05 E55 slow to start (new battery), then weird starting sound, weird smell, no start
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
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From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
05 E55 slow to start (new battery), then weird starting sound, weird smell, no start
Car has always been "slow to start" as though the battery were weak. The battery was replaced a little over a year ago. I replaced the aux battery a couple months ago. Car never started "normally" and always cranked as if the battery was weak. But it would always start.
Then, a few days ago, I go to start the car and instead of cranking, I hear a cracking/vibrating sound; kinda like what happens when the battery is low. I turn the key back off and wait. I pop the hood to inspect. I notice a weird electrical burning smell.
I get back in and try it again, car starts this time but the starter sounds different. Car starts. I go home.
I get home, into the garage, kill it. Start it back up, but starter still sounds strange again. No time to deal with this, I hook it up to battery tender overnight so I can look the next day. Now, no start. Just makes a "click" sound as though the battery is too weak to crank. But battery is fully charged.
I mean, all this sounds to me like the starter just fried. But I've read stories online about it being a potential relay/fuse situation preventing 12v from reaching the battery. Anyone got tips on where to start? Where are the locations of these relays/fuses/junctions I could look at to start checking and measuring voltage? Replacing the starter looks like a huge pain in the *** so if it's something simpler I'd love to prove that before I perform surgery.
Then, a few days ago, I go to start the car and instead of cranking, I hear a cracking/vibrating sound; kinda like what happens when the battery is low. I turn the key back off and wait. I pop the hood to inspect. I notice a weird electrical burning smell.
I get back in and try it again, car starts this time but the starter sounds different. Car starts. I go home.
I get home, into the garage, kill it. Start it back up, but starter still sounds strange again. No time to deal with this, I hook it up to battery tender overnight so I can look the next day. Now, no start. Just makes a "click" sound as though the battery is too weak to crank. But battery is fully charged.
I mean, all this sounds to me like the starter just fried. But I've read stories online about it being a potential relay/fuse situation preventing 12v from reaching the battery. Anyone got tips on where to start? Where are the locations of these relays/fuses/junctions I could look at to start checking and measuring voltage? Replacing the starter looks like a huge pain in the *** so if it's something simpler I'd love to prove that before I perform surgery.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 392
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From: Northern Suburb of Indianapolis
CLS55
Thanks for following back up with what you found. Sorry I didn't see this before as starter would have been my first guess based on previous experience on different platform.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 2,418
Likes: 194
From: America
1999 C43 AMG, 2005 E55 Wagon
good news?: it took it almost 3 years of slow-to-crank symptoms before it finally fried the solenoid.
my new starter sounds like a spaceship compared to my old one. It cranks easily 10x faster, instantaneously. I only buy name brand; which is Bosch in this case. Remanufactured.
