Could A Faulty EIS Cause Your Mercedes to Not Start

Have you ever experienced an inconvenience like you are all set for a trip, and suddenly your Mercedes fails to start? Quite frustrating, especially when you are in a hurry. When a powerful and elegant vehicle like your Mercedes refuses to get ignited, there can be many reasons, and one such cause might be a malfunctioning EIS. What’s that EIS, anyway? Electronic ignition switch (EIS) is a significant component of your car’s electrical system, which handles the energy flowing into your car’s ignition system and helps to start the engine as well as other electrical systems of your car. Thus, when you turn the key or press the start button, and your vehicle doesn’t start, it indicates the EIS didn't receive the signal or allow the engine to get ignited. Calm down! You are not alone! In this comprehensive guide, you will get the data about how a defective EIS can impact the engine, preventing it from getting ignited, and the effective tips to get rid of this nuisance.

How does the EIS stop your Mercedes from starting?

A defective EIS can prevent the engine from getting ignited in various ways. Hence, mentioning below are some results caused by EIS failure:

• When the EIS wears out or any of its internal parts cracks, you might hear the clicking noise of the starter motor but no crank in the engine, even after pressing the start button or rotating the key to start your car repeatedly.
• With a poor EIS, your vehicle encounters physical issues with the ignition switch or an electronic failure, and as a result, you may experience problems while turning the key to start the engine. In the worst case, the key may get jammed in the ignition lock cylinder, making it impossible to start your car.
• The primary function of the EIS is to detect your car’s key fob. But when the EIS malfunctions, it doesn’t communicate with the key fob properly. So, as a result, your car doesn’t start even if the key fob battery is perfectly functional.
• If the EIS fails, you may also notice alert notifications on your Mercedes dashboard like "Key Not Recognized" or "Ignition Switch Fault" along with a non-starting engine.
• Sometimes, a damaged EIS not only restricts the engine from getting ignited but also hampers other electrical systems like dashboard lights. Moreover, the brake or clutch also becomes sluggish and feels like there is no power at all while engaging them.

Solutions for your Mercedes defective EIS

Before rushing to the Mercedes service center, you must perform some basic diagnosis at home.

v Inspect the key: First of all, you must confirm that the key or key fob is not defective. For that, you need to use a spare key to turn on your car. If the engine gets ignited, the culprit might be the dead or weak key fob battery. Replace the key fob battery with a new one to resolve the issue.

v Check the ignition switch: If you have basic vehicle repairing skills, you may examine the ignition switch by yourself. A sticky or loose ignition switch indicates some ongoing mechanical trouble.

v Reset the setup: Sometimes, the EIS malfunctions due to minor software or electronic errors. To tackle that, you must reset the entire car’s system by detaching the battery terminals and reconnecting it after a few minutes. Restarting your Mercedes after this can reset all the systems, including the EIS, fixing the minor glitches.

If your car doesn’t turn on even after performing all these above steps, it's better to visit the nearest Mercedes service center and seek professional assistance to replace the entire EIS with a new, high-quality part suitable for your Mercedes model.

Wrapping up

With this, we have come to the end of this informative article. Hopefully, you have grasped a lot of information regarding how a dysfunctional EIS can stop your vehicle from turning on and the effective ways to deal with this inconvenient situation. Since the EIS is a complex auto part, repairing or replacing it alone can mess up the entire electrical system, which can be pretty hazardous for you as well as your Mercedes. Thus, don’t hesitate to consult with a skilled mechanic to get everything back on track like before and achieve peak performance in the long run.

Orion Automotive Service is a well-known auto repair shop in Ann Arbor, MI serving customers from Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Dexter, Brighton and surrounding areas. With latest equipment & diagnostic tools and having ASE certified mechanics.