My problem is as follows:

I turn the key - and nothing. Won’t even crank. My battery is new any fully charged.
The head lights do not faint during the attempt. Other electrical equipment looks fine. After several attempt usually the car starts. It cannot be the imobiliser, since the car should crank even though the key has not been identified by the system. I’m suspecting than the sensor for the gear shifter is faulty (any one know where this one is located). Any suggestions?


Thanks in advance

Did you try "N" ???????????

Sure did, however did not help.

I had the same thing happen on my 1996 E320 last year. It turns out that the relay module inside the engine compartment passenger side needed to be replaced. To get to it you have to remove the 4 philip screw holding the lid and the module that has the fuses is the one that has the relays. One of those relays is your starter relay. The entire module that holds the six relays needs to be replaced.

it is the K40 relay, the seem to fail quite often. it is in the pass side fues box, it has fuses plugged in to it. if you apply 12 volts to the large purple wire the starter will engage.
Ray
mercedessd@cox.net

This really interesting information. I have post this issue several times without any suggestion on resolution. Bear in mind, that most often there is no problem on starting. Did you guys experience the same? How much did you play for the this part? I have enclosed a link with a picture of the module in question. Please check if it is the module, within the red circle, that you are referring to!

Link to picture:
http://hem.bredband.net/dimtri/

If you remove the plastic cover, and resolder the cold joints it may work again. Norm in FL

After further investigation today I concluded that the K40 module works fine.
I removed the plastic cover on the K40 module (http://hem.bredband.net/dimtri/images/spool.jpg) and check the relays during start. The interesting thing is that the position of the relays where the same during the those times when my car did not crank (starter motor does not turn). Thus I do not think your previous problem is the one I am experiencing right now.
The K40 module does not seem to have any relation/connection to the starter motor.

Was your problem really that the car didn’t crank (starter motor dead!) or was it rather that it cracked but did not fire up?

You've got to start at the starter, and work your way back through the components. Is the starter getitng current? If so, the unit is faulty and must be replaced. If not, where does the circuit lead to? I don't know, but my first inkling is that the starter is dead. Confirm that it is not before you begin tearing into other stuff.

__________________
John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

My issue was both the vehicle did not crank on some occasions and it cranked but it did not started. But to confirm I went out to the vehicle and installed my old K40 and the vehicle cranked but it didn't start. You maybe right you may have some other issue, unless the K 40 has two of the relays one for the ignition and the other for the starter, but I'm not sure if this is the case. Perhaps someone can let us know the systems that each of the relays in the K40 controls?

Norman