intermittent non starting

[waspie30]

X5 E53 3.0 D 2003

Hello,
I have been haveing problems and wanted to get some different opinions.
My x5 failed to start, engine turns over but will not start, auto electrician got it started said it was giving an intermittent fault on the injectors, had these replaced/reconditiond, 4 weeks later wouldn,t start again electrician found low pressure fuel pump not working, had this replaced and also new battery fitted, week later fail to start again but after reading items on the internet I cycled the ignition several times and it started, have now had ecu tested as the engine warning light does not work but no faults found?
So just wandered if anyone has had anything similar or has any idears whats going on, any help would be appreciated.
Thanks Steve

[Smeeagain]

Ok, Im not saying it is this, i can only share my own experience. i note your vehicle is 2003, mine was 2004. I'm led to believe, and others may chip in, that the spec of the starter was changed around then, and not up to the job. I had random non starts, with/without cranking. When it was cranking I would never believe it was the starter. when it was not cranking I was sure it was the starter.
I replaced the battery first, which was also dodgy. And it started first time. The next day I had it craning but not starting. i replaced the starter and bingo all the starting issues went away.

As I say others will confirm whether you have the 'dodgy starter vintage' or not, and what to replace it with. But I cannot 100% guarantee it will fix your problem.

I'd also connect your battery to a conditioner (just to be sure) and /or disconnect it too

Smee

[X5Sport]

The clue to the above is slow cranking even though the battery is fine.  Excessive current being drawn is the issue and starter replacement is the fix.  No fault codes produced.  The check is for the current being drawn during crank.  It should be 180A or less.  My E53 drew in excess of 900A and my E46 with the same engine, in excess of 500A.

New starters are a couple hundred from ECP (inc surcharge).  Fiddly to get at as it's under the inlet manifold (needs to come off) and you need special Torx sockets and good leverage to get them out - they are VERY tight.

Magnetti-Marelli are the bad ones and so replaced with Bosch. 

[waspie30]

Thanks for the replies guys.
The auto electrician has been looking today, and he has now found a voltage drop which is triggering other faults, so now he has to narrow down what is causing this to happen. The company that tested the ecu suggested it was a wireing problem, so now the electrician is going to go through all the wireing. Hopefully he will sort the problem soon.

[X5Sport]

If present the starter fault will cause a significant volt drop.  Below 9V in worst cases as the battery simply cannot deliver the current demanded so something has to give.  If they haven't tried it yet, it's well worth a check.

[Smeeagain]

[quote="waspie30"]
Thanks for the replies guys.
The auto electrician has been looking today, and he has now found a voltage drop which is triggering other faults, so now he has to narrow down what is causing this to happen. The company that tested the ecu suggested it was a wireing problem, so now the electrician is going to go through all the wireing. Hopefully he will sort the problem soon.
[/quote]

Have your guy check and post back with the make of starter that you have and the results of the cranking amps test .....its the most likely candidate. Also the voltage drop, whatever is causing it, will be killing your battery bit by bit. A voltsge meter wont tell you that. Losd drop test is what you need. You may have to do what I did and replace battery and starter ...

[waspie30]

Thanks again for the replies.
They have found a cooling fan on the climate control units circuit board does not switch off, and so is continually running silently and draining the battery, this reduced voltage then prevents the car from starting. Its now been discontected and I will be testing the car for a few days to see if this has cured the problem, if so then I'll have to get a replacement control unit or atleast a repair.
Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
I'll keep updating this in case it helps anyone else in the future. 

[X5Sport]

Sounds like the Final Stage resistor (aka Hedgehog) may have gone faulty.  Easy DIY and cheap part.  Been done loads of times on here.

[waspie30]

Latest update,
It seems to be the climate control unit that is the problem. When connected the little temp sensor fan inside keeps running and not letting the car go into sleep mode, there is also a 90mA battery drain. When it is disconnected the car is able to go into sleep mode and the battery drain drops considerably, below 20mA.
I am going to leave it standing for a few days with the control unit disconnected to see how the battery holds its charge.
So is it possible to have this unit repaired? new ones are over £500, used is possible but what is the chance of haveing the same problem?

[waspie30]

Latest and hopefully the last update.
After some of the replies i have had and reading other items on the internet I had the starter motor changed today, the car now turns over some much faster and starts with in a couple of seconds, I still need to get the climate control unit sorted but I have found a place that repairs them.
Thanks for the replies

[X5Sport]

Glad at least one issue is fixed.  Your battery will probably be grateful too