When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Hello all! First post and thank you for having me.
Had to remove the front SAM from my 2011 C300 4matic luxury for the dreaded water problem.
All was progressing well until I got to the last two power supply connectors. One came off by sliding out of it plastic clip and the other came out whole with some copper sticking out. I am not one to trust these anymore and wanted to see if anyone knew of the part number for the connectors, or if I can just by generic and make it work. I’d prefer oem, I don’t want to half *** this. Thanks so much.
whats this "water problem" i might have to check mine
Mine was a trunk deck lid seal most likely from the car wash I go to. I have dual 12in subs in my trunk so I rarely need to go inn there as there is no room for much off anything. But water in the trunk is a common problem as I've found out so now I do regular inspections. Butt I didn't notice water until my dash and two small rear surround speakers burnt up while I was driving.
Open the trunk and water is everywhere. I used eBay used parts and ended up replacing rear amplifier rear tpms reciever rear emergency call module and the rear fuse box. My rear Sam lived thru it some how.
I haven't experienced it but I believe there is a similar issues with the front Sam.
Clogged sunroof drain and windshield drain forces water into the front same box and it pools up underneath it. There is a tiny drain plug, but this was also blocked by a piece of tree bark somehow, I took a picture of how deep the water was.
Originally Posted by RobertR728
Mine was a trunk deck lid seal most likely from the car wash I go to. I have dual 12in subs in my trunk so I rarely need to go inn there as there is no room for much off anything. But water in the trunk is a common problem as I've found out so now I do regular inspections. Butt I didn't notice water until my dash and two small rear surround speakers burnt up while I was driving.
Open the trunk and water is everywhere. I used eBay used parts and ended up replacing rear amplifier rear tpms reciever rear emergency call module and the rear fuse box. My rear Sam lived thru it some how.
I haven't experienced it but I believe there is a similar issues with the front Sam.
Good habit to pour some water in the drains to make sure they arent clogged. Just checked mine and they are all draining nicely.
Im thinking the lid would have to be open or not put back properly for any water to even get in there. There is a gasket on the underside that should create a good seal.
Just wanted to get all of my ducks in a row, did you do anything special when you replaced them, I just received mine and I want to make sure I make good connections with the wires and the clips. Thanks so much.
Originally Posted by RobertR728
I did the exact same thing and a great guy on here TimC300 got me this info.
No actually I ran my car for weeks before I met TimC300 on this forum and he found the connectors for me. Miner pretty much disinterested when I removed my fuse box. The new ones just be sure they are orientation correctly and they just push on the wire and there is a slight click when they are in place.
You're welcome I've learned allot in the short time I've been reading these forums and the people here have been very nice.
I didn't wanna mess mine up either cuz I was over that while project lol but the new ones aren't as fragile since they don't have there age and heat cycles the old ones did.
Ok, I really apologize for being “that guy”, but in a 2010 W204 lux, is it necessary to have an eBay SAM programmed assuming it’s the same part number?
After researching options, it seems that there are no real differences between a sport or luxury, addendum; if I do need to have it programmed, what’s the best option? Buying a bidirectional, good scanner, or dealership? Many thanks.
I replaced my rear Sam and while it did work and the car functioned fine I had a couple off strange codes for equipment that isn't inn my car.
So imma say you could get lucky with the same part number that the donor vehicle had the same equipment as you. If not to make it function 100% it could require reprogramming. Hope that helps and isn't more confusing
And I've never programmed one so I can't answer the ending question.
Last edited by RobertR728; Jul 20, 2024 at 05:24 PM.
Thank you very much! I kinda figured this might be the case and I'm still hoping my SAM works when I plug it back in, but I really appreciate the answer!
Originally Posted by RobertR728
I replaced my rear Sam and while it did work and the car functioned fine I had a couple off strange codes for equipment that isn't inn my car.
So imma say you could get lucky with the same part number that the donor vehicle had the same equipment as you. If not to make it function 100% it could require reprogramming. Hope that helps and isn't more confusing
And I've never programmed one so I can't answer the ending question.
Hello to all,
So, I successfully cleaned and reinstalled the front SAM, car fired right up and settled into a smooth idle.
Than I started checking everything else, turn signals, high beams, lights, windows, radio, etc
Here’s what happened:
Radio-works
Windows-work
Locks-Work
A/C-Fan blows, but not cold (no biggie)
Turn signals-Don’t work
Four ways-Work
High beam-Don’t work
Back up lights-Didn't work
Brake Light, including the third one-Work
Trunk release-Doesn’t work
I then removed, checked and cleaned Rear SAM and replaced all the fuses for the heck of it, nothing happened
I checked the relay’s for continuity and they were fine( Rear SAM relays that is)
It's driving me nuts because some of things work and some don't.
Is there anything else I should check before rolling the dice on an eBay rear SAM?
I dunno if there is any one thing that would cause all these issues. We know there was water damage so crazy things can happen. I would suggest if you don't have one you get a good bi-directional scanner. It will allow you too control things thru the scanner such as turning things on and off or rolling windows up and down etc. This aids in trouble shooting because for example something works good with the scanner but won't function correctly thru it's switch then the scanner may have helped you find a faulty switch with very little effort. There are many scanner recommendations on the forums so do a little reading on those and get what suits your needs and fits the budget.
When I got water in my trunk from a torn deck lid seal between life waiting on parts and needing car for work it took me over a month to iron out all the glitches that showed up. Electrical issues do takes time and patience to find all the issues
Last edited by RobertR728; Jul 27, 2024 at 11:44 AM.
Thanks, the problem is, I have a good bidirectional scanner and it isn't reading anything from the obdii port. That's what started me down this whole rabbit hole.
However, man you nailed it, water...I'll probably order an ebay rear Sam and hope for the best. Thank you!
QUOTE=RobertR728;9007727]I dunno if there is any one thing that would cause all these issues. We know there was water damage so crazy things can happen. I would suggest if you don't have one you get a good bi-directional scanner. It will allow you too control things thru the scanner such as turning things on and off or rolling windows up and down etc. This aids in trouble shooting because for example something works good with the scanner but won't function correctly thru it's switch then the scanner may have helped you find a faulty switch with very little effort. There are many scanner recommendations on the forums so do a little reading on those and get what suits your needs and fits the budget.
When I got water in my trunk from a torn deck lid seal between life waiting on parts and needing car for work it took me over a month to iron out all the glitches that showed up. Electrical issues do takes time and patience to find all the issues[/QUOTE]
I feel your pain. I am not 100% but I believe the obd port does get it's power from the rear Sam but it may be the rear fuse box. Getting that obd working would definitely be a huge help.
I would focus on getting the obd port working so you can scan the car. Does the scanner power on and its just not reading, or does it not even power up? Have you verified the scanner is functioning, try it in another car? I was searching thru threads where peoples obd scanners were not working and one person said there scanner was not working in the car, took it to a mercedes dealer and it worked fine for them with there equipment, so who knows.
I did a quick search for the obd port pin-out. The first diagram says its for Mercedes 2000+ models so should match yours. Check for power #16.
Thank you all for the tips and advice, life has gotten in the way so I haven't been able to really put any time in. However, to answer a few questions and add some follow up:
Yes the scanner powers on, but doesn't read anything
I went ahead and purchased a different rear SAM and as some you have pointed out, bi change as it seems that my problems are front SAM related.
The lights work and window work, but the turn sign, High beams etc don't.
So, I think I will take the Front SAM out again and recheck it, and then probably order a new front SAM.
can any of you recommend a good place to have it programmed?
As always, I cannot thank you all enough for you time and suggestions.