C32 AMG, C55 AMG (W203) 2001 - 2007

Electric problem, Need help, cant find answers.

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Old May 11, 2010 | 02:44 PM
  #1  
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Electric problem, Need help, cant find answers.

So, I just bought my C32 in Vegas. Drove it to LA, then from LA to Michigan.
No issues with anything the whole 3k miles I put on it the past week.

Just got back to Northern Michigan last night, and went to sleep.

Got up this morning to the rain, was heading to see my Grandfather when this happened:

I was driving, listening to a cd. Everything was fine.
Pulled into my Gpas after driving maybe 5-6 minutes and started to hear a scratchy sound coming from the speakers. So I turned up the music to see if I could hear it better and thats when **** hit the fan.

My cd stopped playing and my CEL came on, and this awful noise kept pumping through my speakers. Almost like a really distorted key dinging sound, followed with an occasional outburst of fuzz.

I have an audio clip I could email someone who might know what it is that I recorded from my phone, I just dont know how to post it on here.

I have had a great week with the car, and Im really pissed this decides to happen the day I get home. But why wouldnt it??

If anyone could help me, that would be awesome. I am about 2 hours from a benz dealership and really wanna try and find a way to avoid spending the $ to take it to one.. obviously.

Also, it is raining, so I dont know if that could have caused a short or something? and my stereo now says "NO CD CHANGER" when the cd changer is in fact in.

Hopefully someone can help, thanks a lot.
-Mike
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Old May 11, 2010 | 03:17 PM
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03 g35 coupe...........02 c32 Sold
i would check your trunk see if there's any water in the rear sam or sub. Some times the trunk seals go bad and leak water. Usually noises in the speakers means something is grounding out.
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Old May 11, 2010 | 03:26 PM
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My Dad just called me back and told me that someone told him that if the SOS button is pushed or something, and to hit the hang up button on the steering wheel?
Went out and pushed it and turned the key and the noise is gone and the radio works fine??

Could be coincidence, cuz to me that doesnt make sense... but ill keep the thread up, in case it happens again.. With my luck, it will.

Thanks for the response, ill check the trunk just in case!
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Old May 12, 2010 | 12:59 AM
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I was helping my neighbor out with his c230. Apparently his car had started going crazy after it had rained. The headlights were coming on and the engine fan stayed on. All while the car was off. Well, he cut his power wire. To make a long story short, he had his lid for the fuse box off in the engine compartment and I think water got in there causing things to go crazy. We replaced a few fuses and put the lid back on the fuse box in the engine compartment and his car was good to go.

Check your fuse boxes and make sure that they are covered and that water is not getting in.
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Old May 13, 2010 | 07:15 PM
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Yeah, I washed my car yesterday and it started doin it again.
Ill do that, thanks!!

btw, where is the fuse box located on these? lol
Just to save me the time looking for it...
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Old May 14, 2010 | 03:16 AM
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facing engine, top right corner
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Old May 14, 2010 | 10:19 AM
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to add.....all I could think of is the drain ports in the rear make sure water is indeed draining. might be clogged with bits of leaves or something, drain ports would be on both top corners of the trunk. GL

John
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Old May 14, 2010 | 10:58 AM
  #8  
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and now my f'in CEL is on, I really dont wanna have to pay the dealership my life savings to get this thing looked at.

partially regretting buying such an expensive car, other than getting an ecu reader is there any common issues that might make the check engine go away? Im 100 miles away from having to change the oil, would that be why?

Also my "brake pad wear, visit work shop" light came on.
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Old May 14, 2010 | 10:59 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by ML500K
facing engine, top right corner
Thanks!

Originally Posted by W203Ramos
to add.....all I could think of is the drain ports in the rear make sure water is indeed draining. might be clogged with bits of leaves or something, drain ports would be on both top corners of the trunk. GL

John
Ill check it out, I think its clean tho.
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Old May 14, 2010 | 11:09 AM
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'03C32 Obsidian Black, '76Toyota Celica GT TRD, '12R350 4matic Arctic White, '06 ML 350 arctic white
Originally Posted by papasmurf
and now my f'in CEL is on, I really dont wanna have to pay the dealership my life savings to get this thing looked at.

partially regretting buying such an expensive car, other than getting an ecu reader is there any common issues that might make the check engine go away? Im 100 miles away from having to change the oil, would that be why?

Also my "brake pad wear, visit work shop" light came on.
you might as well have the oil changed for now....i dunno if it applies to where you are but the mb dealerships here have oil change specials for $99 fo mobil 1 syn oil and filter. I would assume that they would hook you up to the compu to clear the cel's and tell you what the cel's are. just have em do the oil change not the whole service. as far as the brakes....its' a very simple diy. keep us updated GL

joihn
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Old May 14, 2010 | 01:42 PM
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Take it to autozone and have the CEL checked
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Old May 14, 2010 | 05:31 PM
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awesome, thanks guys!

another question.. as far as schedules maint. goes, what other fluids will I need to change, or add... etc?

I remember reading something about oil in the S/c, but then I thought I read that it doesnt need to be changed.

thanks again!
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Old May 15, 2010 | 09:02 PM
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So... I went to autozone today to have them do the obd check and he plugged it into the port and it gave him an error. Tried it about 5 times and he said it wasnt reading anything???

Could it have anything to do with the LET tune?

Ive decided im just gonna take it to the benz dealership next week and pay em to change the oil and figure out wtf the CEL is throwing..

Any ideas why the reader got an error?

thanks guys.
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Old May 15, 2010 | 10:19 PM
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Originally Posted by papasmurf
So... I went to autozone today to have them do the obd check and he plugged it into the port and it gave him an error. Tried it about 5 times and he said it wasnt reading anything???

Could it have anything to do with the LET tune?

Ive decided im just gonna take it to the benz dealership next week and pay em to change the oil and figure out wtf the CEL is throwing..

Any ideas why the reader got an error?

thanks guys.
I've had the same problem before, you just need to have them work with it. Some times you need to turn on and off the car. Happens to me every time I've had to check a code at autozone.
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Old May 16, 2010 | 01:46 AM
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ill try there again tomorrow, thanks loudandheard!!
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Old May 16, 2010 | 11:02 PM
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So, I think its a short somewhere. Just have NO idea where???

I washed my car again today and the speakers popped a few times, after I was done, I started the car and the radio didnt play any sound, and it says "no cd changer" again.
Then while driving it, my sunroof wouldnt close.

I dont know if anyone has ever heard of this kind of short or anything like that, but hopefully I can figure it out before having to take it to the benz dealership.

The sunroof finally shut, but there is still no sound coming from my radio.

Thanks.
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Old May 16, 2010 | 11:05 PM
  #17  
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I'm going to go with water in the Engine compartment fuse box. Then I'd look at the trunk seals as mentioned before.

Then, I'd move to where it don't rain.
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Old May 17, 2010 | 12:46 AM
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Originally Posted by papasmurf
So, I think its a short somewhere. Just have NO idea where???

I washed my car again today and the speakers popped a few times, after I was done, I started the car and the radio didnt play any sound, and it says "no cd changer" again.
Then while driving it, my sunroof wouldnt close.

I dont know if anyone has ever heard of this kind of short or anything like that, but hopefully I can figure it out before having to take it to the benz dealership.

The sunroof finally shut, but there is still no sound coming from my radio.

Thanks.

I had a problem similar with my car, but it was affecting my turn signals. They would just come on by myself and would not turn off. Warranty took care of the problem for me, I don't remember the exact problem, but I think it had some thing to do with a bad connection.

I still experience problems with my alarm, it will sound on it's own and was fixed under warranty 3 times and I still have the problem.

Good luck, electrical problems are the only thing that scare me on this car.
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Old May 17, 2010 | 02:41 AM
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I checked the fuse box earlier today when I was detailing the engine bay, and it seemed dry. Then I managed to break the clip for the fuse box lid. lol

Just not having a good time with this car after finally getting it home. Im trying so hard to enjoy it, but these small problems are stressin' me out.

I have to change the pads, change the oil, fix my headlight, figure out this electrical problem and I unhooked the batt. for the CEL and now im waiting to see if it comes back on.
I had a lip and wheels all lined up for it, but these expenses arent gonna help me pay for those one bit.

Im gonna research a little more, and try to figure out if there are any wires or anything
Also, didnt see where any water could be getting into the trunk, but I can keep looking for possibilities.

thanks for the comments as always!
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Old May 17, 2010 | 02:41 AM
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Originally Posted by Sathinas
I'm going to go with water in the Engine compartment fuse box. Then I'd look at the trunk seals as mentioned before.

Then, I'd move to where it don't rain.

Moving to LA in August, its a lot better there as far as rain goes.
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Old May 17, 2010 | 09:08 PM
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I feel your pain man. I bought my C32 two months ago and didn't even make it back home. I've been busy and have hardly any time to work on the thing. So i know how you feel.. and its not a good feeling. I should have mine on the road tomorow though, but i still have brakes and tires to do..

Goodluck, and remember its just a car, try not to stress out about it.
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Old May 17, 2010 | 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by papasmurf
Moving to LA in August, its a lot better there as far as rain goes.

LA as in Los Angeles?... I'd rather live at the north Pole... in underwear, were my choices between LA and the North Pole.



Sorry, just can't stand all the leaf licking, Constitution trampling, anti war hippy, people living in a failed Socialist state experiment.

Now, I know that not everyone in California is like that.... but damn, the people with 1/2 a common sense are being overrun by the aforementioned types. Hell, I spent 4 years at Coronado and it was great! Then again, that was in a different life, when most Californians didn't suffer from the Socialist bug.

/rant off
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Old May 17, 2010 | 10:53 PM
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LOL. Im moving there to go to school for computer animation.
Been there twice, its not as bad as you would think..

And I know its just a car, but if it stops working, I wont be able to afford to get it back on the road if I have to deal with the dealerships. haha

oh well!
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Old May 18, 2010 | 12:37 AM
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Originally Posted by Sathinas
LA as in Los Angeles?... I'd rather live at the north Pole... in underwear, were my choices between LA and the North Pole.



Sorry, just can't stand all the leaf licking, Constitution trampling, anti war hippy, people living in a failed Socialist state experiment.

Now, I know that not everyone in California is like that.... but damn, the people with 1/2 a common sense are being overrun by the aforementioned types. Hell, I spent 4 years at Coronado and it was great! Then again, that was in a different life, when most Californians didn't suffer from the Socialist bug.

/rant off
Sounds like you lived in northern california. Keep in mind going to different parts of the state, is almost like literally going to different states or countries in terms of people's mind sets. Especially if you compare northern california and southern california.
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Old May 18, 2010 | 12:52 AM
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Originally Posted by TemjinX2
Sounds like you lived in northern california.

Last I checked, Coronado was in SoCal.

NorCal is much, much conservative... or, at least it used to be.
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