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2010 C300 - After Rain Damage - Won't Start, Windows/Sunroof Won't Close, etc.
I had some rain damage the other day. Trunk had a twig stuck in the seal and it rained hard and let it in the trunk. Not sure how much, but it ended up getting to the backseat and driver side foot areas because those carpets were damp (c300-3.jpg).
When I first noticed issue, we were able to jump the car once, but then I turned it off and it would no longer startup.
I got a pre-safe function limited, see owner manual (c300-6.jpg). I believe there were also a bunch of error codes that popped up. It wouldn't turn over the engine or anything.
Interior lights work, exterior do not (c300-4.jpg).
I put the windows down because it's Houston, Texas and hot as heck and opened the sunroof, but they would not go back up.
Shifter stuck in park (I can do the manual method of putting it in neutral by pressing the yellow lever on the shifter).
Steering wheel is locked.
I can put the car in panic mode and it turns off the alarm when the key goes near the ignition.
Radio will turn on (c300-2.jpg).
Checked every single FUSE, but need to try swapping out relays? Also, I don't have the driver side dash fuse box, which I read is how USA cars come? All the fuse diagrams I found talk about "pre-fuse" boxes, but I haven't found those to check them...
OBDII reader would turn on, but would search and then not find and error out.
I had hired a mechanic to look around and he did a bunch of tests and recommended I replace the rear fuse panel. I did and now the pre-safe error is gone. Dash just says Take Your Key from Ignition (c300-5.jpg).
Which from what I've seen sounds like the steering lock went bad, but unless that went bad after whatever was causing the pre-safe error, it doesn't make sense. But honestly, not sure if the pre-safe went away before or after my changing the fuse panel...
I've tried doing the "turn the steering wheel while cranking ignition" trick and it doesn't do anything.
OBDII read won't even turn on (c300-1.jpg) now. c300-4.jpg c300-6.jpg c300-5.jpg c300-3.jpg c300-2.jpg c300-1.jpg
Last edited by eromrab; Jun 26, 2021 at 07:10 PM.
Reason: Added labels to images.
If my car got wet like that, I would remove the battery, then find all wet places and dry them. I know for a fact electricity and water does not mix over time, unless wiring is very well sealed. As the battery sits in circuit, reactions may start forming making joints green, I actually photographed(Macro) digital equipment sitting near the coastline where the IC legs have holes in them due to corrotion, and we were shocked to see the damage and strangest faults popping up. This happened because cabinets hausing equipment were ordered without heaters to dry the air inside. So wet is no good.
Your 1st priority is to get things dried out properly, then look for physical damage of corrotion, the longer you wait the worse it get, then hope for the best.
Last edited by Moto_Guzzi; Jun 27, 2021 at 12:58 AM.
Yeah, it's dried out now, as far as I can tell. I popped the plug in the trunk and got rid of the rest of the water and we left all the doors and windows opened to air out and let the humidity dry up.
The bad news is, I can't move it because the steering wheel is locked and I can't start it. I'd push it into the garage, but I can't turn the wheel. So it's sitting outside with a tarp. Sucks. But it's dry :-)
if the CAN BUS NETWORK is shorted the car wont start, Remove the driver and passenger Carpet, buy WD40 and Electronic Spray, get to work... scanner cant help you, need to do physical work....
if the CAN BUS NETWORK is shorted the car wont start, Remove the driver and passenger Carpet, buy WD40 and Electronic Spray, get to work... scanner cant help you, need to do physical work....
Pop the cover off the engine compartment + (red) jumper cover..see those black tabs to remove., not the battery itself cover. Large 40(?) amo fuse can be seen...check for continuity or obviously blown. Will send a picture but you should see what I'm talking about. Also, look to see if the rubber seal where your driver's side wiper shaft goes through on the plastic cowl is torn...this will let water thru to the underside of the left front fuse box so it will be sdoaking wet...unbolt to lift and dry..I used compressed air but time and a hair dryer will do the job.
Last edited by gamma300C; Jul 1, 2021 at 12:53 PM.
Pop the cover off the engine compartment + (red) jumper cover..see those black tabs to remove., not the battery itself cover. Large 40(?) amo fuse can be seen...check for continuity or obviously blown. Will send a picture but you should see what I'm talking about. Also, look to see if the rubber seal where your driver's side wiper shaft goes through on the plastic cowl is torn...this will let water thru to the underside of the left front fuse box so it will be sdoaking wet...unbolt to lift and dry..I used compressed air but time and a hair dryer will do the job.
Are you talking about this area here? I don't see a fuse, but I will say I'm getting 12.7 volts to the rear fuse box, so I don't think it's that far upstream. Also, interior lights come on.
Pop the cover off the engine compartment + (red) jumper cover..see those black tabs to remove., not the battery itself cover. Large 40(?) amo fuse can be seen...check for continuity or obviously blown. Will send a picture but you should see what I'm talking about. Also, look to see if the rubber seal where your driver's side wiper shaft goes through on the plastic cowl is torn...this will let water thru to the underside of the left front fuse box so it will be sdoaking wet...unbolt to lift and dry..I used compressed air but time and a hair dryer will do the job.
Crap. Just pulled my driver side carpet up and found water under there. Didn't even know this area existed... Don't see any electrical components though, just wires... Maybe not looking hard enough?
If it came in through the trunk, what would get damaged on the way to the front?
Crap. Just pulled my driver side carpet up and found water under there. Didn't even know this area existed... Don't see any electrical components though, just wires... Maybe not looking hard enough?
If it came in through the trunk, what would get damaged on the way to the front?
W204 C200, BMW E30 M3, 1980Gt Mini, Toyota Corona, KTM 200 EXC.
How sure are you that a twig in the boot caused your car to be flooded out in the passenger compartment?
Could the damage be covered by vehicle insurance, I think you need to fully dry everything and clean all the connectors mentioned above as a minimum and all the best with starting up soon.
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