After 2 weeks of sitting in my garage while I was out of town, the 94 E320 won't turn over. Interstate battery is less than one month old, and shows 12.71 volts across the terminals. Indy also replaced the neutral safety switch and shift bushings when the battery was relaced. No problem before the trip. The horn and headlights work, and I think I hear the starter solenoid click. Any thoughts?

Mark

Loose connection somewhere?
If you have 12.7 volt at the battery terminals,& all connections are tight ( starter, etc.), it should spin over.

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2007 C 230 Sport.

Have you tried arming and disarming the security system, maybe from the passenger side. There is a relay that isolates the starter when the alarm is set.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Yes Steve, I have. The red indicator light flashes when I lock the doors, and stops when I unlock them. Still will not crank. Could the relay you mention be the problem?

Mark

The relay is always part of the circuit. Whether the alarm is impeding the relay or the relay is bad it is in the way.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Just to the left of the brake res. cap is a connector screwed to the wall seperating the engine compartment , 3 wire.
Back probe the V/WT wire and hook a 12v test lamp there .
If this lamp lights when you try the start, the problem is down at the starter.
I suspect that as you heard possible sol click..
A rap on the starter sometimes works, [ temporarily , just to verify ]
It can also be a bad starter ground.. simply jumper cable from bat neg to engine metal..
If no light , it is from there back..

I just re-read your post and have one quick test to consider before any others..

Put the headlamps ON before you try to start .. if the headlamps go out when you get to starter crank position, you have a bad connection at bat or a low bat from sitting.
This is just a DIYer Bat LOAD test that does test power/load
You have 12 volts , but you may not have cranking amps [power]
Do this test before my othwer recommends .......

Arthur,
The headlights remain on when while trying to crank the engine.
I located the 3-pin connector on the shroud that separates the engine and brake reservoir but cannot identify the V/WT pin. Just for fun I removed and re-attached the connector. No improvement. I asume the starter is on the engine's intake side, and accessed from beneath the car as I cannot see it from above.
Mark

It is the heavier , center wire [ assuming you are at the same plug]

I just did a post simular to your complaint [ very simular], so .. to save me typing [ I am a 2 finger non-typist guy .. can't speel either ]..
please go here and then if you have further questions , get back to here ..
this will save us both some time
tnx

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=108013&page=1&pp=15

you can pick it up close to the end ...

Arthur,
Thanks for the link. The NSS is new, I bought it from Fastlane, and the Indy installed it about 4 weeks ago along with a new battery, 4 tires and alignment. All worked perfectly for 2 weeks. Then I put the car in my garage and went out of town on a work assignment for 2 weeks and upon returning found it would not start. I'll put a test light to the v/wt wire at the connection tomorrow, and get under the car to check the connections to the starter, and then give the starter a tap with a hammer.
thanks,
Mark

Ok
You may have been having the same problem before the NSS change and thought it was NSS, as most starter sol. probs are intermittent..
The lamp test will tell...

Also, a cheap trick we use that sometimes works when one has a weak solinoid/contactor bar in the starter is to jump the car with a set of jumper cables from another battery/car.. this sometimes , due to the added bat power, is enough to overcome a poor interior starter contact and will get the thing to kick... only works once in a while , but beats getting down there and only takes a min. to try......not a diagnostic thing , just a trick that sometimes works..

Arthur,

Tried jumping from another car earlier today with no success.

The NSS became a problem a few months ago. I bought one from Fastlane, but could not remove the old one while lying on my back with one side of the car up on jackstands. I sprayed some electrical contact cleaner on the old switch and the connector, re-attached the connector and it worked again - but only for a while. Thus when I had the car in for new tires and alignment, I asked the Tech to install the new NSS and new shift bushings. All was well for about 2 weeks then begins the current no-crank problem.

Mark

Ok

... just wanted to mention the possibles.


The lamp test will tell more..

Arthur,
No light while trying to start and probing the purple/white wire.
No crank with a jumper cable from battery negative to rear engine lifting hook.
Any ideas befroe I call AAA for a tow to the shop?
Mark

If no light there , then it is anything from NSS, ignition sw, TA Security relay, etc.
One last look might be the securing ring on the NSS was not turned to Lock .. also, I assume you have tried both N and P ...