BMW 3 Series petrol 2005 does not start: Possible malfunction of the engine control unit relay

Hi I had a similar problem with my 2003 BMW 5 series, don't worry I'm not a car professional overall but have had some experience. At my garage they found that the main relay was faulty. The repair cost me around €120 and the car ran perfectly again afterwards. It may well be the same problem for you. Could you provide more detailed information about your vehicle and the symptoms? That would help to narrow down the problem further.

(Translated from German)

Hey, thanks for your quick reply, really cool. My car has already done 231789 km and the last service was about a year ago. I've noticed that the engine howls briefly when I try to start it, but then stalls again straight away. I think I'll pop into the garage and ask them to check the main relay. Glad you mentioned that, I would have totally forgotten otherwise! Thanks again!

(Translated from German)

Hello again, the engine howling and then immediately stalling again does indeed sound like a possible problem with the main relay. A check in the workshop is certainly a good idea. If the fault is found there, a repair or replacement shouldn't be too expensive, if we go by my own experience. I'm glad I could help you further. I hope your BMW runs smoothly again soon!

(Translated from German)

Hey, it's really great that you're so helpful! I have an appointment at the garage tomorrow and I'll definitely talk to them about the main relay. Your experience has really helped me to better classify the problem. I'll get back to you when I know more and whether it was the main relay or not. Thanks again and have a nice evening!

(Translated from German)