Car shuts off

My 98 Mercedes E430 will run but cuts off after warm up. Will not restar til after about 15mins, can anyone help

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The first thing I would look at is your crankshaft position sensor. This is a common failure item and often displays the same symptoms.

Does the engine runs rough before cutoff or just instant shutoff?

Sounds like an electronics issue. Semiconductors will often become "open" when heated when they are defective and once they cool down function normally again. I don't know the E430 but I have seen this in electronic ignition components in a variety of makes and models. When the component heats up it just shuts the engine down as if you turned the key. It's can be a hassle to find too since the component may test normally by the time you check it.

Just an instant shut off. No rumble, just shuts off

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Where is the crankshift position sensor on a 98E430

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I am not sure on your engine, but most of them is located in the front by the timing mark. I know for 6 cylinders inline the crank position sensor is on the rear... on top of the tranny.

thanks, I need to find where these parts are located on the vehicle Relays...et

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Thanks, The relay under the rear right seat gets hot that's when the ca shuts off. I bought a new relay and the problem is still there. Do yo have anymore thoughts on this problem? Thanks

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Overload relay... the one with red fuse on the top... cause this problem too.

Thanks, the relay under the right rear seat seems to get very warm, replaced it but still the same problem. Do you know the location of th relay your speaking of? Under the seat it only has one relay

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Alright, I reviewed all the discussions in this post. Go to Autozone and rent out their OBD-II scanner... It plugs to the underside of your steering column... there is a cover there that said OBD-II.

Read the codes with your ignition on but engine off... see what code it puts out. It probably would say O2 sensor or fuel mixture lean... something like that. We need to find out which.

If that scanner has O2 tester... that reads out engine RPM, the readings on the O2 sensors, that would be great so it would tell me if O2 sensors are good or bad.

I have a feeling it is probably either the MAF or the O2 sensor that is bad.

Bad MAF or O2 should throw out the code but not kill the engine. The ECM should be able to overcome that so the engine can still run (though rough or dying). I would still suspect electronic issue.

I had two cars > Alright, I reviewed all the discussions in this post. Go to Autozone and

Off topic,

But back in the early 70's I had a problem with an old Chevy panel truck that drove me crazy for six months. I bought the old Chevy from a fellow, cheap. He warned me that it would not run below 1/4 tank of gas. Sure enough he was right. I found it would stall at a little less than a 1/4 tank showing on the fuel gauge. I could restart the truck and run a short way, but it would stall again within a minute. When I filled the tank everything was fine until I went below 1/4 tank again.

Over time I replaced everything in that fuel system except the gas tank to no avail. When I finally pulled the tank there was a ping-pong ball in the tank that apparently would get sucked up against the fuel line when the tank got below a quarter full.

:)