1993 E36 Sedan won't start after heavy rain (clicks once, dash goes completely dead)
Hey everyone,
I'm having a frustrating issue with my 1993 BMW E36 sedan. Last night we had some very heavy rain, and today the car won't start. Here is exactly what happens:
When I turn the key to position 2, the dash lights up normally.
As soon as I try to crank it (position 3), there is a single click (sounds like it's coming from the fuse box area), and the entire dash goes completely dead/dark.
If I turn the key off and back on, the dash lights usually come back, but trying to crank just repeats the cycle.
What we have already tried:
1 Jump-starting: Tried jump-starting it with another running car, but it made absolutely no difference. Same click and blackouts.
2 Push/tow starting: Tried towing the car with another vehicle to pop the clutch and start it, but the engine didn't even catch or fire up.
Since it happened right after heavy rain, I suspect water got somewhere it shouldn't, causing a major ground issue or a short. Could this be a flooded DME/ECU, a corroded engine ground strap, or something else entirely?
Any advice on where to look first would be greatly appreciated