2001 BMW 330CI Won't Start! HELP!!

Thanks for the advice. I assumed the worst. I took the advice and
tried to jump start it. I put the cables on and immediately tried to
jump it and it did the same thing so I let the battery charge for
about 3 minutes before I tried again and it fired right up. I took it
to the local garage and they checked the indicator in the original BMW
battery. It was black meaning it was not charged. Green indicates
normal charge. Yellow indicates that the battery needs replacement. So
I stuck a battery charger on it and am hoping that will do the trick
for now. The BMW 330 takes about 735 cold cranking amps to start which
is a large amount due to all of the electronics and performance
engine. I was also warned that when jumping a BMW be careful not to
overload it by jump starting it with a big vehicle (such as an F-350)
as it may fry the internal computer. Also make sure when replacing the
battery it is hooked up to a power source as to not put the car in
theft mode thus requiring it to be towed to a BMW garage to reset it
so it will start. Just thought I would pass on my experience to the
next guy.
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 BMW 330CI Won't Start! HELP!! 

<silvercoast465.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:65613e5b-16d9-4755-b21c-623d95b9420f@c33g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> Hi. I went to start my BMW today after it had been sitting for 3 days
> and it won't start. When I turn it over it makes a clicking sound and
> the headlights flash on and off in fast succession. All of the
> interior lights and headlights are nice and bright so I don't think
> it's the battery. Everything else works like the locks, windows and
> radio. Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated! Thank you
> in advance.

Sounds like low battery or stuck starter.

Perhaps you left a door open a chink.

If you have a charger, charge the battery and try again.

Normally switch everything possible off while you crank the starter.
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 BMW 330CI Won't Start! HELP!! 

"BMW330CI" <silvercoast465.TakeThisOut@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:f9bed284-6107-45ee-bc3c-de4486cbcbad@d21g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks for the advice. I assumed the worst. I took the advice and
> tried to jump start it. I put the cables on and immediately tried to
> jump it and it did the same thing so I let the battery charge for
> about 3 minutes before I tried again and it fired right up. I took it
> to the local garage and they checked the indicator in the original BMW
> battery. It was black meaning it was not charged. Green indicates
> normal charge. Yellow indicates that the battery needs replacement. So
> I stuck a battery charger on it and am hoping that will do the trick
> for now. The BMW 330 takes about 735 cold cranking amps to start which
> is a large amount due to all of the electronics and performance
> engine. I was also warned that when jumping a BMW be careful not to
> overload it by jump starting it with a big vehicle (such as an F-350)
> as it may fry the internal computer. Also make sure when replacing the
> battery it is hooked up to a power source as to not put the car in
> theft mode thus requiring it to be towed to a BMW garage to reset it
> so it will start. Just thought I would pass on my experience to the
> next guy.

I don't no where on earth you are, but assuming northern hemis-sphere and it
is very cold then this is when you find out your battery is marginal, as the
cold means it gives less juice, the engine is harder to crank (thick oil)
and the mixture is less likely to fire.

If you are just unlucky and have left the door ajar, phone charger or
similar plugged in, then as you haven't flattened the battery completely
then you might be OK, but the chances are it is on its way out and you will
need to replace before summer.

Don't let the garage check the battery before you charge it - it will always
fail when nearly flat and you might be replacing a good battery!
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 BMW 330CI Won't Start! HELP!! 

If the battery is the original, it's toast.

The starter takes lots of amps to make it go, but when the battery dies, the
ability to supply those amps decreases, and the result is that the voltage
decreases to the point that nothing works, then the voltaqge rises again
because there are no loads, then because you are holding the key, the
voltage drops again, then no load and the voltage rises, the load resumes so
the voltage drops. All of this rising and falling ot the supplied voltage
causes the clicking noise.

The interior lights draw a relative low amperage, so they might appear to be
okay but really the batttery is dead.

Get the car jumped by the Auto Club or equivelent, and drive it to charge
the battery again. This is at best a temporary fix, odds favor the same
performance one night when you would rather the performance be better.





<silvercoast465 RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:65613e5b-16d9-4755-b21c-623d95b9420f@c33g2000hsd.googlegroups.com...
> Hi. I went to start my BMW today after it had been sitting for 3 days
> and it won't start. When I turn it over it makes a clicking sound and
> the headlights flash on and off in fast succession. All of the
> interior lights and headlights are nice and bright so I don't think
> it's the battery. Everything else works like the locks, windows and
> radio. Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated! Thank you
> in advance.
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 BMW 330CI Won't Start! HELP!! 

UPDATE:

The charging didn't work so I had to buy a new battery. I went to
several auto parts stores with no luck. I finally found a Deka brand
battery with enough cold cranking amps (730) for $99. Everything is
back to working like a charm. Thanks!
 >> Stay informed about: 2001 BMW 330CI Won't Start! HELP!!