Battery/Alternator problem
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Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sedan 2003
Battery/Alternator problem
Every once in a while when I turn the car on in the morning, it does something strange. After around 10 seconds, the radio turns off, the SRS signal turns on, for about 5 seconds, and then everything goes back to normal. This only happens when I first turn on the car in the morning.
Yesterday morning when I turned on the car, I was greated with this message
I took it to the mechanic, he checked the battery and the alternator, and they seem to run fine.
Any ideas what might be causing this?
Yesterday morning when I turned on the car, I was greated with this message
I took it to the mechanic, he checked the battery and the alternator, and they seem to run fine.
Any ideas what might be causing this?
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Every once in a while when I turn the car on in the morning, it does something strange. After around 10 seconds, the radio turns off, the SRS signal turns on, for about 5 seconds, and then everything goes back to normal. This only happens when I first turn on the car in the morning.
Yesterday morning when I turned on the car, I was greated with this message
I took it to the mechanic, he checked the battery and the alternator, and they seem to run fine.
Any ideas what might be causing this?
Yesterday morning when I turned on the car, I was greated with this message
I took it to the mechanic, he checked the battery and the alternator, and they seem to run fine.
Any ideas what might be causing this?
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
Do these problems occur after you have turned on the car and the car is running, or do these appear if the car does not start?
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Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sedan 2003
They didn't put it under load, they just started the car and checked the voltage on the battery and the alternator.
The car has almost 100,000 miles on it.
The mechanic told me that some of the devices in the car are receiving high voltage signal, but he doesn't know what might be causing this.
Not sure if the battery has been changed before.
The car starts every time, I never had the case were the car doesn't start. It just does the issue I described above when I first start the car.
The car has almost 100,000 miles on it.
The mechanic told me that some of the devices in the car are receiving high voltage signal, but he doesn't know what might be causing this.
Not sure if the battery has been changed before.
The car starts every time, I never had the case were the car doesn't start. It just does the issue I described above when I first start the car.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
That gives an indication but proper battery testers have a defined built in load that measures the rate at which you knock the surface charge of the battery & bring it down to base voltage. An unloaded battery can look fine but collapse as soon as it has to do some work - like start the car.
Wessam - sorry I got your car mixed with another European member. How old is the battery?
Wessam - sorry I got your car mixed with another European member. How old is the battery?
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Joined: Mar 2007
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From: California
03 W203, 13 E350, 13 W204, 14 C218
I have the same car and year man, and if your problem is anything like mine it is only going to get worse...Mine was my alternator I ignored this problem for about a month until one day i was driving home and my car deng near completely shut off on me.
All the lights radio and headlights went really really low and I could tell that the car obviously was not getting any power. I tried replacing my battery and the same thing happened the next day then I replaced the alternator and everything was smooth sailing from there.
However krisv420 had the same error you are getting and he said he just replaced his battery and everything worked fine....if the battery or alternator hasn't been replaced since 2003 it might be about that time my man...hope this helps.
(Keep in mind that this is not a definite answer but this was my situation)
All the lights radio and headlights went really really low and I could tell that the car obviously was not getting any power. I tried replacing my battery and the same thing happened the next day then I replaced the alternator and everything was smooth sailing from there.
However krisv420 had the same error you are getting and he said he just replaced his battery and everything worked fine....if the battery or alternator hasn't been replaced since 2003 it might be about that time my man...hope this helps.
(Keep in mind that this is not a definite answer but this was my situation)
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Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sedan 2003
I really don't know when the battery was changed, I bought it used a year ago, and I didn't change the battery yet.
Whats confusing me is that this only happens in the morning, during the day the car starts normally, even if the car was parked for long hours.
Most probably its time to change the battery.
Whats confusing me is that this only happens in the morning, during the day the car starts normally, even if the car was parked for long hours.
Most probably its time to change the battery.
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From: Corona, CA
03 g35 coupe...........02 c32 Sold
the car requires more amps to crank in the cold weather then in warm weather. Try replacing the battery and see if it makes a difference. You can buy one at walmart for $100.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
I really don't know when the battery was changed, I bought it used a year ago, and I didn't change the battery yet.
Whats confusing me is that this only happens in the morning, during the day the car starts normally, even if the car was parked for long hours.
Most probably its time to change the battery.
Whats confusing me is that this only happens in the morning, during the day the car starts normally, even if the car was parked for long hours.
Most probably its time to change the battery.
Mike - Wessam is in Europe so no Walmart around the corner.
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From: Corona, CA
03 g35 coupe...........02 c32 Sold
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2009
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From: East Coast
C230 coupe 2002
turn the car on, let it warm up a little bit,disconnect the battery , if car shuts off , your alternator is bad , if car runs ... Check battery voltage to see if it needs replacement
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: East Coast
C230 coupe 2002
Are you running an amplifier or anything like it? When the alternator starts feeding from the battery with the car running , it means your alternator is going bad ... I just had my dad's minivan alternator replaced .. It was completly shut , reading the symptoms your car is giving you , (things turning off) etc, my guess is your alternator is giving up on you
but worked for me, a cheap way to know if your alternator is actually doing his job.
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Mercedes C230 Kompressor Sedan 2003
I'm actually in the middle east 
I just came from the mechanic, he told me that the regulator is malfunctioning, so he replaced it. Not sure if that's really the problem, I can't tell untill I try it out tomorrow morning.
I just came from the mechanic, he told me that the regulator is malfunctioning, so he replaced it. Not sure if that's really the problem, I can't tell untill I try it out tomorrow morning.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
Sorry Wessam - I'm confused - keep confusing you with another guy that PMed me - I Knew you were not in the US!!. It could be regulator, alternator or battery. Let's hold thumbs
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
WTF! Someone needs to stop furthering the idea that it is appropriate to disconnect the battery while the car is running. Do not do this. Ever.
Let us know how the car behaves in the AM.
Let us know how the car behaves in the AM.
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From: Llandudno, Cape Town, South Africa
late 2009 CLK 350 Coupe Elegance, '65 Jaguar S Type wires
If the vehicle has the factory installed audio system - It will cut out to protect the battery. Only aftermarket installation connected direct to the battery will run it flat. Or at least this is the theory.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
My car will turn off things to protect the battery. Stereo & interior lights.
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
My car also will turn off the headlights to protect the battery... actually, with my completely stock car, I don't think it is possible to run the battery down.
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2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
Will it turn off the headlights if you switch them to the ON position? Mine turns them off in Auto, but in ON it tells me to switch them off. A friend of a friend with an 01 C320 ran his battery out by leaving his in the ON position.
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From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
I've never tried it with my w203, but I forgot and left them on once or twice in my CLK ('99), which didn't have the auto feature, and I got back to my car and found them off. I thought "****!" when I saw that the switch was an but they were off. But my car started, then the lights turned on, and everything was fine.
EDIT: I just remembered, I also did something similar with the SL ('07). I drove the car, and turned on the fog lights. I'm so used to the lights being set on "Auto" that I forgot to switch them off. When I got up the next morning, none of the electronics were working (automatic windows that open a crack when you open the doors, interior lights, MFD). I tried the push button start, and nothing, but as soon as I put the key in the ignition, everything lit up and the car started.
EDIT: I just remembered, I also did something similar with the SL ('07). I drove the car, and turned on the fog lights. I'm so used to the lights being set on "Auto" that I forgot to switch them off. When I got up the next morning, none of the electronics were working (automatic windows that open a crack when you open the doors, interior lights, MFD). I tried the push button start, and nothing, but as soon as I put the key in the ignition, everything lit up and the car started.
Last edited by bdgdl08; Jun 8, 2009 at 07:13 PM.
