Hard to start
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: Covington, WA
2010 E350 4Matic ML350 on order
Hard to start
We've had our 2012 ML 350 gasser for about a year now, with a little over 10, 000 miles one it and have been very impressed with it overall. However, in the last few months I've had several occasions where it took two tries to get it started. Today I had a situation where it took me FIVE tries before it finally decided to start. Anybody know what might be causing this?
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 513
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From: SoCal
13ML BT
We've had our 2012 ML 350 gasser for about a year now, with a little over 10, 000 miles one it and have been very impressed with it overall. However, in the last few months I've had several occasions where it took two tries to get it started. Today I had a situation where it took me FIVE tries before it finally decided to start. Anybody know what might be causing this?
Do you have keyless go?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 1,117
A gaggle of MB's
Sure - take it to your dealer for diagnosis - there is nothing someone can do from this forum to give you a diagnosis by remote control.
If it was me - I would buy a bottle of Stabil Marine Formula (Blue) and dose one tank for instructions on the bottle - today's ethanol in pump fuel is really rugged and Stabil will clean that up over a couple of tanks if fuel was a issue.
We had three brand new Benz's - including one new ML - that stalled out on the raod in our area in the past two weeks - and ALL three had bought a recent fill up at the same brand gas station - bad batch of gas got delivered to that specific stations..
If it was me - I would buy a bottle of Stabil Marine Formula (Blue) and dose one tank for instructions on the bottle - today's ethanol in pump fuel is really rugged and Stabil will clean that up over a couple of tanks if fuel was a issue.
We had three brand new Benz's - including one new ML - that stalled out on the raod in our area in the past two weeks - and ALL three had bought a recent fill up at the same brand gas station - bad batch of gas got delivered to that specific stations..
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 22
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From: Covington, WA
2010 E350 4Matic ML350 on order
I really wasn't expecting a "diagnosis by remote control", just wondering if anyone had this problem before. I have keyless go and just came out of a store after the ML sat for about an hour. Each time I pushed the start button the rpm did its thing and then down to about 400 and then quit. It took me five times before it would stay started. I was just wondering if this might be another thing that might fall into the category of "could not duplicate" at the dealer.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 326
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From: Southeast PA
2024 911 Turbo S, 2023 Denali 2500 HD, 2026 G63
I really wasn't expecting a "diagnosis by remote control", just wondering if anyone had this problem before. I have keyless go and just came out of a store after the ML sat for about an hour. Each time I pushed the start button the rpm did its thing and then down to about 400 and then quit. It took me five times before it would stay started. I was just wondering if this might be another thing that might fall into the category of "could not duplicate" at the dealer.
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 141
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From: Land of OZ- Mornington Peninsula
ML350 BT soon......pleeeease. GOT IT NOW....Wooooo
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 7
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From: SoCal
2012 ML350 4MATIC
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
2012 ML350 4MATIC
OK, so here is what the service guy told me:
There was a glitch in the software that caused the engine to go into idle/limp mode. Our Engine Control Module (ECM) needed to flashed and re-synced with our Transmission Control Module (TCM). Might be placebo effect but the car is starting up a lot smoother than it has in the last two months (when this problem first started).
Here is what the service invoice says:
Cause:
541011 Short Test, Perform 3783 W67
540991 Control Unit - Software (After Short Test), Install 3783 W67
540992 Control Unit - Code (After Short Test), Perform 3783 W67
Flashed M.E. and SCN/CVN Coded.
Hope this helps you guys out.
Will update if we have this problem again...
There was a glitch in the software that caused the engine to go into idle/limp mode. Our Engine Control Module (ECM) needed to flashed and re-synced with our Transmission Control Module (TCM). Might be placebo effect but the car is starting up a lot smoother than it has in the last two months (when this problem first started).
Here is what the service invoice says:
Cause:
541011 Short Test, Perform 3783 W67
540991 Control Unit - Software (After Short Test), Install 3783 W67
540992 Control Unit - Code (After Short Test), Perform 3783 W67
Flashed M.E. and SCN/CVN Coded.
Hope this helps you guys out.
Will update if we have this problem again...
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
2013 ML350
OMG. Exactly same problem here. My ML is 2013 gas. I also found that this happens only when engine temperature is between 20-50 degree. This means when you park the car (after you did drive your car for at least a hour) and around two hours later you try to start the car again, then this problem might happen. Sometimes engine doesn't start and sometimes even if engine starts but there was a lot of vibrations. I will drop off my ML next week at service center.
Last edited by soomba; May 3, 2013 at 02:48 AM.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 48
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From: Lower Mainland, BC, Canada
13-ML350 BT;06-IS300;99-4Runner
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: SoCal
2012 ML350 4MATIC
OMG. Exactly same problem here. My ML is 2013 gas. I also found that this happens only when engine temperature is between 20-50 degree. This means when you park the car (after you did drive your car for at least a hour) and around two hours later you try to start the car again, then this problem might happen. Sometimes engine doesn't start and sometimes even if engine starts but there was a lot of vibrations. I will drop off my ML next week at service center.
So far no problems after the trip to the service center.
