BMW 328i Won’t Start. List of Problems and Solutions

The BMW 328i is a sporty sedan that just won't quit. Unfortunately - like all machines - it is prone to mechanical failure every once in a while. Identifying the problem when your car will not start could prove to be challenging.

Whether you are facing this challenge with your 328i or trying to figure out what you should anticipate in the future, this article is just what the doctor ordered.

Below are two sections comprehensively covering all aspects of failure to start in the BMW 328i. The first section will help you diagnose and solve the problem by listing common symptoms of starting failure and the proper solutions. The second section covers the replacement costs and warning signs that a particular component of your car is not operating at optimal levels. 

The most common culprits behind the failure to start in the BMW 328i are a dead battery (38%), failed starter (20%), alternator problem (27%), and various issues (15%). Experts recommend that drivers check their air, fuel, and spark before investigating any other issues they may suspect as the likely culprit. After confirming that the air, fuel, and spark components are okay, you can refer to your dashboard engine lights and codes. 

Read on to learn how to troubleshoot your BMW 328i's Failure to start

Common Failure to Start Symptoms and Solutions

This section will highlight your car's behavior when it fails to start and discuss what this could mean. It also includes various solutions that will help address the problem diagnosed by the symptoms listed. 

• Are the Lights on Your Dashboard Turning On?

If electrical consumers like lights and radio are not coming on, chances are high that your battery is flat or not connected to your electrical system. 

Solution

Pop the hood and check whether your battery terminals are well connected. If your battery is entirely dead, try to jump-start the battery. If none of these hacks help, you may need to contact a professional for an assessment and possible replacement.  

• Your Key Does Not Turn in The Ignition

There could be several reasons your key is not turning in the ignition. The most common cause of this issue is the activation of your ignition lock while your front wheels are turned to the side or pushed against a firm obstacle like a wall. 

Solution

In this situation, you will need to turn your steering wheel back and forth while gently (to avoid breaking the key in its lock) jiggling the key in the ignition. This will help release your steering lock. This will work if you still have a key ignition, not a button-push start.

• Your 328i Will Have No Sound or Crank After Your Turn the Key in Your Ignition.

It is very anticlimactic when you turn the key in the ignition and, behold, nothing happens! Usually, dead silence in place of a roaring engine is caused by the malfunction of your starter or its components.

Failure to start when the ignition is in the start position indicates that your starter motor is not turning over your engine. The cause could also be a failure of the solenoid on top of your starter or its internal components. This problem could also be due to a dead/low battery or a lack of connection between your starter and the battery.

Solution 

Investigate your terminal cable and battery connections for signs of corrosion. Where they look corroded, clean the terminal cable connectors and battery posts, then try to restart your engine. If the problem persists, it may be necessary to replace your cables. If the problem is a solenoid failure, you may have to replace it along with its internal components. 

• Your Car Makes a Clicking Noise but Does not Start

At times, all that happens when you turn the key is a single or repeated click from your engine compartment. A low battery or a poor connection between your starter and the battery. A solenoid failure could also be responsible. 

Solution

You will need to check your battery and its cables for signs of corrosion. Clean any corroded components before attempting to restart the battery. Drivers suffering solenoid failure will have to replace it along with its components. 

• Your Engine is Cranking Over but Will not Start

A cranking engine is one of the most expensive problems to fix because it usually calls for engine auto repair services that rack up hefty labor and replacement costs. When your engine cranks over but does not start, any number of components could be to blame. These include your fuel filter, injectors, pump, or lines. 

The wrong amount of fuel injection into your combustion chamber or injection at the wrong time may cause your engine to fail to start. This symptom could also be caused by a starter or battery problem affecting your car's fuel and air supply. BMW 328i drivers can troubleshoot this problem, as mentioned above. 

Solution

Check your fuel to ensure it hasn't run out of gas. If you haven't run out of gas, ensure it gets to the engine by checking whether your fuel injectors are clean. Unfortunately, this usually calls for a professional assessment, recommendation, and repair.

Replacement Costs

If any of the components mentioned above require replacement, you will incur labor and replacement costs. This section will provide the estimate for replacing certain BMW 328i parts. Labor estimates are not included because they vary wildly depending on your location and your chosen service provider's level of expertise. 

Since your BMW 328i will not up and quit on you without warning, this section also includes warning signs that certain parts are begging for some attention. 

• Starter Replacement

The failure of the starter motor often plagues the entire BMW 3 series. This problem is most frequent in push-to-start cars. The typical sign you need to replace your starter is hearing the solenoid click when you turn the key, yet the engine will not rotate.

You could also hear a fast spinning or whirring noise after turning the key. You will shell out between $400 to $600 for a starter replacement. 

• Battery Replacement

Your battery will need replacement if it is dead, meaning it cannot store enough charge to start your engine or run your car's electrical components. The first warning sign of a draining battery is dimming your interior lights and your engine cranking slowly.

You may also hear a successive clicking noise if the battery is not completely drained. If the battery begins discharging will your drive, your battery light will turn on to warn you that the engine may stall if you do not stop. A replacement will cost you about $350. 

• Fuel Pump Replacement

If your fuel pump is to blame for the 328i's failure to start, you need to contact a repair expert immediately. A malfunctioning pump causes a lack of engine power (hence a failure to start) by failing to create sufficient pressure in the system.

A fuel pump replacement will cost you about $1000. 

• Ignition Switch Replacement

Your ignition switch controls the electricity supply to all your car's components. Its failure to function may begin slowly by your car randomly failing to start or stalling while driving. Another example that your ignition switch is on the fritz is the failure of some components, e.g., the air conditioner or radio to turn on when your key is in certain positions.

If you persist in ignoring these symptoms, your ignition switch will eventually fail. A replacement will cost you about $200. 

• Ignition Lock Cylinder Replacement

If you need to jiggle and shake your key before the car starts, its eventual failure to start may be due to a failed ignition lock cylinder. Other warning signs of a potential ignition lock problem include the ignition failing to release the key, releasing it in any position, or not allowing the key to enter the lock cylinder completely.

A replacement part will cost you about $250. 

• Camshaft Position Sensor Replacement

If your computer senses a timing error in the engine, your check engine light will turn on. Your engine will run poorly, have poor fuel consumption and eventually stall or fail to start.

A replacement costs about $200. 

• Crankshaft Position Sensor Replacement

Your BMW 328i is fitted with automatic sensors that detect discrepancies in the engine timing and display a warning check engine light. It is not advisable to have a professional determine the cause of the light as soon as it comes on to perform maintenance care, preventing the situation from deteriorating to a replacement level.

Ignoring the problem will cost you dearly, first by increasing your fuel consumption drastically and finally by expensive engine repair or replacement costs. Replacing your crankshaft position sensor will cost about $200.

Final words

If your car does not start, it may be experiencing a simple starter issue or a complex engine problem. You are well advised to pay attention to your car's state to notice a decline in performance and strange symptoms before the problem causes your car to stall. Emergency repair services are much more expensive than routine maintenance checks.