SuperDavid

My friend lost a c300 only with a heavy rain in the highway when a truck pass to close a move the water to the car, the car turn off, and when he tried to start the engine, the engine had water and died. When we went to the insurance company, more than 15 Mercedes W204 had same problem (inlcuding C63). Do you see this problem before? MB has a recall to improve the intake? Are you see this problem before?

Royce118

Yes, I remember a forum member talking about this before. He lost his C300 the same exact way. I don't think MB have any recalls for the intake. Been to a Customer Appreciation Day at the dealer before and the service technicians were going through the car parts with all the customers. The 1st thing he mention was to never drive fast through water puddles due to the location of the air intakes.

jstaneff

Color me lucky since no one from MB has ever told me that. Is it in the owner's manual? Good to know, anyway. Now if I can avoid the rain .... in Seattle

len56

they can't do anything to fix this? :S

Diesel Benz

Due to the location of the air intakes? Where are those in your cars, our W204 has the air intakes at the very top part of the radiator area. Put them any higher and the car would look like dragster, air intake on top of the hood (which might be worse for flooding).

Also the engine otherwise should be the same as on other MB models, I assume also the air cleaner boxes are the same? There should be some area that traps most of the water instead of directing it to the intake but I thought that was the case with a 204 too.

Did they confirm that water had entered cylinders and made a water lock, which is bad? Or was it just some other sensitivity for water, like a sensor or something?

Moto_Guzzi

How is it possible that this problem was not picked up in 25 mil KM's over various countries testing the W204.

Yes I have read and seen a photograph of a pensioner in SA flooding and ruining his new C350. I also remember he experiened problems with his Motorplan & Insurance regarding this, don't know what the outcome was.
He driven through a deepish pool not so visible in depth.

Maybe the front fender act as a pickup of water due to its shape.

I am sure an easy mod is possible.

Royce118

Well that is what I'm told. Mine is located on top of the radiator as well. Probably it would be fine if you drive past the water puddle slowly instead of speeding pass through it. Since chances of the water getting into the intakes are higher in that case. From what I recalled, the technician told me it was the water getting into the cylinder causing a water lock. No idea about the sensor.

C300Sport

I tend to believe that the cars that have experienced this issue likely went through a bit more than a puddle.
With that said, conceivably a small, but very strategically placed splash of water may be funneled down the intake track(s) and cause the issue. I did notice that there is not any type of drain device on the intake runners. Once the water gets in, there is really no place for it to go...except up and through the filter into the engine. Maybe Benz should install a simple flap on the bottom of each banks intake runner that would be pushed down by the weight of water to allow for its release?

BEEPbeepZIPtang

I could be mistaken because i haven't looked in there in a while but isn't there a small drain hole in each of the air boxes below the filters?

Diesel Benz

Sure, but this only helps for small amount of water in a short time, if the "pipe is full", the small hole would not be enough. But how can the pipe draw so much water through the air filter etc. in a short time. I would understand if the bumper was raising water up to the intake for a long time but who on earth would drive like that?

matthew121170

Maybe you can make the hole bigger? I mean would there be any harm to making a few small holes on the bottom of the intake pipes so that water would not get past? Like a line of holes perpendicular to the pipe?

jstaneff

From the description, I'm getting the sense of a semi pushing a lot of standing water up to the intake on an angle that force feeds the water into the intake. If that's the case, this may be more difficult to resolve. Just drilling out holes won't handle a fire-hose supply of water. The fix could be as simple as providing side-shields to block the water, or venting the intake immediately past the radiator so water carries on through and out. But this is a problem that MB should have been able to plan for; I cannot imagine this need to "reinvent the wheel" with every new car model. Somewhere there must be design standards showing what works and what does not.

SuperDavid

BAD NEWS AGAIN, here in PR is raining a lot this week, I saw a another car with same problem, but in this case was a C63. The problem is not when the car pass a water flood, is when another big truck splash the water to the W204. the car off and when you try to turn on the engine DIE, the local MB dealer, say to insurance company that the complete engine has to be replace and the cost is more than $20K for a C300. We need a comments from MERCEDES BENZ ASAP. A recall to fixed this problem should be happen SOOOON.

Royce118

+1 on the recall part. I'm having second thoughts about driving out my C when it rains now...

BEEPbeepZIPtang

from a puddle splash it sounds like the coil packs are getting wet. i find it very hard to believe that enough water could find its way through the intakes and past the MAF to cause water lock with this set up anyway short of driving through a river.

some people have closed/filled the small holes in the air boxes to compose even more of a ram intake. those cars should then experience this problem under even heavy rain conditions, no? i'm pretty sure the high flow carbino air boxes in the 63's don't have any holes what so ever...and I don't think the eurospec boxes in any 204's have holes for drainage.

in the winter, when visiting the touchless carwash, i've revved the engine up to around 2500k as to draw in air as the hoses are blasting water at very high pressures, virtually into the intakes at level angles to see if it caused any bogging...negative.

bulletspec

After 2 Years living with the C Class in Puerto Rico, and having to deal with constant rain... I find this a little bit hard to beleive... I think it's a misconception of common sense trying to think that a MB is like a truck... If you see a big pool of water, Man! you have a car not a truck!

It's a mercedes but hey!, it's still a car!


Anyways don't tell anything to Mercedes Benz AG... (the factory) they probably can fit higher springs on sport models in the near future and that's NOT a good idea! Lol!

JoeVal

I understand that this problem, as reported, may keep you sleepless in Seattle, but look where the culprit is: an area with tropical rains (in bluckets) in zones not urbanized to temperate climate highway standards, where the strongest (trucks) are not considerate to avoid splashing around...

Yes, there may be a problem. Yes, the problem may be compounded by mods to basic designs. But... the driver has to know his limitations and learn to solve these problems before they become catastrophic.



If you prefer to drive a Mercedes over a Land Rover in these conditions, I suggest you a Unimog.

C300Sport

We wouldn't want any more drain holes as the negative intake pressure would simply be pulling in more hot engine compartment air and as Jstaneff says even a bunch of holes won't handle a lot of water. I still think a large rubbler "flap", similar to the one on the battery box, would be the best bet. It stays closed unless a "large" amount of water pushes it open.

Illusive

If that's the case, wouldn't a touchless car wash be just as bad since it is spraying high pressure water into your front end and supposedly into your grille? Also, if its from puddles with water entering from below or something like that, the undercarriage cleaning would have the same effect. I haven't seen anyone have their engine go down on water lock in those situations...that would be a worst case scenario IMO...

BEEPbeepZIPtang

are you responding to me? If so, i was saying yes, WITH the touchless carwash it was firing HOT water straight into the intakes. I was holding the revs at around 2500k to simulate 6th gear/75mph cruising. there was no indication what so ever that any water was getting anywhere near the TB.

as far as the undercarriage getting wet...whats the difference? there are no inlets to the intake from under the car. as long as the car can breath you can practically drive it underwater....meaning if air can get into the intake and out through the exhaust, the engine should run.

Glyn M Ruck

The air intakes on all Mercs are high on either or one side of the radiator to get them in the cold air stream. This is blatant misuse of the vehicle & leads to hydraulic lock of the engine with severe consequences such as bent con rods.

For once JoeVal & I agree. If you want to drive a vehicle in these conditions buy a UNIMOG with a snorkle. Even a Landrover will hydralock in these conditions without the optional snorkle fitted.

No sensible person drives a car with water at hood or bonnet level. The transmission & diff likely have ingested water through their breathers. These cars don't have sealed bellhousings either like a Landrover does.

Crazy

albert101

Cars are made for the road. Boats are made for the water. Simple. Though I can see how water splashing onto your car from trucks can be a problem. It's thing of wrong place, wrong time I suppose. Though I'm sure in any other car in the same situation, you would have the same problem as well.

Illusive

No, it was more of a general thought, not trying to get on anyone's nerves, sorry if I did. I think I misunderstood what the OP was saying about running through a deep puddle, not a shallow one. As for the undercarriage wash, it usually turns on just before the front end passes through so the high velocity spray has a split second to shoot up in front of your grille and possible into the intake, but again, it's a definite long shot. I really don't see how this is possible unless you are driving through a bog or if a truck splashes you as it drives through very very deep sitting water to launch that much water up into your grille/intake.

bulletspec

As he said!.... I have a Mercedes in PR and i have never had a single problem with it due to this...

Common sense to me is that if it's in a height over the foglight I WON'T TRY and PaSS it!.... let alone Intake HIGH! .... it's just Crazy

bulletspec

Amen!, as he said!