electric problem 1988 300E
 

I turn the ignition switch to on position and the battery and check engine lights do not come on. I know they should come on and go off once the engine has started. When I try to crank the engine nothing happens!
Any ideas?
thanks for your input
ACM

Check your battery.

sorry I should also mention that the battery is fine and all the rest of the electronics work fine (lights, horn, radio etc)

Check fuse and b/c a no start/crank conditon also exist, you may have a bad ign. sw...

Arthur whixh fuse are you talking about?
I think the key ignition switch is next in the list to check.
Any simple and fast way of testing it or I have to take tha dash and the ignition apart?
thanks for your help

Just check them all
I don;t have your fuse chart in front of me , you do...it's on the fuse box cover .

Sometimes they look good so you should twist them in the holders

The real way is to test with a test lamp on both sides of the fuse..

okay Arthur, all fuses passed the test.
I am attacking the key ignition switch.
Any reccomendations on the testing of the switch?
BTW looks like is a heck of a job to do.
thanks a lot

Before you do that , try this

Put headlamps ON
Turn key to ON
Do headlamps stay on?
Try start position w/key.. do headlamps stay ON??

do you move the transmission shifter around, maybe Neutral Safety Switch, just a thought that wasnt mentioned.

Arthur, in both cases the headlights stay on.
The interesting thing is that the battery and check engine indicator never come on.

As far as the shifter laver goes, I thought that was the issue and I changed the 2 bushings but still no crank.

The ignition switch is my main focus now unless there is a relay that I should be checking before that.
thanks for the help guys

OK

Any other dash lights come on?
Put the heater on defrost and turn key to on ..what happens to blower

The reason I had u try headlights is cuz if one has a bad connection at bat terminal, that would explain it, but if lights stayed on, that can be dismissed .
try blower

I suspect ign sw .. but report back on these 2 test first.

The NSS would be suspect for no crank if it were not for the dash lights...
that indicates there is no power before NSS at the moment [NSS is between ign sw and starter, nothing to do with bat indicator lamp

okay Arthur blower motor works fine.
Here is a list with the lights that come on with the key on position 2:
Brake, ABS light, Windshield fluid-I am out :) , and SRS but this goes out after 3-4 seconds.

The lights that do not come on and they should before crank are:
Battery and check engine.

Now let me ask you this:
if the Anit-theft sustem is malfuctioning, would I be able to see the battery light or not? How about the Check engine light?
thanks buddy

You have factory Anti-theft ??
I do not see that on the schematic for 88 300e...

yeap factory anti-theft with protection for the radio (if it removed you have to key in a code which I do not have- btw how do I get this code? )

Forget the radio

Do you have a blinking led on the center console that arms the car so it will not start if you lock it up??
If so, it has a K38 relay and that is your problem
but, I do not see that on my 124.030 schematics..