QuestionQUESTION: I have a 2004 300m. Was driving the other day and the check engine light came on...Car was running normal. Started the car multiple times that day no problem. Went out maybe 15 hours later and it would not start. It will just click once and the lights flick off and the gauges fall then pop back up. The Battery has been fully charged with the same results. Please help!
Thank you!
ANSWER: Hi Jason,
It sounds to me as if either the starter motor or the battery is weak. Try getting help by jumping cables from a known good battery in a friend/neighbor car. If it behaves the same way, then your starter motor is probably faulty. If it functions normally with a good jump, then the battery that you believe is charged may have nonetheless reached the end of its life. How close is it to the end of its warranty?
On the check engine light, that is probably not related. But turn the ignition:"on-off-on-off-on and leave on" doing that in 5 seconds or less elapsed time. Then watch the odometer window to see if the mileage reading changes to show a 4-digit number preceded by a P. Let me know the number and we'll go from there.
Roland
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QUESTION: The battery is maybe 2 to 3 months old. I have tried to jump the car with another and same results. Clicks once lights flick gauges drop then pop back up. Unfortunately I disconnected the battery to clean and check connections. I tried the on off test...It said done then flashed ------. No numbers. The check engine light is still on as well as the oil light when I turn the key forward. Is there a way to jump the starter? The starter is in a very hard spot to mess with. I can hear the fuel pump kick on when I turn the key forward. Also my anti theft seems to be working just fine.(just trying to help rule things out). Thank you for your response. I look forward to the next!
ANSWER: Hi Jason,
If the 'click' is coming from the starter motor (fairly loud, as opposed to a very soft click from the relay located in the power distribution box which you wouldn't notice unless you opened the box and felt it click) then that means your starting circuit is good all the way to that clicking solenoid switch which is mounted on the side of the starter motor proper. The battery fat red wire goes to the solenoid switch as well and it has to be connected or you wouldn't get the dimming, gauge dropping etc. As I said before, that sounds to me like your starter motor has gotten hung up is a spot where it will conduct electricity but won't turn the armature. About all I can suggest other than getting a rebuilt motor/having the present motor rebuilt is to take a hammer and tap on the side of the starter motor while a helper tries the key. You might be able to jar it loose/get a better connection on the armature which would allow it to turn over. The other possibility you might want to try is that the engine is blocked from turning due to the torque converter being locked up when it shouldn't be, take a socket and ratchet handle to the bolt on the cranks shaft pulley and try turning that to be sure that it is free to rotate.
That is the crux of the issue.
Roland
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QUESTION: So I tried to tap on the starter to get it to turn over...No luck...I put the parking break on and tried to start it in neutral, as i did this I pushed on the break pedal and it turned the power off then once I released the break, lights came back on..The stereo makes a weird buzzing sound at that time also.The battery is hooked up to a charger the whole time to ensure power. I also hooked up a different battery to check and that did not work .Does the 300m have some sort of lock out mode after a number of failed starts? I have the gray key and my anti theft light seems to blink as normal.(fast for like 15seconds then slows)Does this sound like a electrical issue? Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.
AnswerIt may well be that your theft system was not disarmed as after 6 tries is will no longer allow the starter to crank. Try to lock the passenger door with the door key so as to simulate a normal arming, then wait for a minute, then unlock the door, using the door key, to do this simulation.
It may well be that the wire from the door key lock on the driver door is broken so that the most recent time you entered it did not fully disarm the system.
Roland
