Starter Motor Issues / Fault Code 281C

[adam04]

Evening all,

Car decided it didnt want to start today and after various tries of jumping/charging the battery etc I have put it down to a faulty starter motor. Given it a few 'taps' and it tries but doesnt want to start the car. Reading through the forum it seems a fairly simple task, looks pretty much like 2 bolts and the thing should come away? Does anyone have any further guides/tips etc that may help?

I ran a fault code check through carly and it comes out with 281C, looking online this seems to be a general engine/electrical issue. Some saying alternator issues etc but would this fault coincide with a starter issue too?

Thanks in advance, Adam

 

[andyfanshawe]

Hi Adam.
I've changed quite a few starters and fairly simple to do. 2 bolts and a dowel pin. the dowel makes it a bit harder to remove since it needs levering back and off the pin.
Make sure you take a note of which wire goes where. Disconnecting the battery goes without saying

The big red lead from the battery goes to the starter first, then from there to the alternator. If there is corossion/loose wire at the starter connection, stands to reason there will be alternator issues also. Not saying that this is where your probs lie, but worth checking out first.

As usual there is little info available from BMW about the fault code. I have autodata and haynes pro and they are useless when it comes to bmw. God knows why I pay my subscription!!!

Andy.

 

[adam04]

Thanks Andy, job done today. As you say the dowel pin was the tricky part and needed some work to get off so thanks for the heads up on that so i didn't spend too much time wondering how it was staying attached with the bolts out

 

[SteveG_z4]

I'm having a similar issue and same code, wondering if the changing the starter solved the problem?

Thanks!

 

[bigwinn]

Hi Steve

Old thread so may not get an answer

What’s your symptoms

 

[MikeyH]

I changed my starter motor a few months ago using Bigwins excellent how to do with photos

 

[colb]

Seems there is a run of starters failing, not surprising given the age of our cars now. They tend to fail without warning mine did, a few clouts with a hammer shocked it into life but after a few test starts it failed altogether. Fitted a recon unit from Carparts4less, easy to take it out and put the new one in as described earlier in this thread.