My 320E won't fire up if the key has been left in the ignition (in the off position) for a few minutes. The engine will turn over just fine but not start. On most occasions if I take the key out and leave it out for a few minutes it will start up just fine. Whats going on here. There is nothing in the user manual to explain this? Any ideas as it is a real nuisance.

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1993 320E 140,000km

I'm just guessing here, but I wonder if a defective ignition assembly leaves the fuel shutoff switch in the "On" position?

Does jiggling the key in the ignition change anything?

Otherwise, it would be easy for me to say the OVP is the likely source of the problem.

Do a search on OVP and you will find a ton of info on that little relay...

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

Thanks for the reply. I had suspected the OVP and had read the hundreds of responses for that relay but had not seen anything about the key left in problem. Jiggling the key in the ignition does not do anything but I removed the OVP and found some verde gris on a couple of the contacts and the others had a degree of sulphide coating. Cleaned them all up with a silver cloth and reinstalled. The starting problem has definitely gone away but I do not know for how long. I took a note of the OVP part No. and it is the old type. Will replace at the next service.

While I was ferreting behind the battery I looked for the fuel relay but could not find it, only the klima, OVP plus a small green can with a 30A fuse on the top. Any idea what this is.

My car is ex Japan and may have been assembled there so things may be different from US models.

Thanks again, this is a great site and a wonderful resource for us car nuts.

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1993 320E 140,000km

Hmmm...I haven't looked in awhile, but I don't remember any green components in that area...the fule relay IS there though, but I thought it was a black component???

Is your car really badged as a 320E? Mine is a 93 and I still have the 300E designation, but the 3.2L M104 engine. I thought MB didn't badge the W124 as the E320 until 94?

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car

I think there may be some differences between European, Asian and US versions of the W124. My car is definitely a 1993 320E with that fantastic M104 engine. The W124 vehicles here had a minor facelift in 1994 and were rebadged E320 etc. It might be interesting for you people to know that about a third of the cars registered each year in New Zealand are used Japanese cars; they of course are right hand drive models. Apparently Japanese cars have to undergo an expensive and rigorous 5 year warrant of fitness check and many people trade in on a new model. Hence there are a lot of cars including luxury models such a Mercs, BMWs and Volvos greatly depreciated in the used car lots. There are bargains to be had but good paper work records are hard to come by. It can be a lottery but careful appraisal by a friendly benz tech can help.

Whilst my M104 has all the emission gear installed I don't think it has OBD as exhaust emissions are not checked, not yet anyway.

Getting back to the fuel relay from the pictures I have seen on this site it is a black can with the engine cutoff revs written on the top. No such item behind my battery. The green can is plastic and half the size of the OVP. I'll keep on looking.

I read with interest another thread re AC R12 vs R134a. My car is fitted with factory R134a or so the MB sticker says in German.

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1993 320E 140,000km

We sometimes forget how difficult it is to obtain a car and get proper paperwork done when abroad!

And factor in your already high fuel costs!!!

R-12 is expensive in the US and hard to come by because of strict environmental guidelines by the EPA. Those in the forum that have converted their R12 systems to R134a have witnessed a decrease in cooling efficiency...

Noticed your mileage on your signature...that's pretty low for a 93! Nice acquisition!

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2009 ML350 (106K) - Family vehicle
2001 CLK430 Cabriolet (80K) - Wife's car
2005 BMW 645CI (138K) - My daily driver
2016 Mustang (32K) - Daughter's car