My fathers 96 E230 has been sitting for 6 months with the battery disconected. We reconected the battery and it cranks and cranks and wont start. We get alternate red and green lights on the mirror. How ever.


Last night it started fine, 10, 20, 30 times. Was running rough - low Idle but other wise fine.

Tried this morning and no go...just cranks.

Heres what I've found.

If I take the cover off of the main computers (under the bonnet - theres 3 of them plus one relay unit) and jiggle wires I get a whole lot of relays clicking.

At times I can hear the engine electrics fire up. But not the fuel pump.

If i jiggle the wires going into the relay unit (has k2 on it) I can hear the engine electrics cut in and out. But no fuel pump still.

The fuel pump will fire up randomly, IE Ive turned the key on, no pump, off then on twice and the fuel pump will run. But On other occasions the car will start first time, and cut out 10 seconds later and not restart.

If I take the cover off the relay block called K2 and manually switch the relay second from the right, all engine electrics cut in including the fuel pump. The car will run flawlesly every time. Does this mean the relay is faulty? Also in doing this there are no flashing lights.

Notibly some times, I when the car wont start, I can hear relays flicking very fast in the vicinity of the K2 relay.

Any help would be much appreciated.

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1985 190E - Gone
1989 230E - Gone
1995 C200 - Gone
1993 280E 120000KM - Built like a brick, the best one yet