Weird situation with my '95 530i...

[dternst]

I jumped in the car this morning, stuck the key in the ignition, and nothing. Absolutely nothing. The lights and the radio operated fine. The weird thing I noticed: there was no resistance when I turned the ignition. Also there was not audible verification of the wireless entry system. The remote worked fine (I just replaced the battery).

As the title mentions, my car is a '95 530i with a manual transmission (sorry about leaving the manual part out Ryan).

Anyone have any suggestions? Has the wireless entry system locked up the ignition? I have no clue...

Thanks in advance guys and gals...

David

[Boone.Msi]

is it the original key? my friend bought a 01 330ci and kept using the spare key that he was given. the computer recognized this and locked the ignition until he used the main key. im 99.9% sure our keys dont have chips. but just a thought since same problem.

[dternst]

is it the original key? my friend bought a 01 330ci and kept using the spare key that he was given. the computer recognized this and locked the ignition until he used the main key. im 99.9% sure our keys dont have chips. but just a thought since same problem.

I've been using the same key for the last four years.

[94530inh]

that happened to me. My starter was toast.

[dternst]

that happened to me. My starter was toast.

How much did it cost to replace it? Did you replace the starter on your own?

[ryan roopnarine]

i'll refrain from making any tangential comments....

is it an automatic transmission car? if it is, try and start it in neutral, instead of park, with your foot on the brake, and the e-brake on.

[dternst]

i'll refrain from making any tangential comments....

is it an automatic transmission car? if it is, try and start it in neutral, instead of park, with your foot on the brake, and the e-brake on.

Manual... made the change in the post.

[dternst]

i'll refrain from making any tangential comments....

is it an automatic transmission car? if it is, try and start it in neutral, instead of park, with your foot on the brake, and the e-brake on.

I apologize for leaving that little but very important word out of my initial thread... thanks for the reminder.

[ryan roopnarine]

if you were to put your headlights and radio on, and attempt to start the car, do the lights and radio go out when you have the key all of the way forward? when you say "no resistance". do you really mean that the key spins forward with no effort, or that it just goes forward a lot easier than it normally does?

[dternst]

if you were to put your headlights and radio on, and attempt to start the car, do the lights and radio go out when you have the key all of the way forward? when you say "no resistance". do you really mean that the key spins forward with no effort, or that it just goes forward a lot easier than it normally does?

The headlights won't come on only the running lights. I turned on the lights, turned on the radio, and tried to turn it over. The key goes forward a lot easier than normal but the lights and radio remained operating. I also noticed, never noticed this before, that the total mileage, trip mileage, and the LCD below the speedometer lights remain on when the doors are closed.

I'm totally confused...

[632 Regal]

there is a little potmetal shitty link from the ignition switch that probably broke, pretty common. Cant even guess what to search for. Ill poke around but its saturday night + vodka night lol.

[winfred]

that's a possibility, another could be the electrical part of the ignition switch could of crapped too, i read the problem as a lack of starting and a odd feeling turn of the key with weird accessory operation?


there is a little potmetal shitty link from the ignition switch that probably broke, pretty common. Cant even guess what to search for. Ill poke around but its saturday night + vodka night lol.

[dternst]

there is a little potmetal shitty link from the ignition switch that probably broke, pretty common. Cant even guess what to search for. Ill poke around but its saturday night + vodka night lol.

I won't be doing anything to it until the morning anyway. Drink up and enjoy...

[dternst]

that's a possibility, another could be the electrical part of the ignition switch could of crapped too, i read the problem as a lack of starting and a odd feeling turn of the key with weird accessory operation?

You read it correctly. If 10 was the amount of resistance before this issue, I would say it's a 2 now. It's almost as if the car isn't turning off or on. I think I'm going to disconnect the battery until I can get to it in the morning.

Thanks gents and Regal... LOL

[winfred]

id say you ether need a steering lock or the electrical part of the switch, easy enough to check, take off the electrical part and turn it with a - screwdriver

[dternst]

id say you ether need a steering lock or the electrical part of the switch, easy enough to check, take off the electrical part and turn it with a - screwdriver

?????????? Excuse my ignorance.

[winfred]

the electrical part of the ignition switch is a reddish color plastic and on the opposite end of the steering lock from the key, usually snapped on with a couple built in clips or a pair of set screws, you can get to all of this stuff after you remove the steering wheel and plastic column shroud, if you leave the battery disconnected you shouldn't get a airbag code, the part that drives the electrical part of the ignition switch is a little like a - screwdriver


?????????? Excuse my ignorance.

[dternst]

I also noticed that the steering wheel reamins locked regardless of the position of the key.

[shogun]

No real idea here how to start, but I would:

First thing:
get a multimeter and check the battery voltage.


Then how about the fusible linke?
http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/maintenance/electrical/fusible_link.htm

[acidfire52]

I also noticed that the steering wheel reamins locked regardless of the position of the key.

OK, that is the key piece of evidence. The piece that connects the key cylinder to the ingition swithc is broken. Happened on my car.
Not a real hard fis, not super easy though.

Read this:
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=26763

[dternst]

OK, that is the key piece of evidence. The piece that connects the key cylinder to the ingition swithc is broken. Happened on my car.
Not a real hard fis, not super easy though.

Read this:
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=26763

Thanks for the link...

[winfred]

yep, it's bustacated :D


OK, that is the key piece of evidence. The piece that connects the key cylinder to the ingition swithc is broken. Happened on my car.
Not a real hard fis, not super easy though.

Read this:
http://www.bimmer.info/forum/showthread.php?t=26763