Hi there,

We have a Mercedes MB100 Van and sometimes it starts and other times it does not. When you turn the switch nothing happens - the dashboard lights come on. No clicking from the starter motor - nothing. Im thinking it may have something to do with the safety switch on the clutch pedal (you have to put your foot on the clutch pedal or the engine wont turn over). Or perhaps there is something more sinister at play here like a fault in the key switch? Has anyone had any similar issues? Perhaps they have some sort of theft protection system that might be faulty?

When the van is running it runs great. Has a near new battery - so its not an issue with that.

Any help on where to start looking would be apreciated.

Thanks heaps.

 

I'm happy to say that we figured out the problem. It was the clutch pedal switch that is designed to stop the van starting unless the clutch pedal is pressed. The switch had an intermittent fault. We will try to fix it by cleaning the switch with WD40 or CRC contact cleaner. I hope that this helps others in the future.