This has happened 2-3 times over the last week and wondering if I will get stranded at some point. I turn the key and nothing. Dash will not light up and engine does not turn over. My battery is only 6mos old and my key fob battery is very new. How I get around this is to get out of the car, lock it, unlock it, repeat and voila! It starts.

Any ideas on what this could be? Is this an ESL module problem? Seems like the Key Fob is not successfully telling the ESL to unlock.

thanks in advance.

 

Might be the immobilizer chip that's faulty. Try the 2nd key.

 

Most likely your steering lock is causing the issue. Once of the most common issues on the W204 chassis.