Cranks but won't fire at all
 

This week I started getting a check engine light. Was going to run code tonight. I had be noticing some unusually shifting when I slowed down the speeded up. Was thinking I was going to find a code related to the transmission but other than that the car was running fine as far as I could tell. Then tonight pulled into Costco and filled up and went to start and thought I heard a noise and the car would not start. It cranks fine but nothing. A couple of guys helped me push it into the parking lot where it sits. Trying to figure out my strategy. At my son's recommendation I will run the codes and see if it tells me anything but not very hopeful. Any advise would be welcome.

I have an 2010 E3504matic with 110K miles which has been well maintained.

Not a 100% sure - but sounds like you need a CPS - crank position sensor - its a fairly easy swap with a hex wrench located at the back of the engine. I think its about a $30 - 120 part pending on where you get it...

Id start there - what you have is the exact symptoms...

Let us know if that's what it is?

Thanks I have been doing some research and hoping you are right. Trouble is I searched this forum for P0335 code an there really weren't any other than one for a diesel. I'll start by pulling the code.

P0335 = crankshaft sensor

Common behavior failing CPS is that it will fail on hot engine, but still start on cold one.
If you go back to the car now and it starts, you have your confirmation.
Still with scanners running for $10 I wonder why don't you have one in your car?

Happened to me not that long ago. Getting in the car in the morning and it cranks just fine but does not even try to start. Had the car towed to the dealer and I was sure it had to be the fuel pump but the dealer said the car started up just fine when they started it.

I was told this car model, 2010 #550, can flood the engine in cold weather and I needed a software update. I was asking if I should replace the fuel pump just in case and they said there is absolutely nothing wrong with the pump.

They also told me that my car would have started if I held the gas pedal fully pressed when cranking it, which, of course, I did not know to do. But I do know now if it would happen again.

This may not apply to a E350 but perhaps it could...

So when I went back to the car today and it did start and drove like normal. I drove to Autozone and had the codes pulled and all it said that was that an evap valve was shut when it shouldn't have been. Now it should be noted that I did not shut the car down when the codes were pulled because I was spooked that it wouldn't start again. Drove to the dealer because if it wasn't going to start again that is where I wanted to be. Discussed it with my SA and he agreed that the evap valve shouldn't have caused a no start condition and said that that is typically a CPS. I asked him whether he had seen any CPS failures on the W212's and he said no. What he did say is "Where do you buy your gas?" He began to admonish me with the "I don't understand people who drive $60K cars and buy their gas from Costco." I assumed because it had a top tier sticker that it was good gas. I think they all have alcohol in them now. But it made me wonder as I did pull in with a pretty low tank whether I did suck up some water from the bottom.

​​​​​​You sound like my son. :) In fact he ordered one for me from Amazon prime last night. Should be here tomorrow. I will recheck the codes after I get it. So the remaining question is if it is a failing CPS why isn't there a code?

I wished I thought to try that. My car almost always fires as soon as I touch the key. The only time that it doesn't is when I pull it in and out of the garage a couple of times without allowing it to warm up. In fact hearing it crank without trying sounded so different I thought that the timing chain may have failed. You can imagine my terror.

​​​​​​I was bit disoriented because I was filling up at Costco with a ton of people in line. Fortunately a guy next to me saw my predicament an helped me push it out of the way. These are some seriously heavy cars. As he started to push he said "Maybe not" but we got it going.

Thanks everybody for your support.

We have 3 sons and even intentionally none of them did follow my mechanical inclines, eventually 2 of them got into technical trades.
It takes some guts to ask son for technical advice, but it "did happen to me" so IMHO you should get there eventually.
Coming to the situation, I am relatively new to W212, but on older models bad CPS would not trigger the code.
Than CPS is like $50 part with few minutes of labor if you know what you are doing. That would be good enough for me to give it a try, is it good for you?

Yeah its funny about sons. Mine never hung around when I redid the timing belt on my Audi. But he is a Marine Chief Engineer unlimited class now and has owned his own automotive repair shop at one point. So I am not embarrassed to ask his advice. I won't wire anything in the house without his input. Even if I was embarrassed, he has never been shy to tell me what he thinks on any subject. :)

I was a parts replacer for many years try to avoid that now with the available diagnostics. But you are right it is cheap and easy. So if I have a repeat I will likely do that codes or not. My son said sometimes they won't through a code that the handhelds will pick up.

I have this code reader and it works great and does so much more than reading clearing codes.

Yes I think that one is very well rated

Got the wireless reader from my sone. Showed same code as Autozone's reader P2422. Cleared code. See what happens next...

You have pretty clear code pointing to specific valve. Don't know if you experience that, but that doesn't happen very often.
So when code comes back, just find the valve on your engine. I am diesel man, so not familiar with it, but if electricity is involved - starting with pulling the plugs, washing them with good cleaner and firm plug back often does the trick.
On 2nd tough - evaporation valve should not kill the engine, so I will wait for rest of the story.

This thread suggests that it could be related. Pretty identical situation. Trying to get some time to learn about the evap system to better understand how it could cause a fail to fire.

​​​​​​https://mbworld.org/forums/glk-class...-gas-tank.html

Would appreciate it if somebody knows the part number for the evap valve and has the WIS for replacement I think that you pull the right rear inner fender liner to get at it and it sits on the charcoal canister.

Charcoal filter shutoff valve current part # is 0014701393.

Thank you kindly sir.

Not sure if this helps any but I've been getting that same P2422 code. Which in my case throws a CEL for a day or two and it goes away for a day or two and so on. I've noticed whenever, I'm low on gas and I fill up, the car will rough idle and even a few times shut off. Once it shuts off I have to crank it 5-10x to get it to turn back on. Also if I turn off the car on my own and try to crank it back on after I'm done with the fillup the same thing....It'll need 5-10 cranks to turn back on. This issue only started alongside the P2422 code. I'm in the process of fixing some other more pressing items but I decided today to go ahead and order part # 000-470-88-93 Purge Solenoid in hopes that this will fix the issue and if not I'll move along to the canister etc.

If you read the post I provided the link to that is what that guy did and the problem went away, so I will be very curious as to your result because the P4244 code says evap shut-off valve stuck closed. But the guy replaced the purge valve and stopped having problems.

I also read a post about a guy cleaning the shut-off valve and canister on his S class which fixed a filling problem he was having so I am wondering if the purge valve can be cleaned as well.

Quick update. My CEL went out on its own and the car is back to driving normally again. What a nice car it is when I'm not worrying about it. Haven't tried to fill it up again yet.