Car intermittently will not start!

kerry beeston

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A-CLASS A180 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY DIESEL 1.5
Hiya,

I am having intermittent issues with my car starting. This began on the odd occasion about 3 months ago, but has got worse. Some days it will take 3/4 goes before it starts, over the weekend I had to try some 50 times and was about to call for Road side before finally it started. There is no pattern to when it starts/ doesn't start.

I turn the key and the ignition lights up fine, no warning signs appear and I can hear the fuel pump noise for a few seconds (assume that is what it is) When turning the key and depressing the clutch I get nothing, no attempt to start or any dash lights, just dead. After a few times of releasing and retrying it works. Sometimes turning the key anti-clockwise and then back to start straight away works, sometimes I have to sit and wait and try 5-10 times. Once started it is fine and it *seems* to be okay once it has been started already that day- seems to be perhaps worse first thing in a morning but this could be coincidence. It is rare that it now starts first time and I have to try at least 2/3 times.

I called a garage and they mentioned something about as it has a start-stop battery they operate differently and it may be that? Its only 3 and a half years old and out of warranty typically! Everything else is fine, though I am due a service (overdue actually) but this is booked.

Any advice would be great- worried about getting ripped off as I don't have a clue!
 
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mattkh

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A160 W168 1999 1.6
Which car, A-class Diesel or AMG 1.5 Sport?
What is the mileage?
 
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kerry beeston

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A-CLASS A180 CDI BLUEEFFICIENCY DIESEL 1.5
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Hiya, its an A-class diesel. (the car info was pasted when I entered my reg off another site)
Mileage is approx 43,000 from the top of my head.
Only had it myself 18 months.
 

Steve@Avantgarde

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You need to take it to someone with STAR.

Problem with this fault is that you need the fault to be happening, and you mention that it is intermittent, which are the worse faults to diagnose. With that in mind I wouldn't be tempted to replace anything without good evidence for doing so.

First thing I would be checking would be the drive authorisation of the immobiliser system and making sure that from key to starter motor, all the correct enablements of the ECUs are in place. If that is good I would be checking for lives and earths at the starter motor and the motor itself.

That is the process you need to follow.

As an aside, I have had 2 electronic steering lock failures on the W176 now, I am not suggesting this is your fault, but it could be.
 
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kerry beeston

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You need to take it to someone with STAR.

Problem with this fault is that you need the fault to be happening, and you mention that it is intermittent, which are the worse faults to diagnose. With that in mind I wouldn't be tempted to replace anything without good evidence for doing so.

First thing I would be checking would be the drive authorisation of the immobiliser system and making sure that from key to starter motor, all the correct enablements of the ECUs are in place. If that is good I would be checking for lives and earths at the starter motor and the motor itself.

That is the process you need to follow.

As an aside, I have had 2 electronic steering lock failures on the W176 now, I am not suggesting this is your fault, but it could be.


Thanks- excusing my limited knowledge, but what does STAR stand for?
 

John Laidlaw

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Thanks- excusing my limited knowledge, but what does STAR stand for?
Doesn’t stand for anything, but it’s the Mercedes Diagnostic system which will interrogate your cars systems to find out what’s occurring....
 

Blobcat

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"System Test And Repair"

or

"Stop Talking And Read"...
 

A.J.

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Blobcat

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of "Service Technician Always Right" :rolleyes:
 

John Laidlaw

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Or close to xmas, it’s “since twelve ah’m ratarsed”
 

Botus

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why don't we say it needs to be checked with diagnostic equipment meeting Mercedes standards?

it would be more helpful and understandable for new users, after all XENTRY is the current kit used by main dealers, the old one being Superseded Tool Archaic Replaced
 

LostKiwi

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Superior Technology Aids Reliability.



(maybe not).
 

Steve@Avantgarde

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why don't we say it needs to be checked with diagnostic equipment meeting Mercedes standards?

it would be more helpful and understandable for new users, after all XENTRY is the current kit used by main dealers, the old one being Superseded Tool Archaic Replaced

Isn't that STAR? Nothing else meets those standards.
 

Botus

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Simple Tools Aren't Reliable - if u think others don't provide the exact same fault data
 

MERCMAN21

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Hey guys,
I know that this is an old thread, but just wondering what the solution to this problem was?
I have the exact same problem to the one as the OP Kerry described.
Car is belonging to my partner. 2015 Mercedes A180 1.5 Diesel AMG line.
It is starting to drive me mad at this stage. Intermittent no start but all dash lights as normal.
We had the starter motor off but that all seems to be good.
Upon further investigation, we have found that when it randomly doesn't start, there is no 12V signal power to the starter motor.
My thinking is a possible clutch pedal position switch or the famous EIS module?
Any ideas what could cause this?
Any help would be appreciated.
 

RRmech

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A180d AMG Line 67 plate
Hey guys,
I know that this is an old thread, but just wondering what the solution to this problem was?
I have the exact same problem to the one as the OP Kerry described.
Car is belonging to my partner. 2015 Mercedes A180 1.5 Diesel AMG line.
It is starting to drive me mad at this stage. Intermittent no start but all dash lights as normal.
We had the starter motor off but that all seems to be good.
Upon further investigation, we have found that when it randomly doesn't start, there is no 12V signal power to the starter motor.
My thinking is a possible clutch pedal position switch or the famous EIS module?
Any ideas what could cause this?
Any help would be appreciated.
Hi there I have the same problem, our problem started after the car had been serviced ( however no connection made but I have seen a forum where this was mentioned) our car got better but now it’s back again but worse sometimes 10-15 presses of the start button, the car starts fine when it eventually starts so I’m not convinced it’s a poor battery or starter motor fault but I could be wrong it feels like a lack of signal from somewhere to me , I’ve ordered a clutch pedal switch as it’s probably the cheapest place to start, the is in for service Friday and they will put the scan tool on , so hopefully the issue can be resolved soon & I can share any worthwhile info with you .
 

Timeandleisure

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I had similar issues where root cause in my case relays were ok but wiring to engine circuit chafed/faulty wiring resulting in non-energising of the engine circuit......
 

MERCMAN21

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I was thinking the same, and I was going to order a clutch pedal position switch as it was the cheapest option. And if nothing else, it would rule this out.
However, I was driving the car again this evening, after about 15 attempts to start it. What I did notice was the start / stop function is working fine, at least while I was driving it anyway, so this would suggest the CPP switch is working properly.
I still might order one anyway just to rule it out.
My gut feeling though is that it’s an EIS module problem. That’s not a cheap Mercedes part either.
Can these be repaired if needs be?
Or can a S/H module be programmed to the car?
 

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