vinkodex.Electronic steering lock (ESL): the key turns, the car will not start
Typically between 113,000 and 274,000 km. It does not show up on every car.
expensive
severity
between 113,000 and 274,000 km
mileage
1
sources
1 source. A forum, a video or a complaint.
The fault
How you spot it
In the W204 C-Class era the electronic steering lock (ESL) built into the steering column can fail. The key is in place and turns, the dash may even come to life, but the steering lock does not release, so the engine will not start.
In the official complaints the 2008 to 2015 model years carry 78 reports, clustered on the 2009 and 2011 C300. The measured mileage is high: a tenth of the complaints fall below 113,000 km, half around 151,000, and a tenth above 274,000.
The fault arrives suddenly, and the car stays where it is, so it needs a flatbed. The repair involves the steering column, and the unit is coded, so a used part is not an option; replacing or refurbishing the steering lock is the usual route.
Not one of the 78 reports mentions a shutdown while driving, fire or injury. The ESL fails at startup, not in service.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Generations and models
1 generations.
Mercedes-Benz
W204
C-Class
OSX / Public domain
Mercedes-Benz C-Class W204
2008–2015
vinkodex.Checklist
Electronic steering lock (ESL): the key turns, the car will not start
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
What you tick stays on this device only.
Sources
How we know
reported complaints only. That does not prove the car you are looking at has it.
Information, not an expert opinion
We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.
- A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
- A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
- You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.