M-Class (W163) Produced 1998-2005: ML 230, ML 320, ML 350, ML 400 CDI, ML 430, ML 500, ML 270 CDI

car refuses to start

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Old May 7, 2004 | 10:14 PM
  #1  
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
car refuses to start

http://www.ic.sunysb.edu/Stu/kpouliki/DS330012.wav

looks like its off to mercedes again
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Old May 8, 2004 | 01:42 PM
  #2  
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From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
Fuel pump and/or fuel pump fuse. Could be the CKP sensor too.
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Old May 8, 2004 | 05:25 PM
  #3  
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
i tired starting it again this morning and it started.. but i cant take it to rallye mercedes yet cuz they are closed on weekends.. i am hoping it will start monday morning cuz i dont want to pay $200 for a tow truck
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Old May 11, 2004 | 07:09 AM
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BMW 328i, 2000 ML320
It the Crank Position sensor. Cost me $380 to know that. So save you some money and just buy one an install it yourself..
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Old May 11, 2004 | 12:11 PM
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From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
Originally posted by TheGreat1
It the Crank Position sensor. Cost me $380 to know that. So save you some money and just buy one an install it yourself..
An ML won't start for many reasons. I've seen the CKP (crankshaft position sensor) cause it to not start, as well as bad grounds, fuel pump fuse, burned fuel pump contacts, corroded fuel pump harness connector. Rather than spending money buying parts and throwing them at your car hoping to fix the problem, spend some money on diagnosis and get it fixed right the first time.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 07:31 PM
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BMW 328i, 2000 ML320
It not the fuel pump or what you stated. Its the Crank Position sensor. I had the same issue as the thread starter. Car would not start but when I left it overnight. The car started fine.

Took it into the dealership and they could find the problem until my second no-start I video tape it.

The problem is it will not throw a CEL, so no error code will be store on the car DME. That the reason they couldn't located the problem

Beleive me its the CPS. Most or not all Mercedes have issue with the CPS.
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Old May 11, 2004 | 07:45 PM
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From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
I didn't say it's not the crank position sensor. I said it would be a better idea to have it diagnosed as the crank sensor that to just buy one, plug it in, and find out that it wasn't the problem. Throwing parts at what you think the problem is isn't diagnosing, it's just guessing. Hook a scanner up, see if it reads cranking RPM while cranking the engine. If it doesn't read, it's the crank sensor. If it does read cranking RPM, you have a problem elsewhere.
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Old May 12, 2004 | 07:13 PM
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From: So. Cali
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If it not the CPS. Don't worry we all drive Mercedes we could afford it . IF you can't spend couple hundred bucks on a CPS. then you should go get a Honda Pilot or some Japanese car....
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Old May 12, 2004 | 07:31 PM
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From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
I've said my piece. Gamble money on guessing the failure, or use it to diagnose the root of the problem. Your choice. Good luck!
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Old May 13, 2004 | 01:20 AM
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a car that can't do the throttle reset.
Originally posted by TheGreat1
If it not the CPS. Don't worry we all drive Mercedes we could afford it . IF you can't spend couple hundred bucks on a CPS. then you should go get a Honda Pilot or some Japanese car....
whats with this post? mbtech was just trying to help out.
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Old May 19, 2004 | 08:38 PM
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From: So. Cali
BMW 328i, 2000 ML320
Originally posted by ahopeter
whats with this post? mbtech was just trying to help out.
If you notice there's a "smile" at the end of the sentence. Wasn't meant to insult anyone. maybe you misunderstood me
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Old May 19, 2004 | 09:27 PM
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a car that can't do the throttle reset.
oh.
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Old May 20, 2004 | 06:04 PM
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From: SoCAL,:-))
2000 ML320/'03 C320WZ
ahopeter

what's words below your name? You are on probation?
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Old May 21, 2004 | 12:18 AM
  #14  
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a car that can't do the throttle reset.
Re: ahopeter

Originally posted by JimB
what's words below your name? You are on probation?
hey whats up JimB?! yeah, im on probation...stupid stuff. some noob was trying to rip off some members and i told him so...then he cried to a moderator.
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Old May 21, 2004 | 12:54 AM
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From: SoCAL,:-))
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O IC

SO you are behaving now
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Old May 21, 2004 | 02:04 AM
  #16  
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a car that can't do the throttle reset.
Re: O IC

Originally posted by JimB
SO you are behaving now
'til another noob shows up trying to bs us.
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Old Jun 10, 2004 | 05:46 PM
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
ok.. i took it to them.. they fixed something.. i forgot what it was... they took $600.. now about 2 days ago.. i start having the same problem.. car wont start... and i am at a red light at 4am and the engine turns off.. so i get a little mad thinking that the $600 i gave was for nothing.. so i get it checked out again... they say its the fuel pump this time.. and that it will cost $1200.... after some arguing.. saying i have paid for them to fix this a couple times before with still the same problem.. they will not be charging me for the repairs
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Old Jun 11, 2004 | 06:17 PM
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
picked it up today.. they also replaced my ignition wires... and my navigation system was having some problems also.. and i had the antenna changed about a month ago.. but was still have a problem.. so they did some tests on the system and replaced some driver.. i only got charged for the wires and the navigation system stuff...
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Old Jun 11, 2004 | 11:34 PM
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2014 C250 sport
What program do you use to play the .wav file on the original post??thanks
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Old Jun 12, 2004 | 11:47 PM
  #20  
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
olympus DSS player.. software that came with the recorder
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Old Jun 14, 2004 | 09:17 PM
  #21  
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i'm so sick of this car.. its not starting again.. same problem.. i guess the next check up better be the computer
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Old Jun 15, 2004 | 10:24 AM
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99 ml320
It's weird that they replaced the ignition harness before checking the fuel pump. In my experience they went the opposite route.

I just got my 99 ML320 back from my mechanic with a starting problem. My wife stopped to get gas and then the truck wouldn't start. I got there about 15 minutes later and sure enough, the starter would spin but it didn't sound like it was getting fire to the plugs. I pushed the truck out of the way of the pumps and called for a tow. While I was waiting I tried the start 2-3 times more. Then, like magic it fires up. About 20 minutes had lapsed.

I'd only had the truck a week and she's let the tank run nearly to empty, so I assumed it was a fluke.

Then, same thing happened that night as I was dropping a friend off. I waited about 5 minutes and pushed the truck out of harms way. Then miraculously it starts.

I scheduled an appointment with the dealer to look at it. On the way to drop it off I picked up a friend from the airport and it did it a 3rd time. Same scenario. Stopped, wouldn't start, 5-10 minutes go by vroom vroom.

The only similarity between events was that each time the truck was on a downhill incline, I assumed this had some influence. Apparently it did not because as I pulled into the dealer bay... bam! it did it again. I was never sooo happy to have my truck break down as it did right then. The mechanic looked up and was watching me as I tried unsuccessfully to turn the motor back over.


A week later I get my ML back. Originally they assumed it was the fuel pump. Nope. They discovered that it was a faulty ignition system. They replaced that part (can give part # if you like) which cause some other issues (apparently the new part was now out of calibration for the ML's firing temp or sequence or something?) plus the computer had to be reprogrammed to accomodate the replacements. The dealership mechanic (not a MB dealership) finally ended up sending my truck to the MB dealership to have everthing calibrated and the cpu reprogrammed.

Everything works great now, now starting issues. There does seem to be a slight hesitation (1/3 of a sec or so) from the peddle to the engine, but that's another post.

Final cost: To me nothing, warrentied out.. whew! cause the paper cost was $1500!

May have nothing to do with your issue, then again it might have everything to do with it.

Oh, one final note. Don't read this wrong, but they DID have the broken part instock at the local MB dealership.
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Old Jun 15, 2004 | 10:44 PM
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
thanks.. i appreciate your input.. i'll tell them to check it all out again.. someone told me to also check the computer.. but the fact that this is the 3rd time its going back for this problem..

i had the exact same problem as you.. car wouldnt start.. then about 15-20 min later.. it felt like starting again.. its very aggrevating.. i didnt think a mercedes could have this many problems
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Old Jun 17, 2004 | 05:31 PM
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
they figured out it was the computer this time.. and they also replaced the ignition transponder.. they said they couldnt believe they didnt find it the first time.. hopefully this will be the last time i it will be going in for this problem

Last edited by kostas; Jun 17, 2004 at 05:49 PM.
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Old Jun 20, 2004 | 04:59 PM
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2008 BMW 335xi Coupe
not working again.....
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