pennetta

This also happened on July 21 where I posted in this thread:
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=13922&hl=

I get into the car, put foot on brake, move gear selector to neutral, and turn the key to start the car. Car won't start, gear indicator says "1" when it should say "N". The shifter changes from being locked (can't move it) to being able to be rowed- gear indicator between speedo/tach always says "1". Rear brake lights go on and off with the brake pedal. Nothing.
I called my BMW dealer, it was 6:15pm, and I was able to get a tech on the cell. He said to press hard on the brake and try to start it, still nothing.
Last time I pumped the brake after it sat overnight and it started. This time I tried many combinations of things and after 45 minutes it started.
Last time the car was in (july 22) they checked the brake switch but they could not duplicate the problem. BMWNA says that excess brake pressure could cause this to happen. Any ideas?

JDN

Happens to me. Sometimes just holding the shift lever in N position will produce an N in the display and a start. Aggravating to say the least. Sure would be interested if you find a fix.

pennetta

Do you get stuck, where you leave the car. Do you eventually get it started every time? Its hard to read tone from text but you seem very "as a matter of fact" about it. One time I had to leave it overnight, the other it took 45minutes to start. This is not acceptable.

EBMCS03

Yikes! somthing is not right... its re-occuring... its a matter of time till it wont even start after 2 hours of playing with it...


Can I make a suggestion? Last time when somthing similiar to this happened to me I taped the Shift levers on the steering wheel and it put it into first.


I think this was what happened to me. I moved the gear from R to N then to D and it didnt register 1st so I moved it back to N and to D again and still nothing... So I decided to tap the upshift on the right steering wheel paddle and it managed to put it into 1st. BUT this was with the engine ON and running... so... but... once you have the key in position 2 its the same thing... you can change gears from 1 to 2 to R no problems, dont need the engine to be running.

ipse dixit

Take it to your BMW dealer and tell them to check/replace the hydraulic pumps for the SMG.

Same thing happened to me with my M3. Darn thing would not go into neutral and the tow truck guy couldn't even tow it cuz the car was stuck in reverse. Had to lift the car onto the flatbead.

russo

Probably due to hall sensors in your gear shift mechanism, which is sending a wrong signal to the car's EGS control unit. Got to get it checked by dealer.

pennetta

Got my car back this eve. They replaced the brake light switch, updated the SMG software, cleared the adaptive memory, re-calibrated trans and something called special measure SMG module.
I hope this works.

EBMCS03

Hopfully... please report back in a few thousand miles or 50 or so start ups (*of the car*)

JDN

Do you get stuck, where you leave the car. Do you eventually get it started every time? Its hard to read tone from text but you seem very "as a matter of fact" about it. One time I had to leave it overnight, the other it took 45minutes to start. This is not acceptable.
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Yes, I always get mine started. Never had to leave it. Dealership would hear about it immediately if I had the type of experience you appear to be having.

ipse dixit

Trust me, that's not going to solve your problem with the SMG getting stuck in gear. You need to tell the dealer to at the very least check the hydraulic pumps, if not replace them entirely.