Re: 96 328iC won't start (archive)

My wife had just started driving our '96 328iC when the air conditioning died. She pulled into a parking spot and shut the car off, and now it won't start at all. The lights on the instrument console come on, but the engine won't turn over at all. None of the equipment in the center console will light up. The key chain remote won't lock the doors or set the alarm. We don't have the user manual since we bought the car used. I suspect this is an anti-theft issue.
Anybody have any ideas (I'll talk to my local BMW shop on Monday morning).
cheers,
bruce

My local BMW-independent owner also thought it was a dead battery (even though I had tried to jumpstart it). I took a new battery (which is specific to the convertibles and only BMW dealers have them). First thing I noticed when returning to the car was a leak of some sort on the ground.
Replaced the battery but that didn't help. Thinking that the A/C was a problem (leaking), I reinspected the fuses more closely and, sure enough, fuse #31 was blown. Replaced it and the car started but almost immediately died. Replaced it again and this time quickly shut off the A/C right after starting, and the car kept running. I suspect a seized A/C compressor is blowing the fuse.

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