A140 - location of K3 starter lock out relay??

[Andy730]

Hi,

My wife has a 2002 A140L and it has a problem starting every morning. I've fitted a new battery but that didn't help much. I've read as much as i can about the issues this car might have in relation to the starter motor, mainly from http://www.aclassinfo.co.uk/

I'm now trying to check relay K3, i've looked inside the box that's behind the washer bottle, and there appears to be TWO smallish black relays right at the back of the box. How do i know which one is the K3 relay, that's assuming the car actually has a K3 at all...

I'd check the book for the 049 number in the manual, service bok (again info from that web site, but there's zero book/service history with the car)

What is really strange is that the car needs to be bump started every morning, yet from then on, it starts every time. My wife uses the car every day for work and it has a start stop life.. The problem only happens once it has been sat for a couple of hours. I've also checked the current drain on the battery once it is parked up & locked and withe with doors locked & and alarm on, there's less than 10milliamp flowing.

If i charge the battery up, then it starts every time..

So, i'd like to check K3 if i have one, as failing that, i'm stuck with the starter motor that needs changing (unless i'm missing something??)

Cheers,
Andy

 

[grober]

Bert Rowe's-A-class info. Battery Compartment, Fuses & Relays
and
Bert Rowe's-Mercedes-Benz 'A'-class info. Starter Motor Location & information. replacement

and best

Bert Rowe's-A-class info. Questions and answers on Mercedes-Benz 'A' Class W168 variants which details a test for the relay. you put your finger on the suspect relay and get an assistant to operate the starter. You should feel a " click" movement inside the relay as it operates- thus identifying it. Revised part no according to Bert is
A0002 542 76 19

ps unless your battery is less than three years old it sounds as if it may be worth changing it? It may be the starter motor is past its best and may require optimimum voltage to function reliably- not cheap but a lot cheaper than a new starter motor!

 

[Andy730]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response..

The battery is brand new. The page that was the most helpful was this one:- Bert Rowe's-A-class info. Battery Compartment, Fuses & Relays because around half way down is a picture of the actual K3 relay sitting within the box behind the washer bottle. This tells me that my A140 does not have the K3 relay fitted, so must have the 'odd-ball' starter motor that has the immobiliser relay built in. :-(

As there doesn't now appear to be any other options, i'm now thinking that the starter motor needs to be changed.. And i'm not looking forward to that one..Grrr.