Why did my car not start ?

[br0ke]

I am still learning how my '05 CLK works but sometimes I don't get it.

Tonight I went out at 7.50 to pick my son up. Parked up at 08.00, turned engine, lights and heated seats off. Listened to the radio for 5 minutes and then he came out and got into the car.

Turned key to start it - nothing.
Turned key all the way off and then back to start it - nothing.
Took key out, put it back in and off we went.

I have noticed this once or twice before in similar scenarios but always thought it was something I had done wrong.

Am I correct in assuming it is meant to do this or this another strange little gremlin....

 

[laf]

Immobiliser kicking in?

 

[coupe deville]

I am still learning how my '05 CLK works but sometimes I don't get it.

Turned key to start it - nothing.
Turned key all the way off and then back to start it - nothing.
Took key out, put it back in and off we went.



When you say nothing, do you mean zilch, nothing lit on the dash, nothing stirring, completely dead, or everything looks and sounds normal until you turn key to final start position and starter motor doesn't kick in ?
]

 

[Dieselman]

When you say nothing, do you mean zilch, nothing lit on the dash, nothing stirring, completely dead, or everything looks and sounds normal until you turn key to final start position and starter motor doesn't kick in ?
]

No starter operation.
The drive authorisation system has to be reset by key re-insertion.

 

[Rory]

That happened on a brand new C Class demo I had in early 2005 after I'd been playing with it for a while - I was perplexed for a moment, but got out, locked and unlocked the car, and then it started straight off.

It was a regular occurance on the Peugeot 406 company car I had at the time - it fairly frequently wouldn't restart after an engine stop unless the key was removed, and the car locked and unlocked.

 

[gchild]

may be similar to the issue that i had which was a dudd battery in the end. odd symptoms though!

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=59362

 

[br0ke]

When I said nothing, I meant that the engine did not turn. Everything else was as it should be. Initially I thought that it was something to do with the alarm and this was how it was meant to work.

Now my thoughts are that it is either the immobiliser or something else in the electronics getting slightly confused.

Over the past 8 weeks there have been 2 occasions where something similar has happened but as it is new to me and my first automatic I put it down to user error.
The first time I thought I got in and turned the key too quick. Nothing happened so I turned it off and on again and the engine started. Last night I tried that and still nothing so I had to take the key out and then back in again.

I'll keep an eye on the battery voltage.