Anyone know the manufacturer of the OEM E55 batteries..???

[GregMB]

We're having the first real cold snap now in New England. 35F degrees this morning and the car was unusually slow to start...... then got the "ESP Malfunction" warning and "Convenience Features not working" errors... (apparently windshield wipers are considered a "convenience" item, which makes it tough to clear that cold morning dew! ) Quick searches, revealed that the main battery is the trunk one and the smaller accessory battery is up front under the cabin filter(?) I'm guessing that the main (rear) battery is the culprit here, but with those other messages about convenience items maybe the front battery is fading away also.... My temptation is to replace them both now before the real cold weather and snow sets in. The car is 5 years old and I'm sure the batteries are original. 1. Is there a good online source for OEM-spec batteries? I haven't called the stealership, but I can already imagine they'll want a fortune for the batteries and the labor to install. 2. Should I expect any weird error codes once the batteries are swapped out? I can do the steering wheel left-right-left trick to clear the ESP error if necessary...any other more serious ones to worry about? Is there a proper order for battery replacement.......rear first, then front? Or no difference? -G

To remove this ad, register today or login if you already are registered!

[Shadow5501]

The main battery is just a group 49 like every other Mercedes uses. It is just a very large and very heavy lead acid battery. The group number describes the physical size of the battery, the type and position of the posts, etc. So any group 49 is certain to fit.

Do check the dealer price, mine was competitive for a top quality battery when I last required one. Otherwise, you can purchase a group 49 from any auto parts store at a range of quality and price points. I generally have not had very good results with inexpensive batteries, so tend to buy further up the price scale these days.

The front battery is a common motorcyle or powersports size. It is readily available at auto parts stores, in the $75 range. Very easy to change. Here is a link to a thread that lists some of the possible replacement models: Auxiliary Battery

I'll let someone else jump in on the best procedure for changing. In the past, I've hooked up jumper cables to the jump connections under the hood while changing. This keeps the car "powered up" while changing the battery, so no resetting of windows/sunroof/steering angle sensor/radio code/etc. is required. However, that was on a 210, not a 211.

[novae500]

You can also buy a charger like C-Tek and charge your batteries. May take a few hours, but will save you some $$$. Thats what i have been doing for my 2 cars when i get the message.

[GregMB]

Originally Posted by novae500

You can also buy a charger like C-Tek and charge your batteries. May take a few hours, but will save you some $$$. Thats what i have been doing for my 2 cars when i get the message.

Yeah, that's a good point! I've already got a C-TEK charger so I suppose I could give that a shot tonight. Hook it to the trunk battery I assume? (Does that also charge the small front battery or are they isolated systems?)

My daily commute is only 2 miles, so my car doesn't get much run time to charge the batteries. It's possible that the battery has just been slowly losing charge from that..... however, the batteries are still at 5 years old and counting so I know that I'm probably on borrowed time.


-G

[boschk]

Originally Posted by GregMB

We're having the first real cold snap now in New England.

35F degrees this morning and the car was unusually slow to start...... then got the "ESP Malfunction" warning and "Convenience Features not working" errors... (apparently windshield wipers are considered a "convenience" item, which makes it tough to clear that cold morning dew! )


Quick searches, revealed that the main battery is the trunk one and the smaller accessory battery is up front under the cabin filter(?) I'm guessing that the main (rear) battery is the culprit here, but with those other messages about convenience items maybe the front battery is fading away also.... My temptation is to replace them both now before the real cold weather and snow sets in. The car is 5 years old and I'm sure the batteries are original.

1. Is there a good online source for OEM-spec batteries? I haven't called the stealership, but I can already imagine they'll want a fortune for the batteries and the labor to install.

2. Should I expect any weird error codes once the batteries are swapped out? I can do the steering wheel left-right-left trick to clear the ESP error if necessary...any other more serious ones to worry about? Is there a proper order for battery replacement.......rear first, then front? Or no difference?



-G

Have you been driving the car regularly or has the car been sitting a lot? How old is the battery?

[novae500]

Still have OEM batteries on the 05. I just hook it up on a Sat morning and monitor the charging. You have to charge each battery separately.

[GregMB]

The dealer just quoted me $340 for the rear battery (including labor)...

As luck would have it, I'm supposed to fly on business in two days and don't savor the thought of coming back to a dead battery in the airport parking garage; especially since my flight gets in at 11PM..... not my idea of a good time.


EDIT:

On the plus side.....I can not believe how much my car LOVES these cool air temps!!! Kind of makes me wonder if my I/C pump is actually working 100% or not!!


-G

[novae500]

Worse case like me, left the fog lights on and next day (superbowl sunday) at 4pm find out the battery is dead dead. Ran to Advance auto and got a battery for $150 - core. Warranty was for 84months.

I charged the dead OEM battery and back at 14v. have it in my garage as a backup.

[AKnight55]

Yea im getting these messages too, when I dont start my car for a week or so.. I usually just hook it up to my battery charger and let it run for about 30 mins.. It will start fine for the next week or so.. Im thinking I may have to invest in a new battery soon though too.

[Shadow5501]

Originally Posted by GregMB

Yeah, that's a good point! I've already got a C-TEK charger so I suppose I could give that a shot tonight. Hook it to the trunk battery I assume? (Does that also charge the small front battery or are they isolated systems?)

My daily commute is only 2 miles, so my car doesn't get much run time to charge the batteries. It's possible that the battery has just been slowly losing charge from that..... however, the batteries are still at 5 years old and counting so I know that I'm probably on borrowed time.


-G

Also of note - the MB battery in the trunk is not sealed, it is a conventional lead acid battery. It likes to be topped up with distilled water. If you haven't been keeping up on this, doing so may coax some extra life out of it.

[GregMB]

Well, as luck would have it..... it looks like I must also have a bad front battery too.

It's only been three weeks since replacing the trunk battery with a brand-new one, and this weekend I got this on my display:



That's different from the "Convenience Features Disabled" message I saw when the rear battery was going bad.... so I'm expecting that this is the trademark sign of a bad front battery?

Fortunately, the front battery looks to be a relatively cheap and easy DIY job and I haven't seen any warnings about losing memory settings or other programming that is needed once it's swapped out.

I'll probably just buy a replacement locally and drop it in myself some evening this week.


-G

[emoving]

Damn,,,,,on a side note, getting ready to turn the big three ooooooo.

[GregMB]

Originally Posted by emoving

Damn,,,,,on a side note, getting ready to turn the big three ooooooo.

Yeah, I know.....kind of depressing to see the miles racking up like that!


May have to dump this car soon and get something "newer".... Of course, this car is under warranty until March 2016 and at the current pace it will still only have accumulated 62,000 miles (well under the 100,072 mile warranty limit).

I'm thinking a nice 2012 E63 (w/PP) will be coming off-lease at just about the right time.... sell this one with around 50K miles and a couple years of warranty still remaining. Time will tell what sort of depreciation curve the newest AMGs will have.

-G(Money)

[loudandheard]

I'm having similar symptoms on my C32, but my battery is only about 3 or 4 years old. I'm thinking something might be draining the battery or it could be time for a new battery.

[novae500]

06 Mercedes E-Class FIAMM Aux Battery A2115410001

[AWOL]

Im having this issue as well. Could be alternator, bcm, or 2nd battery up front.

Keep us posted

[AgSilver]

The AUX front battery only charges from the alternator. It's purpose, as I understand it, is to act as a UPS for the electronics. When you start the engine the electronics are taken off the mains before the starter is engaged and are supplied a constant voltage from the AUX battery while the starter is engaged to protect them from low voltages which can cause catastrophic damage to some components. The electronics are then returned to the mains after the starter disengages. I did not know this until Yacht Master sent me the MB schematics.

[GregMB]

I just put the car into dyno mode to check a few things...

The initial display voltage was 12.5V
After starting the car, the voltage was between 14.0 and 14.1V

Based on these numbers, is it safe to conclude that the alternator and BCM are working properly?

Is there a way to toggle the display to see the voltage of either battery? My guess is that the initial values I found on the display are for the rear (main) battery.... not the accessory battery.


-G

[outrun]

Originally Posted by GregMB

I just put the car into dyno mode to check a few things...

The initial display voltage was 12.5V
After starting the car, the voltage was between 14.0 and 14.1V

Based on these numbers, is it safe to conclude that the alternator and BCM are working properly?

Is there a way to toggle the display to see the voltage of either battery? My guess is that the initial values I found on the display are for the rear (main) battery.... not the accessory battery.


-G

12 volts is what your car is supposed to be at with the car off.

14 is where it's supposed to be when you start it up.

[AWOL]

My attempts at a fix thus far:

Tested both batteries - checked out fine
Replaced rear battery with brand new one
Replaced voltage regulator on alternator

Nothing has fixed it yet. The alternator isnt old, and my BCM has the old part #.

My issues differ from yours, only that I have 12.3 before starting. It starts fine, stays at 13.6 or so around cold start idle. Once I put it in D, the voltage gets to 12.8, then eventually falls bellow 12.

Reving it brings it back up to 14.1, even driving I see 14.1, but lately, even driving at speed, the voltage dips below 12 and convenience functions turn off. Sometimes it goes back up to 14.1 instantly, other times it stays under 12. I get the battery light all the time now.

[Quadcammer]

MB batteries are usually Varta, which is made by johnson controls.

Get yourself an interstate.

[02S430]

Originally Posted by Oliverk

MB batteries are usually Varta, which is made by johnson controls.

Get yourself an interstate.

Do you have an interstate? do you know the model numbers that work for our cars ? thanks

[hcetzneb]

Lots of misconception about the aux battery.... The main function of it is only for the
sbc pump.. so if you have a battery failure you still can run the pump.

But this all changes with 07 when the sbc pump went by- by with the BCM battery control
module.. The system works then with a batt sensor on the negitive terminal that moniters the batt voltage and opens up to the aux batt when needed..


But still pre 07 the aux batt would still be conected to the main batt so even thought its main purpose was to run the sbc pump it will charge the main batt by default

just in case anyone wanted to know how it works

[GregMB]

There must still be some kind of battery isolator between the main and accessory battery even on the '06 and earlier cars, right?

Otherwise, a bad battery will just end up being a parasitic load on the other "good" battery and will ultimately drain them both. This was the essence of my question that I was trying to ask earlier... The dyno mode voltage display seems to only be showing the resting voltage for the main battery (12.5V) not the accessory battery.... Though maybe there is a secret way to view that one also.

Obviously, when the voltage increases to 14.1V with the car running you know that the alternator is charging properly.

-G

[xpl0sive]

i am having this issue as well. except when i put my car is dyno mode, with it running, the voltage is only at around 11.6-11.8. does that mean my alternator is bad? is will replacing the batter fix the issue? i going to try and find a battery today and see if that helps, if not, i guess it goes to the dealer for an alternator replacement