Hi all, over the past few months I have been experiencing a little sluggishness in starting, but it still started. Yesterday experienced it again, drove for about 25 mins, went to gym for 2 hrs. Upon returning there was an extreme sluggishness followed by absolutely nothing. Had AAA come out for a jump with one of their tow trucks, His independent jump starter did nothing, then he plugged in the cables to his truck batteries. Let charge maybe 5 minutes and still nothing at all. Tried again this morning and no sound trying to start. All lights seem to be normal intensity on car, and radio works just fine.

Battery was purchased in 2019, so about 4 years old. Any suggestions on what it could be? I fear an alternator but hoping for just a battery. The AAA guy could not test for the alternator since it would not start. Praying for only a battery. 154k miles now, so its getting long in the tooth and time for things to start deteriorating and breaking. With the car valued at only $6500, not sure how much I want to put in to it.

TIA.

 

Take the battery out of the car and take it to a place that can charge it and load test it. You'll probably need a new one. That's the first step.

 

4 years is about accurate. I replace them every 3 years. If you can, there are quite a few threads on this, pick up an OEM Genuine MB battery. They handle the insane charging loads of the cars fine.

As for mileage, nothing to really worry about, the cars get hurt more from being abandoned and having moisture/leaves/rat damage accumulate than they could ever get hurt by being daily driven. If thats your original alternator I'd be aware of needing to change it soon-ish, it could last longer though it's all luck of the draw and how much oil you've avoided having leak on it. I have one too, slightly newer less mileage and I have a blank check for spare parts on it but so far nothing unpredictable has happened to it.

 

its not funny the amount of people that pop starter motors in these things every few months...

someone I know on his forth in 2 years last had a girl from mobilo come out - diagnosed the starter motor and had it off the car in 15 mins start to finish !!!!! (2009 5.5 v8)

 

If you're replacing those insanely expensive OEM MB batteries every 3 years, why do you keep doing it? They're $300-$400 each! I get similar lifespans out of Walmart batteries and they have a 4 year free replacement warranty. I think OP is still on the 2 battery system. H5 AGM for the starter and H8 AGM for the accessory battery. The H5 for the starter is an upgrade. Higher cranking amps, a more common group size, and AGM to battle the underhood temps a little better than a flooded battery can. It's bigger in size but the battery tray has an accommodation for it.

 

Your starter went out. Get it replaced and you'll be fine.

I have replaced mine in the 2010 E550 and the 2013 S550 that I had. The job cannot be done in 15 min but in reasonable time at a shop that knows what they are doing. Mine took a couple of hours with limited room under the car.

If you can work on the car yourself the part is about $350 from AutoZone that I used. There are other part sources, and all people do not like AutoZone as parts store, but for me it was the fastest parts source in both cases. Starter in the E550 has worked flawlessly for many years. The S550 was totaled just a few months after I replaced the starter.

 

15min is the new bar for starter removal. 🤣

 

I had a battery fail on my LX and replaced it with a new one from the dealership. 2 days later the truck wouldn't start. I thought, "It can't be the battery...it's brand new." Guess what...it was the battery.

Batteries can be fickle. So, if it seems like it's a problem with the battery, I'd start testing there.

 

A typical H7 from Costco/Walmart/Oreily/Autozone will last about 3 years, it's considered normal, this is across Audi/Porsche/MB/BMW. I remember the 2-battery systems, it's expensive but it's basically a land-based private jet, some expense is worth it if it brings any convenience to the end customer. The old 740iL's used two batteries in a swing-out tray in the trunk.

A Genuine MB battery for whatever reason, will last several times longer. It's been a popular topic the past few days. Correct mine is $350 or so which is BRUTAL especially when you're in a bind and you just want to get to work, whereas I can get it's contemporary for $179. The original battery in my E550 from 2010 was found in it when I replaced it last year in 2022. Same on my 2013 S550 which has a harder life than it. Optima does nothing for me, lightweight racing batteries wouldn't be it either, turns out at the end of the day my favorite thing in the world is a goofy MB branded lunchbox that sits under the hood.

 

FWIW, I recently replaced the consumer battery in my 2008, after getting some low voltage codes. The MB in there still working was 8.5 years old. I bought an AC Delco for it, but in hindsight it would probably be cheaper in the long run to have gotten the real thing.

 

I got a genuine (its the same spec ) 25kg one as used in the old 221s for my father's merc - it played up inside 18 months
when I changed my OEM one at 9 years in I went with yuasa - it was an identical battery - a lot are they just get other manu stickers... (seems they are likely all Varta batteries anyway) - it was in there 4 years but was getting worse and worse - (came with 5 year warranty) - they checked it out and gave me a free replacement. That replacement seems to struggle to do 2 week of nothing - so on father's OEM and my new one, tried to top them up...

his had bonded shut 2 of the 6 caps - got them out at it was bin material otherwise - topped it up (bone dry) and its 3 years on and about as naff as a 12 month one
the replacement yuasa one has a better design and has much easier to remove caps, topped it up - its about as useful as a 2 year old one now

everything is use for 2 years get to 3 and throw it in a skip these days... (including all brands of cars and bikes...)

 

Thanks all. Towed to local independent MB repair shop. Definitely was the starter. Not sure if OEM parts used, but it was $850 out the door. Now to decide to keep it and keep potentially pouring money in to it or move on.

 

If you had done the starter yourself, a good Bosch unit is in the $100-$200 neighborhood. That plus a few hours of work would have saved some serious coin.

 

In my case with the E550, the first action was to replace the battery. This was done at the dealer after I complained about the starting issues. This was a $400 battery replacement.

Car operated fine for about a month and then the problem came back. I replaced the battery again, this time with an AutoZone battery. The same thing happened, after about a month starting problems.

Then I charged the battery fully and the same thing happens, a month of no trouble but then again.

I did some reading and came to conclusion that it must be the starter and replaced it. No one problem since then and this was very many years ago.

The strange thing with my problem was that the car cranked fine but would not start. I think the starter somehow robbed the power so bad that the other systems in the car would not just work correctly and the car would not start.

Then, why the one-month trouble free time after battery is fully charged. I think this is from the fact the "smart" charging system in these cars does not do the completely full charge on the batteries. The charge level slowly goes down and obviously then leads to starting problems.

 

No, 15 minutes it is!!!

 

Oh yeah. 15 minutes! Please correct the labor guide catalogue.

 

if you can remove the exhaust ahead of time I think I could do it in 15 minutes lol

 

I was quoting what I was told - his was a 216 CL and he'd had three others do it before so wasn't his first rodeo

 

Just messing with you. I couldn't take off all the panels in under 15min. If there's somebody out there who can do the job in 15min, I want to learn from this Jedi.

 

This job does not require exhaust removal. If it did it would be a job not many can do as this would be taking down the exhaust manifolds from the engine. Tail pipe sections split behind gear box. Next pieces go all the way to engine.

But, no exhaust removal needed for starter swap. Just the bottom cover.

 

Ok,
#1 You guys suck for jinxing me. My starter went out!

#2 It is entirely possible to change out this starter in 15min. I did not accomplish this due to me doing this job on my back in the driveway in 110° heat. I had to take several ice water breaks.

Ignore the online guides and just attack it. You don't need to remove or unbolt any components for clearance except the 2 bottom covers. If you put the weight of the car on the wheels, the sway bar tucks itself out of the way. After unbolting the starter, rotate it so the back of the unit comes out first. It will squeeze between the cat and the sway bar if you position it properly.

 

the 4 starters on his CL were all done under the service moblio call out thing - merc techs, with merc diagnostics, after a replacement battery (due to no start), second one was a replacement battery deemed faulty , no start again, now diagnosed as a starter and on it goes .... always telling them battery OK and starter duff - hence 4th unit !!!!! till it played up yet again

call me cynical, I can't believe his pampered one of 2009 and 90k miles has so much fun when my 2006 at 70k miles doesn't -

so

1) its later so no doubt designed in more tricks
2) is a single front battery thing with updated electronics, that no doubt don't work
3) its higher miles

so

I see lots of old merc have EZS ignition switch fun.... often its wear and tear of the switch and it refuses to give the crank comand - so are these dying starter's really this ? they don't have much to do in life.... would updating the switch software be a good idea...
Merc like there software turn off tricks

 

Does Varta manufacture batteries in the US? If not, does anyone really think they are getting an imported battery from Germany?

 

AC delco know what they are doing - at least as good as varta - in fact as nothing to do with germany likely 10 times better

but these days all in bed with one another and all selling out to one another .... its all a connected mess of designed to fail - aiming to get you on the page of lease hire

 

Is yours a 4MATIC? Wonder if they are different...