SunnyRayToronto

HELP! I am really stuck on this one. I get this weird "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error which also sends a kill signal to the engine if its running and prevents the engine from starting if I get it while trying to start the engine. As soon as the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message display on the instrument cluster display, the front radiator fan spins loudly on high mode like a turbine engine and will only stop about 50 seconds after I take the key out.

The car is a 2003 Mercedes-Benz C230 coupe with M271 engine with about 62,000 km.


LOG:

Nov 7, 2011 12noon
Been driving for about 15 minutes on highway
3 malfunctions: "Coolant Visit Workshop" - ESP - Engine/ABS/Display (sometimes 3rd malfunction error is engine sometimes its ABS)
Car went into Limp-Safety Mode (lost power steering, no acceleration, slow automatic braking done by car and I had about 15-20 seconds to pull over before car turned itself (engine) off) & Front Radiator Fan turn itself on high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for 30 to 50 seconds. I attempted to restart the car again, key in - key out,... tried three or four times (each time triggering "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error***) before car finally started and drove off. Needless to say, I was a bit freaked out since I was stopped on a live lane of a busy city highway!,... no shoulder available


Nov 8, 2011 10am
Just started the car and backing out from driveway
3 malfunction: "Coolant Visit Workshop" - ESP - Engine/ABS (sometimes 3rd malfunction error is engine sometimes its ABS)
Limp-Safety Mode (car turn engine off) & Front Radiator Fan turn itself on high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for 30 to 50 seconds. I attempted to restart the car again, key in - key out, car started and drove off.

Temp Solution: I noticed coolant was a little bit low in coolant reservior so topped off Coolant (750ml coolant-distilled water 50/50) seem to have solved Coolant Visit Workshop problem,... temporarily.



Dec 13, 2011 9pm
Just started the car on residential street and been driving about 1 minute
1-3 malfunction: "Coolant Visit Workshop" - ESP - ABS,... but usually just 1 malfunction (Coolant Visit Workshop)
Limp-Safety Mode (car turn itself off) & Front Radiator Fan turn itself on high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for 30 to 50 seconds. I attempted to restart the car again, key in - key out,... tried three or four times (each time triggering "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error***). Pushed disabled car off to the side of the street and fiddled with it. Attempted to restart car again about 5 times (each time triggering "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error***) before car finally started and drove off.

Temp Solution: topped off with 300ml Nestle bottled water and disconnect auxillary coolant pump in front of coolant reserve tank (I originally thought it was the coolant level sensor). It worked and car started without error and I was able to drive home. Coincidence???


** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when driving the car:
- "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error on instrument cluster display - usually followed by "ESP Visit Workshop" and a third Visit Workshop message for Engine, ABS or Display
- car goes into Limp-Safety Mode (lost power steering, no acceleration, slow automatic braking done by car and when car stops engine turns itself off)
- Front Radiator fan turns itself on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) - stays on as long as key is in - take key out and Front Radiator fan stays on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for another 30-50 seconds


*** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:
- Key in position 1 - everything seems fine and instrument cluster display lights up normally
- Key in position 2 - everything seems ok (as car seems to do its regular checks) then "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error displays on instrument display cluster.
- Any attempt to turn key to ignition to start engine is ignored - engine can not start - no starter clicking (nothing) - seems to be in Limp-Safety mode with kill engine signal
- Front Radiator fan turns itself on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) - stays on as long as key is in - take key out and Front Radiator fan stays on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for another 30-50 seconds


I worked on the car over the next week (Dec 14 to 21),...
- Using CanODB2 ScanTool (Innova Equus 3130) I can not pull any codes, I can usually connect and see live data but I can't pull any DTC (error codes)
- When car works I can see coolant tempurature bar graph and coolant level on instrument cluster display
- Coolant Temperature Sensor should show temp at key position 2 but didn't - often just goes to "Coolant Visit Workshop"
- Attempts to start and restart the car would usually result in "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error exactly as noted above in "*** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:" ,.... and it would happen more and more frequently as time went on,... usually about 5 times a day or about 50% of all start attempts


Solution: On December 21, 2011 Change out Thermostat (A271-203-05-75) & 2 O-rings (A271-997-00-45 & 029-997-21-48) and Coolant Temperature Sensor (A000-905-07-00)
Thermostat supposed to open at 87C - old one start to open at 87C but fully open at 94C


Changing out the Thermostat and Coolant Temperature Sensor seems to have solved the problem and the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error did not reoccur ,.... until,.... over a month later:


Jan 25, 2012 (Wed) 12:00 noon
Backing out of garage onto driveway
1 Malfunction: "Coolant Visit Workshop"
Limp-Safety Mode (car turn engine off) & Front Radiator Fan turn itself on high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for 30 to 50 seconds after I take the key out.
- Attempts to start and restart the car would usually result in "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error exactly as noted above in "*** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:"



THOUGHTS:
- A Thermostat (open) isn`t likely to trigger this "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction (with car going into limp-safety mode and stopping engine) especially when the car is just starting.
- I think the original problem relates to the Coolant Temperature Sensor and changing it out solved the problem,... but why did the new Coolant Temperature Sensor only lasted about a month before the same problem returned? Surely, a coolant temperature sensor should last more than a month! Is there a short, bad relay, bad fuse or loose connection I should be looking at,.... which relay and fuse are involved here? I checked all the fuses but am not really sure how to go about checking a relay.



From the owner`s manual "Coolant Visit Workshop" lists a possible cause as "The cooling fan for the coolant is malfunctioning",... but the fan goes into high mode and spins like a turbine engine. This seems to be the default when its integrated control module doesn`t get a proper signal. It should get a proper signal from ME unit (ECU),... which receives a signal from the Coolant Temperature Sensor. From reading the threads, I know "Coolant Visit Workshop" usually means bad thermostat (P0128 OBD2 DTC error code,... which I could not pull with my ODB2 scantool) or bad coolant temperature sensor (so I changed out both). I also know, most poster that change out expensive front radiator-engine fan with integrated control module find out that`s not the real problem.

ontmiss

If you willing to come to Miss. west, I can hook up star and "hopefully" find a problem

SunnyRayToronto

Greetings OntMiss,

Thanks for the generous offer,.... but the problem is I can't even get the car to start right now.

Right now I'm getting this: *** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:
- Key in position 1 - everything seems fine and instrument cluster display lights up normally
- Key in position 2 - everything seems ok (as car seems to do its regular checks) then "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error displays on instrument display cluster.
- Any attempt to turn key to ignition to start engine is ignored - engine can not start - no starter clicking (nothing) - seems to be in Limp-Safety mode with kill engine signal
- Front Radiator fan turns itself on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) - stays on as long as key is in - take key out and Front Radiator fan stays on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for another 30-50 seconds

Later this week, I'll probably throw another coolant temperature sensor at the car and see that'll get the car started again,...

I'm in the Yonge-Sheppard-401 area of downtown North York,... let me know if you'll be around here soon.

Thanks,
SunnyRayToronto

ontmiss

Sorry m8 have no time to go there, all my things are towards niagara , but anyway check the link I'll post new thread ("Star Finder Online") in few minutes. Could be of help

Here you go https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ml#post5028159

Glyn M Ruck

For ESP etc, see posts 499 & 500 here.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...trey-cars.html

For start enable process see here: You require fuses 31, 52 & 57 to be intact.

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...=start+process.

Infant mortality syndrome tells us that a new temp sensor is more likely to fail than an older operating one. Did you use a genuine sensor or pirate part? Check all recent work first. Check all connectors for corrosion.

I think the car believes it has lost coolant & is potentially going to overheat. Hence limp & fan speed ratcheted up.

You are either going to have to get this vehicle on a Star or methodically go through the checks yourself.

I somehow doubt it is the fan controller.

Is the transmission behaving normally? Is the transmission cooler free of obstruction?
Are you storing any transmission codes?

Good luck!

Try & sort out why you can't pull codes.

SunnyRayToronto

Glyn_M_Ruck, Yes, I used a genuine Mercedes-Benz coolant temperature sensor (Mercedes-Benz Part#: 000-982-33-08 which replaced the old one Mercedes-Benz Part#: A004-541-45-01),... its only $20 from the Mercedes-Benz Stealership.

I'm a bit confused about Limp mode,.. I assume in limp mode the car is still driveable just in lower careful speed. When the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message comes one, my car gets a kill engine signal, power steering is lost, brakes are applied automatically and the engine stops,... its like I'm driving a police auto theft bait car,... and it gets the kill engine signal,... the car comes to a dead stop if was being driven, and if its being started, then its does not start.

When the car works, the automatic transmission shifts smoothly without issues,... my car has about 62,000km,.... and haven't had a transmission fluid change yet. In North America,... transmission fluid is supposed to last "lifetime" or 15 years,.... but the rest of the world should change transmission fluid for M271 engine with automatic transmission every 60,000km or 39,000 miles,... thus I'm 2K overdue.

Hmmm,... I didn't realize that there is a transmission cooler.

I know you also have the same Innova Equus 3130 ODB2 ScanTool,... when I connect it with ignition on, it goes through all the protocols and then stays in yellow flashing status usually with O2 and CAT blinking meaning its still getting data on those,.. but then it loses connection. I can erase codes before it loses connection,... or if I go into live data before it lose connection it won't lose connection. I've never been able to pull any stored DTC (error messages) with this Innova Equus 3130 ODB2 ScanTool.

LILBENZ230

Brakes are applied automatically? Are you sure about that?

SunnyRayToronto

LilBenz320, Trust me,.. brakes were applied automatically,.... in the very first incident on Nov 7th (in my OP), I was going at highway speed of about 100km,... and the car came to a stop in about 15 seconds,.... it felt like it automatically lowered the gears and applied the brakes slowly. This was accompanied by the kill engine signal where the engine turned itself off.

LILBENZ230

I've never heard of a car braking itself to a halt short of a collision mitigation system and even those often won't stop the car. I was thinking that perhaps it slowed itself way down with gear changes.

SunnyRayToronto

Trust me,... the car came to a stop by itself by slowly applying the brakes automatically. You can't go from highway speed to a dead stop just by applying lower gears. Its an automatic transmission so as speed decreases the gears are lowered automatically.

While searching the threads looking for a solution to my problem,... I've come across a few reports of Mercedes getting various "Visit Workshop" malfunction messages along with these kill engine signal that disables a moving vehicle.

Our car has a kill engine signal that can also be triggered by tele-aid satellite system,... but my car doesn't have that tele-aid feature activated. Hmmmm,.... maybe Mercedes-Benz Canada is monitoring these threads and every time I say something negative about their Mercedes-Benz Stealerships they send a kill engine signal to my car!

fatehgneidi

I would like ask you about my car M 05 C320.
When i start engine i get this weird "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error and the fan goes into high mode and spins like a turbine engine.

SunnyRayToronto

Fatehgneidi, When you start engine and get this weird "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error and the fan goes into high mode and spins like a turbine engine,.... does your car start? Or is it not able to start?

Do you get this? Exactly?
"Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:
- Key in position 1 - everything seems fine and instrument cluster display lights up normally
- Key in position 2 - everything seems ok (as car seems to do its regular checks) then "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error displays on instrument display cluster.
- Any attempt to turn key to ignition to start engine is ignored - engine can not start - no starter clicking (nothing) - seems to be in Limp-Safety mode with kill engine signal
- Front Radiator fan turns itself on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) - stays on as long as key is in - take key out and Front Radiator fan stays on in high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for another 30-50 seconds

How often does these "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message appears on your car?

Have this "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction warning ever happened when your car is in motion,... when you're driving? If so, do you also experience a kill engine signal?

How many km or miles do you have on your car? Did you do a transmission oil change?

LILBENZ230

I actually discussed this with Johnand over dinner this past Saturday.. he agreed with me, there should be no form of limp mode or anything else that causes the car to brake itself. That is extremely dangerous. I have heard of ESP errors causing random pulsations of brakes, but you say it applies the brakes and stops the car smoothly but quickly?

SunnyRayToronto

Yes, I agree,... its extremely dangerous!

Seriously,... in my original post,... that first incident on November 7, 2011 happend at the worst possible place,... the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfuntion message came on with the kill engine signal when I was on the highway,... an elevated highway curve (for the locals: where the DVP southbound becomes eastbound Gardiner). The car stopped itself automatically, I had no power steering, no acceleration at the gas pedels, the car automatically applied the brakes! Or at least that's what it felt like,... even if it went to 1st gear the car shouldn't stop by itself,... but it did stop all by itself. I had minimal control, all I could do was pull over as far left as I could,... there was no emergency shoulder at this part of the highway. I was stopped in a live highway lane!

This part of the highway was elevated and curved so I was wondering if cars behind me would have enough time to react,... since they would only see me as they bend around the curve. As I was trying to restart the car,.. it kept on triggering the "Coolant Visit Workshop" message and would not start! I watched in the review mirror as cars did emergency last second lane changes to avoid hitting me,... and when I saw an 18-wheeler comming at me in my rearview mirror doing a last second emergency lane change with horns blarring! I just closed my eyes and prayed,... that the air bags would go off,... then opened my left eye as I heard it whizzed by on the driver side,... within a few inches of my driver side mirror,.... When I finally got the car to start,... I was thanking my lucky stars,... and driving like a bat out of hell.

SunnyRayToronto

I've labeled the previous Thermostat and Coolant Temperature Sensor change out as PHANTOM SOLUTION ,... since it only "solved" the problem temporarily. Only to have the exact same problem to reappear over a month later.

*** PHANTOM SOLUTION On December 21, 2011 Change out Thermostat (A271-203-05-75) & 2 O-rings (A271-997-00-45 & 029-997-21-48) and Coolant Temperature Sensor (A000-905-07-00)
Thermostat supposed to open at 87C - old one start to open at 87C but fully open at 94C


Changing out the Thermostat and Coolant Temperature Sensor seems to have solved the problem and the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error did not reoccur,.... until,.... over a month later:


Jan 25, 2012 (Wed) 12:00 noon
Backing out of garage onto driveway
1 Malfunction: "Coolant Visit Workshop"
Limp-Safety Mode (car turn engine off) & Front Radiator Fan turn itself on high mode (sound like a turbine engine) for 30 to 50 seconds after I take the key out.
- Attempts to start and restart the car would usually result in "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error exactly as noted above in "*** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:"


Over the next few days (Jan 26 to 28),...
- Any attempt to start car results in "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message along with no start and front radiator/engine fan spinning in high mode like a turbine engine.
- Using CanODB2 ScanTool (Innova Equus 3130) I can not pull any codes, I can usually connect and see live data but I can't pull any DTC (error codes)
- Coolant Temperature Sensor should show temp at key position 2 but didn't - often just goes to "Coolant Visit Workshop"
- Attempts to start and restart the car would usually result in "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error exactly as noted above in "*** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:" ,.... and it would happen on all start attempts while the car was on the upwardly sloping driveway,... usually about 5 times a day or about 100% of all start attempts

During these few days as the car sat on my sloping driveway the front nose pointed up,... I could never get the car to start, it always went to "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction error exactly as noted above in "*** "Coolant Visit Workshop" when trying to start the car:" as in the Original Post.

I didn't attempt to start the car at all on January 29th.


January 30, 2012 (Mon)
- attempt to start the car and it started fine,... ran idle for about 10 minutes and then "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message came on with engine kill signal and front radiator/engine fan spinning in high mode like a turbine engine
- Put in brand new MB car battery.
- Old car battery was 9.5 years old (passed test)
- Car started fine with new battery

I had the old car battery tested at 4 different location, only one said it was bad and he was not able to show me any printout or display indicating it was bad. The other 3 tests with printout or displays shows that that 9.5 year old battery was still good. But its 9.5 years old and was long overdue for a change!
Performance wise, with old battery, I was getting 12.4V before start, 13.6V or 13.7V at idle and 14.1V at 1800RPM. With new battery, I am getting 12.7 at start, 13.8V or 13.9V at idle and 14.1V or 14.2V at 1800RPM.

*** PHANTOM SOLUTION On January 30, 2012 Change out old car battery (A004-541-45-01) to new Mercedes-Benz OEM car battery (v000-982-33-08)

Once again, with this new fix,... the car started fine and ran without any issues. Then less than one week later, on February 4th, after starting the car and a few minutes of driving the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message came on with engine kill signal and front radiator/engine fan spinning in high mode like a turbine engine. I drove the rest of that day without any more issues.


February 4, 2012 (Sat) 2:15pm
Started car, drove out of garage & driveway onto street towards Yonge Street
Malfunction: "ESP Visit Workshop" and "Coolant Visit Workshop"
took key out and was able to restart the car,... no more problem the rest of the day, drove to west Mississauga/Oakville

This was one of the few time when the "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction was triggered while the car was in motion (just like in my first "Coolant Visit Workshop" on the highway on November 7th, 2011). This time I was only driving a few minutes, just out of my garage, off my driveway and on my street towards a main street,... not even half a block,... but car went into "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction, "ESP Visit Workshop" was also triggered in instrument cluster, lost power steering, the car decelerated on its own,... I was travelling around 35 km per hour and the car started to slow down by itself, I started to pull over and even before I could completely pull over the car came to a stop by itself! It took about 6-7 seconds,... the rear end of the car was still sticking out in the middle of the road when the car came to a stop by itself. Lucky this time it happened on a relatively quiet residential street instead on the curve of a busy highway!

SunnyRayToronto

I really have to thank one of our resident poster, OntMiss, who spent about over 2.5 hours using his Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System checking and testing my car on Saturday night. OntMiss was very thorough in checking my car,... he treated my baby as if it was his own,... I seriously doubt any Mercedes-Benz Stealership would have spent that much time using their Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System checking and running tests on the car.

- Of course, the reading showed a long list of stored faults
- At the top of the list of faults was "ETC Electronic Transmission Control" FAIL (MB Number: 0305454232)
- OntMiss then used his STAR Diagnostic System to test and check a number of systems on the car, especially those related to the transmission
- OntMiss then cleared all the fault codes from my car memory
- I went for a 5-10 minute drive
- OntMiss Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System was able to pull two faults: P2200 and P2203
- OntMiss then used his STAR Diagnostic System to look for any new faults and ran some more tests and checks on some systems again, especially those related to the transmission.

After my 5-10 minute drive, his Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System was able to pull two faults: P2200 and P2203 (they did NOT trigger any malfunction message on the instrument display cluster but are stored in the cars memory)

My Innova Equus 3130 OBD2 ScanTool was not able to pull these faults codes because they are transmission codes and most OBD2 ScanTools can only read engine codes. My Innova Equus 3130 OBD2 ScanTool states there are No DTC.


OntMiss Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System was able to pull fault codes P2200 and P2203 relating to loose or faulty connection. And suggested 3 possible places to investigate for a loose or faulty connection in the transmission system:

Possible cause of P2200 & P2203 faults (in order of inspection or probability):
-1- "Plug connection at component N15/3 (ETC ESG control unit) is loose or a contact fault exists" IE: wire connector at Transmission Control Unit - under front passenger kickplate
-2- "Plug connection at component Transmission is loose or a contact fault exists" IE: that infamous transmission "pilot bushing" (adapter) plug (A203-540-02-53) might have faulty or worn o-ring leaking oil onto the connectors.
-3- "The springs are not fitted below components Y3/6n2 (speed sensor 2) or Y3/6n3 (speed sensor 3)" IE: springs at speed sensor in transmission oil pan

I will have to check for corrossion or water or oil leak affecting these wire connectors,.... and I see have have a transmission oil leak at that infamous transmission "pilot bushing" (adapter) plug (A203-540-02-53).

Interestingly I tend to get that "Coolant Visit Workshop" Malfunction with kill engine signal followed by front radiator-engine fan on high mode more often when the car has its nose pointed up,... so maybe the transmission oil in the connector flowed a certain way,...


Funny, how Mercedes-Benz spends most of their R&D money on automatic transmission,... which are supposed to last a lifetime without oil changes but now requires one every 60,000km (I am 2,000km due),.... and it messes up because of a small little o-ring. SpaceShuttle Challenger: "Houston, we have a problem,..."


Photos from Glyn_M_Ruck of the first 2 checks for faulty connections can be found in post#2 here:
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...sues-help.html

Looks like I will have to do a partial automatic transmission oil change and replace the leaking pilot bushing adapters with bad o-rings (Mercedes part# 203-540-02-53) Sunil Patel (sunman) & mleskovar instructions:
http://www.installuniversity.com/mb/...ans_oring.html


THOUGHTS:
So why did those two phantom solutions work for a while,..... Maybe the newer version of the coolant temperature sensor sends a stronger code to the ECU ,... Maybe the new car battery gave more juice to the TCU so it would not give up as easily.

Maybe when the TCU has problems and quit it does not trigger a proper malfunction message on the instrument cluster. When TCU gives up, the Transmission Cooler or control module of front radiator-engine fan might not be getting proper signal and trigger the "Coolant Visit Workshop" message. Having car come to sudden stop triggers "ESP Visit Workshop" message. When control module of front radiator-engine fan does not get a signal it starts spinning in high mode by default.

LILBENZ230

I'd be surprised to learn that even the leaky pilot bushing would cause the coolant error, but oil in places oil shouldn't be will do weird things to these cars for sure.

mtnman82

Are you filling the coolant reservoir all the way up (i.e. up to the black top of the reservoir)? I kept getting the coolant error message after replacing a bad sensor until I read the manual and then topped it up all the way. You probably are, just thought I'd mention it ...

Also, when I replaced the coolant sensor (with another genuine MB) I noticed the new one is a lot longer than the old one, so the new sensor will trigger a warning with less collant missing than the old one.

I would guess after you clear the codes, or changed the battery, the computer had to go through it's diagnostic routing again before declaring an error, this giving you some time before locking things up again.

SunnyRayToronto

Yes, I'm filling the coolant reservoir all the way to the black top of the reservoir. My coolant level sensor is working fine, I can see the level on my instrument cluster display and it'll go up and down as I take coolant out or add some. I get a different "Coolant Level Visit Workshop" message when I disconnect its connector from the bottom of the coolant reservoir.

When I changed the battery the car didn't clear the codes because I used a memory saver so I wouldn't have to reset the ESP, pano, window, radio stations, etc,...

Yes, I think you're right about the computer going through its diagnostic routing again before declaring an error. OntMiss cleared the fault codes last Saturday, its been driving fine since but I know its just storing all those new P2200 & P2203 faults relating to the bad connector caused by leaking transmission oil at the pilot bushing,...

The car is storing all those faults without even giving any error messages right now,... saving all those faults without even saying anything,... right now. Just waiting for an opportunity to blow up at me. I'm pretty sure my car is a woman! Its like she's mad at me for some reason but won't tell me why,.... Whenever I ask why she just says some gibberish "Coolant Visit Workshop" that likely doesn't have anything to do with why she's really upset at me,.... or she'll mention some three letter acronym PMS,... err, I mean ESP. I give her small gifts (new coolant temperature sensor and new thermostat) and she'll be good to me for a month,... but then just blows up at me again! I then try more expensive gifts (new car battery) and again, she's good and behaves well,... but then blows up a week later. Arghhh,.... And sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I just can't convince her to get her motor running,... play and fiddle with her and still nothing! And sometimes in the middle,... she'll just stop and shut down by herself!

Yep, my car is a woman,... she's pretty,... she's high maintenance,... and she needs a lot of attention!

Russell Ormerod

Quote"Yes, I'm filling the coolant reservoir all the way to the black top of the reservoir. My coolant level sensor is working fine, I can see the level on my instrument cluster display and it'll go up and down as I take coolant out or add some."

Please explain how you see this on your cluster...
Your explainations are confusing..
Just post a star short test here and i will tell you what to check
Good luck

LILBENZ230

I was like.. how are you seeing coolant level on the cluster?

Russell can you confirm that in no scenario should the car apply the brakes and bring itself to a halt?

SunnyRayToronto

Using your steering wheel buttons navigate to mileage screen, then up-down arrows to coolant screen, as per my photo.

Here on the coolant screen you'll see two graphs, not just one. The biggest is the coolant temperature bar graph,... why they don't just display the temperature in digits like every other car is beyond me. Anyways, on the left, there an image of a therometer,.... notice the ticks, as the coolant level decreases, this therometer image decreases in size and have less ticks,.... as the coolant level increases, this therometer image increases in size and have more ticks. Try playing with it the next time you change coolant.

Hmmm,... I guess, some of us, learn something new about our cars today.

SunnyRayToronto

Thanks to OntMiss and his Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System , I'm pretty sure I know what needs to be done now; the infamous transmission "pilot bushing" (adapter) plug with leaking o-rings (A203-540-02-53) needs to be replace and I should also do a partial transmission oil change as well.

After OntMiss used his Mercedes_Benz STAR Diagnostic System to clear all the fault codes from my car, I took a 5-10 minute drive. Then OntMiss reconnected his Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System and was able to pull two faults: P2200 and P2203 (they did NOT trigger any malfunction message on my instrument display cluster but are stored in the cars memory). They are related to loose or faulty connection. And suggested 3 possible places to investigate for a loose or faulty connection in the transmission system:

Possible cause of P2200 & P2203 faults (in order of inspection or probability):
-1- "Plug connection at component N15/3 (ETC ESG control unit) is loose or a contact fault exists" IE: wire connector at Transmission Control Unit - under front passenger kickplate
-2- "Plug connection at component Transmission is loose or a contact fault exists" IE: that infamous transmission "pilot bushing" (adapter) plug (A203-540-02-53) might have faulty or worn o-ring leaking oil onto the connectors.
-3- "The springs are not fitted below components Y3/6n2 (speed sensor 2) or Y3/6n3 (speed sensor 3)" IE: springs at speed sensor in transmission oil pan

I see that I have a transmission oil leak at that infamous transmission "pilot bushing" (adapter) plug (A203-540-02-53). It seems this transmission oil leak have gotten into the connector.

I've attached photos of images from OntMiss Mercedes-Benz STAR Diagnostic System so that if anyone has a similar problem, they would know what to look for.

I will update this thread as I progress,... mainly because I hate it when I'm searching for a solution to a problem,... only to find the Original Poster who started the thread stating his/her problem and then getting a number of different suggestions but never updating the thread with what actually worked or didn't work or if any solution was ever found.

ontmiss

@SunnyRayToronto

So no visit workshop message yet?

SunnyRayToronto

Greetings OntMiss,

Nope. No "Coolant Visit Workshop" malfunction message,.... yet. But I know the car is storing all those P2200 & P2203 fault codes,... the more I drive, the more P2200 & P2203 fault codes it'll continue to store,.... and getting ready to blow up on me again.

So right now, I'm just waiting for a nice day to change out that infamous pilot bushing adapters with bad o-rings (Mercedes part# 203-540-02-53) and do a partial transmission oil change. And of course, with my luck, this weekend we're getting a flash freeze here in the Greater Toronto Area. I'm not crazy enough to work outside under my car when its freezing out there,... and with snow,... I'll end up frozen underneath the car!!!

Thanks again OntMiss,... I owe you big time!

SunnyRayToronto