2002 C240 - Won't Start, Gear Not Detected (Display Malfunction / Brake Wear)
 

Hello everyone I'm posting this as I'm near my vehicle stranded waiting for a tow truck. Long story short, I can't start my car. I turn the key over to the right and nothing. Can't shift the car out of park. Have to use a screw driver to do so to manually move the gear shifter. Is there anything I can do to get it to start? Or do I have to have it towed?

Vlad

FYI, car was service yesterday at an Indy place because its out of warranty. They mechanic came to my house to fix the car. Nothing near the transmission was touched as I was there the entire time overseeing the work. Spark plugs and brakes were changed and that was it. Car is being towed right now as we speak. So I guess when it arrives at the dealer they'll know for sure what's going on..

Any thoughts?

BTW if it helps I forgot to post the issue that showed on my HUD prior to the problem. Before the issue with the starting arouse, the error that came up was as follows: "Display Malfunction Visit Workshop" an all too familiar dreaded problem as this very issue plagued me back in the Summer of 2011. (Radio change fixed the problem at the time due to Canbus receiving erroneous data from the previous old radio. Samiritrey gladly sold his old one to me and has been working perfectly since, can't thank Sam enough for this, so big about out to him :) )

But now back on this current issue, the Display Malfunction error has resurfaced again but only briefly. Also the brake wear light came on briefly as well. So I take the key fob out and place it back into the ignition. It recognizes it. So I try to restart it and nothing occurs. No response at all. I move it all the way to the right no cranking occurs, and the gear does not show up on the display. Also all the trip information has dashes on it like the After Start and After Reset information is all blank, i.e; Start Time, Miles Driven, Mpg, So I'm thinking its a computer CANBUS issue once again. I can't shift the gears because upon pressing the brakes it does not send the signal to the shift knob to move it to reverse.

This issue happened to my mom's 2007 G500 and but she was able to start the car. She took it to the dealer, and they fixed it as it was under warranty. This time in my situation the car doesn't start at all after repeated attempts to get it to do so.

At this point the car was towed to the dealer and it is there as we speak. In the interim do you know how easy of a fix this is? Or if it's something simple that I'm overlooking? Help would be greatly appreciated.

Vlad

Check fuse 52 primarily + 31 & 57. Replace 52 with a 20 amp fuse per TSB.

If not fuses then it sounds like an interlock problem with the shifter. Also check the electrohydraulic bush on the front RH diagonal of the tranny where the ECU plugs in for fluid leaks.

Good luck!

Hey Glyn,

Thanks as always! Wish you had told me this before they towed it lol. Anyway tomorrow they will call me to tell me what's going on. Hope it's a simple fix. Anyway ill keep you all posted. :)

Vlad

Ok I'm on the way to the dealer now. Hoping to see what the issue is. Called the SA this morning and they're still unable to determine the problem after having already spent $135.00. Problem hasn't even been determined yet and they're already talking about money spent.. Ridiculous..

Yeah, thats most likely the diagnosis charge to check your "check engine light" Theyll call you reporting the problem and ask you what you want to do from there.

Yep and the issue seems to be isolated to the Front Sam Module. How that's plausible is beyond me but that's what the SDS indicated. They had removed everything out of the car when I got to the dealer they had to roll the car in. It was unbelievable. I was deeply saddened to hear the bill would be in excess of $1000 as usual. It's funny because I knew that would be the case. It's really a slap in the face because I spent a grand yesterday to do a full comprehensive tuneup on the car. And now it's having this new bizarre problem. So do you guys think the Front Sam Module could cause this issue?

Best
Vlad

Still in the shop being worked on, I think they got the wrong diagnosis..

I hope they checked fuse 52 before pulling half the car apart. Blown fuse 52 does not show up on Star ~ go figure. I blew 52 on my C240 & Star showed nothing but car would not crank. I had to ask them to check 52 & sure enough it was blown.

You have more wrong than just 52 though.

Yep just got the call from the dealer the car is in working order. Turns out the Front Sam was indeed the culprit. It was changed now i have to pay $1200..

Yeah! All these systems operate via the front SAM. At least it was not a new EIS.

Did the mechanic who worked on your car the day before the problems,... jumped the car or disconnect the battery,.... that could have messed up the frontSAM

The Mechanic who worked on my car the day before, didn't really do anything in relation to the battery or anything. The car was not jump started. I oversaw the entire maintenance that he did. The car was working so fine yesterday and now they claim the SAM Module is what failed which is ridiculous. I have a feeling it was the Brake Light Switch from the get go. But then again the gear wasn't showing up on the Instrument Cluster. I just don't buy it.

I just find it hard to believe that the Front SAM Module is the culprit. How could that fail so unexpectedly? I didn't check to see unfortunately if it was Fuse 52 that was blown. As Glyn pointed out. I should've checked that first. And if I find out that they did not check that fuse and it happened to be blown, I will not be paying $1200 dollars. Because thats robbery.

Especially for a 13 year old car. I find it hard to believe that a front computer could go bad. Thats just insanity at best. These stealerships always try to rob people in the best way that they can, replacing parts that are sometimes often unnecessary to replace for no ****ing reason.

I'm really hesistant to pay that much money only to be strapped with another problem again.

Only reason why I had it towed to the dealer was because it was complimentary and free, otherwise I would've had it towed to my house, which was what I should've done.

Hey Vlad, did you ever checked if it was fuse 52? I’ve been blaming fuse 52 over and over again whenever my car won’t crank. I even blamed the Kickstarter once. C240 2001, turns out whenever I pulled the transmission from P to N the engine cranks. Anyone knows what that is?

Dear Vlad
 

I have the exact same issue with my 2001 w203 cdi automata. No crank, no gears shown on dashboard and only could put into drive manually by a screwdriver. I could start the car by shorting the starter while a friend starting by key in the exact same time. I could also put it in drive by the screwdriver, so I didn't had to tow it home. I changed transmission fliud and the switch bord in the transmission, but no change. I also cleaned ground cable joints, still nothing. I pulled out the front(?)SAM from the passenger side and opened it. It was all wet and looks like a little red piece is burned black half way. Does someone knows if it can cause short circuit in the battery, as it is brand-new and still drained under one night before I started to work on the car.
Vlad, the SAM replacement solved all your issues?

Thanks!

Hey Vlad, how did you fix this issue? I am having the same problem as well too