mbdragon55

when I go to my car this morning and turn the key like usual to the position with all the lights on the instrument display...and the fan on the front ..the radiator I'm assuming just turns on really loud...and the car wont crank and wont turn on...i left the lights and everything off..just like normal...please help...thanks

maccooper79

check ur battery...it sounds crazy but somehting like that happened to me a few years ago and it was my battery

mobb8

This exact same thing happened to me about 3-4 weeks ago. The only differences were the car actually started at first, for about 3 seconds and then died on me. I also got '1 Malfunction' on the dash that showed I was low on oil, but I found out later that wasn't the case.

But I had the same symptoms as you for a few hours....and then.....the car just started and I haven't had any problems since.

Hopefully the same happens for you......

mbdragon55

is there any way to check the battery?

C24owner

Turn the key to position 1
cycle through the menus until you see the odometer.
Press the reset button on the left of the instrument cluster 3 times.

If done right, you will hear a beep and a menu will pop up. The first thing that should pop up is the battery's voltage. If it is 10volts or less the car wont start.

wblynch

Be careful if you try to jump start the car. When you jump it, don't let the jumping car be running, jump it from their battery only.

When we jumped my wife's C240 a couple of weeks ago it burned out a fusible link and I had to take it to the dealer to fix it because I couldn't find the problem. Cost $250

It turned out it was my alternator and I replaced that along with a battery and crank position sensor (neither of which needed changing).

So... just be careful anytime you jumpstart a Benz.

mbdragon55

I just finished with the mercedes roadside and they looked at the car and they checked the fuses and stuff.....and they told me the battery was fine because all of the other stuff, radio power/heated seats and all that stuff works....and than the guy told me that i had water in my fuse box under the hood and it might be possibly shorted out and i might need to replace that....what do u guys think?? i dont wanna jump into any thing...i kno this can get expensive...please advise...thankyou

**ps it rained really hard where i live the night before,

wblynch

So roadside wasn't able to start your car?

If there's water in your front left SAM (fusebox) then you have to dry it out. You can use paper towels to get most of it and then use a hair dryer to get the remaining moisture.

You might have to pull the relays and fuses out (one by one so you don't get them mixed up) and dry the sockets and the backs of the relays.

I would look at the 20 amp fuse at the upper right corner (as you look in from the front of the car) and check the fuse at position 15.

Then you need to find out how moisture got in there. There's a snap-on lid that is supposed to have an o-ring type of seal to keep it weather tight. That lid may have come loose or been improperly closed. You can put a little dielectric grease on the seal to keep it pliant and prevent cracking.

mbdragon55

no the roadside service was not able to start my car...and even if i dry it out...will it start working again or will i have to replace the whole thing...and how much will that run me just in case...???

wblynch

I have no idea what it would cost to replace. It shouldn't need replacing unless there is obvious corrosion.

Depending on your skill level or if you have trustworthy mechanics available I'm sure replacement is purely plug and play. If replacement is required, I would bet all your relays are toast as well.

Google 'Trademotion Mercedes' and pick a parts supplier to look up the replacement cost. Another option would be to pull a used one from a crashed car in the wrecking yard. Probably a ton less money. But you gotta be a wrench-head for that to make sense.

Don't know if a link will work but here's the "front fuse and relay block" for $300

http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/inde...04&catalogid=2

T.O_c240

I've only had to jumpstart my car once and that was about a year ago when i left my fog lights on. My bro boosted me using his Mustang and i'm pretty sure his car was running at the time. I guess i got lucky that time, but now i know.

How come Mercedes has to have all these hidden menus like the Voltage??? Im going to try in the morning to see if i can access that menu that C240wner posted about cuz often times ill have the music on in my car without it running and i'd like to know how much juice i got left in the battery.

TemjinX2

i would just try what the other poster suggested. dry everything out including the fuses. Make sure theres not moisture in anything electrical.

it should be fine long as your don't run electrical current through it while its still wet. Check the fuses, maybe one of the fuses went out to prevent damage to the car from the water.

mbdragon55

I called my friend who has about 30+ years of experience working in mercedes Benz of Greenwich and he told me that the control module might be messed up or the starter because the car dosent crank...now tommorow I'm gonna tow the car there and he's gonna check it no charge for diagnostic or labor..let's see what happens

drexappeal

Well, if it were the control modules, then it would've drained the battery. It's possible though. I had both my control modules (passenger and driver side) replaced prior to warranty expiration because I was having that problem and it's a common problem for those with memory seats on both sides.

As for "dyno mode", just a tip, you don't need to change the front screen to the odometer portion of the menu. Just turn to position one and press the reset button 3 times (immediately) to get to "dyno mode", which will have a menu where you can see the battery voltage.

mbdragon55

well i just towed my car to the dealership today...and they said that i have water damage...he said itll cost in the $2000s-$3000s range....and hell give me the detailed estimate tomorrow....he also said that i should file a claim with my insurance company for water damage...btw..do they charge for diagnostic because i dont think i want to get it repaired from them??

drexappeal

Water damage? Was it stuck in a flood or something?

wblynch

Sounds like a scam. Make him detail the diagnostics and prove the hours. Make them show you the damage and parts list and labor.

If it were my car I'd pay the diagnostics fee and pull it out of there. But then I know I can fix it myself. But I wouldn't pay the diagnostics without a detailed report of the findings. I mean that's what you're paying for is that repair order.

I sure wish I could see the car or pictures.

magnus203

As a mechanic who's worked at a mercedes specialist since leaving school i can safely say this isn't the first time I have seen this...
I had a call out to a customer who couldn't get her car started on her driveway, the driveway was sloped and the car was parked facing upwards.
I tried the jump start with my battery pack, nothing. Tested for a spark and fuel, nothing. I decided to tow it into the garage for a detailed diagnostics.
After reading voltages and resistances of almost everything to do with a vehicles starting procedure I was about ready to throw the towel in when it dawned on me.... The night before the customer had called me with her problem it had been raining, very heavy actually. I decided to check the ECU, and I found it lay in a puddle of water. Luckily after blowing out all the moisture with the airline and leaving the ECU under a heater for an hour or so, the car was cured. Running fine and not a problem since.

It could very well be the fusebox that they say it is but $2k -$3k sounds like a crazy price to fit that fuse box, those things can be took out in just over 5 minutes (a few torx screws) believe me I've removed plenty. They must be trying to overcharge you on the labor.

C230 Sport Coup

I keep thinkin' I should be ok keeping my car...then crap like this comes along and makes me wonder....

mbdragon55

i got the detailed specs and the adviser told me that i needed:
- SAM module $689.99
- MEM module $1575.50
- Water draining $500

what do you guys think? it sounds fishy to me and no the car was not iin any sort of flood..just really heavy rain

drexappeal

Hmmm...no flood?...I don't know how they could conclude it was water damage. The way that the hood is shaped, the water should drain places that wouldn't affect the SAM module.

As for the MEM module, what is that exactly?

Taiwanese

don't panic

For this kind of money, I will pay to get it towed to another dealer or indy shop.

someone in your area can recommend a shop?

http://www.mercedesshop.com/index.html
try here, this site is friendly.

wblynch

www.parts.com shows the MEM for $1275 (list: $1700)

http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/inde...layCatalogid=0

The front SAM is $297.50 (list: $398)

http://www.parts.com/oemcatalog/inde...layCatalogid=0

$500 for water draining? (are they sucking it through a straw?)

TemjinX2

$500 for water draining? how about you just pay me $500 and i'll get a dryer and drain all the water too.

If your some what decent around a car, i say just do it yourself. The modules just use harness's, so there's no real wiring involved. Just unhook the module and swap it with the new one.

Or you can probably pay some guy on the street $60 to go over your engine with a hair dryer.

Saprissa

1) Case
2) Case Cover
3) Module Me control
4) Module Auto lamp control
5) Module Egs
6) Module Voice control
7) Front door Front door Right
8) Rear door Rear door Right
9) Module Bracket
10) Fuse and relay box Front
11) Fuse and relay box Rear
12) Relay Front
13) Relay Roller blind
14) Relay Parktronic
15) Fuse
16) Sending unit Accel sensor
17) Sending unit Turn rate sensor
18) Sending unit Bracket
19) Sending unit Clip