Thanks for your interest!
I don't know if the headlamps were flashing.
As best as I can remember:
C/L didn't work so I opened it with the key. The previous time the c/l failed, when I opened it with the key the alarm started to beep until I turned on the ignition. This latest time, no alarm. When I turned on the ignition what I think were all the usual dash lights came on but were flickering as if a battery cable was loose. When I tried to start the engine there was nothing at all, not even a clicking relay. I can't remember if the dash lights went off when the key was turned to start but they would stay flickering as long as the ignition was on. Then I also noticed the window motor in the door "twitching" as if trying to drop the window to the door open position (it's a coupé).
When I put the booster pack on and turned on the ignition, all the lights that should come on came on and the ones that should go out after a few seconds did so too. The engine started first time. I got out and disconnected the booster, then turned the engine off and tried it again and it started on the button again. It had been running probably a minute or less so, unless there's a whopper of an alternator in there, there's no way (to my mind) the battery could have gone from too dead to drop a window a few mm or click a relay, to sufficiently charged to turn over a , still cold, 6 cylinder engine. I started it once more soon after that, then drove home about 7 miles turned it off and back on again.
Another thing that may be related, the passenger window sometimes won't go down and other times needs the switch toggled a few times before it moves. I thought it may be mechanically sticking but could it be related to the module fault and the other symptoms?
The dealer is Frank Keane but I wouldn't be too optimistic about a previously reported fault being covered outside of warranty. I had a problem with a window regulator on my previous car in warranty. They took it in, had a look and agreed it needed a regulator and ordered one. Due to health problems the car was put on the long finger and was just out of warranty by the time I got around to it. They said they'd ask BMW to cover it as a goodwill gesture (whether they actually did ask I don't know) but apparently it was refused.
Can you PM me location and contact details please? I wouldn't mind getting an independent opinion, if only to allay my suspicions that BMW will just try to nurse the car through the warranty period, leaving me with the big bills when it's up.
------------- '02 320Ci Auto
|