w140 start error

[Lugy]

After some help here, my car won't start. It will turn over but a start error warning flashes on the dash. All fuses and relays seem fine. Any suggestions?

 

[Lugy]

Oh and the PSE pump seems to have died

 

[BlackC55]

It may be related. I suspect it could be.

It needs a Star plugged in first

 

[Lugy]

Noooo

Thats something I really could do without at the moment working poncey shifts and being as skint as I am just now! Would be my luck though. I take it there are no self tests I can perform?

 

[BlackC55]

Not really. It is immobilised in some way. Try the spare key first.

A 140 is an expensive car to fix. It always was and always will be.

 

[Lugy]

I'll try that when I get in, I played around with the red alarm type key, there's no mention of it in the manual though.

Anything to get rid of the Zafira I'm using just now

 

[Quincy_W140]

It turns over... does it try to fire?
If it's turning over thencould be fuel pump, empty tank or bad spark quality?
Have you checked the battery?
Process of elimination I guess.
If it's immobilised I wouldn't expect it to turn over (is that true?).

Q.

 

[Lugy]

It doesn't even think about starting, just turns over. Tried the spare key and replaced the batteries in the normal one. I had a wee poke around the PSE pump but didn't see anything obvious.

Strangely the battery was flat when I tried it earlier, there's obviously some sort of drain. Going to buy a fault code reader (with 38pin attachment obviously), it'll be handy to have if nothing else.

 

[vincenz]

You tried charging up the battery?
Once they drop below a certain level they seem to deteriorate pretty quickly.

I hardly started my w124 from xmas week to mid jan because of the snow and xmas holidays and mine was the same, wouldnt even turn over, lights on the dash and interior light dim.

I gave the battery a 10 hour charge and with regular driving its been sound.

Did the 140 just stop all of a sudden?

 

[Lugy]

You tried charging up the battery?
Once they drop below a certain level they seem to deteriorate pretty quickly.

I hardly started my w124 from xmas week to mid jan because of the snow and xmas holidays and mine was the same, wouldnt even turn over, lights on the dash and interior light dim.

I gave the battery a 10 hour charge and with regular driving its been sound.

Did the 140 just stop all of a sudden?

I was jumping it from another (running) car, before that the battery has definitely been sound, I'd wage something on it being drained. I've disconnected it now in the hope it clear some fault codes (optimistic here!). I drove it about 5m this morning, then later on it didn't work

Bloody modern cars! Should have kept my 1400 carb Nova

 

[Lugy]

Still no luck here. Disconnecting the battery has done sod all

My X114 plug seems to be on the OS strut top, is this right? Everywhere seems to suggest it's beside the ECU!?

Also can anyone confirm that a 1997 car uses OBD2?

 

[Lugy]

Another update, managed to get hold of a man and his STAR machine, he's coming out early next week to sort it out. Means I'll potentially be carless but gives me an excuse to be in the pub

 

[Lugy]

Okay, the boy with the STAR came out tonight. All he could find was something up with the K40 relay (the one that Carl in Dalkeith pointed at over the phone ).

I'm to take it out and leave it overnight giving it a good thump on the way back in LOL. If that fails he'll come back out and look again.

Strangely there were no faults in the PSE system . He remembers that they're linked. It's quite odd though that the indicators flash when I press the fob I thought, though it'd seem that the car has an aftermarket alarm fitted (little red key/chip that has a little plug in the footwell).

 

[Classy6]

K40 relays were/are common across the range for failing. That is probably the fault.

It's an internal fuse/relay unit, they typically have issues with solder cracking & internal fuses blowing.
A dealer will replace the part as a complete rather expensive unit, if your handy with a soldering iron & have a good eye some people have dismantled them themselves and fixed the solder and/or replaced the internal fuses if it's turned out they are the fault. It could just be completely knackered though!

 

[fuzzer]

Okay, the boy with the STAR came out tonight. All he could find was something up with the K40 relay (the one that Carl in Dalkeith pointed at over the phone ).

I'm to take it out and leave it overnight giving it a good thump on the way back in LOL. If that fails he'll come back out and look again.

Strangely there were no faults in the PSE system . He remembers that they're linked. It's quite odd though that the indicators flash when I press the fob I thought, though it'd seem that the car has an aftermarket alarm fitted (little red key/chip that has a little plug in the footwell).

Have you got a picture of the chip? Might still be an MB system , i seem to remember cars of that vintage having that red key you are describing.

 

[Lugy]

Here it is.