When my 2007 R56 6 speed manual is warm and I push the start button it usually won't crank until several tries.

1. Battery is definitely good.

2. Lights on the environment control cycle on and off with each press of the button and some clicking (one click per push) can be heard from the engine compartment but no crank.

3. Cycling clutch pedal no help.

4. Repeated pressing of the button eventually results in crank and start. After driving I can turn it off and on repeatedly with no issue. After running and shutting down for 15 min to 3 hours it always takes between 3 and 15 +- attempts to get it to crank.

5. When the car is cold the car always crank and starts on the first attempt.

? Does this sound like the clutch start interrupter or should I be thinking about starter replacement?

? any other suggestions or troubleshooting tips for this problem.

 

Sounds like a bad starter motor, bad battery, bad FOB, bad FOB antenna, or a bad CAS module. But it could be a bad wiring harness somewhere as well.

Using the BMW DIS or ISTA/D diagnostic software would be the best way to trouble shoot this issue.

 

Now that I think about it, I could swear I remember a JBE module (the computer module is part of the fuse box) issue was reported one time with a similar issue.

I could be wrong.

You could also look into the relays in the fuse box and under the hood (I think there are some there). Relays are notorious for failing when hot.

 

I would guess that your thermostat is stuck in the closed position. when your car is cold, the thermo is closed anyway and its as it should be with the correct amount of fuel mixture. When your car heats up, your thermostat isn't opening up which means your coolant is still cold, when your car tries to restart, its seeing the colder temp of the coolant, and its not adding enough fuel to turn the car over.

I have little confidence in my thoughts, but thats where my brain went logically, so i figure'd id throw my possibility in the hat.

 

Thanks for the replies. I just got it to fail today while it was on the ramps. I had my wife push the start button while I felt the solenoid located on the starter. I could feel the solenoid clicking but no crank for 3 tries then it started.

I believe the solenoid contacts on the starter are fouled. the battery is good and wires pass voltage drop test.

Has anybody disassembled the solenoid, is it possible like on older cars or will I have to get a new starter?