vdubpower

i had tint done 1 week before the whole water incident.
i installed tintprotector all by myself
after the tint, the fm went awol for like 20 min and is now working fine.
but i had no issues with locking mechanism
i dontt think there was any issues with it even after the water damage and the two days i had the car before sending it to my repair shop

i dont think its the batteries in the keyfobs either, cuz both are doing the same

Glyn M Ruck

Check the antenna wires mid rear screen under the hood lining. Frequently cut when tinting. This at worst can cost you a rear screen. Or stick on device becomes dislodged. Check aerial amplifier & it's earth in LHS rear pillar. Cover pops off. Check fuse for aerial amp.

vdubpower

glyn is this in regards to the unlocking alarm situation
wht i dont get is that worked fine after the tint which was a week before the water dive, and even after the water incident.

Glyn M Ruck

Yes - The RF portion of the key is what gives you range/distance. The IR requires you to be close up & aimed at that IR receiver in the door handle.

Even if you did not damage wiring in the rear screen you might have disturbed that adhesive pad that makes the connection with the aerial wires in the screen. Just have a look under the headliner rear centre. Aerial amp is in the pillar - If it blown, not earthed properly or not getting power you will experience what you are.



https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...o-problem.html

vdubpower

hey, i peeled back the headliner and looked at the adhesive thing in the center. it looked ok to me, nothing obvious out of place.
what does the amp look like.
i was scared to pull the entire headliner off without knowing how to get it back on.
i read through the fuse card, and i wasnt too sure which is for the RF of the locking mech. i thnk number 8, and that is located in the boot. changing that didnt make a differnece. i also noticed the fuel cap lock isnt working

any other thoughts, much thanks

Glyn M Ruck

No need to remove the headliner for any of this. Just pop off the rear pillar cover & you will see the amp. See diagram.

Glyn M Ruck

No need to remove the headliner for any of this. Just pop of the LHS C pillar liner & you will see the amp.

See 110. C panel cover.

vdubpower

ok illl check that, hope i can get it back on.
so i pull from where the left side of rear window is,
what am i looking for when i get in there
does the issue with fuel door have any correlation with my issue do u think

vdubpower

yeah ok, i didnt feel comfortable trying to pull that peice off.
we are talking about were the rear seatbelt comes out of right,

gosh this sucks

Glyn M Ruck

10 in the 1st diagram is the Amp.

I have no idea if the fuel door problem is related. That is on fuse 15.

vdubpower

yeah i switched out the fuses in 15 and still nothing...

these fuses, how do i tell if they are blown

my w126 has the ones with the little connectsion that get burned out, i cant tell in these?


stupid Q, when u say amp, u dont mean the amp to the sound system do u, sorry

Glyn M Ruck

No stupid questions - don't worry. Anything is easy when you know how.

No - I mean 10 in the antenna diagram & no not the audio amplifier - the antenna amplifier that amplifies the antenna signal between the antenna & the radio & alarm/locking system. It's a small oblong device with wires coming out of it.

110 is the C pillar cover. There is a retaining screw behind the SRS airbag cover if memory serves me correctly. The antenna amp is behind that.

The only way to check fuses is to put a meter across them & check for continuity.

Glyn M Ruck

OK here is an antenna amp DIY for the W208. Same as W203 but remember on the W203 it's on the LHS behind the C pillar cover. (drivers side US)

https://mbworld.org/forums/attachmen...1&d=1255347330


I also want you to think very clearly about your tint before you go pulling things apart. Are you absolutely sure that this problem did not start immediately after you did the tint? Some tints can cause all the problems you explain. I have taken you down another path because you said it worked after the tint but are you sure. Good practice dictates that when troubleshooting one should always be suspicious of the last thing you worked on. You say "after the tint, the fm went awol for like 20 min and is now working fine." I'm highly suspicious of this - either cut traces (wires) or water shorted the antenna amp. A blown antenna amp or wrong tint has the most effect on AM reception & the RF side of the key. If it is the tint then the tint people must pay for the damage because they simply never learn.

Here is an old post of mine

Quote"

Yes the Aerial/Antenna is built into the glass. The Amplifier is mounted above the rear screen on Coupes & in the LHS C pillar in sedans.

If tinting has been done then water frequently shorts the antenna & blows the RF amplifier or when trimming the tint they cut through the wires/traces as they exit the glass.

Metallised mylar tints frequently ruin radio & remote reception. Radio & remote share the antenna/aerial - Only option - remove & replace the tint.

So we have 3 potential problems.

- The tint itself
- A blown RF amplifier
- A damaged antenna trace in the glass or wiring above the glass

The worse case scenario requires replacement of the rear window. The amplifier replacement is relatively easy.

unquote"

Good luck

vdubpower

now im thinking more and more about the tint. i got the tint done i think 3-4 days before water dive. i remember immediatly the radio was in fritz, that lasted like 10 min
then the AM and FM worked fine and have since.
i drove the car everyday and i would have noticed if the locking wasnt proper. im pretty sure i would have. its hard to say.
i was gonna have my wife take the car in today to the shop, they need to dry out the fog lights that they missed.

the tint i used i think was suntek, and i think it was metalized.

then theres the issue with gas lock too, and howeever it is or isnt associated.

Glyn M Ruck

You are going to have to ask other forum members about Suntek - But metallised tints cause trouble.

vdubpower

well the car isnt going in today, we couldnt find a ride, so ill tinker with it, when i get home.

vdubpower

lastest update

so i had taken my car back to my shop. they cleaned out the fogs. and said they would check out the rear c pillar antenna stuff in regards to the alarm issue.

basically they think its the tint or antenna and just said to take it to dealer. So i didnt really get specific answer. whatever

i have a dealer appt on monday. lets say if it is an issue with the antenna stuff, would that be covered. I have the 7yr/100000 ext warrently that i paid for when i purchased the car.

if it is just the tint, do u think i wil just have to do the rrear or the side rear door windows too.

i got the tint a bout 4 days before the water incidednt, and icould have sworn the lock mech. worked fine from the ke y fob, but who knows. i dont
thanks

samaritrey

i would take the tint off now and see if it starts working. i don't think the dealer will even touch it if they see tint their.

vdubpower

yeah that will be my last ordeal then, but i wll see what they say,

Glyn M Ruck

If it's a metallic tint you will only have to remove it from the back window & replace with non metallised.

vdubpower

combo panel, ever heard of it,

so i took the car to the dealer, just to see what they said about the alarm thing

they said there was a bad combo panel and it was replaced. so this is good, that i didnt have to redo the tint.
i havent picked up the car yet so we will see.

also the gas door wasnt locking regardless of method of locking and they said it needed a new acctuator

they gave me a c300 2009 as a loaner. very underwelmed by it. i dont get the point of 7 gears. i guess its smoother but felt pretty boring

last thing , ofcourse the dealer wanted 1000 bucks for new rotors and pads times 4

does that seem like a reasonable number. i think i got the fronts done so far one time, never the rears . car has 42K miles

thanks again to everyone who has helped me out

samaritrey

no clue what a combo panel is hopefully that fix's it. i paid $800 for oem rotors and pads all around but that was at a good indy in my town.

AdidasC230

Just an FYI, the INS company wont give you any of the old parts because usually they retain whats good and re-sell it to re-coup the cost of you destroying your engine and them paying for it. The idea of insurance (and basically law) is to make you whole, not better off then you where before (replacement engine+old engine parts worth money=better off then before) the shop and insurance did nothing wrong.

Next time dont go gallivanting through puddles at 30 miles an hour and you wont have this issue, if you entered water fast enough to push the lower grill in, you where not just idling on through. Only way you get that much water into the car is to either hit it hard and fast or go real deep, either one is not smart, accelerating out of the water would not have made enough wake to ingest through the high center intakes on the grill and then into the intake and filters if you where, coming out, water breaks to the side not to the center and over the hood. I drive a Discovery that off road regularly in water with a stock airbox, I know how the water flows around a car going correctly through it, and its not straight to the intake.

samaritrey

did you not even read the full thread. he asked the insurance company and they said they didn't want any parts. he also called the place in ca that the engine came from and they didn't want the old engine back. and he didn't want the engine to sell parts he just wanted the block to make a table or something. and accidents happen you don't need to come in here way after it happened and tell him what he did wrong he is old enough to accept responsibility and move on.

vdubpower

hey adidas, how about u have a piece of shut the f #*k up cake. your not even worth me responding any further