I'm in the process of reading various threads on this and other forums...but thought I'd lay down specifics and see if anyone has any insights.

Son drives 99 E300 with 160k miles. Started the car to move it to a different spot in the driveway. Five minutes later, having shut the car off, he inserted the key (electronic, not mechanical) and nothing....no "click" and it wouldn't turn. So he tried and tried and tried and tried....nothing.

Then, after trying a while, he stuck the key in and heard the click but it still wouldn't turn. I was with him on the phone and asked if there were any signs of battery weakness. All lights, including headlights, seemed fine.

So then, just for the heck of it, I had him disconnect and reconnect the battery. Still nothing. I had him remove the batteries from the key fob just for the heck of it.

Then, after an hour or so, he tried again and it turned. But he had forgotten to glow....so he turned it off, turned and glowed and it started right up.

Initially there were ESP and ABS warnings on but he could clear those out.

I'm assuming I'll just need to take it to my mechanic. But if anyone has any diagnostic suggestions, I'm all ears. I wonder if K40 relay is likely culprit.

Thanks.

__________________
14 E250 Bluetec 4Matic "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 158k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 177k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver on Tan, 144k mi, wastegate conversion, ALDA delete

19 Honda CR-V EX 72k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife