Intermittent Starting Problem
12-08-2015, 02:36 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Intermittent Starting Problem
I have a 2001 E55 but this problem would relate to all E-class cars of the era.
I began to have occasional starting problems a couple of years ago. When I
turned the electronic key the car would not turn over - there was some brief
noise but it wouldn't turn over, though eventually it would start. This happened
only occasionally but I asked my independent repair shop about it and they
recommended replacing the electronic ignition to be on the safe side. I did - it
cost about a thousand. After a short while the problem began to recur
occasionally. Now I thought maybe it has to do with the shift lever and tried
jiggling it. That seemed to work - eventually it would start. However, I was still
afraid of getting stranded somewhere so I asked the dealer to look at the shift
mechanism. They replaced the floor shift assembly and i thought this time it's
got to be fixed. No such luck. Tonight I again had the starting problem. If a
new ignition system and a new floor shift didn't do the trick, what could it be?
I began to have occasional starting problems a couple of years ago. When I
turned the electronic key the car would not turn over - there was some brief
noise but it wouldn't turn over, though eventually it would start. This happened
only occasionally but I asked my independent repair shop about it and they
recommended replacing the electronic ignition to be on the safe side. I did - it
cost about a thousand. After a short while the problem began to recur
occasionally. Now I thought maybe it has to do with the shift lever and tried
jiggling it. That seemed to work - eventually it would start. However, I was still
afraid of getting stranded somewhere so I asked the dealer to look at the shift
mechanism. They replaced the floor shift assembly and i thought this time it's
got to be fixed. No such luck. Tonight I again had the starting problem. If a
new ignition system and a new floor shift didn't do the trick, what could it be?
12-09-2015, 07:56 PM
#2
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Hollywood, CA
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W209, W124
Do you have 2 keys?
Could be a flakey smart key.
Curious about exact meaning of this:
"there was some brief noise but it wouldn't turn over, though eventually it would start."
When I say "turn over" I mean the engine is being spun by the starter, maybe you mean something else?
Could be a flakey smart key.
Curious about exact meaning of this:
"there was some brief noise but it wouldn't turn over, though eventually it would start."
When I say "turn over" I mean the engine is being spun by the starter, maybe you mean something else?
12-10-2015, 12:45 AM
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Do you have 2 keys?
Could be a flakey smart key.
Curious about exact meaning of this:
"there was some brief noise but it wouldn't turn over, though eventually it would start."
When I say "turn over" I mean the engine is being spun by the starter, maybe you mean something else?
Could be a flakey smart key.
Curious about exact meaning of this:
"there was some brief noise but it wouldn't turn over, though eventually it would start."
When I say "turn over" I mean the engine is being spun by the starter, maybe you mean something else?
I don't think it's the key because it happens with both of my smart keys.
12-12-2015, 04:11 AM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I had the car serviced today and the repair shop found the battery "was testing over capacity, likely internal short of battery cells." The battery was two years old and has now been replaced. I'll follow up in a couple of weeks to report if the new battery has resolved my issue.
12-17-2015, 12:08 PM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
t
The new battery resolved my starting issue. The old battery was only two years old but I must have screwed it up somehow when I gave my wife's car a jump start. I had done that twice, I think, on the old battery. Now I bought one of those portable battery jumpers so that I don't have to use my car again.
