cooperlee

car wont engage into starting mode on dash. Key fob battery seems ok

Radio turns on/off but not headlights or parking lights. what could be wrong as the car wont start...

TurboRush

Have you tried removing the button (presuming you have keyless go) and used the "key" to start the car? I know the systems are intertwined and its just a different way to tackle the problem, but its a 2 minute thing to try.

cooperlee

Yes i tried to remove the button and start car with the key. still doesnt work.

CarHopper

Does it turn over at all? Or just nothing?

cooperlee

only thing that works is the radio turning on. No cranking nothing. Windows dont work either...very odd! Just tried jumping the car and still the same

medamullet

Check your fuses. Both trunk and engine bay. Find out what numbers are for starter and any other thing that relates to starting your car. Physically pull them out and see if they are burned.

INS1GNIA

Try clicking the start button till its off, opening and closing the door to reset everything then trying again. Could always try replacing the key fob battery, not like it should matter but worth a shot. Last resort would be to check your actual battery, make sure it has a charge, disconnect/reconnect it.

cooperlee

I tried combinations of closing opening locking unlocking doors and repeatedly clicking the start button to see if it would got into POSITION 2 mode where all dash lights come on. NOTHING.

Only thing i can do is turn on and off radio, move seats, and unlocking/lock the doors.

I will go buy new battery for the key fob now and see if that does anything.

My car is a 2010 so not sure if a weak/older battery would trigger this problem but with no warning signs prior..it is very strange. I tried jumping the car with my other car earlier but still the same.

msheredy

I had a different car, still a MB, but had the same problem. Mine turned out to be a sensor in the door that lost coms to the factory alarm thus enabling its kill switch.

cooperlee

Interesting..how would my mechanic find out if mine have the same issue? Need a factory mercedes computer to plug in and determined?

jmueller

I had this same issue happen to me, but only one time. I got in the car, tried to start it and got nothing but the radio to work. I figured that the issue was the key. I went back up to my condo, got a new battery for the key BUT DID NOT INSTALL IT YET. Went back down and got in the car to see if the car was just having a hiccup, and sure enough it started.

I think walking away from the car, totally out of the range of the key and coming back, did something with the alarm system.

This has not happened again to me, knock-on-wood. Very strange.

mthis

Can u unblock the steering wheel?

cooperlee

FIXED! I wrestled around the steering wheel while pressing the start button. It unlocked itself and lights came back on with engine started right away. It seems to be fine now as I shut and start back up the car a dozen of times. Don't quite understand what and how that happened but i guess these cars are very temperamental. Fingers crossed that was just a one time freak accident

mcgrath

That's a good indicator that the steering lock is failing. If you have it scanned with an SDS/Xentry there will likely be a fault in the EZS/EZL control unit. If the fault is there, then I would replace the steering lock.

Mort

I agree, best to have it checked out at the dealer or a good indy.

jvanbrecht

There is also a known issue with the steering column. I had mine completely replaced under warranty (oddly enough, it had gone in for a fuel pump issue, and they ended up replacing the column)

cooperlee

car started up fine this morning. Will try to stop by the dealer to have it scanned to see what happened. Just hope it was just a glitch. It's out of warranty and I'm tired of dumping money into this car