160 wont start

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

imk1230 - 23 Jul 2005 18:35 GMT

Hello,
A friend of mine has a A160 that sometimes won’t start.
When you put the key in and turn it you can hear the fuel pump start,
but when you turn it to engage the starter nothing happens. No sound
No anything.
Then a while later it will start and run fine, you can even bump
start... It is just as if something beyond the key dies for a while
then sorts its self out again.
I have had to top of the battery/fuse box and all seems in order
Mercedes have been to see it, run diagnostics on and but the fault has
gone away, and no reported problems.
Any ideas please, also does anyone have a softcopy of a wiring diagram
I can download.

Many thanks in advance Ian

Reply to this Message

CaptainW116 - 24 Jul 2005 00:05 GMT

IMHO,get rid of that piece of crap before it's too late!!!!!Does it
rattle and squeak already?

Reply to this Message

T.G. Lambach - 24 Jul 2005 02:14 GMT

There are a few possibilities:

Neutral safety switch (if an automatic) - move the shifter - if it then
starts that's the problem - switch is defective or needs an adjustment.

The battery connections should be clean and tight.

If the no start usually occurs after the car has been driven - hot
engine - the starter is suspect and ought to be replaced.

The ignition (key) switch can't be discounted if the (above) usual
suspects are proven to be OK.

Reply to this Message

imk1230 - 24 Jul 2005 20:35 GMT

"" wrote:

> There are a few possibilities:
>
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> usual
> suspects are proven to be OK.

TG,
Many thanks for your reply, and sorry for missing detail re the car
the car is 2000/2001 model and has done about 40,000 miles. It is
manual transmission and right hand drive. The starting problem is
intermittent isasmuch as it will happen after a sort drive, or after
it has stood all night.

When it happens, you can try to start it a few times by turning the
key and nothing happens. The ignition circuits come on but not and
hint of the thing trying to start, no starter motor sound or anything.
Walk away from the car and have a cuppa come back ten minets later and
it works fine.

Also do you know where the starter motor on an A160 is located as I
have look all around the engine and can not see anything that even
looks like one.
Many thanks in advance IMK

Reply to this Message

T.G. Lambach - 25 Jul 2005 00:25 GMT

I've never seen an A160 but all cars have basic elements to them.

That starter abuts the engine's flywheel and opposes the transmission.
Follow the battery's ++ cable to it.

Does this model have a starter safety switch or switch tied to the
clutch pedal (to ensure its depressed when the starter is engaged)? If
so that switch ought to be checked.

Many years ago I bought a Fiat with such a problem from a guy who had
given up on it. He walked away after only one attempt, try, try try it
until it starts.

Reply to this Message

Lee - 25 Jul 2005 19:29 GMT

Ha Ha. The starter motor on the A class is on top of the engine. It's held
in with a couple of bolts.
Oh. I nearly forgot. You need to partially remove the engine to get to it.

> "" wrote:
> > There are a few possibilities:
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
> looks like one.
> Many thanks in advance IMK

Reply to this Message