First start with all the details:

2005 Crossfire Coupe NA M/T
118k miles
No performance mods

Yes, I did a search but no one seemed to have the same problem.

So yesterday I went out to leave the gym and tried cranking up the crossfire but to no avail. The car would turn over and sounded as it was attempting to crank. I went under the hood and checked the battery connections but they were tight with no issues. I then checked the spark plug wires and noticed one on the drivers side was a little loose. I pushed it back on as hard as I could and the car cranked right up. Does this sound normal? The car did show a crankshaft position sensor error but it doesn't make sense that the spark plug wire being loose would make the car start if it was a crankshaft position sensor, correct? I could be way off and it is time to change out the sensor, in which case that is fine, but don't want to unnecessarily change anything if having a loose spark plug wire can cause issues with cranking. Don't be too harsh if these are stupid questions.

 

I should add that I have never had any issues with the car cutting out while driving as referenced in other threads were it was the crankshaft position sensor that was bad. The car runs awesome, just this one time it has done this.

 

Sounds like the CPS to me. The loose wire might not have been the issue at all. Also, if you were fiddling with the wire and it was on the drivers side and towards the firewall, that's where the CPS is. It's about 45 dollars and not hard to change. If you've never had to change it before, consider yourself lucky, especially at the mileage. If you change it, make sure you get the Bosch part. Good luck.

 

Do you have the part # for the bosch?

 

this is the info I found on the forum.


Brand: BOSCH
Bosch Item Number: 0 261 210 170 - Also Replaces 0 261 210 171
Mercedes Benz #: 003 153 27 28 - Also Replaces 003 153 28 28

This link shows a bosch, which says it fits the SLK 3.2, same engine as ours.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-Benz-Crankshaft-Position-Sensor-BOSCH-0261210170-NEW-OEM-MB-Crank-/121340304736?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1c40721d60&vxp=mtr
Brand: BOSCH
Bosch Item Number: 0 261 210 170 - Also Replaces 0 261 210 171
Mercedes Benz #: 003 153 27 28 - Also Replaces 003 153 28 28
https://www.germanautosupply.com/sto...sensor-82.html

 

Yup, that's the sensor I bought and carried for three years - had to use it back in February.

I see the price is down $2 under what I paid - time to order antoher....

 

Mine went at 101,000 - and most go well before that.

VERY likely this is it, or bad solder on the RCM feeding the fuel pump, but that's kinda rare.

 

Thank you to everyone who helped. I changed out the CPS yesterday with no issues thanks to this forum and the write-ups on here. 15 minute job.