KimE320

I just purchased a 2001 E320 a week ago w/ only 46k miles from a local dealer. A day ago, "No Malfunction" came on in the display panel. This evening... I put the air down on 65 degrees and the driver's side air vent is blowing hot. All of the rest of the vents are cold. Is this just a glitch? Anyone have any information on these issues? I am taking it back to the dealer early in the morning to address these issues, however... they are a Lexus dealership and I am sure that they won't be much help.

Barry45RPM

There is a cure for your lopsided heat-a/c. See the dealer.
"No Malfunction" means "all monitored systems are working properly", but you should have to scroll to see it, it shouldnt just pop up.

starbrite

off topic, but Barry what is the significance of the "45rpm" ?( besides the record)

Barry45RPM

Thats all it is... 45RPM records. I have a Rockola (490-2) 45RPM Juke Box in my den & a Rowe-AMI (100G) CD Juke. All of the music that I really prefer was originally released on 45's, so it sort of tips people off to my age/interests. Thats all.

I use that name everywhere in the internet. When signing up for an ISP in the very early days, (Permissable names were shorter then) I needed to choose an address/name that wasn't already in use & that's what I figured no one would already have, since people on the Net & 45 RPM records were mutually exclusive at the time. ...Thats what popped into my head.

My kids are peobably the only ones their ages (22 & 20) who know what a "record" looks like! LOL

lkchris

A 2001 E320 is a W210, not a W211.

starbrite

That's why I didn't feel too bad hijacking it just a little

jrtech99

Kim, no malfunction is normal, usually is seen on the cluster when you turn your vehicle off.

As for the air conditioning, the symptom indicates that your vehicle has a low refrigerant charge. Try to notice if the air is blowing "warm" on the driver's side, or "hot" like the heater is on. If it's warm it's probably low on refrigerant. If it's hot, then you have temperature actuator problem. Chances are, on you car, it's a refrigerant leak from the receiver/dryer, a common problem with 211's. (that is the chassis number of you E320)

Anyway, I hope this info is helpful. The dealer you bought the car from should take care of it free of charge. Let us know how it turns out.

JWS3

Kinda telling that the car goes out of its way to tell you it has no problems. It's like "LOOK AT ME!! I FINALLY HAVE NOTHING WRONG!! "

sgaar

No, a 2001 E320 is a W210 not W211.

jrtech99

indeed, 210. still check the dryer for a leak

DWP

So long as we're talking malfunction messages, does the "Malfunction - electrical consumers switched off" (or something close to that) message have any significance at all? It appears every time my wife starts the car (or so she says) and always clears itself, only to reappear the next time she starts it. It bothers me, on principle, to have a constant malfunction message that is apparently meaningless and ignorable, but that's what this one seems to be. Anyone have any idea what causes it, if anything?

Barry45RPM

The car's computer system is reading that the battery is not being charged properly, or that the battery is running low. It has switched off unecessary accessories that will drain the battery sooner if used, which would leave her stranded.

Have it checked out. The SBC brake system is sensitive (in a not good way) to low voltage.

DWP

Thanks. I just assumed that "switched off" referred to something we did, not something the car did. It makes sense the latter way. Could the message result from a battery that is going bad? Our car is a 9/02 build and the battery is original, which means it's over four years old, and in my experience that's living on borrowed time for an OEM battery. The car still turns over with no apparent problem, but the mornings are getting colder and batteries usually seem to fail in the fall. I have one of those turkey-baster-like battery testers, but as I recall the W211 battery, besides being hard to reach, is sealed. In any event, a stop at the dealer seems in order.

starbrite

You can also check it with a volt meter, OCV (open circuit voltage). Diconnect the ground cable.
12.75V is fully charged, 12.50V 75%, 12.35V 50%, and 12.00V 25%.

If you don't want to disconnect the grnd and go through all the re sync stuff, just allow for slightly
higher voltage readings.When I bought by pre owned '04 , the battery came from the dealer 65% discharged
and it took 7hrs, with a 4 amp charger, to fully charge.

Battery is easy to reach, RH side of the trunk, next to the spare tire.

DWP

Some disassembly required ... I have a Rat Shack multimeter, which I guess qualifies as a volt meter since it measures DC voltage. Measuring the SG of the acid with a battery tester supposedly measures battery capacity, but will just measuring the voltage also measure capacity, or just the battery's state of charge at the moment?

MARK CUMMINS

Have The A/C system checked for a full charge and Inspect for leaks..as The complaint you have stated sounds like a low charge/leak

starbrite

The shack meter is just fine, SG in fact measures state of charge, not capacity, as does the voltage measurement.
The only way to measure capacity is under load. Sears, for instance, has the capabilty to do that, as I'm sure do other shops.
Voltage measurement will give you a real good indication of the state of the battery and I f it won't take a full charge, one or more of the cells may be weak/bad.

paulv

Several auto service shops around here have the Midtronics 500 tester which tests conductance (and a bunch of other stuff) of the battery and will give you a state of charge and a state of health. This unit is similar to the Midtronics 717 that the MB dealers use. I'd stay away from Sears or other places that use those older testers that load the battery -- I'm paranoid about the sensitivity of the MB electronics. BTW, the MB batteris are not wet acid type -- they're AGM (flat plate,not spiral wound). When you have someone test the batteries, make sure the headlight switch is in the "0" position.

Regards,
paul...

paulv

"Consumer shutoff:
In the event of problems in the two-battery on-board electrical system
various messages are displayed in the multifunction display (A1p13)
in the instrument cluster (A1).
If the battery control unit (N82) detects a fault in the power
consumption or a poor condition of the battery G1), the driver is
informed through the multifunction display (A1p13) in the instrument
cluster (A1) about the corresponding charge level.
Messages which are displayed in the color white, only have
information functions, so that consumers which do not impair driving
safety are switched off until the overall condition of the on-board
electrical system has stabilized again.
Amongst others the consumer shutoff is signaled by the flashing on
and off of the switched-on heated rear window or heated seats."

"The following messages can be displayed in white in the multifunction
display (A1p13) in the Instrument cluster (A1):
D Message "MALFUNCTION:ELECTRICAL CONSUMER
SWITCHED OFF" (up to 08.2003)
"Battery protection, comfort functions temporarily switched off"
(as of 09.2003);
The charge level of the battery is too low (G1).
Cutout stage 1 is activated at a voltage of approx. > 11 V.
Cutout stage 2 is activated at a voltage of approx. > 10.5 V."

"The following consumers are switched off during consumer cutoff
stage 1:
D Heated rear window
D Memory
D Interior blower (reduced to 69 %)
D Headlamp cleaning system
D Seat adjustment front passenger
D Seat heating/ventilation
D Multicontour backrest
D Entrance lamp
D Exit lamp
D Warning lamp
D Steering wheel air conditioning
D Dynamic seat
D Stationary heater"

"The following consumers are switched off during consumer cutoff
stage 2:
D Parktronic
D Trunk lid remote closing
D Washer fluid hose heater
D Washer nozzle heater
D Mirror heater
D Reading lamp
D Passenger compartment lighting
D Footwell lighting
D Load compartment illumination
D Rear/load compartment socket
D Front cigarette lighter
D Trailer socket
D Interior blower (reduced to 53 %)"

Hope this helps. (WIS procedure: GF54.10-P-1001T Two batteries for on-board electrical system, function)

Regards,
paul...

DWP

Thank you, it does. If malfunction message is generated by a battery problem, is it likely to be the main battery in the trunk or the secondary battery under the hood, or could it be either?

paulv

I'm not sure but I would attempt to guess that it would be the main batttery or circuitry associated with the main battery. My aux battery died a couple of months ago, and all I got were several red battery warnings in the MFD -- no "malfunction" message like the ones you're talking about. The first indication that my aux battery ws going south, was a series of warnings in the MFD regarding ESP, ABS, etc one after another, and then that never happened again -- just the red battery warnings. BTW, the aux battery cost me $125 at a local dealer (not installed).

Regards,
Paul...

paulv

... service items 13 and 14. Item 13, I noticed, tends to be part of "B" service -- at least on my car.

Regards,
paul...

DWP

My wife took our car to the dealer yesterday, and to quote the service paperwork:

"Ran short test, found fault 9051 for consumer shutoff Stage 1 current and stored. Checked battery control unit. Found newer software available. Programmed BCM, erased faults and test drove. Now OK. Tested battery with Midtronics, passed with test code 7V3LF-9A. At 12.15V and 638A good recharge. Now OK."

The car didn't show the "consumers switched off" malfunction message this morning, for the first time in about two weeks, so it looks to be well and truly fixed. The problem seems to have been in the old BCM software, not the battery. The "battery" reference by the service department is presumably to the main battery.

paulv

Hey DWP,

Did you ever get that BCM update recall done on your car? Or maybe your VIN wasn't there?

http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Mercedes-.../50600081.html

I wonder if there's another SW update for the BCM for our year.

Regards,
paul...

shahedC

Hey.. maybe "NO MALFUNCTION" = "NITROUS OXIDE MALFUNCTION"
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