organizer

Car won't started but cranked after parked; right after a 45 mins drive on the freeway, temperature of that day was around a hundred degree, supercharger was still performing during the drive then as it has been since new, it has never failed previously, not even temporary lost of power from it though it only has 31k miles on the clock, yes, only 31k miles on it.

Had it towed into the dealer, they'd told me the fuel pump needed to be replaced and flush the fuel lines for a nice round # of $2300, but I didn't want to believe my luck was that bad; had just paid $3450 for a new HVAC system for the house via the above mentioned trip within the same day, though I was able to escaped from the other Anaconda HVAC biz. which wanted swallowed me for $5200 for the same Fuji apple; same HVAC system. Let along the car only has 31k miles on it. I'd then priced around for the exact same tasks from independent services and most of them will do it for $1650; parts & labor. So it was towed from the dealer to the independent shop in Pasadena, they found the fuse box was burned; caused from one of the connection pin (pin's plastic coating melted) and there wasn't any burned fuse at all however; no codes logged either as per both the dealer and independent shop diagnosis papers. Paid them $870 for the fuse box replacement.

Drove to the dealer today and shown them the fuse box that got fried right after picked up the car from the repair shop, and asked them to refund the $165 missed diagnosis fee, had to push a little in order to get it back.

After all those busy thoughts were out of my mind, had the mood to sunk my right foot down the pedal again then, but found there was no G-Force out of the supercharger at all! What seems to be the issue now? Anyone with the same/similar experience? Scheduled next Tues to bring it back to the repair shop. Thanks.

organizer

More pics of fuse box:

organizer

More pics of fuse box; it wouldn't let me load 3 pics at the same time for some reason:

JamesC32

You have a $20 relay in the fuse box that goes out pretty frequent, it is for your IC pump, try replacing it first..

JamesC32

Its one of the relays next to the grey one, I forgot which one it is but you can look it up, they are both the same so you can switch them and see if it works, I now keep a spare with me.

organizer

Thank you JamesC32 for the vital tip, so I'd further did a research on IC pump after your advice, and all of my memories started to came back for this common IC pump failure problem that I had read from C32AMG Life back in the early 2000, most replaced with Ford Lightning's, even remember pictures they had posted for the IC pump location which I had saved somewhere along with notes and all that. But I can't seem to find the nature of this IC pump / its relay problem would have shorted out the whole fusebox which I was told by this independent repair shop and had it replaced for $870 ( parts and labor ); shouldn't this fusebox have saved me from the costly repair to begin with? Such as just a burned out fuse / IC pump relay as you'd suggested to replace it which you're right to start with the 1st step; let alone all the info that I've gathered from the research so far are aiming that direction.

Based on this attached fusebox photo from my research, which seems identical as mine from my previous post, Ironically fuse #5 from this picture shown was missing when it was handed back to me from the repair shop, he'd turned it over ( pic from my previous post also ) and shown me where the pin connections are and which one got burned mark on is the 5th connection; counting from one end of the fusebox which is corresponding with the fuse #5 position on the other side, they'd specifically told me on the phone that there was no burned fuse involved but just a burned / melted pin connector which they were able to repaired it in order to save me some money though it shorted out the whole fusebox even though after I'd told them I'd saw a burned fuse right before the tow truck driver rushed me for the tow and I'd forgot to tell him about it when I'd dropped off the car, though I'd made up this logical assumption for my own good and for the reason of when I was standing there and saw them hooked up with another battery of their own that was sitting on the floor ( in addition to mine under the hood ) to the fuel pump which was able to started up the engine that way, he then told me that there was 12 amp shorted from 24 amp of power which should've been delivered to start up the engine; during their initial diagnosis right after I'd dropped off the car. He'd also then told me he needed more time for further diagnosis to pinpoint the amperage shortage location which it could not be done that day and sent me home.

Could I have running into another Anaconda with just a smaller appetites? Made-up labor hours for the new fusebox replacement when they both were not necessary? Should my " Fried " fusebox that they'd swapped it out still be working regardless if I have replaced the #5 fuse along with the IC pump relay? Or they could have burned it manually and intentionally which is still against the principle function of a fusebox; to protect from costly repairs? Or they'd put in a good used fusebox with a bad IC pump relay that they're not aware of but just care about the engine can be started? Or my IC pump just had its time; needed to be replaced provided if indeed they'd put in a new / used fusebox with a functional IC pump relay? Or they are just simply not knowledgeable enough for these possibilities? Lastly, did I had a combination of both burned fuse and a bad IC pump relay at the same time to caused the engine couldn't even started up regardless if the fusebox can be saved from replacing a new one due to if only the IC pump relay went out which will only caused the supercharger lost power but the car will still be drivable for the predictable symptom assuming the IC pump is still functional? Based on the above assumptions, most likely I needed to replaced the IC pump with a Ford Lightning's after cross checking / ruling out all the possibilities above. Is there a shortcut to these confirmations? Or I'm just simply having a case of Anaconda phobia / syndrome and made it complicated? It'll be great if I don't even have to pay for the new fusebox but just pay for the IC pump relay and a possible new IC pump itself. Thanks and sorry for the lengthy reading.

JamesC32

You probably should have started with the relay since its the cheapest route, then the pump,, when my first relay went out I started with my pump and it still did not work, I then went and spent $15 on the relay and walla, the next time it went out I new where to look,

organizer

Thanks JamesC32, I'll do that tomorrow.

organizer

SC had no power was simply due to the first repair shop didn't even plug in a 7.5 amp fuse into slot #5 and the IC pump relay into space C of the new SAM box that's located on the driver's side in the trunk which they'd replaced with! Found that out yesterday while me and another shop were trying to figure out if the IC pump relay and IC pump itself were still good? I therefore pulled a 7.5 amp fuse and the IC pump relay out of the supposably toasted SAM box and plugged them into the supposedly new one and the problem was solved.

First repair shop told me the reason for that was the SAM box probably can be fitted either for the regular C or C32 thus it did't came with them fuse and relay. But yet why didn't they plugged them back in when knew the difference or specified it when ordered from dealer?

Also the 7.5 amp fuse was missing from slot #5 which is corresponding with the burned #5 pin on the other side of it that had supposedly toasted the SAM box which they'd told me when it was handed back to me; as mentioned it from previous post.

Can that $370 SAM box be toasted that easy in such way and would have costed me $500 in labor to replace it ( their diagnosis fee is $125 which rolls toward to labor charge )? And was the fried SAM box responsible for the car couldn't even started up the engine but was just cranking?

Thanks

JamesC32

Glad to here you got to the bottom of it, cost you a lot of dough and aggravation though, keep your head up. you really have a good car, don't let the bad repair guys get you down, the more you learn the less you'll have to rely on them also,

organizer

Your leading tip has been a great help. Thank you.

It still feels as good as a patched up relationship with the girlfriend though they both are costly.