E300D starting problem

[CL420]

Groan. ONly just joined the forum and the car starts playing up. It is becoming difficult to start. Symptoms are exactly like a flat battery - turns over slowly, sounds wheezy. So much so I exchanged my under warranty battery today for a new one from Halfords, but it made no difference.

I'm reasonably tech competent, so will check the usuals such as battery connections, earth strap etc and try a battery directly across the starter, but is there anything particularly Mercedes about this? I mean is this a known fault, or is there a particular electrical issue I should be aware of? Grateful as ever - sooner I get that new CL420 the better...

CL420

 

[Dieselman]

Check the earth lead to body from the battery and the earth strap from the engine. There is a terminal through the passenger footwell for +ve as well, otherwise it's the starter motor or solenoid.

 

[CL420]

Have checked all the usual - no fault found. It seems to churn slowly for the first couple of turns, then wake up and spin as usual. My wife said when she started it this morning it was fine, but subsequent starts were slow. Guess I will be paying Gerry Doverman a visit this week.