Weird problem - C200 CDI w203

WhirlPool · 03-07-2011, 08:49 AM

Again guys, your expertise are needed badly.

It's been few days that randomly, while I start the car, it stalls and throws a message "ESP faulty visit workshop". If I takes the key out of the socket and then restart the car it will run OK with no errors or performance issues.

As I said this is happening randomly for the past few days.
My mechanic connected the car to the star computer and reset the error codes so the malfunctions would pop up. Nothing popped ... no freaking problems ... I went home ashamed after not being able to convince him that the car isn't in great shape.

Today, while on the freeway the car went into limp mode. I'm pulled to the shoulder of the road and after a minute or so it reverted back to normal state. I had 3 (!!!) malfunctions: ESP, Coolant and Display (faulty visit workshop). Again, I've taken the key out and restarted the car ... again the miracle happened and I went going as if there was no problems before.

Needless to say ... ESP is working perfectly, No problem with the coolant and of course no display problem.

I'm puzzled, how about you ?

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WhirlPool · 03-07-2011, 11:58 AM

owww, so many views and no insights.
Did I beat the machine?

mskembo · 03-07-2011, 12:12 PM

I would suggest that many of us who read this thread were just waiting for the reigning abettors of insight to ride in on their white horses and solve this issue. Because, I have no earthly idea what this is all about! Well I do know that it sounds like an electric gremlin, but nothing beyond what you already probably knew.

mleskovar · 03-07-2011, 12:29 PM

Invest in an OBDII scanner (125 shekels?) so you can read/clear the codes yourself. Random throwing of different codes could mean anything but are often a symptom of one thing happening in the ECU diagnostic string but showing up as a downstream failure. In the meantime check your battery connections and battery health....take a reading with a DVM...12.7V= full charge, 12.0V is near dead.

WhirlPool · 03-07-2011, 01:23 PM

LOL, point me to the gremlin so I can shoot him down.
It's driving me nuts.

Tomorrow I'm at the garage.
Already told my mechanic that I don't care if he takes the whole damn car apart and build it from scratch. Can't have it go limp on my ... and certainly not on the freeway doing 90 ...

WhirlPool · 03-07-2011, 01:26 PM

ODBII scanner something I'm planning to buy ... looking for a good deal or ebay opportunity.

About the battery ... will check tomorrow, hoping it's something as simple as that.

Cheers!

JoeVal · 03-07-2011, 07:39 PM

I'd say it could not hurt to check level and condition of coolant. Maybe some oil in it?

These things can later be usually traced to faulty maintenance of elementary systems.

WhirlPool · 03-08-2011, 01:13 AM

Update:

Coolant is full and by sticking the finger into the fluid I can confirm that it is also clear with no traces of oil.

Battery is 12.57V and 14.4V while engine is running.

Again this morning (and ironically, after I verified the coolant level) the car threw a "Coolant visit workshop" error. DUH!

The car is meticulously maintained ... I'm only 1/3 way between B's and all fluids and filters are new.

Frustration is building up ...

Glyn M Ruck · 03-08-2011, 05:51 AM

The ESP message can be triggered by a whole host of things from failing Yaw sensors to wheel sensors to low battery. Listen to mleskovar & get an OBDII/CAN reader. No one with a modern car should be without one.

If the car stalls I would say the dash messages are a red herring unless you have a bad earth on a SAM etc.

Good luck!

johnand · 03-08-2011, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glyn M Ruck

The ESP message can be triggered by a whole host of things from failing Yaw sensors to wheel sensors to low battery. Listen to mleskovar & get an OBDII/CAN reader. No one with a modern car should be without one.

If the car stalls I would say the dash messages are a red herring unless you have a bad earth on a SAM etc.

Good luck!

Exactly. Almost impossible to accurately diagnose issues on these cars w/o a scanner. Hell, even with one they can be difficult at times.

LILBENZ230 · 03-08-2011, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhirlPool

Might this be the real issue?

Glyn M Ruck · 03-08-2011, 02:58 PM

WhirlPool · 03-09-2011, 06:03 AM

Update:

I've spent several hours with my mechanic today.
This time we saw this:

There is no problem with the EIS ... same as no prob with the ESP, Coolant or Display ... so next logical thing is to suspect the ECU.

ECU needs to be sent for a fix ... bye bye 700$.

Doing such a fix at the dealership would mean I have to part from my MB and pick it up few days later.
Instead, he fixed me up with a substitute ECU, EIS, steering wheel lock and turbo sensor so I'm driving the car until the ECU is back from the doctor.

Will update soon when I'm back on my hardware ...

Glyn M Ruck · 03-09-2011, 07:38 AM

ECU faults are extremely rare - good luck!

Why did he change the turbo sensor? Now that gives frequent trouble

WhirlPool · 03-09-2011, 08:05 AM

He claims that the replacement ECU wont work with my sensor and as soon as my ECU returns from the refit he will reconnect the old sensor, EIS and Steering lock.

Well ... all I can do is cross my fingers and hope for the best.
Oh and pay ... bahhh.

WhirlPool · 03-23-2011, 01:18 PM

Woo Hoo

Just got my ECU back!
So fun driving it again ... the replacement ECU allowed me to drive but somehow it wasn't feeling quite as my car.

I was trying to get pictures of all the procedure but I was slowing my mechanic down so I stopped before he kicks me out of the shop ... hehehe

03-07-2011, 12:12 PM	#3
mskembo MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Forney, TX Posts: 1,078 Drives: 2007 Mercedes-Benz C230	I would suggest that many of us who read this thread were just waiting for the reigning abettors of insight to ride in on their white horses and solve this issue. Because, I have no earthly idea what this is all about! Well I do know that it sounds like an electric gremlin, but nothing beyond what you already probably knew. __________________ Mike "The answer is 42, I've thought about it quite thoroughly." MBworld Gun Owners' Club Member #87 2007 Mercedes Benz C230 1998 BMW 528i (RIP) 2006 Honda Odyssey EX-L 1985 BMW 325e 1965 Chevrolet Corvair http://www.mbworld.org/forums/c-clas...03-thread.html

03-07-2011, 07:39 PM	#7
JoeVal Senior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 312 Drives: C350 Elegance	I'd say it could not hurt to check level and condition of coolant. Maybe some oil in it? These things can later be usually traced to faulty maintenance of elementary systems. __________________ To establish a love raport with your car: DEFENSIVE DRIVING-Never having to say you're sorry. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE-Never will leave you stranded.

03-08-2011, 05:51 AM	#9
Glyn M Ruck Super Moderator 1965 Jaguar 3.8 S Type Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 15,966 Drives: late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires	The ESP message can be triggered by a whole host of things from failing Yaw sensors to wheel sensors to low battery. Listen to mleskovar & get an OBDII/CAN reader. No one with a modern car should be without one. If the car stalls I would say the dash messages are a red herring unless you have a bad earth on a SAM etc. Good luck! __________________ Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa

03-08-2011, 02:58 PM	#12
Glyn M Ruck Super Moderator 1965 Jaguar 3.8 S Type Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 15,966 Drives: late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires	__________________ Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa

03-09-2011, 07:38 AM	#14
Glyn M Ruck Super Moderator 1965 Jaguar 3.8 S Type Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa Posts: 15,966 Drives: late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires	ECU faults are extremely rare - good luck! Why did he change the turbo sensor? Now that gives frequent trouble __________________ Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa

03-07-2011, 11:58 AM	#2
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	owww, so many views and no insights. Did I beat the machine?

03-07-2011, 12:29 PM	#4
mleskovar MBWorld Fanatic! Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Huntington Beach, Ca. Posts: 3,878 Drives: '11 E350	Invest in an OBDII scanner (125 shekels?) so you can read/clear the codes yourself. Random throwing of different codes could mean anything but are often a symptom of one thing happening in the ECU diagnostic string but showing up as a downstream failure. In the meantime check your battery connections and battery health....take a reading with a DVM...12.7V= full charge, 12.0V is near dead.

03-07-2011, 01:23 PM	#5
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	LOL, point me to the gremlin so I can shoot him down. It's driving me nuts. Tomorrow I'm at the garage. Already told my mechanic that I don't care if he takes the whole damn car apart and build it from scratch. Can't have it go limp on my ... and certainly not on the freeway doing 90 ...

03-07-2011, 01:26 PM	#6
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	ODBII scanner something I'm planning to buy ... looking for a good deal or ebay opportunity. About the battery ... will check tomorrow, hoping it's something as simple as that. Cheers!

03-08-2011, 01:13 AM	#8
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	Update: Coolant is full and by sticking the finger into the fluid I can confirm that it is also clear with no traces of oil. Battery is 12.57V and 14.4V while engine is running. Again this morning (and ironically, after I verified the coolant level) the car threw a "Coolant visit workshop" error. DUH! The car is meticulously maintained ... I'm only 1/3 way between B's and all fluids and filters are new. Frustration is building up ...

03-09-2011, 06:03 AM	#13
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	Update: I've spent several hours with my mechanic today. This time we saw this: There is no problem with the EIS ... same as no prob with the ESP, Coolant or Display ... so next logical thing is to suspect the ECU. ECU needs to be sent for a fix ... bye bye 700$. Doing such a fix at the dealership would mean I have to part from my MB and pick it up few days later. Instead, he fixed me up with a substitute ECU, EIS, steering wheel lock and turbo sensor so I'm driving the car until the ECU is back from the doctor. Will update soon when I'm back on my hardware ...

03-09-2011, 08:05 AM	#15
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	He claims that the replacement ECU wont work with my sensor and as soon as my ECU returns from the refit he will reconnect the old sensor, EIS and Steering lock. Well ... all I can do is cross my fingers and hope for the best. Oh and pay ... bahhh.

03-23-2011, 01:18 PM	#16
WhirlPool Junior Member Garage is empty, add now Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Israel Posts: 32 Drives: 2005 C200 CDI	Woo Hoo Just got my ECU back! So fun driving it again ... the replacement ECU allowed me to drive but somehow it wasn't feeling quite as my car. I was trying to get pictures of all the procedure but I was slowing my mechanic down so I stopped before he kicks me out of the shop ... hehehe

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