It finally hapened, the moment I feared

Well, my 98 ML320 won't start. It tries to kick over but doesn't. I'm thinking starter. Any thought? If it is a started, how hard would it be to replace myself?

Thanks

[Gilly]

"Tries to kick over but doesn't", does that mean the tip start allows the engine to crank until the tip start finally gives up after 10 seconds or so?

Gilly

[tabo]

If it is the starter.. is the starter solenoid and motor seperate and can be replaced individually? or do you have to replace the entire unit?

[G-Benz]

You have a 98. If the battery is original, it's probably due for a replacement.

Noticed more than a few threads about 98 MLs having starting problems as of late.

I get to join the list next year, I guess.

It happened again. Right after I posted the message, I tried to jump start the car with another car. It would start right away, but after about 5 min of sitting there with the other car running it started. I figure battery was dead, it got some charge now all I had to do was buy a new battery and it all be good. The car doesn't start even with the new battery. I called the dealer and was told the most likely it a fuel pump. Called another place, they told me it might be a programming glitch. Any ideas?

Thanks

[Gilly]

This all originally happened almost a month ago. You've let it sit around for a month?
I need an answer to my original reply.
Also, when you attemt to start it, have you noticed a message in the odometer area that says "start error" ?

Gilly

ps If you have more than 1 key for the truck, try another key.

The reason I let it go for a month is because I thought it was the battery. After I jumped the car, it started fine and ran fine. I didn't give it another thought. It makes the same sound as though it was out of gas. It tries to start but doesn't. The car has gas in it though. The was no error when trying to start.

[Gilly]

If you have another key, try it. Usually the odometer area in the cluster will display "start error" if it's a bad key, maybe not always though.
Other possibilities are a bad fuel pump or a bad fuel filter. Not a plugged fuel filter. The fuel pressure regulator is part of the filter, the regulator part of the filter can fail.

Gilly

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to be droping the car at the dealer Monday. They won't look at the car untill Wendsday.

Thank you.

Just an update. The whole issue was bad fuel pump relay. I feel kind of stupid for not looking at the fuse box first. Is there a way to tell if a relay is bad by looking at it, like a fuse?

Thanks

[rootin'teuton]

My wife's ML320 also did not want to start. After searching the forum, looks like fuel pump relay is logical place to start. Ordered one from my favorite supplier here in Virginia. She had to order it from California though....

My question is she said it looks like a relay that serves a lot of functions besides the fuel pump. I checked on the web and the description from a supplier below is what I found:

"Parking light : Horn : Fuel Pump : Blinker : Starter Motor : Circulating Pump : Foglight : Rear Defroster "



Looks like a multipurpose relay alright. But can the fuel pump relay function go bad alone without the rest going bad as well?


Pls. help!!!




thank you!

[Gilly]

Please read this thread and also your other thread I responded to.
What they mean is that it's the same part number for all the relays with those functions you have listed, it's not "one" relay, it's several different relays with the same part number.

Gilly