My benz wont start??
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
s430
My benz wont start??
Okay so i did some research on the forums and found kinda similar things but i am not too sure.
I own a 00 s430
I was detailing my car today and this included washing the engine bay, just with degreaser and a pressure washer. do this on many vehicles that i detail. after i was done i got in it and it started right up no problems. put it inside the shop and was finishing my detail job. after i got done i got in and turned it on and it started right up. than i took it outside and parked it. after like an hour or so i went to get in it so i can go home i put the key in and turned it everything else works but the engine didnt turn on. why is it doing this. after letting sit for longer time it still doesnt start. it will shift into gear and everything just wont start up. please help me. this is my first benz.
could it be the crank position sensor or maybe something else?
I own a 00 s430
I was detailing my car today and this included washing the engine bay, just with degreaser and a pressure washer. do this on many vehicles that i detail. after i was done i got in it and it started right up no problems. put it inside the shop and was finishing my detail job. after i got done i got in and turned it on and it started right up. than i took it outside and parked it. after like an hour or so i went to get in it so i can go home i put the key in and turned it everything else works but the engine didnt turn on. why is it doing this. after letting sit for longer time it still doesnt start. it will shift into gear and everything just wont start up. please help me. this is my first benz.
could it be the crank position sensor or maybe something else?
Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 1
From: Stamford, CT
s600
Yep, not a good idea. Those are 9 year old connectors under that hood. I would guess you blasted one loose, and it fell off while the engine bay was cooling down. Or something like that.
Go over the engine bay as best you can and yank on every connector you see. If one is loose, clean it with contact cleaner and plug it back in securely. Also check plug wires, coils, etc.
Are you seeing an error message from the car?
Go over the engine bay as best you can and yank on every connector you see. If one is loose, clean it with contact cleaner and plug it back in securely. Also check plug wires, coils, etc.
Are you seeing an error message from the car?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,578
Likes: 7
04 S430 (sold),05 X5 4.4i, 02 325i, 87 560SL, 85 Alfa Romeo
O dount if the issue is from pressure washing, you would have seen it right away not after a few hours. nuless you washed your engine like ou were washing clothes, then you may have a problem.
I wash my engine oftes, but only while it is running, cover on, and brisk sweeps from left to ight till i cover the entire engine bay.. nothing more as that's usually all it takes. most of the electrical connections and components are water resistant, but not water proof so you still have to know what you are doing.
if it doesn't start after few hours, it must be something else. usually fuel, or the crank sensor as you stated.
I wash my engine oftes, but only while it is running, cover on, and brisk sweeps from left to ight till i cover the entire engine bay.. nothing more as that's usually all it takes. most of the electrical connections and components are water resistant, but not water proof so you still have to know what you are doing.
if it doesn't start after few hours, it must be something else. usually fuel, or the crank sensor as you stated.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
s430
yeah i went to go try and start it after letting it sit overnight. still no start. had one of my techs at my work take a little look at it. he said to try and start at maybe checking the starter? do you think this could be it or maybe even short circuiting somewhere. i was hoping it would just start up this morning 
cause he was saying if it was the crank sensor it would atleast crank over but it doesnt even do that. it just has this light buzzing sound near the intake close to the firewall but he said its something like a fan. idk hopefully someone here has been through this and can help me out
^ if its fuel where would i check for a problem like that
cause he was saying if it was the crank sensor it would atleast crank over but it doesnt even do that. it just has this light buzzing sound near the intake close to the firewall but he said its something like a fan. idk hopefully someone here has been through this and can help me out
^ if its fuel where would i check for a problem like that
Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: long island ny
2000 S430
I hope your drainage wasn't clogged and overflowed water into the electronics of the car.
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ins-clean.html
Check all your fuses , check the rear fuse panel under the pass side rear seat / carpet see if its wet. Don't try to keep starting it , disconnect battery and let it dry out.
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ins-clean.html
Check all your fuses , check the rear fuse panel under the pass side rear seat / carpet see if its wet. Don't try to keep starting it , disconnect battery and let it dry out.
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Seattle, WA
s430
thank you. but i dont think its that. its all dry. its not like i had the pressure washer full blast and kept it in one spot for a long time. it was just a sweep here and there.
i have been thinking could it just be the battery? maybe its not letting enough juice to power up the engine but just enough for everything else? what do u think about that. ill have to test the battery and see if its any good.
i have been thinking could it just be the battery? maybe its not letting enough juice to power up the engine but just enough for everything else? what do u think about that. ill have to test the battery and see if its any good.
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Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 1
From: Stamford, CT
s600
Diagnosing a starter is easy.
First, turn the key and listen. Do you hear the starter solenoid click? If not, it may be bad. I suppose water could have gotten in there- but I doubt it. It may have just been a coincidence that it went out just after you washed the car.
If it clicks and the engine doesn't turn over, then you have either a bad starter motor, or a significant problem that needs shop attention- and a fat wallet (unless you feel comfortable with doing major engine work yourself). If it doesn't click, jack the car up and put a meter on the solenoid. Have a buddy try to start the car. If you see 12 VDC+, your solenoid is bad and needs replaced. If there is no voltage, you have issues with your wiring. Solenoids are cheap, so let's pray its a bad solenoid.
If the solenoid is working, the starter motor should engage the flywheel. If you see that happening, then you should pull the starter and test it. You can simply take it down to Autozone or someplace like that and they will do it for free. If the starter is good, get a long socket wrench and put it on the dampener bolt. As you sweat and cry, try to turn the engine over. If it won't budge, oh man- you are in deep doo doo my friend.
First, turn the key and listen. Do you hear the starter solenoid click? If not, it may be bad. I suppose water could have gotten in there- but I doubt it. It may have just been a coincidence that it went out just after you washed the car.
If it clicks and the engine doesn't turn over, then you have either a bad starter motor, or a significant problem that needs shop attention- and a fat wallet (unless you feel comfortable with doing major engine work yourself). If it doesn't click, jack the car up and put a meter on the solenoid. Have a buddy try to start the car. If you see 12 VDC+, your solenoid is bad and needs replaced. If there is no voltage, you have issues with your wiring. Solenoids are cheap, so let's pray its a bad solenoid.
If the solenoid is working, the starter motor should engage the flywheel. If you see that happening, then you should pull the starter and test it. You can simply take it down to Autozone or someplace like that and they will do it for free. If the starter is good, get a long socket wrench and put it on the dampener bolt. As you sweat and cry, try to turn the engine over. If it won't budge, oh man- you are in deep doo doo my friend.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
Based upon not enough information, my first guess is the starter solenoid.
The solenoid is just a large, heavy-duty relay. The ignition switch/ESP sends 12 vdc to the coil of the solenoid, which pulls a metal slug to operate a heavy-duty switch that connects the starter to the battery. It is not too unusual for the contacts in the solenoid to eventually fail.
If you replaced the starter yourself, you should find it easy to check for power on the main connector to the starter motor (not the solenoid connections) when a helper operates the key. Solenoid clacking, but no power at the starter, indicates a faulty solenoid or connection.
Five minutes of troubleshooting should have shown what the problem is - throwing parts at a Mercedes, hoping that one will fix the problem, gets really expensive really fast...
The solenoid is just a large, heavy-duty relay. The ignition switch/ESP sends 12 vdc to the coil of the solenoid, which pulls a metal slug to operate a heavy-duty switch that connects the starter to the battery. It is not too unusual for the contacts in the solenoid to eventually fail.
If you replaced the starter yourself, you should find it easy to check for power on the main connector to the starter motor (not the solenoid connections) when a helper operates the key. Solenoid clacking, but no power at the starter, indicates a faulty solenoid or connection.
Five minutes of troubleshooting should have shown what the problem is - throwing parts at a Mercedes, hoping that one will fix the problem, gets really expensive really fast...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,254
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2002 CL500 to CL55 conversion
Thanks for the reply. I had an extra starter lying around so I didn't think it was a bad idea to swap it out. The starter is not the issue, seems like the starter solenoid is clicking once and then it doesn't turn over the engine at all like something is telling it not to
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,254
Likes: 171
2002 CL500 to CL55 conversion
got the car started today, i tested the relays for continuity before and thought they were good but today when i swapped them all around the car started right up. perhaps i have a bad connection somewhere underneath this particular sam or maybe just a bad relay to begin with...
