60 of 95 Re: new starter and new battery and still NO START [busiris] by roadburner

Aug 07, 2012 (12:36 pm)

Replying to: busiris (Aug 07, 2012 10:56 am)
I am SO blessed to have a dealer that is more than competent and charges a fair price. I recently had my 1995 ti in for a brake fluid flush and my service adviser told me "We'll keep an eye on the serpentine belts; you might want to consider replacing them next spring." He never tries to push unneeded work.

#61 of 95 Re: new starter and new battery and still NO START [roadburner] by busiris

Aug 07, 2012 (2:34 pm)

Replying to: roadburner (Aug 07, 2012 12:36 pm)
Like you, I have a pretty decent BMW/Mini dealer.
 
As an example... Recently, my wife's 05 Mini convertible (optioned-out, bought new) went into the shop for a power steering fluid leak. The prognosis was a leaking secondary (rack to reservoir-low pressure) hose.
 
Turns out, it was both hoses, to and from the reservoir. The dealer covered the second hose AND labor at no additional cost to me.
 
Then again, I've developed a good working relationship with the dealer over the years, and I have had the dealer perform oil changes at every 5K miles instead of the suggested interval determined by the car's onboard computer while the car was under warranty. Even then, on the Mini, an oil/filter change was only $75-80.
 
Once out of warranty, I do the routine service myself. It helps getting me to routinely inspect the car mechanics on a regular basis...
 
Her Mini has over 70K miles now, and has been every bit as reliable as any American or Japanese built car we have ever owned...and in several cases, far MORE reliable...

#62 of 95 You All Won't Believe This One by toppercat

Aug 07, 2012 (3:17 pm)

So went back to the dealership today-jumped started the car-Thank God it started!!!-spoke with the same service person-and asked about how could this be that since we needed a new starter then the original battery was probably good right-Oh NO-see the battery was bad and then the starter was bad also and now what is probably making the car not start is the new battery they just put in is bad-see the starter can sometimes make the battery go bad. (REALLY???) Lord please help me and give me patience:) Has anyone is the world ever had a BMW that started out with one battery that was bad so another put in and then a starter went bad and then after that the 4 week old battery goes bad- or are we just that lucky??? Oh and yes when we got the car back the key thing amajiger(fob)will start the car but won't unlock or lock the car. So that is the nightmare story today from our 3rd trip to the dealership. I came home with a loaner-and boy is it a pretty one-a wagon-Yuck-no offense to anyone who drives one-just not for me-but is starts and that right now is the main thing. So will keep you informed on what they come back with this time. Curious to see how many times we will be at the dealership. Maybe third times a charm:) I know you all think we are crazy to keep going back and not switching-but I they have $1500.00 of our money and darn it they should have to make it right with us-don't ya think!!! P.S. This dealership is 1hr away-we have to take off work and not to mention gas prices right now-holy moley:( Wish us luck:)

#63 of 95 Re: You All Won't Believe This One [toppercat] by busiris

Aug 07, 2012 (4:53 pm)

Replying to: toppercat (Aug 07, 2012 3:17 pm)
First of all, you have my sympathy here. Clearly, this dealer doesn't seem to have entered the 20th century yet, much less the 21st.
 
From a battery perspective, any decent Auto Zone, NAPA, Oreilly Auto Parts, etc. can do a load-test on a battery, so it would seem a BMW dealer should be able to do as much...
 
Seems to me they are throwing darts at a dart board trying to figure out your problem, and right now, your wallet is the dart board.
 
Having said that, it IS remotely possible your replacement battery is faulty, but I would bet slim odds on that possibility. If I knew more specifics, I might have a different opinion... Then again, maybe not...
 
I guess it depends upon your "pain" threshold, but at some point you may have to decide if this dealership is going to "make the cut", so to speak.
 
Good luck!
 
At least they gave you something else to drive...

#64 of 95 Re: You All Won't Believe This One [toppercat] by roadburner

Aug 07, 2012 (10:08 pm)

Replying to: toppercat (Aug 07, 2012 3:17 pm)
Your so-called service adviser is an incompetent fool at best and a bald-faced liar at worst. It's almost impossible for a starter to kill a battery. As I suggested earlier, Ask them to explain how they determined that the battery and starter were bad. Did the battery fail a load test? Were the starter and solenoid BOTH bad? If so, how did they diagnose that? They are idiots.
If you don't mind me asking, what dealer is causing all this needless misery?

#65 of 95 Re: You All Won't Believe This One [toppercat] by dholifield1

Sep 27, 2012 (12:23 pm)

Replying to: toppercat (Aug 07, 2012 3:17 pm)
You must use the same BMW dealership I have used. Bought a Certified 2006 325i from them in 8/2009, had all kinds of problems with the certification (car had been wrecked - should not have been certified in the first place but I won't go into that here). Hard to start issues began in December 2010. Dealer said battery was bad & charged a total of $430.48 to replace the battery (keep in mind the pre-owned warranty did not expire until 4/13/2012). New battery did not solve the problem - still slow to start, especially after the car got warmed-up. Brought in again May 1, 2012 (2 weeks after warranty expired) with same issue - slow to start - and they said the battery was bad (the same new one they put in just 16 months earlier - go figure). Put in a new battery and 2 new tires for total cost of $1,152.62. Brought in again 9/12/2012 (4 months later) again slow to start, this time said starter was bad, put in a new starter at a cost of $1,375.43. Starts like a champ now. Now keep in mind the warranty had expired just 5 months earlier. Then voila - on September 19, 2012 (the following week) had to put in a new water pump at a cost of $1,123.03, plus the towing charge of $150 . Do you see a pattern here? I've owned 4 BMW's in the past and I will not buy another one again, ever. This one will get traded for a newer car in just a couple of weeks. God help the poor SOB who buys it.

#66 of 95 325i starting problem by dukedog1

Sep 27, 2012 (5:27 pm)

My son has a 2002 325i BMW in Australia and has a starting problem, which no one can figure out or fix. If the car sits for an extended time – usually overnight – it is very hard to start. It turns over but will usually take about 10 minutes of fiddling, before it will start and run. After it finally starts up, it seems to run just fine. The problem seems worse when the air temp is cold. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is happening????

#67 of 95 Trunk release issues by toppercat

Dec 07, 2012 (3:49 pm)

Hey gang, it's me again-the one with all the battery, starter and then module sunroof issues. Well I'm back with another issue with my 2006 325i bmw. Now I can't get the trunk open. The starting problem was final resolved with a new sunroof module-after 4 months. That seems so far to do the trick, but like I said now it's the trunk. Key fob opens doors but not trunk. Only the key itself opens the trunk and that isn't easy:( Any suggestions???? Please comfort me and don't tell me an actuator. We have checked the valet switch in the trunk...not it. I have done some research online and the word actuator keeps coming up???? This sounds expensive and difficult to install ourselves. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. If it wasn't for this forum-I would still probably be dealing with the starting issue:) Merry Christmas

Messages Page 7 of 10

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