thanks brian...i just hope i was able to help some people out, so they don't have to go to the stealership.

 

Maybe a stupid question, but I haven't been "inside" yet to access the modules, but:

How do you access the cigarette lighter wiring? Is it right there in the floor by the seat module?

Also, do you know which fuses are the seat controls? I'd like to disable them in case I don't get this right the first time so I can give my mother in law her car back.

Thanks

 

from the other thread it looks like fuse number 27 and 33.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c...at-module.html

you can access there cig lighter from the center console and run it under the panels or you the aux accel from the rear sam.

I'll see if i can find the instructions from the v1 diy

 

here's a diy to access the aux 12v accel from the rear sam.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ll-please.html

 

here's a simplified illustration of what the instructions i wrote out.

 

you can access the cig lighter directly under the center console.

directions here.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...lp-please.html

then you can run the wires like they did here, under the panels.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...e-warning.html







then you can run the wiring to the side then under the door sills. There's a cut in the oem carpet by the door sill near the seat control modules. You can run the wire there from under the door sill

 

bananap00p just recently emailed me a pretty good suggestion. You can probably just use a switch if you dont want to use a 12v trigger.

For example have the solid brown wire attached as the power source to a switch then have it out put to the module.

 

Thanks, Temjin. This will make my Christmas project a lot easier. I'm going to do the relay solution, but if I have too much trouble, I might opt for the switch.

Thanks!

 

oh yeah, 3months and still no power drain. its nice to wake up in the morning and not worry if your car will turn on or not.


i found a great pic of the harness your suppose to mod posted by bif powell

 

Hi,
I just bought an '04 C320 wagon. Does anyone know if Mercedes fixed this issue (seat control module battery drain) on the '03 and '04 models? I'm assuming they did as I haven't seen any posts/complaints from '03-'04 models.

thanks,
Michael

 

there is no fix for it...
after a long use, DCM just goes faulty...

 

Let me rephrase: Did Mercedes update the part 2003 onward? I haven't seen 2003 or '04 owners post with the issue which is why I was wondering this. If anyone knows the answer please post.

thanks,
Michael

 

I have the entire post 2003 DB W203 Facelift tome and with all the upgrades done & the move to CAN system, MOST etc - there is no update recorded for these modules. I can only believe that they tightened up QC on them from the OE supplier. It is possible that they were updated before the end of 2003 of course but I find no record of that.

 

I think its the 05's that got the new seat control modules. I believe they use the same ones as the newer e55's. I remember topgun mentioned it in his other thread.

 

the older models has a 203 in the part number the new updated modules start with a 211.

the old seat modules



We talked about on this thread before i came up with the relay fix

https://mbworld.org/forums/c32-amg-c...tible-c32.html

 

Basically all the older modules or the ones that have 203 will all eventually have the same battery draining issue. I'm convinced all them are crap. The new 211 seems to not have the issue. At least thats the feedback i read from some of the members on the c32 forum who replaced it with the new part.

 

oh yeah glyn , i was wrong, there not bosch. The old modules are made by some portugese company. The capacitiors are labeled portugal.

 

Yeah, this would make sense (that they tightened up quality control)...I've yet to hear of anyone with a 2003 or 2004 who has experienced this problem. Again, I just bought an '04 C320. Will I hear a buzzing noise when it starts to malfunction and pull too much from the battery?

I'd rather not fix it if it's not broke but would like to know what to look for.

thanks again,
Michael

 

Hey Mike, Thanks for clarifying - so they must have done them as a running update and not at Facelift time. Great that we have a part number now. Would be interesting to find a date or VIN at which they changed - That could prove difficult

 

You need to ask TemjinX2 the "buzzing" question. He is the forum authority on seat modules. The only reason I posted was I was researching the pedal brake light switch deletion to BAS activation for another member & thought while I was reading 168 pages I would look for the seat module - but to no avail.

BTW - I don't know anybody in South Africa that has ever had this problem so I wonder whether there were not multiple suppliers of this module.

Mike says made in Portugal due to Portuguese language on components. I think more likely made in Brazil when many W203s were manufactured for the US market there.

 

That would be interesting if it was just components that were made in a particular country. But again, I'm guessing they updated this unit or tightened up quality control as you had suggested. My '04 was made in Germany and I can read that the part number for the seat def. begins with 203 (not the 211 replacement which many shops use to fix the issue). I'll re-read above to see if I can figure out the warning signs. Again, it's not broke now so I'd rather not dive into it. However, I don't want the family to be stranded one day...

Michael

 

Understood. If your car was German built then likely they were European sourced. It's just that in countries like South Africa with their own plants the local content is fairly high. South African built W204, as an example is approx 47% by weight local content. W203 was similar.

German built cars usually show their content on the door jam stickers.

 

I did some more searching. Looks like these folks can rebuild the unit for those who aren't so great with wiring....

http://www.bba-reman.com/content.asp...Control_Module

 

no buzzing noise. Unfortunately you won't be to tell there malfunctioning until you turn on the car one day and the battery is dead.

 

Briliant job but I cannot help to wonder that the brown wire and the brown/red wire is the CAN L and CAN H wire.

Now I have seen another fix (not better than this, however easier), where one of the wires has a permanent live and the other has a ignition live. The other fix involves chopping off the brown wire and capping it off and connecting the the other side of the wire into a splice on the brown/red wire.

However, what I can't help but wonder, asthe wires involved here are the CAN wires, does it not affect any other systems whichever mod one decides to carry out?