Hi All,

I have a 99 c280 that recently has starting problems. After driving for anywhere from a 1/2 hour or more, if the car is turned off for a few minutes, it will not start. The engine turns over very well, but fails to start. After anywhere from 1/2 to an hour the car will start again. This has happened 3 times recently.

I brought it in for service (non-Mercedes) and the mechanics could not duplicate the problem for two days. When I told them to go ahead with an oil change, then they couldn't get it started. They said they sprayed something in the intake and it started right away. They also replaced the air and fuel filters and figured that would fix it. However, the problem came back within a week.

The first time this happened to me, I called Mercedes while I was waiting and the gentleman said it could be the "crank position sensor".

Does anyone have experience with this problem? I would prefer not to pay the Mercedes rates for troubleshooting and repair.

Thanks for your help,

Rick

 

In this new world of EFI, spraying something into the intake is as red-neck as it can get. It is an old habit of carburetor-era mechanics that dies hard.

Taking the car in to an average shop is already a mistake.

Each car has its own bad "traits" so to speak. For example, on our Benzes, crank position sensors and MAF sensors tend to go bad. MB-experienced shops know that. So once you bring in the car, they know what to fix....whereas a generic place has to guess by fingerpointing one out of hundreds of things that *could* attribute to the malfunction.

Another example, in Audi's...oxygen sensors go bad all the time, check engine light comes on like a monthly mensturation. VWs have horrible tie-rods and ball-joints.

Normally I am against the idea of contributing $$$ to the dealer. But, in your case, I'd say it is in your best interest to go to a Benz dealer or a shop that handles MBs and BMWs.

Another thing...if some funny stuff has been sprayed into your air-intake (output of your air-filter box), MAF could be damaged. That sensor is more expensive thant the crank position sensor.

 

Hi All,

Dealer analysis was the Crank Position Sensor. Replaced and it's worked so far. $345.56, $132 for the sensor and 2 hours of labor for $194 plus tax. Ouch.

And for all those saying you have to bring it to the dealer to get the correct analysis, everything is relative. After detailed explanations of my non-starting problem to the dealership "service adviser", I get a call telling me "my intermittent cranking problem is a bad battery". When I pointed out I didn't have an "intermittent cranking" problem, he said "well, you had to jump it". I said what the heck are you talking about, I never jumped the car, he apologized and said he would get with the tech again.

They finally figured out the battery amps were low enough so they could not get any code readings. When they hooked up a new battery the Crank Position Sensor code came right up. At least that's what they told me.

Regards

 

lol they should have found that the first time in any good mercedes tech know mb ckp sensors are trash. i can see paying for the part how ever more that an hour of diag. is pushing it it only pays .4 to replace ask them what exactly they did for two hours and did they document what they did on your r.o. ask them what they did for 2 hours and what there test results were. if they didnt document the test they dont deserve to get paid for there repairs......................

 

All,
I have similar problem but it starts fine for 2-3 months then, typically, I am miles from home and late at night and it:
[ul][*] Cranks fine- good and strong[*] No engine light[*]Key ignition position flips back to off after 3-5 seconds[*]Leave it overnight and it starts fine[*]I have not had success restarting within an hour or so
[/ul]
I have a independent MB mechanic looking for the prob. Should I tell him to review the crank position sensor?
Did this solve your problem?

Much appreciated.

 

Just to close out this C280 starting problem. It was the position crank sensor. I had the ignition relay also replaced but the prpblem persisted. PCS replacement is the way to go.

Best of luck