I will just go ahead and explain every issue I think may be related to this problem.

For a while now, my car has had a minor intermittent issue of not starting when the key is turned. It would crank, but just not start. I usually let it go for a 4-5 seconds, realize it's not going to start, release the key, and when it is turned again, it starts up first crank. I did not think much of it until recently.

Last week (the first time I've tried to start my car in <70 degree weather since I've owned it) the car made a noise which sounded to me like a stuck starter solenoid. Gave it another couple tries, and on the 3rd try it started right up. I drove the car about 15 miles, and it sat about 15 minutes until I got back in to leave. Again, it made the same noise, but started up second try. As the day got warmer, I didn't have any more problems. Since that day though, whenever I tried to start the car cold, this is what happened, so I parked the car and planned on picking up a starter.

Yesterday, I was out of town and my dad used my 500e to run an errand. He called me saying the car died on him and for a few blocks before it shut off it would not let him go above 5mph. He described it as a hesitation and what seemed like a fuel or spark problem. The car was towed the few blocks home, and I finally got to look at it today. The battery was dead, so I took it back to autozone and they charged/tested/passed it. Put it back in the car and it started up fine. Drove the car to autozone to test the alternator, passed.

The issue sounded to me like what the OVP does in non-lh cars, so I checked the Basic Module and all fuses were intact.

Just throwing ideas out here:
-LH module?
-Wiring harness looks like it has been replaced recently
-Is it possible that our alternators could work intermittently?
-Would a 400e starter work on a 500e?
-Has anyone had bad experience with Duralast batteries in a 500e?
-Any common issues with something draining the battery?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
-Justin

 

Post this on 500Ecstasy.com under M119 Engine. You will get some answers.

Good Luck

 

very strange. This has happened to me with my 420 a few times over the past couple months. Man, that sound really makes my heart drop every single time. But every time I pull the key out and try it again she fires right over no problem. My 420 has trouble starting every time as well(unless its warmed up already). But the only difference on my car is that the wire harness looks pretty rough so i figure thats whats going on with it . I just dont have the money right now to get the harness. These m119's dont have any kind of crankshaft position sensors correct?

 

You ARE describing a bad/flat battery aren't you? I would check out the other end of your battery leads make sure ALL connections are good.

The "limp home mode" (Get-you-into-the-back-of-the-car-in-front-mode) is not a reason to have the car towed. It takes a little practice to drive in this mode but if it happens again take advantage of the opportunity to try it out. Then stop the car, remove the key and try restarting it - usually goes away, if not drive it for 5 mins and try again.

"Limp Mode" is a mistery to me - the stupid computer seems to engage this mode for reasons only a computer would understand. I am interested if anyone has an explanation of why this happened to you but might be that the computer just doesn't like working with incorrect voltage.

 

I was told it may be a loose connection at the starter, or wherever the first stop for the positive lead is after the battery. This would also explain why the charge from my good alternator was not making it back to the battery.

After careful consideration, I do not think it was related to LHM.

 

I had the same symptoms on my '93 500E. Turned out to be a leaky hose between
the fuel pump and gas tank. Have a look.

hth,
a'

 

The issue represented itself to me last night and I now have a better understanding of what happened when it died on my dad. My heated seat lights began blinking, my a/c shut itself off, my dash lights dimmed, first the ABS light came on, then as I was exiting the highway, the ASR light, no turn signals, no radio.

Then LHM. I pulled into a parking lot and there was no throttle response. Only if my kickdown switch was depressed would my engine rev. Even then, it was only small bursts of up to ~1500 RPM's. I killed the engine and tried to restart. Nothing.

So I had the battery charged and retested at another autozone. Sure enough, the car started up fine and got me home (over 40 miles).

I stopped by Jeff's shop on my way home (the one you suggested me to a few weeks ago Dave) and the very knowledgeable mechanic there told me that it sounded like an issue with the alternator supplying lower voltage than needed. He said low voltage could certainly kick me into LHM, but LHM would not explain the dead battery. I am hoping it it just an alternator as a throttle actuator can run upwards of $1400 plus misc. parts and labor.

 

I'm having a very intermittent issue on my 400E, whereby under heavy load/higher RPM, very occasionally the car will cut out like it has hit a rev-limiter of sorts. It doesn't die, but it will not accelerate, bucks and bounces, and I have to back off throttle and then it's recovers.

I have a 1 year old Autozone battery, which my indie shop has told me in the past 2 services that it reads 9.4 volts when it should read 9.8. Brand new battery failing load test at the shop since day 1, but when I took it to Autozone, their meter says it's fine.

I'm wondering now if the 2 are related. I don't really have any other symptoms though, like you do. These cars are just so complex, it's hard not to wonder if it's related

 

Did you ever solve the starting problem Rivcal? It happened to me twice this morning It almost sounds like a bad spot in either the flywheel or the starter cuz as soon as it hits it, it makes a hell of a noise and the starter sounds as if its just spinning not touching anything. The sound is terrible and probably the most embarrassing thing if you are with someone lol

 

Mine did not make any crazy noises. Just one small click and then nothing. I believe the issue had to do with a bad connection on my voltage regulator. I cleaned the contacts and since then, the problem has not resurfaced.

 

Alright thanks... looks like it may be time for a new starter