Shuts off after the engine has warmed and will not restart?

DAVID442SIMON

MEMBER
2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320
6 CYL
4WD
AUTOMATIC
170,000 MILES

My car has been sitting for about 3 years, I charged the battery, and it fired right up. After idling for about 3 or 4 minutes it shut off and would not restart. I came back to the car the next day and it fired right up again. So, I put it in gear and took it for a ride once again for about 3 or 4 minutes. It shut off while I was driving it, waited about an hour and still would not start. I called AAA when the tow truck came it started right up again that was roughly two hours after it shut off on me. Took it off the tow truck it started again and when I was parking it shut off. I tried to start it with starting fluid and would not start.

1 Reply

JACOBANDNICKOLAS

MECHANIC
109,885 POSTS

Hi,

It sounds like the crankshaft position sensor is bad. When they begin to fail, they are adversely affected by heat. When the engine gets to operating temperature, the sensor fails, and you lose spark to the spark plugs. That would explain why it wouldn't start with starting fluid.

Do me a favor and take a look through this link and let me know if it mirrors what you experience:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/symptoms-of-a-bad-crankshaft-sensor

If that makes mirrors what happens, I attached a pic below showing the sensor location, at the top rear of the engine at the flywheel housing.

Let me know if this helps or if you have questions.

Take care,

Joe

See pic below.

Image (Click to make bigger)