1999 ML 430 starts sporatically.....................
For about a month now I can go to get in my 430 (whether 1st thing in the a.m. or a quick stop & go), turn the key and there dead silence except for the radio and 1 or 2 lights on the dash. Therefore, I know it is the battery - it is less then six months old. I can then leave the vehicle, come back in a short period of time, and boom (as John Madden would say), it starts right up on the first try!
Now, before any conclusions are drawn, allow me to go just a bit further. Last week I drove out to my Mom's, visited for about 30 minutes (she is a terminal cancer patient), and when it came time to leave, I get in my ML and turned the key and again - nothing - except for the radio and one or two lights on the dash. The difference this time is that I decided to 'wait the problem out' while listening to a football game on the radio, i.e., with the ignition key in the 'on' position. Because it was 94 degrees I opened both the drivers and front passengers door for a cool cross breeze. Now, as I was simply sitting there listening to the radio - and without touching anything - all of the sudden, ALL the dash lights come on, the 'open-door' beeper starts to sound, the A/C fan (set previously on high), starting blowing full blast. I reach down, turn the key, and the my ML starts on the first try. Obviously, the problem is electrical, possibly a relay switch or whatever.
Well, the problem happen again last evening and after waiting about 45 minutes, I finally had to call for my daughter to pick me up. While waiting for my daughter I discovered that my automated keychain remote lock would not work (doors did not lock, exterior lights did not blink) - I had to lock up manually and left the vehicle at my office overnight. However, as I was driving up to my office this morning to retrieve my ML, I tried my keychain remote again just for the H... of it and - you guess it - the lights blinked as normal, and of course, the ML started instantly!!
I am located in North Mississippi half between the two nearest dealers in Jackson and Memphis - about 100 miles in either direction. I do use a very reputable, local service center that is Mercedes authorized. I would just wish to give the guy a 'heads up' on any possibly solution off of the forum. Thanks in advance.
RE: 1999 ML 430 starts sporatically.....................
It maybe your battery, it maybe not, you know it is hard to make a diagnosis over a long distance with a few vagaries, your description comes up quite frequently and I always expressed the opinion of escalating complexity starting with the simple things first.
How about taking the battery cables and cleaning the terminals, sometimes a mild sulfating at the cables will cause poor current flow for starting, initially it can sporadic, sometimes it cranks and sometimes it does not until current flow stops altogether.
Sometimes people gets thrown off because the lights and radio will work but it will not crank but remember those items require a few amps that even a bad connection can supply but not the high amperage demands of a starter.
Another consequence of a bad connection is that it works both ways, the battery may not get fully charged, that is why sometimes after cleaning the terminals the vehicle will not start, the cause being a battery not fully charged, it is more detrimental for a battery being under charged than being over charged, bad connections being a common cause of short lived batteries.
In cases like you describe I always start by cleaning the battery terminals and inspecting the connections at both ends, using a mild acid solution for cleaning if it is too bad and a soft wire brush, is an easy try and wont cost you a thing, at least you will know better where you stand.
RE: 1999 ML 430 starts sporatically.....................
Yes I agree with Andrew. I've had bad battery connections cause strange behavior. I would get one of those battery terminal cleaner brushes and remove and clean each terminal making the lead bright on the post and the terminal. Keep your radio code handy and take care to support the terminal while removing and installing them.
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2004 ML350 Black with charcoal leather, OEM Hitch, Rhino step, Bose, Navigation, OEM front guard, Comfort package, Entertainment package, Sunroof, heated seats.
RE: Correction - 1st couple of lines in above post......
I know the key has some kind of verification transmitter integrated in it and the link can be a problem. try the other key for a while and see if it solves the problem.
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