Hello,

I was hoping I get might get a general feel for what people think of the following:

About two weeks ago now, I upgraded the lights on my C30 Coupe to the 2005 versions. When I was changing the rear lights (which I did first), I recieved an error on the dash after changing the second rear light cluster.

'Battery / Alternator - visit workshop' (or something close to that).

I know the error occured right after changing the passenger side rear light cluster, because each time I changed a cluster, I started the car, and checked all the lights worked, etc.

Now, I'm going to the dealership tomorrow (Lynnfield, MA) and spoke to them about it on the phone today, asking if they could just 'reset' the error. They said they probably wont just reset it, and its most likely a problem with the alternator.

I'm reluctant now to have them do anything since I REALLY dont believe that there is a problem with either the alternator, or battery. This only occured after changing a light. The car had not even moved during this time that the error occured.

Since changing the lights, as I say, I've been driving the car for about 2 weeks without any noticable issue to the battery (charging). Of course, I still get the error every time I start the car.

I am sure I will have them 'look' at the error, but help feeling its not an alternator issue, even though I'm sure they'd love to sell me a new one.

The car has just hit 34,000 miles.

Any advice appreciated!

 

I have a problem thinking that you'd get that error, and it was just the bulbs.

But to make sure, what I would do would be to get the error removed (either through your own scanner, which you should have anyway, or at Autozone for free), and see if it comes back. That's the only way to know. Is there any way that you could do that before tomorrow? You're kind of asking for advise a little too late for anyone to be of any real help.

My best guess is that the battery is on the way out. Dealerships really don't need to invent problems with these cars (they happen enough on their own), so I would not be too paranoid about them making anything up. At this point, the only real option seems to be just drop it off, and wait to hear what their verdict is.

 

Rather than go to a dealer, go to an autoparts store.
get the batt tested, likely for free, or 10 bucks.
If it's OK, go to an auto electrics shop or local service station and have the alt tested or just go there in the first place.
They can check the batt and charging system pretty easy and usually for little $$ since they're hoping to sell you the alt or the battery.

If you are on original battery it could be the battery.
If the battery is shorted, it can fry the alt.
One thing leads to another.

I tend to think the timing was a coincidence.
Worst thing that could happen changing the lights is blowing a fuse,
though a voltage spike can do odd things.
Check my thread on my HID lighting experience regarding voltage spikes.

 

Thanks guys. Sadly, as you said, its pretty late now. I think I will have MB diagnose it, and then decide based on what they say. I'm just hoping it wont be something pricey I guess.

Thanks for the input though. Watch this space - I'll let you know what they say.

 

Well after taking it to the dealer, they did prove that it was not the alternator or battery. They believe that the computer (their term) lost its settings. They did mention that the error was appearing on the display even before a key was inserted, so this proved (to them) that it was not so much an issue with the battery or alternator.

$240 later, I have a car with no errors (thats two labour charge whilst they re-coded everything).

 

Wow. $240? Geez. My local guy told me same thing, 2 hours diag time.
I told him, how about 50 bucks cash and just clear the errors, no diag.
and just see if they came back. They didn't.
I pulled the HID's and they're still sitting in a box around here, though the mfg sent me a relay kit...I'm too chicken to try it.

Guess I got off cheap.

 

Yeah - I had them clear the errors first, but that didnt solve the problem sadly! The error was appearing even without putting the engine on, so at that point it was more apparent that the problem was deeper than just an error code

$240? They dont call them 'stealerships' for nothing...

 

finally lasy amusing part of this story...After I took the car back to Lynnfied MB, I've noticed when reversing off my drive with full lock on, that the car made a funny clunky noise. So after deciding to clean up under the hood this weekend, I immediatly noticed the cause of the clunking problem.

MB Lynnfield only left a 'crow bar' stuck in the passenger side strut that keeps the hood help up!!!!

I'm not sure what concerns me most! The fact that they left it there, or the fact that they were using a crow bar on my engine bay somewhere!!! WTF! (for electrical work too!).

Needless to say, I think I'm going to take it to a different MB dealer in future. Anyone in Boston got any recommendations? The only other dealer I know of is Westwood - anyone got any experiences?

So, my car is fixed $240, plus free crow bar

 

Well i guess im a little late to post any useful comments on what could be up with that error code since u already got it fixed but i had the same problem with my car...same error code and i took it to a private shop and they said alternator wasnt charging the battery. good thing it gave out when it did and not a month later or else it wouldnt have been covered under warranty.
Good thing u got a free crowbar...i got a free alternator

 

I'm in Mass. too, and just got the alternator/battery msg, tho' I wasn't modding anything, just hit about 75,000 miles. I dealt with the warning for a little more than 24 hours, while I continued to live my life, run errands, etc., thinking it would be like other warnings, like brake pads which usually gives you a week or so, or check engine which I've had on for over a year. The only ill effect I noted was that my always-on headlight setting got overruled, and I had to turn them on manually. Since I was out by my indie mechanic (in Stoneham, fyi), I brought it by to have him check it. He said the alternator was testing at zero, whatever that means (can't be good, obviously), and he checked and ruled out every fuse. Checking the battery, he determined it was starting to lose voltage, which he explained was because the car was now "working off the battery", as the alternator was doing nothing. No rocket scientist I, I said I would come back the next day, but Steve (my mechanic) said my car wouldn't likely start the next day.
Steve's got a few MBs of his own, and, in the past, he's given me his '86 560SEC as a loaner, but no such luck this time, as it's no longer registered. So, I'm driving a beat up Ford Winstar minivan since last Thursday, a humbling experience to be sure. He turns out to be tighter with my money than I would be, so he ordered an alternator from a NY source that was less $$$ than his local supplier, then it arrived Friday defective. Now, with the holiday weekend, my best hope is tomorrow (for whatever reason, I thought it not a good idea to say to my mechanic "I don't care what it costs, just get it", thinking about what that might do to future parts costs).
As far as dealerships go, Westwood is owned by Clair and Lynnfield by Chambers, but I doubt you'd see any difference. Of the few Bostonians on this forum that go to a dealership for anything, GDawgC220 always spoke highly of Heritage Motor Werks (formerly Hatch & Sons) in Wayland, but I'd recommend Steve in Stoneham (indie, gas station).

 

oh, BTW, my alternator issue is with my '02 C230 Coupe.