2007 530xi won’t start. Replaced alternator, starter and battery.
 

Short recap: car stopped while driving. Replaced alternator and it worked fine. Car then wouldn’t start a month later and another mechanic replaced a 2 year old starter. Car then wouldn’t start a month later and the first mechanic replaced a battery. Car wouldn’t start later that month. In every scenario I’ve needed a boost to start the car so I’m confused.



Just under 150k miles. Started in November. Car showed symbol of malfunction transmission and 4x4 or something. It had problems driving and when I pulled over it stopped on me. I tried starting it again and it wouldn’t until I got a boost but it drove real sluggish and dash was bugging out like a light show and all electrical was dying. First time this car has ever done that in 4.5 years. Took it to my mechanic and he replaced the alternator and no problems.



In December, I drove down south and my car gave me the same warning. This time nothing happened but I pulled over anyway and turned it off. I waited a minute then tried starting it again and it wouldn’t crank. This time it said battery discharge low. I couldn’t find anyone to boost me as it was early in the morning and I had to go somewhere so I towed it to a local mechanic and told him I need a boost/battery. The dude saw my out of state plates and told me I need a new starter AFTER he worked on it. Idiot said he didn’t boost it but that wouldn’t do anything anyway and charged me $900 for a refurbished starter and labor. (PS I had a new starter replaced two years prior and never noticed a starter issue again. Car either cranked or I needed a jump and never had problems so that’s why I was surprised he replaced the starter. Car worked fine after it so I paid and left.



Now in January my car wouldn’t start. Again. I took it to my regular mechanic and he said it’s the battery and replaced that. It started fine and no problem so I paid and left.



Since then, my car hasn’t started a handful of times and I’ve always needed a boost to start it. My mechanic said it’s my starter that the other mechanic down south changed but the car always starts right away with a boost.



Today my car got stuck at a food pickup spot. I tried jumping it from the back (first time I tried this since the battery replacement, it’s always been boosted from the front) and it wouldn’t crank or start. Nothing happened. We waited a minute and still nothing. We tried from the front and it started instantly.

My mechanic said it’s the starter the other guy placed and said he’d look at it again. Not sure what to do. In my opinion it’s the battery but that was just replaced and brand new. It is cold here (30-45] but that shouldn’t matter with a new battery and I never had an issue with a cold battery in the 4.5 years of having it.

During all this was there any tests done? When the battery was replaced, was it registered and coded? What got them to the conclusion to change the alternator? It seems to me you need to get someone under the hood that knows what they are doing. You're waiting time and money with this guessing game.

NEVER JUMP YOUR CAR FROM THE REAR!! It will cause you a whole other set of issues. The jump points are under the hood for a reason.

I did all caps so you can understand the seriousness.

someone else just told me that. I was always told to jump from the back.

tests were don’t showing the alternator was bad then later that the battery was low.

Ditto everything @seanjordan20 said.

Could also be a faulty IBS. Next time you need a boost, disconnect the IBS.

I have a 525XI 2006. I had a very similar problem. I ended up having to replace the Starter. $516 in labor and a new starter. Id make sure your battery positive terminal in the back of the trunk is tight. I had to buy a positive terminal cap to fit over my positive terminal post to get my clamp tight because the battery post wasn't big enough! There like $2.00 at any Automotive shop.

Kind of forgot about this thread.

turned out to be a stupid wire connecting the battery to the engine that eroded or something along those lines. Kept bringing it back and arguing with the mechanic saying I’m not paying for extra nonsense and he said it’s strange and not his fault. Then he said he touched some wires and they were burning hot and he replaced those and it worked without issue since.

unfortunately, car flooded maybe six months later in a freak rainstorm overnight. Best car I had thus far. I’m