Shelly G

I have a 2005 S55 AMG, I went to the store and no issues with the car. After getting back in my car, it wouldn’t start. Absolute silence😳 Tried jumping the battery. Still nothing. I had it towed home. After researching further, the car is stuck in park, will not start, everything that normally works in the start position doesn’t work, windows, brake lights, key is recognized but not the normal things I see on the instrument cluster is not there. I have replaced the starter, brake light switch and the starter relay, hoping that would fix the issue and still no start, stuck in park, no brake lights etc. I used a iCarsoft MB V2 to see what codes I had. One that stood out was EIS Electronic Ignition Switch - Undervoltage. My battery is good and I had it tested. So it may be a bad EIS. Anyone have any thoughts or ideas, please help.

speedlimit

Hi!

Welcome!

Moving to the W220 forum for help from fellow owners. Good luck solving the issues with your S55.

Bob

JohnLane

Shelly have you got anywhere with your S-55?

Undervoltage codes.... 'The battery store' rather famously finds MB batteries to be good that are not.

Keyless GO? If so, pop the button out of the EIS and insert the key. Does the car wake up when key is inserted? Does the key turn? If the key turns... Does she start?

My experience of 220 cars doing as you describe..... Keys fail 10 to one dead EIS. Keep in mind that your car is well and truly old enough to have most anything to be pissed about electronically. EIS and keys require paperwork at MB. Bring ownership papers with you should any of that be needed.

First up... Once you KNOW the battery is healthy... Get after fuses. Use a test light with a real incandescent bulb as it draws just a bit of amperage, where the 'Disney LED lektronik logic probe' will somehow manage to light up even with bad connections that will pass zero amps to operate a circuit.

You mention certain features did not appear in the cluster when you try to start it. Smells of fuse or SAM (Signal acquisition module) issue. Happens.

Firing the parts cannon at the car will burn too many dollars to not get to the prize. You mention replacing a starter.... Jump battery voltage to the small wire that tells the starter to work. It will crank.

Should this be beyond what you can chase.... Better to get it to a knowledgeable, reputable independent or MB dealership and take your lumps.

GrepAwk

Get a new battery before you waste any money.

maw1124

I might try all of that with a battery charger first, to see how well you “know” your battery is good. You may have a draw.

maw

Shelly G

Hi John,
I checked fuses all good. I checked the 2 larger red power wires that connects to the EIS and they had no power. So, after much research, traced the problem to the pre fuses X4/10 (located underneath the passenger footwell carpet. I check the fuses and I had a blown 60amp fuse (which is for the EIS). Replaced the fuse with a new 60 amp fuse and the fuse blew again, when I tried to start the car. Do you know how I can trace where those wires go? I know I need to check the resistance to ground on that circuit but I am not sure where to start. Thanks for all your help. Shelly

JohnLane

Shelly I don't have access to wiring diagrams for your 220 car. Perhaps others will chime in. When diagnosing something like this I use a circuit breaker (sayyy... 30 amps) with a gauge that wiggles when placed next to a harness that has power flowing in it. The circuit breaker pulses power ON.... Off which is unmistakable on the gauge guy. Follow along the harness with the gauge guy to the source of the short to ground. I purchased mine from the Mac tools guy many many moons ago. Bet that Harbor Freight or one of those type of outfit has one.

Which electrical circuits were acting screwy in the days/weeks before your car decided to have a Time-Out? Look to those first.

Git to it! You can do this.

maw1124

OP,

With they replaced 60A fuse, were you able to turn the car to ACC on, and move the gear selector with the lit up dash and all that fun stuff? That may help narrow the issue. If you can do all that but blow the fuse upon crank, we’ll then I would gamble a new CPS (crank position sensor, known problem), or perhaps even a starter. It might be worth another 60A fuse. This hunt and peck is cheaper than the dealer, for sure, and probably more effective.

GL

maw

JohnLane

A CPS will light wires on fire to it before passing enough amperage to burn up a 60 amp fuse! Thus; we look to where the direct short to ground is. Shelly already replaced a starter.

OP: Do recheck that the lead to the starter that tells the starter to operate is not installed such that it can be making contact with a ground.

FWIW your car is old enough to be having issues in the engine wiring harness. God be with you should that be the case.

Progress report?

AZargelin

OP,

If ur blowing out a 60A fuse then u got a big short I would check around the fuse maybe the circuit is touching the bare metal or something could u include pics but I think that u definitely have a problem very close to that area because that is a big short so it should hopefully be easy to locate. oh and did u get any wiring diagramsthose help out alot.

JohnLane

Shelly have you made any progress?

Shelly G

Hey John, progress.... yes and no. So frustrating trying to find where the problem is located. Just trying to eliminate certain things. I checked the wires going to the new starter all good. So, I removed the new starter relay that I replaced and used a power probe in the #87 slot, the engine turned over and sounds really strong, but of course didn’t start since it will not receive fuel using the power probe. Good news, when I did that, it did not blow the 60 amp pre fuse. So, I ended up putting the original starter relay back in instead of the new one I bought and tried to start the car. Good news, it did not blow the 60 amp fuse but unfortunately, did not start. I believe the new relay could have been faulty. I feel that my problem could be that my car does recognize that my shifter is in park. I still have no brake lights when pressing the brake and the shifter is still stuck in park. I believe my EIS is fine, so where to go from here, I am not sure. I did replace the brake light switch but I guess I could check that again. Do you know if my car has a neutral safety switch? I am not sure if that could be the problem. After researching, my understanding is that the neutral safety switch sends a signal to the starter and the ignition before starting. Any ideas?

JohnLane

Shelly.... Yes; there is a neutral safety switch. This keeps it from cranking unless in Park or Neutral. NO BRAKE LIGHTS keeps it from coming out of Park. Verify that you have power to the brake light switch and that power gets through the brake light switch when applying the brake... Power through the brake light switch powers a solenoid at the shifter that lets it out of park. Key on Engine off you should be able to hear that solenoid operate... assuming you can hear it over the din of ZOMG warning chimes. Sure seems like there is an easy mechanical bypass for getting it out of park by manipulating the shifter. Perhaps others will chime in....

Shelly G

I will try and check that circuit. Thanks so much John.

Shelly G

Hey John, question: Could it be in a security lockdown?

Shelly G

Brake light switch has power. White connector 2 wires (both have power).
Black connector 3 wires ( middle and right wires both have power) Left wire purple and black no power. It maybe be a ground wire. No sure.

Heard something click ( not sure if it was the solenoid or not ) with the ding ding ding going on. LOL

I was wondering if my car could be in some sort of security lock down. 😳

JohnLane

NO more blown fuses since exchanging the relay? If so..... Yes; the self inflicted wounds can be toughest to figure out.... But glad you are there.

Sooooo you can get it to crank with the tester..... Turn the key to the run position and ask that starter to operate with the tester. Does she light up?

Yup. Security has locked you out. you tried too many times! Much like the computer when you start trying all the passwords cuz you forgot. Try again in a month! LOL. More seriously....
I don't know if the 'Alarm/security' system MB gave your 220 car just interrupts the starter circuit or if it also keeps fuel/engine management from happening. Usually such systems go the easy route and keep the starter from working. That said.... The 'siren' in your car has it's own battery that is well overdue to have died. Those usually fail such that the siren screams incessantly.... and the starter won't work cuz it is convinced you are busy stealing the car.

JohnLane

Shelly have you made any progress?

JohnLane

Earth to Shelly..... Earth to Shelly.... Come in Shelly!

I hope that you have not thrown in the towel on your 220 car!

Report back with good or bad news!