My 1998 ML 320 started having these problems last week. All of a sudden it stalled a stop light... restarted after 5 mins of retrying. The next day, it failed to start after being driven for 25 mins, it started after 20 mins of trying to start it. Yesterday, i drove it for an hour, pulled over to fill gas, would not start for like 4 cranks... every time the car cranks fine, but took 4 tries to start it. It always starts fine on a cold start even in 10 degree weather ( I live in the North East ).
Any help will be much appreciated.

Sounds like you've got a bad Crank Position Sensor. Do a Search This Forum on the opening page of this forum and you'll find all kinds of info on the problem. There are a least three threads covering this problem.

Thank you. Do you know how much a dealer would charge... or is this something I can ask a local mechanic to install for me. I am not very mechanically savvy.

Thank you

WELLS CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR for a 1998 MERCEDES BENZ TRUCK ML320

Unit Price: $54.99
Core Value*: $0.00
Part No.: SU4740
Weight: 0.092 lbs.
Warranty: 3 MO
Availability: Online: Special Order
Store: Special Order
Note:

NONE

Any shop should do this, no problem once the engine cools down. It's on the left side of engine on the top in the very back. Takes an E-8 socket.

i got mine on the web. it's a bosch for about the same price. any mechanic can do it, i had a 18 year old kid do mine. works perfect.

yeah, it's on the drivers side pretty far down- difficult to get to way in the back and down. it'll take a regular mechanic longer to figure out how to do it than install it!

sorry for the serial posting. you need to get it fixed- it's cheap to do and will only get worse over time and with warmer weather.

I actually dropped the ml at a local repair shop that specializes in European cars... dude seemed more knowledgeable than the merc dealership who just wanted to read the computer codes ( by the way it was 99$ to read the codes)... I will know tomorrow whats wrong with the car. Will keep everyone posted.

thanks

I stay far away from these "aftermarket" parts for MB's. I put new spark plugs in my 190E on Saturday and found the rotor corroded up pretty bad. No place to get one on Saturday around here except AutoZone or Adavance Auto. I bought the rotor for $5 from Advance and it ran exactly 3 miles before a BAD miss set in (almost got me killed going back across a busy highway). Needless to say I cleaned the old one with fine emery cloth and immediately reinstalled it. I had hoped that their parts had gotten better, but this is obviously not the case. As hard as the CPS is to get to and considering how bad it can leave you stranded, I wouldn't cheap out on it.

You dont need no stinking Mechanic to tell ya that.

You have us.

It is the Crank Shaft Position Sensor.

__________________
Steve Danville
what i did myself.
CPS
rear shocks
MAS x 3.
SparkPlugs (twice)
Fuel pump & Filter
Window switch
replaced both failed horns with Honda horns.
Cleaned ERG Tube
Oil changes
Oil consumption Fix
Brake Pads
A/C Recharge
Anti-Freeze change X 2.
Front Shocks. Monroe. $90
Mercedes Warrenty Work:
Harmonic balancer,power steering clamp. Cat converters.Drive Shaft Bearing.s
Replaced Outer Lower Tie Rods and front lower ball joints at 156,000 miles

But the dealership folks are retards. I mentioned to them numerous times that it could be the CPS.

And you need one anyways at 100,000
miles.

it should be in the schedules maintenance as religiously as they fail.

__________________
Steve Danville
what i did myself.
CPS
rear shocks
MAS x 3.
SparkPlugs (twice)
Fuel pump & Filter
Window switch
replaced both failed horns with Honda horns.
Cleaned ERG Tube
Oil changes
Oil consumption Fix
Brake Pads
A/C Recharge
Anti-Freeze change X 2.
Front Shocks. Monroe. $90
Mercedes Warrenty Work:
Harmonic balancer,power steering clamp. Cat converters.Drive Shaft Bearing.s
Replaced Outer Lower Tie Rods and front lower ball joints at 156,000 miles

at the toll plaza at the Whitestone bridge... The funny thing was the mechanic was driving it back to the garage from home. He had taken it home to see if a 50 mile drive would cause it to stall...

Havent driven it long enough to prove it. But for the short drives, it does not stall anymore and restarting hasnt been a problem.

Will keep everyone posted.

Also the mechanic said that, while turning the key sometimes, he did not see the bank of lights on the dashboard light up. He said it could be a problem with the "computer". Does that make sense. I never saw this problem. But the mechanic swears that it is a problem.