1995 E320 Starting Problem
 

I have a 1995 E320, and all of a sudden it wont start. It won't even turn over. I turn the key and nothing. I checked the battery and it still has juice left in it. The dummy lights come on when I turn the key, but thats it. The starter does not engage at all. Like I sid this happened all of a sudden with no warning. Any ideas of what it could be, and where should I start looking. Thanks

Try starting it in neutral in case you have a bad neutral safety switch.

I tried starting it in Neutral, drive, park, and nothing. The starter does not even engage. SI there a fuse or relay I should be looking at. I looked at the fuses under the hood, and they are all good.

Replace fuse #5.
That is K38 relay feed.

ftp://members.aol.com/ajdalton7/K38.jpg

If that does not work, jumper bat 12v pos to center terminal of the 3 wire connector on the firewall between the engine and booster area..just to the left of brake reservoir.. [ X/27-v/wht on schematic] ..that is starter sol feed and will test starter circuit .

Report findings.........

ptm6295, how old is the battery in your 1995 E320? When a battery fails in a MB typically there is no warning ... the car won't start even though the courtesy lights and dash lights work.

On my 2000 E320 Wagon I thought the battery had lots of life left but the E class seems to need a lot of juice to get the starter to engage.

New factory batteries are only about $125 and would be the first place I would look.

I am going to replace the battery, I do not know how old it is, it came with the car when I bought it a year ago. I will also replace fuse #5. Are you talking about the #5 stick fuse in the fuse box under the hood, or are you talking about a relay somewhere else? Thanks

I replaced the battery with a brand new one, and replaced fuse #5 under the hood, and still the same thing. Dummy lights and buzzer come on, but starter does not engage at all.

You tried in N using the new battery too, right?

Arthur had another test for you to do in his post....

Can anybody give additional info about the location of X27.. ie a pic or few more details..? I think that would be helpful here.

Maybe this will help:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showpost.php?p=1003218&postcount=10

Ok, first off thanks to everyone for the great advice. OK, I jumped the 12+ terminal to the middle terminal of that plug, and the starter turned over. Since that worked what is the next step, and what is most likely the problem? Thanks again

Read the last link I posted... then search for "X27" using the search function for this site. There are about 10 threads there that are pretty much all covering what you need to do next.

First thing tomorrow I will pull the cluster and jump the x38 relay. I will let you know what happens after that.

<<OK, I jumped the 12+ terminal to the middle terminal of that plug, and the starter turned over. Since that worked what is the next step, and what is most likely the problem? Thanks again>>


OK....next test:
Test for 12v at V/GN at the X49/2 plug [ terminal #3] with ignition sw in Start position. That verifies K38 contact set circuit [ just above the gas pedal]
..or, you can do the same 12v bat jumper as you did on x27, but to that point at X49/2 for starter activation in N or P.
If starter works with jumper power to there , k38 circuit is open. If it does not, then you have a bad NSS.
I would also do a 12v test on both sides of fuse 5 to ground w/test lamp before checking k38 relay circuit, just for power verification for relay coil.