W204 3.0 Petrol Intermittent No Crank + Fuel Gauge Drops During
I have a Mercedes-Benz W204 C-Class (2008, 3.0 petrol engine) and I’m experiencing an intermittent starting issue that I can’t clearly diagnose.
The issue happens occasionally:
- I turn the key to start the car
- Sometimes I only get a single “click” or the engine turns just a fraction (about one rotation) and then stops
- On the second attempt, the car starts normally without any problems
Another important symptom:
- During one of the failed start attempts, the fuel gauge suddenly dropped to empty and the low fuel warning light came on
- After the engine started, the fuel gauge returned to normal within a few seconds
Once the car starts, it runs perfectly with no warning lights or drivability issues.
Possible causes I’ve seen mentioned include:
- ground/earth strap issue
- battery terminal connection
- starter relay or SAM module
- starter motor beginning to fail
What was the actual cause in your case?
Thanks in advance.


