Anyone heard of this one? The engine turns off while driving. All electrical goes dead but the steering is not locked. Let it sit for awhile and it starts back up. MB dealer changed the crankshaft sensor but it still happens.

 

YES! My aunt's 2001 C320 has this problem! Dealer replaced ignition switch and no help! Experts please advise!

 

Hi Karst

I should say first of allI am definately no expert but you may want to consider the following to assist experts online:

What other things happen, if any,just before the engine stops (such as sounds of wires crackling, engine noise, driving style, etc)

Does the engine management light come on before the engine stops?

Does the main relay for the ECU/injection system get hot just beforethe engine stops?

Not sure if your car has a terminal 30 junction box in the passenger footwell, with a capacitor that, if discharging to earth, might cause a voltage dip, enough to drop your main relay out.

Has any wiring been disturbed accidently?

Are your battery contacts clean and tight?

Sorry I can't help more but maybe this will give others food for thought

Good luck

 

Thanks, I was thinking ignition switch also. I guess that's not it. Could be one of the other issues mentioned but hard to tell since it happens only when driving and is very intermittent. The engine light doesn't come on. The AC button was activatedprior to the event but was de-activated after. I wonder if an intermittent short in the battery would do it?

 

In my case there are also intermittant keyless entry failures. Doors won't unlock with remote. So I suspect it has something to do with a damaged immobilizer/security module. Is that the way the immobilizer would shut down the car?

Dealer is now saying its a problem with the keys themselves. But would the car really do a total shutdown in the middle of a drive if the key lost communication with the immobilizer? I thought there was only one authentication sequence on startup.

Don't mean to steal your thread, but maybe our problems are the same.

 

Haven't had any keyless entry problems but the symptoms are as if the key was turned off except for the AC button de-activating. The car is at the dealer now and they can't find anything wrong. I would think that the authentication process only takes place once but I'll ask the dealer when I talk to them.