Hello,
Just to let you know that I'm watching this thread very closely.
My 1993 300e did exactly the same thing about a month ago.
same relay, same failure, I replaced the relay but the vehicle still hasn't started. But goodness it is a gorgeous decoration for the driveway!
My battery is strong, everything seems to work, but when you turn the key to engage the starter there's silence. No engine turning over, and of course no start.
Al

Al:


The car started okay for me, but as I drove it, all of the gauges went out again.


I have a young friend who is a Mercedes tech. He just started working at a dealership in January (first job). He took the car to work for me and told me it is an ignition switch. I also have to change the turn signal relay, the one in the picture.

I will get the car back tomorrow. He is doing the labor for free.

It appears to be a bad ignition switch.

Jimmy

__________________
1995 E 320 119,000
1983 300 TD 285,000 (sold)
1973 220D (sold)

Jimmy,
Thanks for the post. If you will please update when yours is repaired. I suspect that my problem is very similar to yours.
Al

It wasn't the ignition switch. My friend is still looking at it. Wiring harness?

__________________
1995 E 320 119,000
1983 300 TD 285,000 (sold)
1973 220D (sold)

Jimmy,

Going back to the picture you posted identifying the relay you thought was bad. Was it the relay you outlined or one near that?
The reason I ask is that the relay you outlined is the same one that was buzzing on my 300e....but.... when I replaced mine the buzzing went away and still no start.

I turned the key switch on: got radio,a/c,dash indicator lights, etc.
then I jumped the starter solenoid. The engine started, idled very rough and none of the dash lights/gauges worked. I turned it off.

One of my suspicions is my wiring harness but I don't see anything that clearly points to that as being a cure. My harness looks fair to good. My 300e just turned 110k miles.

Thanks for keeping me posted
Al

Al:

That relay is for the turn signals. It has nothing to do with the car starting or not. I guess that relay goes out often. It's not cheap either, I am paying about $140 for it.

We are checking the park neutral switch next. I will keep you informed.

Jimmy

__________________
1995 E 320 119,000
1983 300 TD 285,000 (sold)
1973 220D (sold)

Well, hopefully this will be my last post on this subject. My young friend who works for a Mercedes Benz dealership (stealership) couldn't figure out the problem. It wasn't the ignition switch. He thought it was a wire somewhere, but couldn't figure it out.

I finally took the car to my mechanic. He thinks the problem is the after market car alarm. He pulled it out and reconnected all the wires. Let's hope this solves the problem.

__________________
1995 E 320 119,000
1983 300 TD 285,000 (sold)
1973 220D (sold)

Okay, here is the end of the matter, I hope.

I took the car to my mechanic. I explained the problem to him. He felt that the after market alarm was the problem. When the alarm was put it, the alarm place cut into the ignition wires. He completely removed the alarm system and it seems to be working now.

I say for now, you know how electrical problems can be.

Jimmy

__________________
1995 E 320 119,000
1983 300 TD 285,000 (sold)
1973 220D (sold)

I just found this thread and wanted to post and see if the solution to this problem has been found and verified by it not coming back. My car did the exact same thing yesterday, i.e., guages went out when driving, relay buzzing behind fuse box, got home and shut off, then turned key to start posiiton and nothing happens. I am wondering if it could be a bad harness or is there another relay to look at. From the sounds of it, replacing the buzzing relay is most likely not going to start the car. I have a feeling if I jump started the starter it would probably run, like was done in this thread, but doesn't fix the problem. Please pass on what was learned from this experience so I can figure out what to do as a next step.

THANKS,
John

John W.
I did'nt realize anyone read those old threads. To bring you up to speed with what I learned about my '93 300E: my problem may be a bad neutral safety switch on the tranny or a bad relay on inner firewall behind the instrument cluster. The more obvious solutions may be bad fuses, short in wiring harness (mine has been replaced already), maybe a bad OVP.
I havn't gotten back to the 300E to resolve my problem as yet. Sorry I'm not any more help
Al

John:

My mechanic took out the after market alarm and I haven't had a problem since. Almost a year now.

Jimmy

__________________
1995 E 320 119,000
1983 300 TD 285,000 (sold)
1973 220D (sold)

Al and Jimmy,
Thanks for the inputs. Here is where I am at:
Update to checking the areas suggested. I removed the heat shields around the starter to get to the solenoid. I removed the small wire on terminal "50" and it is not corroded at all. In fact, everything looks like the day it left the factory as far as I can tell. From checking the wiring diagram the wire "50" is the one to check for 12 volts when the key is in the starter position.

I checked for 12 volts on wire 50 and no voltage present. I then took the wire off terminal 50 and put another one on it that was long enough to get to the drivers seat. I turned the key to the start position and then touch the wire to 12 volts from the lighter socket. Car immediately turned over and started after usual two revolutions. The car idles fine, but still no guages and the ASR light is on. So now I am back to where I started when I drove the car home and shut it off. THe good news is I could jumper terminal 50 and start the car to drive to the Mercedes shop if I had to. So progress in that I have saved $150 if I cannot fix this!

The no start, inop guages (except clock), and ASR light on are all connected somehow. I will take the bottom of the dash on the drivers side off next to check out the ignition wiring. My car does not have a aftermarket alarm system, but I suppose always possible something else cut into it. When I bought the car it had a ASR defeat switch added so I will check the wiring for that to make sure someone did not do a hack job and that is what is coming back to haunt me now. Off to the garage to check this next lead.

Thanks guys, your sysmtoms are exactly like mine and the only ref. I have seen on this discussion board orthe 500Ecsasy one that comes close.

John
'94 E500

Thanks for all the help and advice. After taking apart the Computer under the hood, the underside of the dash and the center console to verify the workmanship of the previous owners ASR defeat install I finally went back to the fuses. I know I need to eat crow on this one as the very first response was check the fuses. Well, actually I did check them, but I did not remove them. In fact I checked with a meter for continuity on all of them and also for 12 volts on the ones that should have 12 volts with the key on. After doing everything else I could think of and was suggested by the forum, I received the suggestion of looking at the fuses again. This time I took each one out that had anything to do with the circuits in question. As soon as I took out #5 it fell apart in my hands. It appears that it was cracked in the middle. It would show continuity on the meter and have voltage, but would not flow current. I put a new 5 amp fuse in and the gauges worked right away though the ASR light stays on. I then started the car right up. So there must be an interlock from the tach or speedo that stops the car starting when they are not getting a signal from one of the gauges.

It took the rest of the afternoon to put the whole car back together as I took the time to clean everything too.

I now have the problem of the ASR light being on, and when I hit the ASR defeat switch (which actually enables the ASR) the ABS light then comes on too. It makes me wonder if the burnt smell I had by the ABS unit when I first opened the hood is still an indication of a bad harness. However, I am now going to go and check all the rest of the fuses by removing them to make sure that isn't what is causing the ASR light. Hate to be burned twice! If that doesn't fix the problem I will repost a new thread as the this one on not starting is fixed.

So check those fuses carefully! I know I will take each one out from now on and am planning to buy new ones to replace all of them as cheap insurance!
John

'94 E500