F10 520d Intermittent Starting Problem

[JohnH]

Hi All,

Appreciate any help on this.

Sorry to hear your troubles. Sounds like the place you bought it off either don’t know how to fix it or don’t care. At this stage I’d just get the car from them (even on the back of a truck) and get it dropped to Valdas. It’ll definitely get fixed then.

[shano76]

Thanks John. I’m beginning to think you’re right! I’ll leave it with them until the weekend but I think I’m gonna have to draw the line there. 3.5 weeks & no result is really starting to feel like they’re taking the piss.


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[shano76]

Thanks for all the input & suggestions folks. So just to update this.. On the back of the advice here, I rang the guys on Wednesday from a private number & they picked up straight away. I asked for an update & the guy basically said they can't find the fault & having tried various things like the ABS module, ECU, gearbox ECU and a couple of other things they couldn't replicate or find the problem and he was going to give me the car back. I said ok, I'll collect it Friday. And then I got a lift straight to the garage to pick it up there & then. When I got the the car looked like it hadn't moved in 3 weeks. Cobwebs all over it & blocked in by a load of other cars. I'd say they looked at it the first day or 2 & then just left it.

So since getting it back, it seems to be fine. Starting every time no problem for the last couple of days (I have probably just jinxed that there though!!). I had a quick look around the car to see if they had done anything obvious. It does look like they checked the battery as the carpet was out of place & the contents of the boot were all over the place. Can't tell from the engine bay whether anything was done. The only thing I have noticed is that the Auto Start-Stop now appears not to be working. I'm curious about that but I'm ok with that not functioning if the car starts when it should when I first get into it. So I guess we'll drive it for now & see what happens. If the problem recurs I'll be straight into Valdas or someone else trustworthy to get it rectified. It's not due a service for another 15k so I'll get it looked at before that in any case & I'll update here if anything else develops.

But for now I suppose, all seems well. Whatever they did (connecting or disconnecting this or that) looks like it might have resolved it. Hardly scientific but need the car on the road over the next few weeks so time will tell. Nice to be back in it though I have to say.. Such a lovely place to be, especially with the darker evenings & the interior lighting & heated seats etc.. Makes it all worthwhile!

Thanks again everyone! S

[Big H]

I think you'd be mad to wait to get a proper diagnosis. It'll leave you stranded some day soon and you'll be kicking yourself.......

[JohnH]

What part of dublin are you in? Even getting the codes read & then cleared would give you a sense of where the car is at.

[shano76]

What part of dublin are you in? Even getting the codes read & then cleared would give you a sense of where the car is at.

We live in North Wicklow but work in South Dublin (N11 side). Yeah you’re right but just got a busy couple of weeks coming up work & kids etc. hence needing it back this weekend. Once things calm down again I’ll get it in ASAP.


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[JohnH]

We live in North Wicklow but work in South Dublin (N11 side). Yeah you’re right but just got a busy couple of weeks coming up work & kids etc. hence needing it back this weekend. Once things calm down again I’ll get it in ASAP.


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If you were the opposite end of the m50 I could have done read/cleared the codes. I’d say if you can charge the battery and clear any codes on it you’ll have a better idea of what’s up in a few weeks time.

[claude]

if start /stop is not working then the car has diabled this feature to preserve battery,its an obvious sign, At least in my car this was the case because car was no driver enough so battery getting weaker and gives you warnings

[shano76]

Just a quick (& hopefully final) update on this, got it into the lads in Bloomfield last Thursday & a weak battery & failing DDS relay were diagnosed. New battery & relay fitted Friday (for a lot less than main dealer quoted me for a battery previously) & car ready for pickup by 4pm. Car feels much more lively & responsive, stop/start back working as it should be and overall the car just feels like new again. Also came back to me washed & looking very fresh. Great service from Keith in the office & Alan & the lads in the garage. (Dunno what the lads in the other place were doing but clearly had no interest in getting it sorted.)

Thanks to everyone on here as always for the suggestions, advice & offers of help.