Could the ignition coils in my 400E be affected by the very cold weather? the car won't start in very cold and the pass side coil not throughing a spark??

Anything's possible. It sounds like an intermittent open or short circuit. Check all electrical connections. If the coils are the same, swap 'em and see if the problem follows the coil or not. It's possible that the coil is shorted or has a broken wire that only shows up with the contraction of the materials when cold. A poorly fitting ignition or coil supply wire could do the same thing.

Then you can get a heat gun and see which components need warming up.......

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-tp


1990 300SE "Corinne"- 145k daily driver - street modified differential - PARTING OUT OR SELLING SOON - PORTLAND OR. AREA - PM ME FOR DETAILS
1988 560SEL "Gunther"- 190K passes anything except a gas station
1997 S420 - 265k just bought it with a rebuilt trans. Lovely condition

AHHH heat gun good idea!!!!!!!!

I would think only a failing one would be affected by the cold. My 300E starts and runs the same at 0F as it does at 85F......only difference being slower cranking at 0F....

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'89 420SEL 166k - mine (OC-170,000)
'93 190D 2.2 - 221k - mine (OC-222,700)
'01 E320 Wagon - 146k - mine (OC-147,000)
'05 C240 4matic Wagon - 152k - wifes (OC-154,500)
'01 E320 - 160k - Dad's (OC-163,500)
'07 E350 Wagon - 114k - dad's (OC-121,500)
'02 E320 - 190k - Brother's (OC - 192,000)
'09 E350 4matic Sedan - 78k - Brothers (OC-85,500)

I found another thread, and he had the same symtoms and it was he coils!!

Digging up an old thread

My 400e is almost harder to start at 10* than any of my diesels. Once it starts it has a noticeable miss at idle till it's good and warmed up. I even have to shift to neutral at stop lights.

Add to that a weird 'rattle/knock from around the trunk area till its warm(exhaust?). THEN "clicks" from perhaps the rear headrests till warm.

Once it's warm, like 80C, all these problems go away.

Coils?

Keep in mind I know next to nothing about gas MB's

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08 R320 CDI current

Past
95 E420
87 300D Turbo 5spd
90 300TE
83 300SD
85 300TD
92 400E
85 190D