740i 1995 sometimes won't start

[dutchgirl]

Hello,

I hope anybody can help me with this problem...
My car, a 1995 740i, drives like heaven but sometimes when I try to start the car after a short visit to the gasstation or something like that, it won't start. Everything works, lights, radio etc. but you don't hear anything at all from the engine. If you wait a while, sometimes 15 minutes or sometimes 30...and try again it works again...
The dealer has no clue and even BMW germany doesn't no the answer...
Help
Thanx
dutchgirl

[libertylover]

Sounds to me like the solenoid for the starter won't work after it gets hot. That or the starter itself.

[michelq]

need more info please is the engine turn over but will not start or does not crank.thanks
michel

[dutchgirl]

hello,

it won't crank (thats when you hear engine/starter right?), you hear nothing. it's like when you have a safety for carjacking, you can turn the key, lights on dashboard turn on, heater starts up but the starter does not work. It does not matter if the engine is cold or hot, even after a two minute drive when you stop and turn off the power and start up again sometimes the car won't start. I had no problems for weeks and now the last week 4 times...

greetings,
dutchgirl

[michelq]

if you have after market alarm system you need to by pass alarm to starter
if no alarm sys then maybe a lose wire at the starter or bad starter
it could be bad park neutrol switch or igntion switch
good luck
michel

[marksub]

I had the same problem with my 96 740il, but I found two loose ground wires inside the engine compartment on the right side, just forward of the fuse box. I tightened them and that seems to have fixed the problem.

[jeffreyb4me]

i wish i had more customers as wonderfully desciptive as you are. while the 'groung' wire problem is a possibility, i think it unlikely w/o other symptoms. there are 2 ways to go here, throw a dart [at the 'diagnositc dart board'] or troubleshoot the problem each with a cost/benefit factor. i always use the later but the pre-condition is that 98% of the time, the symptom MUST be present. to eliminate everything BUT the starter motor [which do fail! ] your technician must access the 'starter circuit' harness connection located in the 'E-box' below the fuse panel. this easy to access and if the 'large' black/yellow wire has within 0.5 volts of B+ while the key is in 'crank', the starter is defective. IF NOT, the problem is further back in the switch, EWS, trans. interlock, etc... BEST of fortune to you....................jb.

[IndyJay]

I am going through the same issue. Except mine will no longer start at all. However, I now have figured out what is going on. Let me ask you this question: has your car been false alarming at all. Think back a few weeks or a few months even. If so read on!

My 95 740i (186,000mi) falsed alarm a few times, the past few weeks. I thought it was maybe the wind or too sensitive motion detector or something and blew it off. Then one day it would not start AND jumping would not start it either. By not starting I am saying it would not CRANK at all. Full juice (12 volts) at the battery. Mystery. Since it was Friday I left the car at work and came back the next day to work on it. BMW alarm have a feature that cuts the ignition if it detects is being stolen. I figured my car forgot who its owner is (lol). So, I set out to disarm the disarming of my ignition (ie, deactivate the alarm). I went to the fuse panel located in the trunk and pulled the alarm fuses. No joy. My plan failed. While I was backed there I tested all my other fuses and checked the SERVOTRONIC fuse (fuse number 55). I noticed that when I put the fuse back in the alarm chirped! Hmmm. That is not an alarm fuse, the servotronic is apparently some brain that works with sensors, power steering, power windows and the alarm. It is a good fuse. Since that fuse just activated my alarm I figure I could deactivate the alarm and deactivate the ignition cutoff by temporarily removing the servotronic fuse. BINGO car starts like a champ.

Weird: Servotronic fuse OUT, car starts.
Servotronic fuse IN, car won't crank

So, I got my car started but it is not fun driving without power steering, power windows, and I am sure a couple other power things. Plus I can not lock the car without that fuse in! Weird. There is something wrong with some sensor that is telling the servotronic the car is being stolen and it is cutting off the ignition. I will be doing more troubleshooting this weekend.
Anybody else have clues armed with this new info?
Dutch girl, how do you finally get your car started? Try my trick. That will confirm that this is NOT a starter problem, but a theft immobilization problem instead. Anyone know of a master reset procedure for the alarm?

PS. Good news is that my biceps are growing MASSIVE without that power steering working. hahaha.

[jfarley202]

Originally Posted by IndyJay

I am going through the same issue. Except mine will no longer start at all. However, I now have figured out what is going on. Let me ask you this question: has your car been false alarming at all. Think back a few weeks or a few months even. If so read on!

My 95 740i (186,000mi) falsed alarm a few times, the past few weeks. I thought it was maybe the wind or too sensitive motion detector or something and blew it off. Then one day it would not start AND jumping would not start it either. By not starting I am saying it would not CRANK at all. Full juice (12 volts) at the battery. Mystery. Since it was Friday I left the car at work and came back the next day to work on it. BMW alarm have a feature that cuts the ignition if it detects is being stolen. I figured my car forgot who its owner is (lol). So, I set out to disarm the disarming of my ignition (ie, deactivate the alarm). I went to the fuse panel located in the trunk and pulled the alarm fuses. No joy. My plan failed. While I was backed there I tested all my other fuses and checked the SERVOTRONIC fuse (fuse number 55). I noticed that when I put the fuse back in the alarm chirped! Hmmm. That is not an alarm fuse, the servotronic is apparently some brain that works with sensors, power steering, power windows and the alarm. It is a good fuse. Since that fuse just activated my alarm I figure I could deactivate the alarm and deactivate the ignition cutoff by temporarily removing the servotronic fuse. BINGO car starts like a champ.

Weird: Servotronic fuse OUT, car starts.
Servotronic fuse IN, car won't crank

So, I got my car started but it is not fun driving without power steering, power windows, and I am sure a couple other power things. Plus I can not lock the car without that fuse in! Weird. There is something wrong with some sensor that is telling the servotronic the car is being stolen and it is cutting off the ignition. I will be doing more troubleshooting this weekend.
Anybody else have clues armed with this new info?
Dutch girl, how do you finally get your car started? Try my trick. That will confirm that this is NOT a starter problem, but a theft immobilization problem instead. Anyone know of a master reset procedure for the alarm?

PS. Good news is that my biceps are growing MASSIVE without that power steering working. hahaha.

Indyjay - Did you ever find the sensor or a way to disable the theft protection system.

[webmasterz]

As that thread is 2 years old and it was there only post!!!!