98 318ti won't start.

[ivoryplayer]

So this condition happened on Thursday. Wife drove car around for work and at last place she had to go to, nothing! All lights come on on dash, fuel pump is turning on, starter doesn't engage.

New starter-check (old one tested bad)
Power at starter-nope!
Voltage drop test-check!


So that pretty much leaves me to look at EWS II. I've read other posts in here to help and I guess it's pretty much nailed down to EWS Module behind glove box, ring antenna or the friggin' key. Now I've used two keys to try and start the car. One is the original key and the other I had made for a second almost 2 years ago from BMW. I'm finding it hard to believe the new key to be considering how new it is but well, we've seen stranger things! lol!

Let me bring this to light also, my key fob sets and unsets my alarm like it should but it DOESN'T do the locks like usual. I can use my key in the drivers door and it will lock all doors, trunk and fuel door as usual.

Any thoughts would greatly be appreciated! : )

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

If you have fuel pressure it is not the EWS allignment. Maybe the EWS starter relay inside the EWS module went bad. If that is the case you can jumper past it to bypass starter kill. Key ring is working, key and EWS match of DME is working or you won't get fuel pressure or spark

[ivoryplayer]

Is the EWS control module vin specific or can I just pull one from another E36?

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

you can not use another EWS unless you allign the DME and Key code with the different EWS unit. You are best off looking at the EWS wiring behind the dash and take both thick wires going into the EWS and tie those together. This bypasses the EWS starter kill and will most likely get you going with EWS working on all items but starter kill.


EWS unit is behind glove box. ok

[ivoryplayer]

I really appreciate your help. Which two wires? Do I cut them off the harness and tie them together?

[ivoryplayer]

Or can I just do a jumper wire across the harness?

[xxxJohnBoyxxx]

On the wiring harness that goes into the EWS it is the thick wires, there are only two of them and just jumper them or cut them off and connect together, it doesn't matter. You are only bypassing the EWS starter disable which is most like the issue. EWS key code and DME ISN match will still need to happen which I'm confident it is since you have fuel pressure

[ivoryplayer]

So I did it and nothing still. I can hear the fuel pump come on, the injectors are clicking the dashlights come on as they should. Turn it over and nothing. Could it be a bad ignition switch? In the run position there isn't any power @ the T30 terminal on the starter. I believe that to be correct. On the T50 terminal there is nothing in any positon of the key, obviously there wouldn't be only for the start position.
I have checked and replaced all fuses that are in line to the starting system in the power box under hood. I'm not sure what else to do. : (