E250 W212 Won’t Start After Freeze *Battery is Fine*

[RobbiE250]

Hello all.

I seem to get this problem once a year, the car has sat for a few days during a cold spell and simply won’t start on a cold morning.

The battery is fine, tested with a multimeter, plenty of fuel, well looked after, regularly serviced etc

Doesn’t miss a beat all year long. Struggling to diagnose it as by the time the car gets to a garage, the problem is gone.

I vaguely recall someone mentioning that it could be air getting in to the fuel line due to the plastic parts shrinking in the cold weather…..

Has anyone had this issue?

 

[Tonygw]

Is it cranking and not firing? When was the fuel filter changed last, that would be my first thing to check. The fuel filter should have a heating element built in to stop the diesel becoming thick in freezing temps. worth checking that's working ok.

 

[BlackC55]

Its probably a faulty steering lock. They tend to die in the winter.

 

[DSM10000]

Hello all.

I seem to get this problem once a year, the car has sat for a few days during a cold spell and simply won’t start on a cold morning.

The battery is fine, tested with a multimeter, plenty of fuel, well looked after, regularly serviced etc

A Multimeter will only read the battery voltage. That isn't a test of the battery.

To fully test it you need to put it under load and check charge capacity. I kept the battery from my W211 after replacing it. That battery is siting on a bench and reads 12.4 volts at the terminals but with a battery tester it is showing 43% charge and only 420 CCA available when it was rated at 850 CCA.