Car won't start battery or big problem?

[hod05]

Hi guys

My 2010 E class with 250 CDI OM651 engine won't start. Engine turns over once on starter then stops. I think it's the battery because when engine stops turning all lights, radio etc die too then come back when key is released.

I've noticed over the last couple of months it was becoming sluggish to start, taking 3 or 4 engine revolutions before firing up. The day before it took 2 attempts to start but then drove about 7 miles and came back no problem. Then then today it won't start.

No fault codes, however I do know the car at 15 years old is still on it's original battery.

Edit.. possibly worth a mention I wiped the engine bay clean with a damp cloth and sponge. Is there anything connectors etc I possibly snagged and dislodged that could cause this?

 

[sonic]

Get the battery charged & tested, then see what happens.

 

[RATATTAK]

Probably the battery then ... Does your car have 1 or 2 batteries ?

 

[hod05]

I've no idea how many batteries it has I'm only aware of the one in the engine bay it's a cabrio model if that makes a difference. I just put a multimeter on the battery it came back 11.9 volts.

 

[Blobcat]

I've no idea how many batteries it has I'm only aware of the one in the engine bay it's a cabrio model if that makes a difference. I just put a multimeter on the battery it came back 11.9 volts.

Anything less that 12.4v at rest (engine off) and the battery is either dead or needs a very good charge

 

[RATATTAK]

I've no idea how many batteries it has I'm only aware of the one in the engine bay it's a cabrio model if that makes a difference. I just put a multimeter on the battery it came back 11.9 volts.

My Merc has a battery hidden in the boot too ... can you check your handbook ?

 

[hod05]

My Merc has a battery hidden in the boot too ... can you check your handbook ?

Thanks I'll have a look. Is yours a cabrio? I can't see anywhere In the boot they could put a battery on mine. Hopfuly it's just the one as otherwise I'll have to replace both?

 

[AMGeed]

If you have Stop/Start you'll have a second auxiliary battery. Probably in the boot in the spare wheel well.
This gives you an idea on how much charge is in the battery at certain voltages. At 15 years old and the original battery its almost certain it need replacing.

 

[sl500amgsport]

Classic symptoms of a dead battery on any car, nice easy fix for you, batteries normally have around a 6-7 year life span so consider yourself lucky!

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

 

[peterws1957]

I've never heard of an MB battery lasting 15 years - must be a record. Ours seem to chew through batteries every 3 or 4 years.

 

[hod05]

I've never heard of an MB battery lasting 15 years - must be a record. Ours seem to chew through batteries every 3 or 4 years.

I've owned the car since 2013 second owner and I've never changed it nor does it appear the 1st owner ever did either.

Possibly it's because the car isn't driven daily and only clocks about 5k miles a year. Maybe prolonged it.

 

[EmilysDad]

I've never heard of an MB battery lasting 15 years - must be a record. Ours seem to chew through batteries every 3 or 4 years.

my 14 plate ML is still on its original batteries .....

but the stop/start doesn't work

 

[sonic]

I've never heard of an MB battery lasting 15 years - must be a record. Ours seem to chew through batteries every 3 or 4 years.

My E350CDI owned it from 6 months old, the battery is 13 years 3 months old.

 

[SL63 Mark]

I think if you garage it you might get away with it for a bit, but old batteries do not like cold weather. With the cold nights approaching, I suspect we will see more "my car won't start" threads. Our Landy battery must be 12 years old, so I need to replace that. I do not want it refusing to start in the middle of nowhere.

 

[peterws1957]

I've owned the car since 2013 second owner and I've never changed it nor does it appear the 1st owner ever did either.

Possibly it's because the car isn't driven daily and only clocks about 5k miles a year. Maybe prolonged it.

It's usually the other way round though ie only occasional use pretty detrimental to a car battery.