we had a power steering leak. When i got the car back i was driving and stopped to grab something to eat it died and wouldnt start for about 20 min it happened the next day and the next day. last night after the washing of the engine it was running this morning got in started but it wouldnt shift out of first gear tried to manually shift nothing so i pulled into auto zone a few miles away tried to start it for the next 3 hours nothing . i decided to replace the cps still nothing what else could it be looking to just start it worry about the gear changing later just want it home please help thanks

Something like this happened to me on my 2002 ML before. It wouldnt get out of first gear. Turna out it was because of a faulty battery. I really dont know if yours is the same as my problem though, just putting it out there

It sounds like moisture in the electronics. When you say you stopped to get something to eat and it died, are you saying you left it running and it died, or, are you saying you turned it off and it would not restart. Never a good idea to spray water under the hood of any modern car without properly wrapping the electronic components. I would start it and let it run and get hot. Hopefully it will dry out. Luckily, it is a Mercedes, so there is nothing that a few thousand well spent dollars wont fix. Good luck!

ImInPa your funny thing is im not willing to pay a few thousand for something that i can fix given the instructions. The only thing that the mercedes mechanics have over most of us is the resources and knowledge to repair. I dont lack the skill or the courage to try and fix it. Im here seeking shared knowledge and directions Thanks Alan thanks for the tip i just put in a new oem battery Thanks

oops pushed into a parking space

Who exactly did the engine wash and how was it done?

Someone spraying water just everywhere under the hood is just asking problems. The first rule is you don't want to use high pressure water as it easily penetrates on places where it does not belong to.

First question might be "What would those guys with the factory training do?"
My guess is they would dump all of the codes that the car will give them.
So I would probably start with getting an OBDII code reader.
If you can't figure out what to do with the codes... take it to the dealer and bring your checkbook. or visa, they take visa.

The body is wash and wear. The engine has to be dry
cleaned.

Artie and Blue ya this something I know that I forgot to pass on to my seed ....So i really couldn't get mad at him (Son). The crazy thing there was no check engine light on. So I ended up replacing the CPS in the parking lot at autozone it wasnt easy as I was trying to be nonchalant about it doing it in the dark just on feel Wow tuff one . Embarrassed to say this an hour later got replaced. Ya turn it over nothing just cranking. Towed it home couldn't really start breaking out the lantern and tool box there. The cps i put in was used because I order parts from a mercedes parts/ junk yard who put in an order for a new one but when i got there hadn't come and they were closing boss said go get me one used ill only charge you $20 I said shoot it. That being said i decided to test it . It was bad also you put an ohm meter to it and the numbers should rise it just a lil and stopped. Got a new one by the way i can replace one in 10 min now easy. Still didn't start. Mind you when it died it was in limp mode stuck in second. did more research cleaned MAF still nothing decide ok lets shoot some starter fluid in it started right up so i checked the relay aligator clips to the positive another to neg nothing no click got a new one started right up. before i even drove it i decided to change the trans oil and filter gasket ect. You wont believe the color of the fluid look like prune juice I couldnt even get the plug loose striped had to drop the whole pan into a trash bag. so i couldnt measure how much fluid to put back in not a problem had a dipstick over nighted and ready put 5 Synthetic and some lucas She runs like new Thanks to this Forum and all the wisdom shared I fixed it and saved a lot of money . I was ready to rebuild the tranny if it stayed stuck. what do I have to loose nothing but gain trying ...............Ill post a pic of the tranny oil

testing the cps when you put heat to it the numbers will rise just like it starts when its cold when it gets hot it shuts off forgot the numbers but there in a forum here and on youtube