ReggieBB

Hey all, been snooping around on this forum and love the amount of info on here, should be selling this stuff to Wikipedia.

So I have a few questions just curious at the moment.

Just got my hand on a W203 C320 02 model, (Right hand drive =P)

Question 1:
(Sorry I know this ESP issue has been brought up over a million times but haven't found one that matched the issues I'm facing)

So far love it but getting an esp issue looked at, can the ESP play up when all four tyres are at different treads and brands?

- Front Left (Continentals) Plenty on tread on the tyre
- Front Right (Continentals) Aprox half the amount of tread of the FL tyre prob requires changing in about 500k-800k's
- Rear Left (Michelin) Average tread
- Rear Right (Perelli) Average tread

Now the ESP plays up only after a good 30 to 40 min drive, if I don't switch it off via the dash switch when it starts to go bonkers, it feels like the left front brake locks up for about 1 or 2 seconds enough to send a jolt through the car. However if I do switch it off it just comes up with "go visit workshop".

I know it's useless if I don't have the codes so just seeing what you guys think because at this stage my money is on party mix tyres that are on the car.

Question 2: LSD
Shame the C320 is an open diff, now are the C320 AMG or C55 AMG diff "Plug and Play" for a C320 or do I require some sort or reprogramming? At this stage I'm just interested to know just in case I come by a lsd and if it's easy to swap out why not

Question 3: Head lights
The 2001 models have the very unsexy headlights, the glass lenses are as thick as grand dads reading glasses, ha-ha. I've seen a shat load of "EBay" aftermarket lights (2005 look) now personally I'm not keen or have touched these items. So my question is there an OEM set where I can retain the light levelling function (Vac line) or is it electronically controlled?

Also hooking up a set of HID's I know there are two types the China (crap) made and Phillips (requires deep pockets). With these kits if I get the one where they have”Error Free" Can-bus ballasts can I avoid taking it to a dealer to activate the xenon setting?



Cheers, Reggie

anonymousmoose

Just want to say 'good to see another Australian resident on the forum'. Sorry I can't help with your answers, I'm only 1 week into owning my 2006 C200K. There is an Aussie forum you may also want to ask the question on; OzBenz (google it). But its not as active as this forum.

Carsy

How much tread has the spare ? See if it matches the front left as a temporary solution.

Check the tyre pressures. Put a little more in the worn front tyre.

The tyres would be fully warmed up after 40 min driving & the different brands may expand at different rates causing the problem

This lady deserves a whole new of clogs asap.She will reward you.

anonymousmoose

I agree. I dont like to mix and match tyres.

Mine has the Sports package where the front wheels are slightly smaller then back.

I found out yesterday the front tyres are Toyo (I think) and the back are Continentals. But both sides are the same, only front/back very. So its not necessarily bad.

As soon as I'll need them, I will get a full set of Continentals put on.

ReggieBB; One has to wonder why all this mixing and matching. Maybe there have been uneven wear issues in the past. If you call around, find out if a tyre shop can lend you some tyres to drive around in for an hour or so. Its unlikely but on my Holden when I had issues, I found a chap nice enough to lend me some tyres to test. Just be nice enough to buy your next set through him if it turns out the test prove your tyres need replacing.

Also, did you get the car from a dealer? You say you recently acquired it. In the state of WA, a dealer must give a 3 month warranty and if the ESP is playing up causing safety concerns, this may be justified to get fixed. If the tyres are causing the issue, then I say get them replaced by the dealer. Maybe suggest the tyre-swap test I mentioned to the dealer (if you got it from a dealer).

Boom vang

as an aside, it is never good practice to have mis-matched tires, each as its own characteristic and slip angles and construction, not to mention rubber compound and tread.

Rather than having a neutral handling car you are adding a different dimension on each wheel.

Tires are the most important equipment next to brakes on your car, it is the only thing that holds you on the road, not an area to pinch penny's

samaritrey

+1 Even if the tires have fine tread get a matching set before you start trying to diagnose the esp issue. Could also be a bad wheel sensor or many other things.

Glyn M Ruck

For proper ESP operation try & keep rolling circumference of tyres within 3% of one another. Some cars are more sensitive than others.

There are endless threads that cover all your lighting questions. I would fit BiX

You can fit a C32 diff. Ratio is different. Star programming required for speedo & ESP etc.

phister

This is from Cale (cpbeasley) who has done extensive research on rear diff.

Sorry Glyn but I believe you are wrong about the C32 being able to be a straight swap.

"he can not swap a c32 diff into his c320 directly.
his c320 has the smaller 198mm ring/gear pinion which has a smaller housing and different subframe crossmember behind the differential that has different mounting points.
mid 2003, the axle-shaft design was also changed. he has the bolt-on axle type. c32s being produced from 02-04 came available with either style of either bolt-in or slide-in. so that would be an issue.
finally, seeing as how all of the above is different, so are the axle shafts. even if he bought a like-year c32 with bolt-in shafts, the lengths of the shafts themselves are different if not the # of splines.
if he has an automatic, there is no way (yet) for him to change his gear ratio successfully seing as how he'd be going from a 3.23 to a 3.06. seeing as the c320 powerband as it is, a lowered gear ratio would not be worth trading for LSD.

so, in a perfect world to do this swap hed have to:
acquire c32 subframe crossmember. c32 differential. c32 axle shafts. c32 propellor flange for the rear-end of driveshaft. finally, a magical gypsie who could program the TCU not to **** a brick." - cpbeasley (let him come back to mbworld!!!)

aussie e55

hi
where are u in aussie.
regards
george

MelbMerc

May not be any help but i looked at swapping out the diff on my w203 c200k 5 years ago for a c180 from memory as it had a better ratio.

i remember to do it correct i needed to change tthe electronic gear selecter otherwise it would not work... abit defferent to changing diff gears in an old ss commodore lol!

i think someone on here in Au had a C43 with a quaife diff, or might of been kleemann diff, cant quite remember. If it was from her though, you could do worse than search this site for 'c43 lsd'; assuming of course the W202 and w203 diff conversions are simmilar.

hope this helps

phil

Nola

You refer to a member that is not in good standing and not welcome at MBWorld in any capacity, so please stop playing messenger.

Glyn M Ruck

Yes - sorry Phi. This is correct. You really need a pranged C32 rear end as everything is beefed up. Cale phoned me in this regard. The change is in fact not that difficult to a C320 - more difficult to Cale's car.

ReggieBB

Update on the ESP fellas I've booked it in to get it looked at but today driving at 80km/h (50mp/h) the front right tyre (the tyre with the least tread) locked up for half a second. What I do after I start the car is switch the esp off and as it start to play up the traction warning light starts to flash as soon as it stops the right brake locks for a second.

So my guess is either crap tyres or a speed sensor, will let you all know what the issue is.

Big thanks guys for all the info you boys seriously know you Mercs like the back of your hand.

Hey George I'm located down in Melbourne, shame there isn't a Aussie Merc forum would love for us fellow owners to all get together and go for a cruise. I know there is a Benz club but membership is about $150-$200 a year.

For the random mix of tyres it was from the previous owner here in Aus you get a RWC (roadworthy certificate) It is a certificate that shows that your car meets the minimum requirements in being suitable and road worthy enough to drive on the road legally.

ReggieBB

Got it scanned by some indy guys apparently:

C1120-004 N64 (EPS Yaw rate sensor): Zero point offset error of component N64 (ESP Yaw rate sensor)

Now the indy guys quoted me $650 - $700 (aud) parts and labour.

What I do know the wheel alignment is out ever so slightly to the left.


Strange thing is called up a spare parts Merc dealer they said the following parts maybe needing to be replaced from what I told them:

Parts:

A003 542 2318 - Turn Rate Sensor ($1,864) But said it's very unlikely this part has failed, and it doesn’t make sense as this detects the Yaw rate of the car and the issue I am facing occurs when car is in motion and in a straight line

163 542 0618 - Accelerator Sensor ($421) I personally am not sure why this sensor would have anything to do with the ESP

Now digging deeper into this issue because it is really unsafe driving at 50mph and the brake pops on automatically even if it for a short second.

I ask fellow Benz Guru's could the angle sensor have to do with this problem, having a chin wag with some mechanics today they said it could be a bad connection or a wire that may have become lose in the angle sensor. So what do you chaps think

I've tried the rest the wheel (x5 to the left, x5 to the right with the engine on) still no success.
Sorry if there isn’t enough information as I’m new to playing with Euro cars so it’s a big learning curve, and hope I can get this sorted and finally enjoy driving it without the fear of the car trying to kill me haha.

Many thanks in advance

anonymousmoose

Google OZBenz Forum, but its not as active as this one.

Carsy

Can this man disable the ESP while he sorts out the problems ?

Glyn M Ruck

It's not the steering angle sensor. Turn steering from lock to lock 5 times to reset.

See for Yaw rate sensor replacement

Glyn M Ruck

If vehicle is pulling left with road camber set castor 1 degree more positive LHS than RHS - Typically 10.6 deg & 9.6 deg. You will need fluted 3 position castor bolts.

Boom vang

all the parts and repairs sound very expensive, maybe it is time to bail on the car and look for another one

Glyn M Ruck

Nah! In Australia you don't chuck a car out for a $500 repair. New one is too expensive like SA.

Boom vang

I am not saying chuck the car but try to resell it, since he just bought it and has a load of issues at the get go involving very expensive parts (especially if it needs a turn rate sensor, not sure how much a Yaw rate sensor is but sounds expensive) and needing new tires etc etc. The 'deal' that he got in the first place does not look that great unless he got it for a steal. We know that our cars especially the early ones have all sorts of problems: rads, front suspension issues, rusting (not an issue for Aus) and numerous electrical gremlins as well. 01-03 models are the problem child of the range of years.

He is already starting in the hole and it will get worse moving forward before it gets better. The fact that he bought the car with 4 mis-matched tires tells me that the previous owner was: not meticulous in maintaining the car, didn't care or was strapped for cash and let things slide. For those reasons alone I would have passed as it is a very visible tell-tale sign IMO.

Not aware of prices of cars in Australia but here in Canada an 02 would go for about $10K or less.

Our cars are great when they are running well, but can't get very expensive to repair if there are numerous issues - so far I have been lucky over the past 4 years although there was a ton of repairs for the front suspension covered under warranty.

Glyn M Ruck

My car is still worth an easy US$26K - Aus pricing is similar.

Boom vang

wow I should ship my car to sell over there, depreciation is at a snail's pace.

Carsy

Vaseline helps

anonymousmoose

Do you know what we pay for these cars brand new ?

http://www.redbook.com.au/used-cars/...s.aspx?R=83962