NewYorker555

I just got finished washing my car, as I often do, and afterwards the engine won't start. I can lock/unlock the doors with the key, turn on the electronic systems, connect with the car with the connect app and everything but when I press the starter the engine just doesn't start. I've tried remote starting it with the app and that doesn't work either. The car has thrown two separate errors:

1. "Apply parking break, vehicle may roll away" (but the parking break WAS applied)
2. "Transmission overheated. Pull over immediately and leave engine running" (The engine was not running and the transmission was at 167F which is not overheated)

I'm hoping the computer is just glitching out. Has any one had a similar experience? How should I troubleshoot this?

Thanks!

WIKDWGN

Did you hit the engine bay with the hose by any chance? If so put a big fan on it and let it sit over night to dry things out. Had that happen to me a couple times, but they were older cars with lot less weather proofing on the electrical connectors. If it drove to where you parked it to wash it, then something must have gotten wet preventing it from starting for some reason. I bet it just needs to dry out overnight.

NewYorker555

Great advice! I just waited about an hour, tried it again, and it started right up!

Thanks for the advice!

bstumber

I have the same problem happen twice already but without getting a car wash just going to the store and then going back into the car and the car not starting. Same 2 errors

bioterp

Had the same problem recently. Took it in and dealership did a big software reset to fix it - no issues since.

b0rderman

Glad you are back to normal. Can you let us know if you did wash your engine bay before the problems started?

corn26

Actually I had the same error about 2 weeks ago and car started back on about 30 minutes later. Getting the battery and terminals checked out to see if there was any hardware issue...

bioterp

I was worried it was hardware issue considering I couldnt even get the radiator fan to turn on when it was supposedly overheating. Had to sit for 30 min with the hood open to let everything cool down. Took it in the next day and it was immediately clear it was a software issue. Service guy showed me some of the diagnostic outputs and it was wild to see how many faults there were across all systems (temp sensors, trans, engine, ESC, and more).

maxswede

I have a 2018 e63 wagon, that once or twice a month after sitting overnight won’t crank. No errors or CEL, key is recognized, car just doesn’t crank

any insight?

bobblehead

dead battery ? When was the battery last replaced ?

maxswede

battery is fine, so UPDATE, this gets weirder, when this happens if I open the drivers door it fires right up

found that solution on Pistonheads, looks like the starting procedure gets out of step, so when I get into the car dash says "don't forget your key" (car thinks im exiting), but crack the door and it thinks im getting in and fires right up

definitely a quirk, and not sure how/why my car is out of sequence. In the meantime, least I have a solution to get it to the dealer.

I.T. Guy

Good find on a work around!

bobblehead

wow. That's really weird.

maxswede

Problem came back, and had to unlock, lock, sequence multiple times. Car door open, second time around car fired up.

Anyone have this problem? Very worried its going to strand me

figuwx

make sure the FOB is not in an "OFF" state (ie double pressing the lock button and the red light stay lights for about 2 seconds). To turn it on, just press the unlock key.

Does it do the same thing if you put the FOB in the area in front of the USB drive (FL) or cigarette lighter (pre-FL) in the front compartment?

maxswede

Yeah FOB is "ON" and does the same thing if I put the key in its slot by the cup holder (I have a 2018, pre-FL wagon)

I took a video if it could help us troubleshoot

maxswede

here's a link to a video of the car doing it in case youre curious or want to help troubleshoot:

bobblehead

Now i’ve seen this on your video (knowing what you are talking about), mine did the same thing every so often for many years. I just lived with it.

my way is to put the fob key in the tray and/or open & closing the door. Just annoying, i know.

taphil

Press down on the brake pedal more, and hold it there for a second before pushing start?

bobblehead

no. It won’t work (at least for me). It was like if the fob key is not communicating with the computer.

maxswede

wow, ok. Did it ever strand you? I can deal with the quirk, just want to be sure it isn't the sign of a problem that will get worse

and yours a 2018 as well?

cheers

bobblehead

Never stranded. Car will start only doing the mentioned ways (open/close door, holding the fob right at the stop/start button and putting fob key on the tray) to get the fob key to be recognized.

Mine is 2018. I would say it does this at least few times a week and I have gotten used to it. If I bring it in to dealer, they will charge me and yet they will say they cannot replicate the symptom. $200 to their pocket and I get a free cup of coffee. lol.

figuwx

by chance have you replaced the battery in the FOB? technically the car should warn you when the battery is low but i have seen that it does not.

bobblehead

Yes. At the early going, I always thought it was a weak fob battery. I replaced it soon after and yet this issue keeps on happening.

wangsworld

I'm pretty sure I've had the same issue you've experienced before. It's definitely the car getting confused because it thinks the engine is already on. It happens to me every couple of months. I think it has something to do with the remote start system - because whenever this happens, as soon as 10 minutes pass, I can start it up, and coincidentally remote start will automatically shut-off after 10min.

For me, putting the key in the slot by the cup-holders doesn't help, but the door trick has been working. It's a really strange quirk and it sucks because in the back of your mind, you never know when you might get stranded somewhere