This past weekend, i turned the key to start my C350 and the car didnt start, however it made a weird noise that sounds like an electronic crank or starter, or siren or something... i turned the key off and then back on and the car stated up fine.. can anyone please help me understand what this could be? No the engine was not already running when i turned the key on, but that is the type of sound that it made. TIA

are you sure the engine was not running? Engine is quite smooth and easily can be mistaken for not switched on.

cose when you switch the key back to off after you heard the sound it would have turned the engine off and then started it again when you tried the second time. .

+1

first thing that came to my mind too...

This happened to me too (2 times in 3 months).

BTW. If you turn the key while the engine is running it does absolutely nothing, as it is an electrical ignition.

Doesnt this concern you? It is quite a loud noise like the engine is going to explode. Did you have it fixed?

he means that the ignition knows the engine is already running and it dosen't turn the starter motor over

Yes, i inderstand that, but he still has had the same issue happen to him twice.

good point

It used to happen to me in my TL. Okay, I know it's probably not that same thing...

So if I am too quick to turn the key to start the car, the car would not turn over. But if I left it in accessory for a second or two, I could actually hear the fuel pump (I think running), and the car would always start.

Then again, there was never a bang or an explosion...

When it happened to me it didn't make the sound you described, it just tried to start but quit half way (very rare). It doesn't bother me since it hasn't done it in a long time. For what you describe it seems you have a different problem.

Does the C-Class have the "Touch Start" feature where you just turn the ignition and let go and the car will start? No need to hold the key to the ignition until it starts?

Yes. It feels like pressing a button with the key.

does the car come with keyless go?

nope. Its an extra option that you have to pay for and i think its not available in US

I have Keyless-Go...
I was really surprised that the engine turned over on the first try yesterday morning after leaving the outside for 36 hours in sub-zero temperatures.

Ok, happened again today. Got in the car, and turned it on, this time there was no noise, but the engine did not start either...

The instrument panel said "ESP not operative See owners manual"

After trying 3-4 times, the car started like normal & was on my way, has anyone else had this happen?

I have an extended warranty and am glad about that but im skeptical about going to the dealer because most likely they cant reproduce the issue since it happens so rarely, and if they cant reproduce, there is nothing that they can do...

The exact same thing happened to me four times during my first two months of ownership. It's a loud screeching sound when you crank the engine. It has not recurred since. The dealer couldn't reproduce the problem. Since it has not recurred, I just let it go. I suspect your problem will go away on its own.

the "ESP Not Operative" issue happened to me for the first time just yesterday.. however i did not turn the ignition. i took the key out for a little bit, and put it back in. The ESP error message did not come up this time, so I proceeded to turn the key and engine started up fine. is this one of those random errors, or should i be worried about it?

this happens to me too!!! but it soemtimes doesnt start for 20 minutes!!!! WTF

So I guess I'm not the only one that has that problem w/ the car not starting. However I don't have the funny noises though.

Do you think this is something I should take to the dealership?

Isn't there a tech bulletin on the ignition switch? Why not just take it to the dealer and let them do their job?

this happened to me a few months back. i took it to the dealership and they had to correct the ESP. they found some kind of error. hasnt happened since. you should have it checked out for sure.

Since 2001, as a matter of fact.