ignition problems

[Ben 88]

Hi all. 08 220d. A while back I got out my car, got back in and the ignition wouldn’t come on. (Start stop button stays red not green) Headlights fine/battery fine but no ignition. Cleaned Battery terminals and reconnected and no change, but after a while it just decided to work again and start.

This last week it’s done it pretty much every other day, resulting in breakdown coming out as after an hour or so the ignition would Not come on. “Check st lock” came up on the screen but nothing else. Breakdown technician bypassed the Battery for 10mins which he said could reset the ecu? Eventually it decided to start, and when it did start it made this funny struggling wining noise for a split second or so. Never really knew if its what the technician did that made the ignition come on and start again?

Its really frustrating as I could get in and out the car 20 times in a row, and it will start fine, but then randomly now and again the light stays red on the start button and no ignition. 

I'm going to book it into an auto electrics garage anyway, but wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience, before I start forking out fortunes for the garage to just play trial and error, as I fear the time its in the garage it will be absolutely fine and impossible to diagnose.

 

[Texas]

For a start ( no pun intended) are you 100% sure that Battery is tip top? As yours is a DERV they are not gentle on batteries to say the least and if it is getting on in years ( the battery) then it may be giving you a sign before it actually dies when it gets colder soon. I know this may be basic but all fault finding should be done in a logical sequence and this is the first port of call on starting problems this time of year.

paul m.

 

 

[Texas]

1 hour ago, Ben 88 said:

funny struggling wining noise for a split second or so.

Sounds like an underperforming Battery to me!

paul m.

[Ben 88]

Thanks for the comments 

100% not Battery, Battery has been tested. You can lock, unlock the car turn the lights on and full beam. So if the lights work, surely there's enough power to turn ignition on. And when the car does start, its not sluggish at all. Its like something is causing the light to not glow green on the start button allowing the ignition to turn on. 

It feels like maybe a brake/clutch or steering lock sensor? something being intermittently faulty that's require to turn ignition on.

 

[Ben 88]

Been in garage for a day and didn't play up. Was perfect for 3 days and then last night ignition came on and starter motor stayed wining but no fire. After 3 attempts ignition shut down too. Left it over night, made no adjustments and it started perfectly. Not sure if its linked but, passenger side light is now out, and i cant operate any electric windows other than the drivers? 

Has anybody out there had any similar experiences? 

It will be fine for 2-3 days and then not start/or ignition wont even light up. Yet leave it overnight and it will be fine again??? 

[normski2]

If you can't operate any windows then you need to resync the windows to the switches. This needs to be done when the Battery has been disconnected on pre- facelift (oct 09 I believe) vehicles.

When you change the Battery you MUST re-initialize each window in order to be able to control each from the drivers door switches.

In order to do this you perform this operation at each window using the switch on the door for the window you are at. If you look closely at the small LED on each switch you will see it is blinking - this indicates the windows need initializing.

1. Open the window halfway using the door switch.

2. Fully close the window by pulling the switch and continue to hold the switch up for 4 seconds or so.

3. Do this at each door.

When complete the blinking will change to being a constant glow ie 'on'.

Your windows will now fully function again from the driver's door control set.