BMW 7 Series Cold Start Struggles Mystify Owner

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2011 BMW 5 Series last winter. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I experienced, difficult cold starts and occasional complete failure to start. Initially thought it was the starter, but turned out the battery cable connections were severely corroded and had loose terminals. Took it to the garage where they had to clean the terminals, replace the main battery cables, and adjust the connections. It was quite a serious issue since poor connections can damage other electrical components if left unchecked. The mechanic showed me how the corrosion had eaten away at the cable ends, causing poor conductivity. After the fix, the car starts perfectly every time, even in cold weather. Given your symptoms, I'd definitely get those battery connections checked first before looking into more complex engine control issues. It's a common problem on these models and often overlooked. Best of luck with the repair.

Thanks for sharing your experience! The battery cable issue definitely seems similar to what I'm dealing with. If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost you to get everything fixed? Also, has everything been running smoothly since the repair, or have you noticed any other electrical quirks pop up?

Hey again! Great to hear back from you! Yeah, the repair cost me 155 € for sorting out those battery cable connections. To be honest, it was money well spent, since getting it fixed, all those Engine Control Malfunction warnings have completely disappeared. The car starts like a charm now, even on those freezing mornings! Haven't seen any other electrical gremlins pop up since the repair, which is a huge relief. The mechanic did a thorough job cleaning up those corroded terminals and replacing the damaged cables. It's funny how something seemingly small like battery connections can cause such a headache, right? My 5 Series has been running perfectly for several months now. No more crossing fingers when turning the key! If your symptoms are similar to what I experienced, I reckon you're dealing with the same issue. It's definitely worth getting checked out, much cheaper than letting it develop into a bigger problem. Hope this helps with your decision making!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! Just got back from the mechanic today and you were spot on. Took your advice and had them check the battery connections first, sure enough, they found serious corrosion on the terminals. They cleaned everything up, replaced the cables, and did a quick electrical system check. The whole thing cost me about 180 bucks, which honestly isn't bad considering all the stress I've been dealing with. Car fired up immediately when I left the shop, and it's been starting perfectly since then. Such a relief not having to worry every time I turn the key! Funny how we stress about these big complicated problems when sometimes it's just a simple fix. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, saved me from spending way more on unnecessary repairs. Car's running like new now. Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction!