Barry45RPM

How hard do you step down on the brake padal before you push the start button? Hard enough to light up the brake lights? Slightly harder, like for a normal stop to pay a toll? As close to the floor as you can put the pedal?

Have you ever pushed the start button and had the engine crank for a second and then stop? Was it because you weren't stepping on the brake pedal hard enough? Did you then have a no crank problem?

I feel kind of weird being the only one who sometimes experiences a partial crank. The dealer says press the brake pedal down harder... the car's not gonna go anywhere is it really necessary to stand on it?

HELL ONA HARLEY

I Don't have keyless-go so I can not answer your question, but I'm wondering why you are required to step on the brake to start your car using the keyless go feature???? Saftey reasons??? Seems sorta strange to me.... I'm not required to step on the brake to start the car with the key, so why with keyless-go???

MBE55AMG

Dealing telling you to step any harder on the brake pedal to start up? I think that's irrelevant in terms of what you're experiencing...

lorinserbenz

I barely press my brake and it will start. Id rate the pressure as a one out of ten to start my car.

MB SF

Agreed, it is pretty light pressure. I have gotten so lazy that when I get in, I automatically hit the keyless go button, then quickly tap the brake pedal, the car starts, I close the door, put it in Drive, and then put my seatbelt on as I am creeping forward.

It is truly on of the best features of the car. Gosh it has made me lazy, but I love it!

Barry45RPM

That's what I thought. Sometimes I will get a partial crank & then it won't crank no matter what I do.... get out, lock the door, unlock, try to crank with the key... nothing, 'till its ready to crank & start... it happens once every 40 starts.

As to why they designed the brake pedal stepping into a keyless start, I guess its so a child couldnt press the crank button with a key carrying adult in the car, but not behind the wheel. ... and it doesnt take much to throw a running car into gear... that's why I thought stepping on the brake should only be hard enough to light the tail lights.

Jay_Bo

I had a relay go bad that hooked to the brake peddle and was connected somehow to the keyless go. The symptom was similar to what you describe, except I would get a "check brake" (or something similar) on the dash.

Barry45RPM

I get "1 Malfunction ESP Visit Workshop" which disappears as soon as I get a full crank & start.

Gunther

Barry is right about the required brake depression to start the car. It's just a safety feature to make sure you or someone else doesn't accidentally bump the shifter button and start the car unintentionally. If you're using a key to start the car - it take an intentional effort to start the car.

In my car, (also '04 SL) I can hit the button and if I touch the brakes almost immediately after, the car will start. However, if there is a 1/2 second delay between hitting the button and touching the brake I also get the half crank.

Barry45RPM

Car at Dealer now, was told it might be a bad smartkey, not comunicating with the car... come to think of it I have gotten into the car on several occaisions & gotten the message "Key Not Recognized!" but it dissapeared as soon as I pressed the start button, so who knows...?

ajm0824

I agree.. a LOT more likely to mistakenly start a keyless go car w/o the brake depress then it is to mistakenly start an ignition car.


could be bad, but for what it's worth...

I usually am able to start the car with a light tap of the button and the lightest tap of the break either during the button press or up to about 1/2 second after.

Sometimes I also get the key not recognized error upon entering the car, but that never causes it to start incorrectly..


Good luck diagnosing the problem.

Barry45RPM

Sounds like it will be a can of worms. I swear this car is like dating a Model. 1. Its so beautiful, everyone looks at it...BOTH male & female.
2. You have to watch it like a hawk. You can't just park it anywhere without worrying someone's gonna bang it.
3. It only drinks the finest.
4. It needs constant attention and tweaking.
5. It spends too much time being cleaned, waxed & made pretty.
...I'm sure there's more, but I'm tired.

burkett

I get this every now and then as well. It's almost though your "foot" does not crank (press) the ignition long enough. This does not cause me to fret since I think it's part of the safety feature as well. I don't have to apply much pressure at at btw.

If I don't press the brake at all the system just cycles through the two different electrical/electronic modes.