E39 Starter Relay identification and location?

[Hal]

My wife's 1999 528iT has had intermittent starter problems over the last week, where it sometimes wouldn't start (no crank, no noise, no nothing), but on the next turn of the key, would start right up as usual. It is now dead (i.e. not starting) about 15 miles away. It will not start in Park or Neutral. I am assuming that it is either the ingnition switch, the neutral safety switch, or the starter relay. Everything else in the electrical system seems to work fine.

My E34 (1994 530iT) has a 30A starter relay, so I bought a replacement E39 30A relay (formerly orange, now lime green) at the stealer (open today). I have a Bentley's for the E34 but not for the E39. When I got to the car to swap relays, I discovered that they moved the relay box. I couldn't get the back seat up with the tools that I had with me.

My questions:

Is the starter relay indeed under the back seat, and which relay is it? Is the starter relay formerly orange (30A) and now lime green? The guys at the parts counter only had the same diagrams as realoem.com, which did not identify which relay was the starter relay. Is there any trick to getting the back seat up other than removing the child seat clips then pulling up like an E34?

I promise to order the E39 Bentley's next week.

Thanks
Hal

1994 530iT 145K (Nikasil)
1999 528iT 85K

[Bill R.]

car has EWSIII and uses a transponder key , the ews system will disable the starter as an antitheft function... I would take another key with you if you have one, it could be a fault with the key or the other components in the ews system besides the starter relay.http://www.bimmer.info/%7Ebill/1999%20528%20starter%20relay.jpg







My wife's 1999 528iT has had intermittent starter problems over the last week, where it sometimes wouldn't start (no crank, no noise, no nothing), but on the next turn of the key, would start right up as usual. It is now dead (i.e. not starting) about 15 miles away. It will not start in Park or Neutral. I am assuming that it is either the ingnition switch, the neutral safety switch, or the starter relay. Everything else in the electrical system seems to work fine.

My E34 (1994 530iT) has a 30A starter relay, so I bought a replacement E39 30A relay (formerly orange, now lime green) at the stealer (open today). I have a Bentley's for the E34 but not for the E39. When I got to the car to swap relays, I discovered that they moved the relay box. I couldn't get the back seat up with the tools that I had with me.

My questions:

Is the starter relay indeed under the back seat, and which relay is it? Is the starter relay formerly orange (30A) and now lime green? The guys at the parts counter only had the same diagrams as realoem.com, which did not identify which relay was the starter relay. Is there any trick to getting the back seat up other than removing the child seat clips then pulling up like an E34?

I promise to order the E39 Bentley's next week.

Thanks
Hal

1994 530iT 145K (Nikasil)
1999 528iT 85K

[Hal]

Thanks. I found the fuses and looked around there some, but didn't see this relay. I'll check with the parts desk to make sure I have the right relay. Zooming in on your JPG makes it look like I might have the right part.

The car behaves the same with 2 different keys, so I don't think that is the problem. I was hoping to revive the car without having to get it towed to the shop on Tuesday.

Hal