general2005

can someone please help me l have had a c180k elegance 4dr 2003 model for a year now and its been to a mercedes benz specialist more than 5times now because the engine diagnostic light keeps popping up and whenever it goes for repairs it only last a 1000miles or 2 months and the light will be back again.is there anything wrong there anything that the specialists might be failing to diagnaise?

thank yoi

mleskovar

What were the failure codes each time? Getting the engine failure codes is easy. You can buy an OBD II scanner and do it yourself by plugging it in under the dash beneath the steering wheel. Make sure you get one that allows you to reset the code(s) back to normal Not expensive, maybe 32 Euros. My advice is when the CEL comes on, check the code(s) and reset it and see if the same code comes back (if it's happening often, you won't wait long). The codes relate to the parts and systems failures. Have they been replacing parts all along or just resetting the codes?

tonyho8

Hello,
Last month (September) I purchased a used C200k (2001) which had already done 77000 miles from a private seller. I immediately took it to Halfords Autocentre (UK) for a major service to make sure the car is drivable for the long-term.

Since purchasing the car last month, I've only driven 30 miles, mostly during the weekends to visit my parents in the same town as I don't use the car during the working week.

Yesterday, I drove to a restaurant to have dinner with my parents and the car travelled well as per usual. However, after coming home from dinner, I noticed that the Engine Diagnostic Indicator lamp lit up. There were no driving issues despite the lamp lighting up during the drive.

I checked the driving manual and it explains that it could be an issue with the injection system, ignition system or exhaust system

Can someone recommend what I should do to determine whether there is a major issue? Should do I take it back to Halfords AutoCentre for them to review this issue since they were the ones that carried out the major service last month? Or do you recommend that I take it to a Mercedes-Benz dealer to have this investigated and fixed?

Your feedback and guidance would be much appreciated

Thanks and regards,

Tony

mleskovar

You need to have the error code read from the OBDII port under the dash. I suggest investing in a code reader....about $35 US...so you can read and clear the codes yourself. The dealer will charge you about $120 US to do this. Some auto parts stores and mechanics will read the codes for free. The codes tell you what tripped the light.

tonyho8

Hi mleskovar,

Thank you very much for the advice and guidance

Yes you are right that I need to invest in a code reader, otherwise my local MB dealer will charge me a lot of money. I just say mbworld replied with a message about Yhasi's Movi Pro for Mac OS. I'll look into that too.

I'll keep you guys posted.

Thanks again

Tony

Glyn M Ruck

https://mbworld.org/forums/off-topic...scan-tool.html

tonyho8

Hi everyone,

Thanks for the previous feedback and advice in addressing the reasons behind why my Engine Diagnostic Indicator/Check Engine Light lit up.

Since then I have driven the car only for 5 miles (to and from my parents place) and yesterday I received my OBD2 reader which I purchased online.
FYI my local MB dealer wanted to charge me 150 UK pounds to investigate the problem whereas other garage mechanics wanted to charge me 45 UK pounds
Hence I felt it was appropriate for me to purchase a OBD2 reader at 40 UK pounds to investigate the matter myself before taking the car to a garage.

I quickly connected the OBD2 reader to my car and it gave me a single DTC code - P0101 "Mass or Volume Air Flow A Circuit Range / Performance"

The OBD2 reader also allowed me to collect and record "live data" (total of 60 frames) whilst the engine was running and the following are the results of 1 out of 60 frames

DTC_CNT = 1
FUELSYS1 = CL_FAULT
FUELSYS2 = N/A
LOAD_PCT (%) = between 18.0 and 23.1
ETC = between 72 and 84
SHRTFT1 (%) = between -5.5 and -1.6
LONGFT1 = 0.0
RPM (/min) = between 740 and 761
VSS (km/h) = 0
SPARKADV = between 14 and 15
IAT = between 27 and 29
MAF (g/s) = 3.42 and 3.74
TP (%) = 4.3
AIR_STAT = no results
O2S_B1S12--B2S----
O2B1S1 (V) = between 0.110 and 0.570
SHRTFTB1S1 (%) = between -0.8 and 0.8
O2B1S2 (V) = 0.455
OBD = EOBD

I have not taken the car back to my nearest garage (Halfords Autocentre) to be fixed ever since I posted my previous message here as I was keen to read the code to investigate the root cause first.
Please note that I took my car to Halfords Autocentre for a typical annual service before the Engine Diagnostic Indicator/Check Engine Light lit up last month

Before I go back to the same garage next weekend, can anyone on this forum advise me whether the issue I described above is severe based on the data I've provided?
What should I be asking the garage people to look into? and what sort of cost am I expected to pay? This issue appeared after my car underwent the annual service. Is this a matter of the garage people not doing a thorough job?

Your feedback and guidance would be much appreciated

Thanks and regards,

Tony

mleskovar

Most likely Mass Air Flow meter, common problem. Before you do anything clear the code, drive it, and see if the light/code returns. I get the code about every year and clean the MAF until next time. Easy to get to and clean if you want to.

tonyho8

Hi mieskovar.

Thanks for the reply

I was actually thinking about the same strategy you suggested (i.e. clear the code, drive it and see if the light/code returns). I also thought about this strategy just to verify whether it is indeed a Mass Air Flow (MAF) meter issue. If the lights pop-up again and receive the same code, then it has to be the MAF meter issue.

Unfortunately I am not sure how to clean the MAF, hence the reason why I wanted to take it back to the garage mechanics to clean it for me. I am surprise they did not clean the MAF when they undertook the annual service on my car last month. Perhaps they forgot as I had only driven 5 miles since the annual service.

Tony

mleskovar

Most likely, but not necessarily.


Neither did I until I did it the first time Very easy. Varies slightly between 4 and 6 cylinder models but basically the same. Wait for engine to cool completely, buy pressurized can of MAF cleaner ($4 US?), expose MAF by removing air cleaner/housing/connector (pictures are on this site), spray MAF wire, blow with compressed air if you have access to it, replace removed parts. If problem persists after cleaning then get new MAF.

Dealers do not clean the MAF. They only replace it. That way they can charge you about $500 US for parts and labor instead of taking 10 minutes to clean it. Some people do not believe in attempting to clean the MAF, only replacing it. I have had good results cleaning it and it's the same MAF that came with the car (10 years!). Motor stills runs smooth, strong, and gives good gas mileage.

tonyho8

Hi mieskovar,

Thanks for the good advice.

I am definitely not going to take the car to my local MB dealer after they wanted to charge me 150 UK pounds to investigate the problem. I'll take the car to the garage where they did my annual service and instruct them to clean the MAF. It should come under the annual service warranty. Once done, I'll switch off the light and drive for a while. If the light does not appear again, then we know the MAF was the root cause.

I'll keep you posted and thanks for the advice

Tony

Lee R

Tony,

What was the out come did yoiu reset the code, did it happen again and did you clean the MAF.

I just had 4 warning light go off at once, the ABS, ESP, BAS
and the engine disgnostic, also at the same time the speedo stopped working, after I turned the engine off for few mins the speedo started working and only 1 fault showed but the four lights haver stayed on??

Read you thread and am going to get an ODB2.

Just wanted to know how it turned out.

Thanks

Lee

tonyho8

Hi Lee,

I haven't reset the code yet as I want to take the car this week to an Independent Mercedes servicing garage to see whether indeed the problem is with the MAF even though my OBD2 reader has confirmed this.

I'll keep this forum updated with my outcome

Regards,

Tony

Lee R

Thanks Tony, will keep an eye on the site for the outcome.

Bregards