Hi all,

Our trusty old '88 300SEL (that I bought 10 years ago that is now my moms car) has been amazingly trouble free over the last 10 years we have owned it, though she is starting to show her age. The other evening my dad drove it to the market across town... on his way back, the car turned off and everything went black - headlights and all as he was driving down the road. It was as if the car had no battery or any power going to anything - it shut down as if you turned off a switch with no warning. He had a passerby help him push it into the service station. He set there for a couple of minutes and the car started back and ran fine and he made it all the way home with no issues.

Now here is something I think that may have caused something to go wrong... earlier in the day my nephews home school teacher had called my dad and said his battery was dead and needed a boost because he had forgot and left his lights turned on for hours. My dad had taken the Mercedes (and foolishly left the car running) while he jumped off his Honda Civic.

I am wondering if perhaps he shorted something out and now a main relay is going bad or something? The car had a new alternator put on about 2 months ago, not sure if that could be giving any problems or not?

Anyone that has had this happen and know what it could be... ?? Any info appreciated. My mom is frightened to get out in it now, thinking it may happen again with her driving it.

Thanks.

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2004 Toyota Sequoia Limited 4wd
1991 Lincoln Town Car Executive
1991 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1988 Mercedes 300SEL
1972 Chevrolet Caprice Kingswood Estate 9-passenger wagon
1973 Pontiac Grand Ville
(Prior MB's: 1974 240D, 1985 380SE, 1984 190D, 1993 400SEL)