oregon

I bent the driver's outside mirror toward the front of the car while backing up (it is spring loaded for that). Neither the outside mirror controls nor the side windows work now.

I removed and replaced the fuses for those circuits (mirrors & side windows). No removed fuses had failed, however. I used compressed air to blow out the fuse housing and applied a small amount of electrical contact cleaner. No joy.

I've inspected the drivers outside mirror and I cannot see any out of place, broken or frayed wires.

Aftermarket parts: Radio was replaced about five years ago.
Mileage: 103k

Fuse arrays: large is engine compartment, small is trunk.





Fuse guides: large is engine compartment, small is trunk.





The little jewel (mirror looks OK, now if the controls just worked):



Any thoughts? Thank you kindly.

oregon

OK, all right. Time is up my friends.

Let me guess my own solution:

1. Hard restart the car's brain: Disconnect the battery, negative lead, for 2 or so minutes.

2. Re-connect the battery.

3. Perform ECU reset procedure (re-windows, key position #2 and actuate window control button to extremes, open and close.

4. Trouble shoot further trouble.

What do you think?

oregon

I did the ECU reset: disco the negative battery lead for several minutes (cleaned the terminal and connector while I was at it).

Key in and in ignition position #2: I held all window switches to their extreme position open and closed and recited an old rhyme to mark the time.

Everything works, except the rear passenger side window (this is probably the original offender and not the driver's mirror smack) which I can live with for now.

Thank you kindly forum and forum members.

Road test later this AM.

oregon

Results of Road Test:

No issues found. None.

My wife and I took turns driving over 20 miles of mixed road surfaces and speeds on this dry sunny cool day. Nothing seemed wrong with the drivability so I think all is well. Good.

oregon

The car did a 40 mile RT commute yesterday over dry and cool roads. When it reached home the electrical problems were back.

Side windows and outside mirror controls didn't work.

I use a different procedure to reset the ECU with mixed results (Working now: top window, passenger front and driver rear side windows work, trunk switch works, passenger outside mirror works and top window works. Not working now: Driver's mirror and side window and passenger's rear window (which hasn't worked throughout this episode).

From another forum (benzworld.org), for your amusement, the simpler and performed from the driver's seat ECU reset procedure courtesy of acousticplayerjb:

1. make sure all the windows are rolled up, doors are closed, lights, radio, fans are all off.
2. turn the key to the second position (on).
3. step on the gas fully until it clicks, which it will because you're hitting the rapid downshift switch.
4. Hold the gas like this for 6 or 7 seconds and then release.
5. Wait in the car for around 3 minutes. Don't touch anything, don't use the radio, don't open the doors, etc.
6. At around 3 minutes, you'll hear the faintest "click" coming from the instrument cluster area. At this point, the process is done and your ecu should be reset.

I tried this twice and did not hear any clicks. Not from the gas pedal nor from the dash board area.

Next move: I am not sure. Dealer service perhaps. I'll see how it behaves when it returns from its commute today and tomorrow.

oregon

The next morning: failure summary: both mirror controls and all side windows failed.

I tried the simpler ECU reset x 2, shown above, without any success this time.

I tried the hard re-start: disco negative battery lead for a few minutes (I removed all fuses involved with these circuits and cleaned them again while waiting for the time to pass) and all failed components are working except the usual suspect the passenger rear side window (sigh).

I've hunted and pecked about the internet and have these candidates to point the finger at: ECU malfunction (its memory may be failing), wiring harness failing, key fob programming needs fixing, window controler module inside door & window motor inside door. Did I leave anything out?

FletcherCh

1999 MBZ C280 fuse designation

Under Hood

1 5a beige

Seat adjustment left
Seat adjustment right
Seat heater


2 5a beige
Airbag/sidebag control
*Central locking system
Dome light rear
*Engine residual heat sys
*Heated rear window
*rear head release
*rear trunk release

3 15a blue

*Central locking system
*Mirror adjustment right
*Mirrors heater
Radio
*Switch illumination
*Window lift front right

4 5a beige

Airbag fault indicator lamp
*Central locking system
*Dome light rear
*Engine residual heat sys
*Heated rear window
*Rear head release
*rear trunk release

5 20a yellow
*Central locking system
Sunblind for rear window
*Switch illumination
*Window lift rear right

6 7.5a brown
*seat adjustment left
*Seat adjustment right
Telephone

7 7.5a brown
Mirror adjustment left
Mirror adjustment right
Rear trunk release
Switch illumination
Telephone
Window lift front left
Window lift front right
Window lift rear left
Window lift rear right

8 30a green
Central locking system
*Dome light rear
Mirror adjustment left
Mirrors heater
Switch illumination
Window lift front left

9 25a white
Central locking system
Dome light front
Dome light rear
Garage door opener
Make-up mirror
Mirrors automatic dimming
Rain sensor
Switch illumination
Tilting sliding roof

10 15a blue

Radio
*Seat adjustment left

11 20a yellow
*Seat adjustment left
Seat heater

12 25a white
*Seat adjustment right
Sound sys

13 15a blue
Back-up lamps
Headlight range adjustment
*Seat adjustment right

14 5a beige
Parktronic sys

15

16 5a beige
Electronic Stability program

17 30a green
Central locking system
Switch illumination
Window lift rear right

18

19 10a red
Instrument cluster
Lamp monitoring sys
Stop lamps

20 15a blue
Automatic climate control
Engine residual heat sys

21

22 10a red
Head lamp flasher
Head lamp washer sys
Turn signal
Turn signal indicator lamp
Windshield wash / wipe sys

23 15a blue
Cigar lighter
Glove compartment light

24 15a blue
Head lamp washer sys
License plate illumination
Parking / tail light right, SMR

25 7.5a brown
Parking / tail light left, SML

26 7.5a brown
Rear fog light

27 15a blue
Steering lock

28

29 30a green
Blower motor (ac)

30 10a red
Automatic climate control
Engine residual heat sys
Instrument cluster

31 15a blue
Low beam right

32 15a blue
Low beam left

33 7.5a brown
Head lamp flasher
High beam right

34 7.5a brown
Head lamp flasher
High beam left
High beam indicating lamp

35 15a blue
Fog lamps

36

37

38 30a green
Engine fan

39

40 10a red Fanfare

41 15a blue
Head lamp washer sys
Locking check-back
Engine residual heat sys
Fanfare
Hazard warning flasher
Heated rear window
Rain sensor
Rear head release
Turn signal
Turn signal indicator lamp
Windshield wash / wipe sys

42 7.5a brown
Heating washer sys

43 10a red
Windshield wash / wipe sys

44 40a orange
Rainsensor
Windshield wash / wipe sys

45 15a blue
Head lamp washer sys


Under Trunk Floor

1 25a white
Fuel pump
Seat adjustment left
Seat adjustment right


2 b5a beige
Anti theft alarm
Central locking system
Convenience locking system
Dome light rear
Engine residual heat system
Rear window heater

Rear headrest release
Remote trunk release




3 30a green
Central locking system
Convenience locking system
Mirror adjustment right
Mirrors heater
Switch illumination
Window lift front right


4 40a orange
Anti theft alarm
Central locking system
Convenience locking system
Dome light rear
Engine residual heat system
Rear window heater
Rear head rest release
Remote trunk release


5 30a green
Central locking system
Convenience locking system
Switch illumination


6 5a beige
Dome light rear
Seat adjustment left
Seat adjustment right
Trunk illumination


7 5a Beige
Anti theft alarm
Mirror adjustment left
Remote trunk release
Window lift front right
Window lift rear right


8

Central locking system
Convenience locking system
Mirrors heater
Switch illumination


9

Central locking system
Convenience locking system
Dome light rear


10 25a white
Seat adjustment left


11 25a white
Seat adjustment left


12 25a white
Seat adjustment right


13 25a white
Seat adjustment right