Dash lights, speedometer, gas gauge, heat, etc. not functional
 

Hello All,

I own a ten year old 2002 C240 with 80,000 miles on the odometer. A week or so ago, I started my car and drove 25+ miles to a meeting. The dash lights, headlights, garage opener, speedometer, gas gauge, heat, etc. were not working.

I parked my car and after attending the meeting for around 3 hours, I started the car and everything came back on. Since then, all of those things will fail again, randomly. Usually, if I turn off the ignition and then turn it back on again, the failed items will work again.

Yesterday, I drove approximately 25 miles to a training event, when I left, at lunch time, everything stopped working when I started the car. My key was jammed (couldn't turn it). When I got it to turn, the first time I turned it to the starting position, the car didn't start until I removed the key and turned it again.

Any ideas what might be happening, e.g., bad key, bad ignition, bad relay somewhere, or what. Any advice will be appreciated.

This is likely a front SAM or EIS problem. What codes is the car storing?

P06000
 

P06000 is the only code I found

P0600 Serial Communication Link Malfunction - you might just have a bad connection somewhere.

Could this be the problem?
 

Glyn,

I pulled fuse 59 and sprayed contact cleaner on the connections for that fuse, and also sprayed the cleaner on the fuse. I used baking powder to clean the positive and negative battery connectors, and used an ODB II tool to erase the errors. The electrical malladies seem to have gone away, but now I am having trouble with my ignition key. Initially, I'd try to turn the key in the ignition and it wouldn't turn. I'd take it out of the ignition and turn it upside down and put it back in, and it would work. I changed the batteries, and now the key won't turn in the ignition at all. My space key, works fine. Do you think my problems might be related to the key or to the EIS?

Thanks,
Dick Gleason

The Key is energised by the EIS - not the batteries. They look after the distant RF & closer IR.

Once you place the key into the EIS the EIS energises it & then the handshake takes place once IR verification is achieved via the window in the nose of the key & the window in the EIS.

Clean the key & EIS windows with a cotton bud & isopropyl alcohol. Open the key & make sure that the induction coil has not broken off of the board.

Search for - Start protocol/start function/handshake etc. I have posted the whole process with pretty pictures many times.

Good luck!

Here:

https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ight=Handshake

You might have a bad connection on the EIS harness plug.

The Gauge cluster won't come on!
 

I own a 2002 C320 Wagon. The problem is that the Dash Cluster stopped working. No lights in the Dash. Every thing else seems to be firms outside (i.e. the blinkers,the cruise control, the head lights) but no interior dash lights. This has happened before but came back on after driving it and let it set. It's about 33 degrees now and it just happened overnight.

I own a 2002 C320 Wagon. The problem is that the Dash Cluster stopped working. No lights in the Dash. Every thing else seems to be firms outside (i.e. the blinkers,the cruise control, the head lights) but no interior dash lights. This has happened before but came back on after driving it and let it set. It's about 33 degrees now and it just happened overnight.

2002 Mercedes C240
 

I have similar problem with my fuel odometer. I'm looking for advice also to fix it personally.

If you only have problem with one gauge it is most likly the sending unit for that gauge.

Take a look at this guide, it explains all the most common problems with Mercedes instrument clusters.

Do you have another key?
 

Mine does the same with one key and not the other one.