I have owned my 1997 E420 for 13+ plus years and have put on most of the 94,000 miles that she has on it.*She has never given me any major problems.*

A few weeks ago I decided to sell her. Well this week she decided that she did not want to leave home, she dose not want to start. Go figure!

She will turn over but will not start.

Here is what I have done.

* * *My wife had run the gas tank down to the point the gas light came on, so I though maybe gas. I put in 5 gallons. No change.*
* * *Then i thought gas filter. I had never replaced it before so I went and changed the filter out. No change.

* * *I got on the Internet and read, read and read.

* * *The first thing that came up was the CPS. Ok I got a Bosch CPS from ********AZ and put that in. No change.

* * * Next I check the fuel pump. I check to see if I am getting power to the pump when I turn the key on. It does not look like I am getting power. So just to double check the pump I hook it up to a battery and it runs.

* * *It looks like my fuel pump runs but am I getting the pressure I need? I go out and buy a fuel pressure gage. I hook it up and turn the key on. No pressure. The pump is not running. I found out that you can jump the fuel pump relay at the k40 relay by pulling the B connection plug and jumping wire 1 to 3. *I do this and I get 50+ psi, and it holds there. So I think the fuel pump is good and my fuel injectors are not leaking.

* * *Ok I think I may have the problem. The K40 relay. I take it out and look at the solder joints looking for a bad one. No luck. I have what looks like a perfect K40 relay. This still could be my problem.

* * *I think maybe it's time to see if I can get any fault codes. I run out and buy a Actron CP9550 code reader. I follow the instruction and can only get a link error. I follow the instruction for this message and still get a link error. I call Actron and ask them what to do. The tech was no help, he said the car had to be running to get a reading. That did not make any sense to me so I got back on the Internet and found out that if you have a problem with you ECM you may not be able to get fault codes.

* * *So with all that being said, does anyone have any suggestion of where I should go from here?

Thanks,
Domenick

* * *

Try a different key.

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I have 4 original keys. I tried 3 of them. No change. From what I have read the car would not even turn over if it was the key.

Thanks for the reply
Domenick

I believe it could be the K40 relay. But before I replace it, I would like to know more about it.

What is the power sorce that activates the k40 relay?

What else does the K40 relay operate?

If I have a problem with my ECM would the K40 relay still work?

If I am not getting spark to the plugs, is that also controlled by the k40 relay or by something else? If so what?

Thanks,
Domenick

Check your production date. On all 1997 MBs the authorization system is DAS X, an unauthorized start an a DAS X 210 will give you no fuel injection, but it will CRANK (on a 202 there is no crank, but you have a 210). This started 6/96 production, I assume since yours is a 1997 that the prod date should be after 6/96, but double-check.

I was asking if you were getting messages in the odometer area.
On this car, actually you get unauthorized signals via the red and green LEDs in the rear view mirror. I am not sure what the sequence would be, but should spell it out in the owners manual, or maybe someone else will chime in. But probably both will blink at the same time(this is my best guess) or might alternately blink red and green.

DAS X has a seperate module, once it is satisfied the key is correct it authorizes the ECM to start. So possible it is the DAS module but I wouldn't go replacing things without knowing diagnosing things, that's just stupid.

PS DAS X is an oddball one-year only DAS

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Thank for the reply.

I check the production date. It is 3/97.

Both my remotes seam to be working just fine.

Thanks,
Domenick

Don't confuse the remotes working with the engine starting though.

Are the red and green LEDs doing anything when you are attempting to start the car, this is sort of important.

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Nothing is happening to the lights on the rear view mirror as i try to start her. The only time those light come on for me is when I point the remote at it and push the arm or disc arm button on the remote.

Thank,
Domenick

It's unusual that there is no flashing at the mirror when trying to start. I would think possibly the DAS module, but again not the kind of thing you want to just "try", so might have to get it to a shop so they can put the computer on it.
As a test of the DAS module you can see if the alarm works, for example. Roll down the drivers window, lock the door with the remote, wait awhile, then try unlocking the door by pulling up on the lock knob and see if the alarm goes off.

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Great news today! The k40 relay that I ordered last week came in today. I put it in and she started right up.

Thank you Gilly for your help.

And thank all of you who post on this web site. I was able to read through many a helpful post that in the end help solve my problem.

Domenick

Glad it's working for you now, those E420s are awesome to drive. I assume it is now sold?

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Hi Gilly

I have not sold her. I was not returning any calls on it while she was laid up. During this time I thought about not selling her, however I really don't need a second driver and should sell her. I guess I will see what kind of offers I get. If I get the right price I should let her go.

Domenick

Newbie here. I just now have experienced the same problem with my e420, only it is raining and last week we accidentally ran over a large dog carcas and the lower splash plate had to be removed. It needs to be replaced. It was running fine but yesterday when my wife started it to drive home from work, she said it took a couple of tries which was odd. I was about to take off on a trip about 45 min away and when I started it, it was running rough. I thought I had a vacuum hose disconnected so I checked under the hood. When I removed the air cover and found no loose hoses it ran even more roughly. Then I replaced it, turned it off, then back on and it only barely started, the accelerator pedal wasn't causing the idle to move up from barely on. The splash plate did have a little air intake channel on it, could water vapor in the air have caused it? This is the next day and it still doesn't run unless I step on it. It is still rainy.