Hi everyone,

My 2004 E320 has recently had a strange problem with starting. When I put in the key and try to start the engine, all of the dashboard lights will come on as usual, but the starter will not crank. No noise at all seems to come from the engine. I take the key out and try again two or three times, and finally the engine will start up normally, as if nothing had gone wrong at all. I called AAA and had the battery and alternator testing. The battery and alternator are in great shape, according to AAA's testing equipment!

This problem is intermittent. Usually, it happens in the morning, when I need to get somewhere important - perhaps the extreme cold we've been getting in New England has something to do with it? When I tried to show the AAA driver, on the other hand, the car started up beautifully!

Has anyone else had a similar intermittent problem?

I spoke to a fellow Mercedes-Benz enthusiast yesterday (who does all of his own work on a 1995 SL500, BTW), and he said that the starter solenoid might be the problem.

Also, I haven't replaced the battery in the key in a while. Could a simple key battery (standard key, not Keyless-Go) be the cause?

I appreciate everyone's advice. I'd just like to rule out simple things first!

- Tkachster

 

I've been having the exact same problem this whole winter: intermittently during cold days (40-45F or below) I'd get no crank at all when key's turned. I had to attempt ignition (turning key from position 2 to 3) multiple times to eventually initiate crank. It felt like a bad contact in the ignition switch (or a bad relay or solenoid somewhere?), but definitely wasn't caused by a bad battery and most likely not a bad starter either. When the car did start it started right up, and the starter sounded strong and not strain like if the battery was weak.

Can anyone else shed some light on this problem?

 

Good to know. My reasoning was if the key's got enough juice to unlock the car, it should be good enough to start the ignition.

 

Curious-have you tried moving the shifter to neutral when this happens? Or only left it in park?

 

Will try that next time it happens. I've seen others suggest the malfunction of the module (I don't remember its name) inside the shifter mechanism that prevents cranking in any mode other than P or N. But I don't think that module is the culprit here because every time I was able to get the car to crank and start after a few attempts of just turning the key.

Sometimes I can get crank by backing the key off a smidget from position 3. (eg. turned key all the way to right but no crank, but backing key off to left a smidget and starter cranks, but usually only cranks for a split second and not the sustained cranking till the engine starts) And this feels to me like there's a bad contact inside the ignition switch itself??