Hi all,

My 1983 MB 300D (174K) has been having ignition switch issues for over a year. It would occasionally (mostly warm weather?) make a clicking noise but not start the car. I would keep turning the key on and off and it would eventually start.

When it first happened I checked all the cables, replaced the starter, battery and the problem still existed periodically. A suggestion was made that it might be the ignition switch so I connected a remote starter in the glove box bypassing the ignition switch. That worked great for the few times it wouldn't start, maybe once every few weeks. I would just put the ignition switch in the on position and press the remote starter button and I was on my way.

The last couple of days it needed the remote starter every time I attempted to start the car (never did that before). Today it happened again and I did the usual routine but now the car starts but the starter will not stop cranking. The cranking stopped as soon as I put it in drive or reverse but starts again when it is put back in neutral or park. Does this mean it's time to finally replace the ignition switch or could it be something else? Is it a big job or big money? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Sincerely,

Bob K

It sounds to me like you have a faulty starter solenoid/bendix combination which is the round rather short assembly mounted on top of the starter. At least that is why your starter is hanging up and not releasing after start up. I would say replace or rebuild the whole starter. Now that might not fix your "no start' situation. My 85 quit one day and I just installed a push button start switch from NAPA and used that for several years. I was of the opinion that possibly the old non-functioning security system was the cause of it. I replaced the ignition switch and nothing changed. I wired the new start switch to that little terminal box with the three screws along side the passenger front inner fender

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