Starting issue E53..

[X5Andym]

Hi All trust you are well..

Please can some one point me some where on this... My X5 E53 4.4 year 2005 has a staring issue, full battery so that seems to be ok.. turn on the ignition full set of light, turn key to start.. all I get is a klick, (hand brake is on and in park) turn off take key out try again same thing,, same again, same again.. then all seems ok and starts fine... doing my head in.. maybe something simple..

Thank you very much

Cheers

Andy

[Bladerunner919]

Starter motor perhaps? Can you hear the starter solenoid trying to kick in?

[X5Andym]

Thank you for your reply.. No... no noise from anything... all the light on the dash stay on...

Cheers
Andy

[X5Sport]

Check the gearbox selector switch is correctly showing either Park or Neutral. If the switch isn’t picking it up correctly it will inhibit the starter.

Starter motor/solenoid as above. There was an issue with the 6-cyl engine starters being faulty in you car’s age range. I don’t remember it on a V8 though that could be me having a senior moment of course.

[X5Andym]

Thank you for your reply... how do I check the gearbox selector switch.. garage job I think.. look for a code..

Thank you

Cheers

Andy

[X5Sport]

Try giving the stick a waggle if this issue occurs. It might not cure it permanently but it will show you where to look at least. Intermittent faults are a pig to trace. It might come up on a fault reader check as some things don’t bring a warning light/flag on.

If it is the Start Inhibit relay, that is part of the IVM Supply Module. If it will start in Neutral but not Park, that might be a clue too. Worth a check.

If the solenoid goes over (you will need to listen under the bonnet for the ‘click’) the it isn’t the inhibitor. There should be volts on the solenoid when the key is turned. No volts means the inhibit switch is active, or there’s an electrical issue.

Given it will start, that suggest the battery is OK. The faulty starter issue causes a massive voltage drop so usually causes all the lights to dim, but it doesn’t sound like that is happening, so solenoid as suggested above is worth a look. No idea where it in a V8. I only had lowly IL6 oil burners

[sleepyfolk]

Just replaced my ignition switch a few weeks back, worth thinking about once you’ve checked the other stuff

[lezmtaylor]

I would suggest the starter solenoid on the side of the starter motor, also try starting in neutral,
My 2002 4.4 has given the same fault and eventually tried starting in Neutral and it worked, so now always start in neutral.

Lez

[X5Andym]

Thank you all for your feed back... gave the gear stick a push forward in park and held in place car started... put in neutral tried to start, failed... held the gear stick push to side car stared, thick you may have pointed me in the right direction... switch on the gearbox.. what do you think..

Thank you

Cheers

Andy

[X5Sport]

I think the inhibit function switch is actually in the selector tower (gear shifter) as it just looks like a Bowden cable to the box and a mechanical arm that moves to determine the gear. The TI doesn’t show where the damned thing is annoyingly. A transmission specialist would tell you where it’s lurking (or BMW possibly) for free. The selector tower is listed as a complete unit and marked ‘no further intervention!’. On the 5-speed there’s a selector on the box itself, but not so in the 6-speed. A trawl through the wiring diagram gave me a headache!

If you do decide to have a look, the gear knob comes off by pulling straight up. Do not twist it under any circumstances! Doing so will mean a new shift tower as you’ll break something.

[Alan Gunn]

As said the knob pulls straight off but WATCH YOU DON'T KNOCK YOUR TEETH OUT as it suddenly comes off.