Car model and year:
BMW 5-Series E39 2003
Car symptoms:
– Could not unlock doors / trunk / alarm etc. with remote…
– Dead Battery which was fully charged just 2 days ago…
– Instrument / Dash lights were on and very very faint as battery was dead but I had not even put the key in yet….
– Car won’t start, I mean I put the key in and the key does not seem to do anything, no click, not engaging of starter, not a click or attempt to crank like a typical dead / low battery it is like the key does not even have any effect. I turn the key back and it just spins, like the cylinder is just spinning, this has always been the case with this key since I bought it…
– Remote / key all seem to be non functioning and dash lights remain on…
What I tried to do but no luck?
I charged the battery for a night. It is reading 12.8v so it seems good. It lights my dash up bright with no key lol. Still can’t start and key is dead it seems. I checked the fuses just to the right above the battery in the trunk on the quarter panel area and all are good. I also did the disconnect for 16 mins several times and no go.
Suggestion:
-Besides what I did as last paragraph I wrote, I should also check the fuses above the glovebox, and the fuses under the passenger side cabin air filter housing.
– You will not solve this problem with a generic scan tool. The fact that the “cash” (dash?) lights are on tells me that one or more modules have been scrambled by the slowly-dying battery.
Question:
What type code reader I need which will work for this car?
Answer:
My BMW Scanner 1.4.0 from worldobd2.com has been invaluable to me. $19, shipping takes as much as half a month (from China).
