what would make a bmw stop running ? Shutt off about a year ago and wont start
- Thread starter rosie
- Start date
marcia19572002
New Member
get a jump for it, have someone put jumper cables on the battery and start it that way then check the battery, it sounds dead
No worries, I left my car for 4 years w/o starting, and it still started up. I now have a standard routine whenever I need to wake up my sleeping beauty. Here's what I normally do.
Do an oil and filter change. Change out the air filter. In my case, my air filter has a sponge layer, which would deteriorate and crumble by the time I change it out. I normally would also change my spark plugs. Check radiator level, visually check brake fluid level (they normally should be fine).
THEN...
Buy and install a new battery. Other than disarming the alarm (if it trips) when you first reconnect the battery, don't do anything else. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. This is to let the battery recharge the system - including the batteries/capacitors in the dash and ECU...etc.
Move the key to step 1, (where all the lights come on), this step would tell you if the power system is charged... if it is not charged, the needles and warning lights will go crazy. If it does that, turn off and leave the car for another 10-15 minutes.
If everything seems fine, just start it. You may find that you might need to keep the starter spinning longer and needing to press on the accelerator pedal. Once it starts, all you need to do is to make sure your tire pressure is good (if not, fill up ASAP), and you're good to go.
I usually follow up with a good wash and wax... and I also drain and fill my radiator (because I do it once every 3-4 years).
If it still doesn't start, the gasoline might have degraded over time. Not sure if there's anything you can do short of draining the tank. Unless the tank is almost empty, then you might try filling it up with fresh premium gas - hopefully the mixture will burn.
Next time, before you store the car, pour in a bottle of Stabil gas stabilizer and fill the tank FULL (to prevent water condensation inside the tank).
Do an oil and filter change. Change out the air filter. In my case, my air filter has a sponge layer, which would deteriorate and crumble by the time I change it out. I normally would also change my spark plugs. Check radiator level, visually check brake fluid level (they normally should be fine).
THEN...
Buy and install a new battery. Other than disarming the alarm (if it trips) when you first reconnect the battery, don't do anything else. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. This is to let the battery recharge the system - including the batteries/capacitors in the dash and ECU...etc.
Move the key to step 1, (where all the lights come on), this step would tell you if the power system is charged... if it is not charged, the needles and warning lights will go crazy. If it does that, turn off and leave the car for another 10-15 minutes.
If everything seems fine, just start it. You may find that you might need to keep the starter spinning longer and needing to press on the accelerator pedal. Once it starts, all you need to do is to make sure your tire pressure is good (if not, fill up ASAP), and you're good to go.
I usually follow up with a good wash and wax... and I also drain and fill my radiator (because I do it once every 3-4 years).
If it still doesn't start, the gasoline might have degraded over time. Not sure if there's anything you can do short of draining the tank. Unless the tank is almost empty, then you might try filling it up with fresh premium gas - hopefully the mixture will burn.
Next time, before you store the car, pour in a bottle of Stabil gas stabilizer and fill the tank FULL (to prevent water condensation inside the tank).