Motor will start 2 times and die as soon as key is let off , then starter is dead on third try - will not start till car is left for a long period of time / dealer can't find problem - replaced battery, alternator & stater switch but it didn't help problem also gauges & speedometer go dead once in awhile

bad fuses is first (done) good.
head lamps work key off and ON?
glow plugs dead?

what means cranks
not even cranking at all
the starter motor DC spins called cranking
then starter motor cranks the crank shaft fast. if does the engine starts if fuel is there and glow plugs not dead.
do not use the word crank for start.
starts and runs and sustains running is what matters
if the starter fails that is simple causes, not like dead engines and 50 causes see?

the starter will not spin if
battery dead or weak or 4 lug ends loose or rusty
starter relay not bad.
PRNDL switch (A./T box) fails in park we next crank it in Neutral


I fail to understand this line
"after trying a few times it's not even cranking at all.? starter motor dead? try to more clear ,?
starter RPM is near 300 on most cars/trucks. 500cca or more.
starters do all these things, for sure, failing: below:
GRRRRRRGGRRRR good sound.,,NORMAL:
dead silent starter. but relay may click or not.
clicks its solenoid , weakly , nothing else happens.
chatters the solenoid but cranks shaft dead. 8v at battery caused.
loud bang!, starter sound on seized engine, or starter shims wrong.(if)
or starter itself is pure Seized, up.
starter spins crazy fast, not crankshaft at all
caused by bad starter drive gear & its mate, flywheel ring gear
even a dirty starter drive pinion jammed up in gunk there. can not slide fully.
starter is slow, as is crank shaft bad battery or bad starter, yes starters can fail and be weak, or 100% intermittent, same as PRNDL or relay

if starter motor ever fails on any car (not sinkn hondas)
the next step is crank in neutral foot on brake.
PRNDL, the P switch fails first and the N, mostly not.
all tow truck drivers know this.
and use jumper cables to prove battery is not droppng low.
under load, below 10vdc cranked is not good as computers can go off line below that ending fueling.
Solenoid main chatters at 8vdc., spec on them actual. and me testing them.

see this gem of voltage plot in time,
scope view or GDMM
see the 10volts there? this drop is battery cell resistance only
normal.

did you try to jumper cable start car?
that is a NO CRANK issue, no car starts (cept mine, its an M.T) with out the starter motor working, (mine can be push started or hill started)
Jumpers fix issue?, so bad/dead /discharged battery.
so????
so is the IMMO light showing IMMO blocking, , you ever read the operators guide and see IMMO rules>
lamp on, lamp off, lamp flashing... all have meanings.
the IMMO cuts fuel, not the starter,
so its not IMMO. Its a bad starter system. (it is a system of parts)

no crank has many causes. the tests are easy with a voltmeter.
a $20 volt meter can save you the cost of a $140 battery.

It can be a free fix. (clean the battery lugs yet>?) ask how.
to start the engines (assume engine is ok and EFI ok, and spark ok)
the start system can fail like this.

1: A dead battery ,bad bat., or only discharged, a voltmeter solves this riddle. (ask how)
if only discharged, then charge it. and find cause of discharge ,1st or it will repeat.
the order here, counts.
2: bad battery to starter cables.
3: bad starter solenoid, or starter. we hot wire IT.(ask)

(fails? , bad starter,assumes battery side is good,first)
hot wire fails.
I hit the starter casing with a hammer bam, it now works.

4: starter cranks hot wired. it's good. (test passes so i then find the bad KEY line. cause,,, we now have problem cut in half.

5: the KEY line is that wire that runs from KEY (ST) to the starter , small wire.
on an A/.T car, (auto/trans) car, the key line passes thru the
PRNDL switch on tranny. so wiggle the gear shift. cranks now>?
try cranking in Neutral. some cars allow this, and
the Neutral side of the switch will like new, and car cranks.

that was the long answer.
here is the short.
Take it in. call the auto club.
guess, i guess,?
1: left head lights on.
2: battery lugs never cleaned.
3: battery died.

Sounds like your key switch is malfunctioning.

I had this exact symptom on my 1984 533i. I spent months diagnosing everything but the computer. It was the computer that failed. Actually only part of the circuitry failed and is probably repairable. When the car is cranking it would run. I set up a wire harness that allowed me to shut off the starter motor while I was holding the key in the starter motor position. The car ran just fine. The 533, 633 and 733 all use the computer ending with 008. DO NOT slap in any other computer unless you actually know what you are doing. I tried. And you risk damaging good components, like the donor computer and the injectors.

Sometimes the bushings in the starter often wear and give symptoms of a dead or dying battery, try disassembling the starter and change the bushings...

If the motor gets hot and cuts off and will not start for a period of time the problem would be the crank sensor. The sudden cut off and starting right back up can be due to dirty battery cable connections. Remove them from battery and clean all three of them with a wire brush and replace both bolts.

had the same prob w/my 2005 and it turned out to be a dead/dying battery in the key(sends a signal to the starting circuit)

If Its A Manual Can It Be Kick Started? If The Dash Lights Are coming On And Dont Dim When Fully Charged Its Probably The Starter Sticking . If You Hook It Up To Someone For A Jump Start Does It Start? If No Its Your Starter.
Next Time It Wont Start Try Hitting The Starter With A Hammer.
If That Works Its The Starter.

Lots Of Things To Narrow It Down And Be %100 Sure Its The Starter

Fuel pump

the starter should be replaced. The solenoid is kikcing the pinion out but there is no contact being made to turn the starter motor. I have the exact same truck and before i changed the starter used the old starter tap trick. Tap the starter casing with a hammer and it should start turning again. hope this was helpful for you. Good luck.