2009 ML350 starts up, runs for a minute then shuts off!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 4
From: ORLANDO, FL
09 ML350, 98 SLK
2009 ML350 starts up, runs for a minute then shuts off!
Peculiar situation.😟 My 09 ML 350 sat in the garage for a month and a half while i was out of town. When I returned home, I cranked it up, it started on the first try and ran great for a minute while I fiddled with the radio. Then it suddenly died; the dash lights came on, and the radiator fan came on full blast! I tried re-starting it, but in position 2, could not get even a click from the starter. After a couple more attempts, I gave up and attached a 6 amp battery charger to the under-hood terminals. After 2 hours of charging, the battery voltage showed 12.4 volts on the dash read-out. I cleaned up the key lens and slot with alcohol just to be sure the key was communicating with the EIS. I started the car up again, and it ran fine for 45 seconds, then turned off again. The dash lights also came on and the radiator fan running started at full speed again. I'm totally stumped. If the EIS was bad, I wouldn't get any dash lights, and the car wouldn't get any dash lights, and the car wouldn't start. Against my better judgement, I replaced the main battery just to see, even though I was sure my current battery was good. The auxillary battery was fine, ... Looked new and tested at 12.4 volts.But still the same crap! It starts up and engine runs for a about a minute or less, then turns off and the radiator fans come on full blast!Very frustrating !😠😡 Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,037
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From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
Sounds like you are losing communication to the PCM or something on the powertrain CAN, have you scanned it? Also, you said you had to charge the battery for 2 hours to get it to 12.4, so it was very weak. Is the truck charging the battery when running? What's the voltage display on the dash when running (go to service reset menu area, it will show it)
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 4
From: ORLANDO, FL
09 ML350, 98 SLK
Sounds like you are losing communication to the PCM or something on the powertrain CAN, have you scanned it? Also, you said you had to charge the battery for 2 hours to get it to 12.4, so it was very weak. Is the truck charging the battery when running? What's the voltage display on the dash when running (go to service reset menu area, it will show it)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,107
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From: Bronx, N.Y.
2002 ML 320 & 2006 ML500
When a vehicle is laid up for more than 4 weeks, without removing the battery ground cable, it damages the battery irreparably.
Replace the battery, then read codes in all 25+ modules and delete them. Then you should be good to go. Scanner reader is necessary.
Replace the battery, then read codes in all 25+ modules and delete them. Then you should be good to go. Scanner reader is necessary.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 4
From: ORLANDO, FL
09 ML350, 98 SLK
When a vehicle is laid up for more than 4 weeks, without removing the battery ground cable, it damages the battery irreparably.
Replace the battery, then read codes in all 25+ modules and delete them. Then you should be good to go. Scanner reader is necessary.
https://www.amazon.com/Autel-Diaglin...omotive&sr=1-4
Replace the battery, then read codes in all 25+ modules and delete them. Then you should be good to go. Scanner reader is necessary.
https://www.amazon.com/Autel-Diaglin...omotive&sr=1-4
I finally got hold of a Foxwell Benz scanner, and pulled a bunch of codes off several modules with key in position 1., Some were old codes, but a few modules reported no communication with the ECM. I then turned the key to position 2 and managed to pull code 0521 off the ECM within the 45 seconds before the radiator fan started up full blast again. At this point the scanner lost communication with the ECM, From this I'm deducing that the ECM has a short or faulty component inside it (which is why the engine cuts off suddenly after running for 45 seconds) and will need to be replaced or rebuilt. Can anyone suggest a reliable and reasonable rebuilder for this ECM?
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 24
Likes: 3
2006 ML350
When a vehicle is laid up for more than 4 weeks, without removing the battery ground cable, it damages the battery irreparably.
Replace the battery, then read codes in all 25+ modules and delete them. Then you should be good to go. Scanner reader is necessary.
https://www.amazon.com/Autel-Diaglin...omotive&sr=1-4
Replace the battery, then read codes in all 25+ modules and delete them. Then you should be good to go. Scanner reader is necessary.
https://www.amazon.com/Autel-Diaglin...omotive&sr=1-4
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 4,037
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From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
The battery is grounded to the chassis near it's location, so if you want to do a hard reset from the battery, yes you will need to access it under the seat.
I do agree that you have some sort of issue with the ECM, but as stated, be sure to delete all your codes first and get a scan after the issue happens, see what comes up.
I do agree that you have some sort of issue with the ECM, but as stated, be sure to delete all your codes first and get a scan after the issue happens, see what comes up.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 4
From: ORLANDO, FL
09 ML350, 98 SLK
This brings up a question for me... being that the battery is under the passenger seat, do I need to get up under there if i ever need to just disconnect the negative, or does the main ground run up to under the hood where the jump posts are? Can I disconnect from under the hood or is there another "primary" negative ground up under the seat somewhere? I guess, same with the positive. Does it run directly up to the jump posts for easier disconnect or no?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 15
Likes: 4
From: ORLANDO, FL
09 ML350, 98 SLK
The battery is grounded to the chassis near it's location, so if you want to do a hard reset from the battery, yes you will need to access it under the seat.
I do agree that you have some sort of issue with the ECM, but as stated, be sure to delete all your codes first and get a scan after the issue happens, see what comes up.
I do agree that you have some sort of issue with the ECM, but as stated, be sure to delete all your codes first and get a scan after the issue happens, see what comes up.
It may be fixed, but I'm afraid to drive it on the street in case the problem occurs again. I will try it with a friend following me in case it stalls in the middle of the road. I still suspect that the ECM may have a faulty component or broken solder joint in it.
