Check Engine On!!
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Joined: Nov 2001
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Check Engine On!!
havent driven the car in two rainy cold days when i started the car this morning the check engine light is on! I felt the car has some asychronous vibrating. What has gone wrong? should I drive the car to the dealer?
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Orlando, FL
2002 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor Sports Coupe
On a side note... I always found CHECK ENGINE lights rather amusing...
You car quits, and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on. Duh. What else would you check, the trunk?!? It would be more useful, with all that computing power in the car, if it just told you what was wrong "3rd spark plug cable bad, please replace".
Rick
You car quits, and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on. Duh. What else would you check, the trunk?!? It would be more useful, with all that computing power in the car, if it just told you what was wrong "3rd spark plug cable bad, please replace".
Rick
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From: Gaithersburg, MD
2002 C240 6-spd (ret)
Originally posted by Flashman
On a side note... I always found CHECK ENGINE lights rather amusing...
You car quits, and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on. Duh. What else would you check, the trunk?!? It would be more useful, with all that computing power in the car, if it just told you what was wrong "3rd spark plug cable bad, please replace".
Rick
On a side note... I always found CHECK ENGINE lights rather amusing...
You car quits, and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on. Duh. What else would you check, the trunk?!? It would be more useful, with all that computing power in the car, if it just told you what was wrong "3rd spark plug cable bad, please replace".
Rick
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From: Central NJ
C230K Coupe/Orion/C4/C5/CD/AMG Spoiler/V60/TeleAid, 2 MGB's
Originally posted by Flashman
[B]On a side note... I always found CHECK ENGINE lights rather amusing...
You car quits, and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on. Duh. What else would you check, the trunk?!? It would be more useful, with all that computing power in the car, if it just told you what was wrong "3rd spark plug cable bad, please replace".
Rick
[B]On a side note... I always found CHECK ENGINE lights rather amusing...
You car quits, and the CHECK ENGINE light comes on. Duh. What else would you check, the trunk?!? It would be more useful, with all that computing power in the car, if it just told you what was wrong "3rd spark plug cable bad, please replace".
Rick
What....you thought Mercedes uses Macintosh computers in their cars? LOL :p [B]
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
Check Engine
That sort of thing has got to be extremely annoying - to have a driveability problem with a new car. I usually drive old beaters and never have had a problem like that with my present car - for 8 years and 130,000 miles - the car is nearly 14 years old now. Oh, and it's French, not Japanese...
Even my older car from 1966 runs like a top, no hiccups, no breakdowns, no check engine light. There's nothing like mechanical fuel injection by Kugelfischer...
The dealer should be able to explain the source of the problem in clear language, and explain what they have done to ensure that it does not happen again. The vibration you felt was due to a cylinder (or few) not firing properly. Do not accept the "unexplained intermittent problem" excuse. There is a real problem behind this. Good luck.
Even my older car from 1966 runs like a top, no hiccups, no breakdowns, no check engine light. There's nothing like mechanical fuel injection by Kugelfischer...
The dealer should be able to explain the source of the problem in clear language, and explain what they have done to ensure that it does not happen again. The vibration you felt was due to a cylinder (or few) not firing properly. Do not accept the "unexplained intermittent problem" excuse. There is a real problem behind this. Good luck.
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From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
How did you find out what the code was? Did you take it to the dealer? What did they do?
And to Mike T.-
As unprofessional as an "unexplained intermittent problem" sounds, the fact is it DOES happen. There are sometimes when a car will have a "hiccup" once in a great while, and nobody can explain why. These are usually followed up by MBUSA issuing bulletins that say something like "We are aware of this complaint, but there is no fix at this time." Try getting a customer to buy that! Unfortunately, there's not a lot that can be done in a case like that.
And to Mike T.-
As unprofessional as an "unexplained intermittent problem" sounds, the fact is it DOES happen. There are sometimes when a car will have a "hiccup" once in a great while, and nobody can explain why. These are usually followed up by MBUSA issuing bulletins that say something like "We are aware of this complaint, but there is no fix at this time." Try getting a customer to buy that! Unfortunately, there's not a lot that can be done in a case like that.
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
Unexplained hiccups
Yeah, I know that with increasing complexity, there is an increasing likelihood of chaos erupting in an electronic system.
I should add here that my 1988 car's got a Bosch Motronic engine management system, so it's not exactly a low tech car either. It's been totally reliable, now with 155,000 miles on the odometer. THAT's what any expensive new car should be like.
I remain convinced that a dealer or indeed MB itself would never accept occurence of such incidents as normal, or indeed attempt to explain them away as simply being part of the everyday driving experience. This fellow's engine very nearly broke down, as he describes it, or it could have - this was not a loose gas cap.
Any new car should give 100% confidence to its owner - that it will do what is asked of it in all circumstances.
Problems such as this in a new car are unacceptable. If the manufacturer admits that there is a problem but no solution, it indicates poor engineering, poor assembly, substandard quality of parts or incompetent management.
So my message to the owner of this car remains: push the dealer and manufacturer until they can explain the problem and rectify it to your satisfaction. Also, document the problem and your contacts with the dealer and MB in writing, in case you need to eventually use the Lemon Law. I think you won't have to though. I'm a naturally optimistic person
I should add here that my 1988 car's got a Bosch Motronic engine management system, so it's not exactly a low tech car either. It's been totally reliable, now with 155,000 miles on the odometer. THAT's what any expensive new car should be like.
I remain convinced that a dealer or indeed MB itself would never accept occurence of such incidents as normal, or indeed attempt to explain them away as simply being part of the everyday driving experience. This fellow's engine very nearly broke down, as he describes it, or it could have - this was not a loose gas cap.
Any new car should give 100% confidence to its owner - that it will do what is asked of it in all circumstances.
Problems such as this in a new car are unacceptable. If the manufacturer admits that there is a problem but no solution, it indicates poor engineering, poor assembly, substandard quality of parts or incompetent management.
So my message to the owner of this car remains: push the dealer and manufacturer until they can explain the problem and rectify it to your satisfaction. Also, document the problem and your contacts with the dealer and MB in writing, in case you need to eventually use the Lemon Law. I think you won't have to though. I'm a naturally optimistic person
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From: Ashburn, VA
'19 GLC 300, '19 TM3SR+
Originally posted by gab
it turns out that engine reported 3 spark misfire!! does anyone know why? I never run on empty fuel tank
it turns out that engine reported 3 spark misfire!! does anyone know why? I never run on empty fuel tank
Anyhow, if it happened only once and never reoccured, I wouldn't worry about it. There are so many variables and factors affecting the ECU's diagnostic algorithms, it might have gotten confused by some rare combination thereof... Then again, stop-and-go traffic is far from being an ideal operating mode...
Last edited by vadim; Nov 28, 2001 at 08:50 AM.
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From: Orlando, FL
2002 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor Sports Coupe
Forget fancy electronics for a while...
If a single cylinder is occassionally misfiring... that is usually a pretty straightforward indication of a bad spark plug cable. It is the same effect you get when cables get old. Maybe this specific cable was in the parts bin a little too long before getting installed.
Rick
If a single cylinder is occassionally misfiring... that is usually a pretty straightforward indication of a bad spark plug cable. It is the same effect you get when cables get old. Maybe this specific cable was in the parts bin a little too long before getting installed.
Rick
