1999 S500 Start Error
 

I recently bought this one-owner car and within a few days I got a Start Error. I disconnected the battery for a few days and checked the wiring harness and all the fuses and plugs. After reconnecting the battery I synched the key to the car and the car ran well for 2 weeks, until the error appeared again.

For a few weeks I researched all the web forums I could find on how to resolve this, and tried many of the suggestions. I bought a new mercedes key from a local dealer, but neither of my keys will synch to the car to allow remote locking / unlocking ... which I believe is the cause of the Start Error. The car engine turns over but the DAS 2b antitheft system "Start Error" shuts off power to the fuel pump.

Believing a Mercedes dealership would have the tools and experience to fix the car I had the car towed to our local dealership for a diagnostic test, and repair. The dealer replaced the RF ring around the ignition and charged me for a diagnostics test. They say they don't understand why but they got no data from the test! I confirmed if they used the mercedes HHT tester on the car and they claim they did! They said "the next thing they could do is replace the ECU, but they don't know what the issue is..and maybe a new ECU will allow them to diagnose it!"

I explained to this mercedes dealer that from my research if the keys don't synch the RFL N54/3 could be at the heart of the problem (or the connections to / from it) but the local (medium sized) dealer seems uninterested or just out of their depth to accurately diagnose and resolve this!

Any advice from fellow mercedes owners and enthusiasts to help me diagnose or resolve this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Are you still having the Start Fault problem ?
 

Are you still having Start Error problem I have a 2004 SLK 32 AMG and have been having trouble starting for about a year. I figured it was just a weak old battery. I replaced the battery 2 weeks ago the car started right up and drove 30 miles. I let it sit for a week and went to start and nothing , no clicks in the ignition, I finally after many turns of the key got it to start but it died within a minute. I tried for 10 minutes to get it started again and finally started but died immediately with the Start Error message and a MB tool icon and the # 88 in the odometer window. After this I could not get it started again. The key seems to lock and unlock the doors. I too called MB Dealer and they said they had never seen this before and suggested I change the batteries in the key ( like I didn't think of that) ,and I would have to have it towed to them. If you think it is the ignition ring or DAS I would rather save some money and take apart the dash and see if I can fix it. How did you resolve the problem what did you find ? Thanks Steve K Ohio