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Tue 29 Mar, 2005 03:58 pm
For years I have been driving this 1983 300D and it is generally very reliable (200K Miles). In fact, it has been running great then out of the blue it wouldn't start.
When I turn the key I get the initial seat belt buzzer that always comes on, and at the same time the glow light on the dash should also come on. However, the glow light does not come on and instead I get a distorted kind of buzzing noise (this noise does not seem to come from around the key area, but instead more from the center of the dash, essentially to the right of the key, almost above where the a/c switches are). If I continue to turn the key, meaning try to crank the car without glowing it I don't hear the starter engage or the engine crank.
The battery is strong and the electronic components work (radio, horn, sunroof).
Is this a problem with the key switch (noise seems to be elsewhere)? Or with the glow system (if so, what component - the fuse, glow plugs, etc)? Or something else? Any thoughts would be MUCH appreciated.
Thanks in advance for your help...
As a quick follow-up to my post from yesterday. I traced the strange buzzing noise to the front left of the car to a small black box which appears to be the pre-glow time relay. The part was replaced several years ago and although it is fairly new and the contacts are clean, it makes the loud buzzing noise when the key is turned.
Should I just swap this part out? Or is there something else I should test or replace before buying this $150 part?
Thanks!
DieselD,
I may be missing something, but it sounds like the glow plug fuse is blown. The fuse is a piece of light metal about 1 1/2" by about 1/2". It may be in a box on the fire wall, or in line.
Someone else asked for the same advice on a 1984 190D Mercedes diesel. That turned out to be the problem. I hope your problem turns out to be as simple.
Found the Problem!
Although I was getting a clicking sound from the pre glow time relay black box, that wasnt the problem.
The issue was with my battery cables. They had build-up on them just before the battery terminals. Although the battery was very strong this build-up was stopping the battery from delievering the proper power to the glow system, hence the glow light not coming on and the clicking from the pre glow time relay box.
Thanks for the suggestion on the fuse. It was in the pre glow time relay box and looked brand new. That certainly was one of the reasons I avoided just swapping out the part and looking for a diagnosis. I saved the $160 for the part by cleaning up the battery cables!!
Thanks again for the help and suggestion!
Doug
I'm having the very same problem...the car wouldn't start, replaced battery, starter, glow plugs and now when I turn the key I get the buzzing and pinpointed it the pre glow relay...the battery is brand new and fully charged...so you're saying it might be the cables themselves and nothing at all to do with the relay box...one other thing it's doing when i turn the key and buzzing is the rmp gauge needle goes all the way over...we tapped on the relay box and the car started but wouldn't when we tried to jump it? Really frustrated, after doing these "fixes" one part at a time it would run great for about 4 days and then would be dead, would start upon jumping, but this time not and then the buzzing and gauge needle...also replaced the ignition switch...help???
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