Help - W211 Starting Issue

[Major774]

I am stuck with my recent non start issue. I was wondering if anyone has been in a similar situation.

My father moved my car two weeks ago and when he went to move the car again it refused to start. I subsequently called the AA and the technician thought it could be a starter motor problem.

Over the last few months, on occasions, I noticed the car would take a few more seconds to start so I went ahead and replaced the starter motor anyway. However, the car is still refusing to start.

The following happens for both keys:

• The key can be inserted into the EIS (position 0)
• I can turn to position 1 (the SRS light does turn off once and then turns back on, is this suppose to turn off and not return? I note it turns off in my father's W210)
• I can turn to position 2 (dash lights come on)
• I can turn to start the car but nothing happens (no clicks, no start). Or if I flick swiftly from position 0/1 to start the car, there is a single click sound but no start

I have checked all fuses and relays (all good).

Does this sound like a possible EIS failure? It feels like the immobiliser system is in lock down mode and will not allow the car to start.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Have you had any fault codes read?

 

[merc85]

Does sound like Eis, if you can get it to turn over but not fire then more than likely a cps fault.

 

[Major774]

There are no current faults that point to the EIS.

Just some FYI faults that can be cleared.

The CPS is new, I replaced that when it failed at the petrol station. At that time the engine would just keep turning with no start.

The solenoid does engage but does not fire up the starter, both starters (old and new) do the same.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

I'd start by checking the voltage at the starter, make sure this is correct.

Would only take a frayed, corroded lead to cause the voltage to be too low.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

The imbobilizer would throw up canbus codes if no signal to start was occurring. My icarsoft mb2 scanner shows them anyhow. My key was faulty and I had a new one made. No issues since .

 

[CJD]

I had this a while back on my old car, exactly the same symptoms as yours - it was a bad / corroded connection onto the starter, cleaned it up and never had the problem again.

 

[Major774]

The imbobilizer would throw up canbus codes if no signal to start was occurring. My icarsoft mb2 scanner shows them anyhow. My key was faulty and I had a new one made. No issues since .

Nothing came up on the scan, I will give it another shot.

I had this a while back on my old car, exactly the same symptoms as yours - it was a bad / corroded connection onto the starter, cleaned it up and never had the problem again.

I was hoping this was the case and installed a new remanufacturered starter, still no joy. I will go and clean the connections to the starter and see if that helps.

Big thanks to everyone!

 

[Major774]

• Cleaned the connections, still no start
• 12v+ measured at the permanent connection (at the solenoid)
• Turned to start and no voltage measured at the starter (ignition switch wire)
• Carried out a continuity test on the ignition switch wire running from the front SAM to the starter, passed (no break in the wire)

I assume the EIS and both keys are now out of sync. So has my father some how put the car in security lockdown mode (is there such a thing)?

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Decent scanner?

 

[Major774]

Decent scanner?

I got access to STAR diagnostic so I can give that another try.

 

[Major774]

No current faults in STAR.

But I have now pulled out the EIS.

Whilst dismantling the drivers' side dash vent I noted some broken tabs which gave me a sneaky feeling that some unit was replace in the past. Anyway, I checked on EPC and there are six generations of the EIS for my VIN number, and the part number of my current EIS did not match any of them. So it appears the EIS was changed in the past.

Next step, I am going try source a used EIS (that matches one of the six part numbers) and get a company to clone the data across.

 

[Major774]

Well the EIS trick did not work. Same symptoms with the copied EIS.

I think I am now looking the ECU, may be the ECU is not sending a signal over to the relay in order to kick start the starter.

 

[Major774]

Figured it out!

Spoke to an awesome ECU repair guy and he wasn't sure the ECU is 100% at fault. As there are a number of parameters the ECU needs in order to send the signal to the starter relay. But cloning the ECU would help to eliminate the ECU as the culprit, however, he couldn't source another ECU with the exact part number so he couldn't help any further.

So I decided to bridge the starter relay to see if I could manually trigger the starter, and it worked. But I noticed the car (at idle) started to move forwards as well. I lifted the car up and spotted the shifter rod to the gear lever was disconnected (broken clip). So basically the gearbox was actually in 'D' mode all the time, thus, stopping my car from starting.

Can't wait to get the car back on the road, it has been off the road for about 3 months (including the time spent off road for the rear main seal job).

 

[91dm]

You must have been relieved when you spotted that!

 

[Major774]

You must have been relieved when you spotted that!

Definitely... Mercedes had a clip in stock today, car is back on the road

 

[toolman1954]

Congratulations on realising that it would not start because it was in Drive. A nice obscure fault to add to the list for " My car will not start ". A banana Sir.

Steve.