98 C280 Wont turn over ... at all - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sticksms · #1 02-28-2004, 05:57 PM

I am hoping that someone can help me ... you guys have been very helpful to me in the past. I went out to start my car today and found that it wouldn't turnover. The pre-ignition dash lights came on, the radio worked but whenever I tried to start the car I get a "click" noise and nothing else. It seems like the battery is okay although I havent load tested it or anything.

It worked fine last night. I tried using different keys to no avail. In the past I have noticed that at times it wouldn't start but after a couple of tries it would start - I thought I was just turning the key too fast for the electronic key to catch.

Does this sound like a bad starter? Or could it be worse? I am trying to set up an appointment with a local repair shop and am just wondering how much $ I should be prepared to lose to get this fixed.

If anyone can help give me an idea of what this could be, how to fix it or how much this might cost, I would appreciate it!

Ali Al-Chalabi · #2 02-28-2004, 11:40 PM

How old is the battery? I would check the battery first before I started condemning any other systems. It is possible that it has enough of a charge to make the lights come on a little but not enough to turn the starter motor. The starter requires a much larger amount of electricity than the lights.

blackmercedes · #3 02-29-2004, 11:00 AM

On the SmartKey cars, the EIS can fail and "lock out" the car from starting. However, in the cases of that I have heard of, the car fires momentarily before the anti-theft system kicks in and kills the engine.

Most 1998 cars are nearing the end of their battery life. Try charging the battery and see if that helps. You could boost the car, but I'm not a big fan of boosting electronic-laden cars.

My own 98 C-Class' battery now only pulls 9 volts at 300amp load, so it'll have to be replaced. It's beginning to be sluggish when firing the car. Any smptoms like that?

Evan · #4 02-29-2004, 11:17 AM

I would say its the Battery also,,, it may have plenty of power to turn on all the lights and the radio, however keep in mind that starter is turning over a full engine, it takes a lot of power to do its job...

Whats the warranty/expiration date on the battery?

Before you go an dspend money at a shop i would seriously consider testing the battery and replacing it, if its not up to par..

sticksms · #5 02-29-2004, 12:31 PM

I took the battery out and took it to an Advance Auto parts ... the battery did need charging and is charging right now as I type. The battery is the original battery and the car probably does not get used enough to keep the battery properly charged ... especially during this winter - it has been exceptionally cold around here.

The ignition had been sluggish when attempting to start the car prior to this happening. I'm about to go get the battery now and hope that this "simple and cheap fix" will be the answer.

Thanks Ali, BlackMercedes and Evan! Stay tuned ... I might need your help again if this doesn't work

sticksms · #6 02-29-2004, 02:07 PM

It worked ... but I had to buy a new battery because the charger wouldn't finish charging due to a bad cell in the original battery. I bought the new one, installed it and the car works like a charm!!

I guess keeping it simple is the way to go ... I've been a little paranoid recently because the extended warranty for the car is about to run out in the middle of March. I went straight to thinking the worst first because of that!

Thanks again for all your advice!! You guys have not let me down yet!!

blackmercedes · #7 02-29-2004, 05:23 PM

Glad it was something simple.

I have about 2500km's left on my extended warranty, so my car is due to go in to the dealer one last time and have them look for warranty repairs. Unfortunately, my battery is not covered, so I'll have to pop for that one.

I have been driving the 190E mostly for the last month, and really noticed the battery problem once the car was not being driven daily. It's sluggish to start after sitting, especially on cold days.

I don't think six years is bad for a battery, given the amount of junk that it has to power. I also use the REST feature and often sit with the engine off and the radio on. While those are small draws, it adds up over time. You've only got so many cycles...

Most 1997-99 MB cars are living on borrowed battery life as we speak...