I'm hoping somebody has run across this. My '02 C240 every once in a while, after having taken a short drive somewhere (like the grocery store) won't turn over after I get back in it. I turn the key and nothing happens. Every time this has happened I've been able to start it again after shutting everything back down and getting out of the car, locking up, waiting a little bit, getting back in, trying again. Then it starts right up like nothing happened. This car was a CA lemon buyback and this problem was noted in the paperwork that the seller shared with me. I'm hoping more progress on this issue has been made since the buyback and somebody is aware of a "permanent" fix for this. I know that's hoping for a lot.

Thanks.

 

Chances are it's the EIS (Electronic Ignition Switch)...

-mar-

 

Thank you so much for responding. I have the lemon law paperwork on this car and over the period of two years various corrections were attempted relating to starting and other issues which I'll document below:

06/03 - BAS/ESP warning light is on - replaced steering angle sensor
8/04 - at times car will not start/wouldn't crank - replaced selector module
8/04 - smelly A/C - performed airsept procedure
9/04 - car will not start - replaced valve body and performed adaptation
12/04 - intermittently car won't crank - replaced ESM
03/05 - at times car won't turn over - replaced ignition switch
03/05 - at times both front turn signals are inoperable - performed DTB 82.10/195C
06/05 - car won't start - reset ESM
07/05 - no start/no crank - replaced starter
07/05 - no start - replaced front SAM and both remote keys
07/05 - loss of memory in each key - replaced ESA
08/05 - both remote keys aren't holding their memories - replaced both remote keys and reprogrammed
09/05 - ABS light stays on - performed ESP wiring harness modification
09/05 - no start condition - vehicle inspected and found to meet manf. specifications

So there you have it. No work has been done in this area since I've had it. It looks like the MB techs threw everything AND the kitchen sink at this one and still not fully corrected. And, of course, since the condition is so rare and impossible to re-create with any predictability it's really hard to drop the car off and say "fix it". If you have any insights after seeing the list above I'd sure appreciate anything you can tell me.

(side story, once I had an 84 Audi 5000T with the idle/unintended acceleration problem and they kept telling me they couldn't fix it because they couldn't re-create it...one day I was driving to work and it happened again and the car was driving itself and I drove right into the Audi dealer, put it in park and walked up to the service counter with the Audi revving to beat the band and said "there...fix it")

 

A lot of problems after seeing all the issues that you've had...seems to be that you're having a lot of coding issues or CAN (Control Area Network) problems. Problably from your EIS or CAN bus. Some techs don't take their time working on cars at times...no work ethic that is. My suggestion is to have the Shop Foreman work on it coz they are on salary as opposed to flat rate.

take care,
-mar-