Please Help 550 wont start

chi550 · 06-13-2021, 08:50 PM

hello and thank you for taking the time to read my post.
I recently purchased a 2012 550xi with the n63. I got the car very cheap and sight unseen so wasnt expecting anything other than a project lol specially with the n63. I had the car transported to me and when it arrived i noticed smell of gas and sure enough had a gas leak, went to the fuel pump area and found unplugged and was pouring gas all over. plugged in and solved that issue. the car wont start and dash wont come on, climate control or mmi. i put a new battery in, i went through the car and noticed it had many front connectors unplugged in the engine bay area. i took the car apart and found a few connectors and a positive terminal unhooked from the post. connected it. no change. checked fuse panels and found 2 missing fuses for radio and mmi. swapped those in. no change. on the other hand in the front fuse panel mostly all fuses related to the cluster radio and engine are not getting power. i checked all fuses and they are good. just no power coming to them. the rest are fine. if anybody can help please chime in. the car is so nice i want to get it running soon.
i cannot get a it to connect to a scanner either.

TZ · 06-13-2021, 09:09 PM

You basically got an all mess-up dead car.

ezaircon4jc · 06-13-2021, 10:07 PM

Any evidence of water intrusion? History of car?

spielnicht · 06-14-2021, 06:54 AM

Have you tried using a multimeter to see if power is even getting to the fuse boxes?

philipm785 · 06-14-2021, 12:04 PM

I agree with the above comment re: multimeter. It sounds a little like the prior owner had the same issue and was unplugging things to try to identify the source of the electrical issue. Could be a bad ground, short, or something else.

I agree with the idea of tracing power from the battery with a multimeter.

Definitely sounds like quite the project! Good luck getting it going again.

chi550 · 06-15-2021, 06:53 AM

thank you all for the replies. the car is mint interior and exterior. black with red leather and m sport package. Yes it is a project i bought it knowing that. heck the cars same exact interior is listed on ebay for more than i paid for the car. lol. I have not tried the multimeter, but that is what im going to do next. I will get this car going again thank you all for your help. The car was serviced throughout its life pretty well. carfax shows 27 service records all done at bmw. All major components that go wrong with this engine where completed by BMW, including valve stem seals etc. i contacted them they told me they knew the car well and was under warranty till about 80k miles. and they did all service since new till then. i bought the car a little over 90k miles.(based on carfax records) but no way to confirm since cluster wont come on and cant communicate with scanner. from what im understanding the vehicle was well taken care of the majority of its life by the first 2 owners and was regularly serviced. warranty expired they sold it. 3rd owner beat the piss out of it and had some backyard mechanic try and source a problem.. please chime in with thoughts comments. thank you all have a blessed day

ezaircon4jc · 06-15-2021, 04:42 PM

Did you register the new battery? The IBS may think the new battery is dead.

I don't know if this helps or not, but...

https://www.auscanners.com.au/obd-sc...tion-troubles/

Make sure the OBD port has power...

06-13-2021, 08:50 PM	#1
chi550 New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: bmw 335 bmw 550 Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: chicago iTrader: (0)	Please Help 550 wont start hello and thank you for taking the time to read my post. I recently purchased a 2012 550xi with the n63. I got the car very cheap and sight unseen so wasnt expecting anything other than a project lol specially with the n63. I had the car transported to me and when it arrived i noticed smell of gas and sure enough had a gas leak, went to the fuel pump area and found unplugged and was pouring gas all over. plugged in and solved that issue. the car wont start and dash wont come on, climate control or mmi. i put a new battery in, i went through the car and noticed it had many front connectors unplugged in the engine bay area. i took the car apart and found a few connectors and a positive terminal unhooked from the post. connected it. no change. checked fuse panels and found 2 missing fuses for radio and mmi. swapped those in. no change. on the other hand in the front fuse panel mostly all fuses related to the cluster radio and engine are not getting power. i checked all fuses and they are good. just no power coming to them. the rest are fine. if anybody can help please chime in. the car is so nice i want to get it running soon. i cannot get a it to connect to a scanner either.
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

06-13-2021, 09:09 PM	#2
TZ Second Lieutenant 53 Rep 231 Posts Drives: 2011 535i xDrive, 2014 435i CO Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NJ iTrader: (0)	You basically got an all mess-up dead car. __________________ 2011 535i xDrive Black/Black, Michelin PS AS 4 2014 435i RWD Convertible Service Manual: www.newtis.info Part: http://www.realoem.com
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-13-2021, 10:07 PM	#3
ezaircon4jc Major General 4576 Rep 5,409 Posts Drives: 2019 540i M Sport Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Any evidence of water intrusion? History of car?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-14-2021, 06:54 AM	#4
spielnicht Petrolhead 445 Rep 814 Posts Drives: 24 X3 M40i/14 550i/08 Z4 3.0si Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Virginia iTrader: (3) Garage List 2008 BMW Z4 3.0si [9.67] 2014 BMW 550i [6.00] 2024 BMW X3 M40i [9.25]	Have you tried using a multimeter to see if power is even getting to the fuse boxes? __________________ . 2024 X3 M40i 2014 550i 2008 Z4 3.0si 6MT 2011 Z4 35si (sold)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-14-2021, 12:04 PM	#5
philipm785 Second Lieutenant 81 Rep 247 Posts Drives: 2016 550i Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Atlanta, GA iTrader: (0)	I agree with the above comment re: multimeter. It sounds a little like the prior owner had the same issue and was unplugging things to try to identify the source of the electrical issue. Could be a bad ground, short, or something else. I agree with the idea of tracing power from the battery with a multimeter. Definitely sounds like quite the project! Good luck getting it going again.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-15-2021, 06:53 AM	#6
chi550 New Member 0 Rep 7 Posts Drives: bmw 335 bmw 550 Join Date: Jun 2021 Location: chicago iTrader: (0)	thank you all for the replies. the car is mint interior and exterior. black with red leather and m sport package. Yes it is a project i bought it knowing that. heck the cars same exact interior is listed on ebay for more than i paid for the car. lol. I have not tried the multimeter, but that is what im going to do next. I will get this car going again thank you all for your help. The car was serviced throughout its life pretty well. carfax shows 27 service records all done at bmw. All major components that go wrong with this engine where completed by BMW, including valve stem seals etc. i contacted them they told me they knew the car well and was under warranty till about 80k miles. and they did all service since new till then. i bought the car a little over 90k miles.(based on carfax records) but no way to confirm since cluster wont come on and cant communicate with scanner. from what im understanding the vehicle was well taken care of the majority of its life by the first 2 owners and was regularly serviced. warranty expired they sold it. 3rd owner beat the piss out of it and had some backyard mechanic try and source a problem.. please chime in with thoughts comments. thank you all have a blessed day
	Appreciate 0 Quote

06-15-2021, 04:42 PM	#7
ezaircon4jc Major General 4576 Rep 5,409 Posts Drives: 2019 540i M Sport Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Did you register the new battery? The IBS may think the new battery is dead. I don't know if this helps or not, but... https://www.auscanners.com.au/obd-sc...tion-troubles/ Make sure the OBD port has power...
	Appreciate 0 Quote