Light flashing like alarm but no horn...
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From: Erff
C43
Light flashing like alarm but no horn...
The last few weeks I have noticed that my marker lights will flash for a few minutes then stop...a while later they will do it again. It is as if my alarm is going off, but the horn does not honk. I have had my car towed (well almost towed...don't ask) and I heard the alarm at that point. There does not seem to be an aftermarket alarm anywhere (at least that I can see). The manual does not really menton anything like this...
Anyone have any ideas what it could be???
Thanks in advance.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be???
Thanks in advance.
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From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
The last few weeks I have noticed that my marker lights will flash for a few minutes then stop...a while later they will do it again. It is as if my alarm is going off, but the horn does not honk. I have had my car towed (well almost towed...don't ask) and I heard the alarm at that point. There does not seem to be an aftermarket alarm anywhere (at least that I can see). The manual does not really menton anything like this...
Anyone have any ideas what it could be???
Thanks in advance.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be???
Thanks in advance.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Erff
C43
C43 AMGS come stock with a tow alarm. If your car gets lifted (jacked up by a tow truck) this alarm will sound. It is one of the buttons on the dash next to the ESP button. Looks like a picture of a car with a hook next to it. You can turn this on and off by pressing this button. Another question is does your horn work when you press the horn button on the steering wheel? Your horn might be disconnected.
It is odd...I think there may be an odd short or something. I am not sure, but the memory on my DVD/NAV is wonky. Intermittently it will lose the just some of the info...I am going to try to see if it happens when the flashing light thing does. Might be a coincidence.
I also had the stock amplifier go capoot the other day, Up in flames, well really noxious smoke. The car was off and I could still hear the diodes popping. I had to pull the power plug on the amp to get it to stop. Several passer-bys were saying "get away its gonna blow"...and other stupid ****. It was smoking like a freight train, but I really did not want to let it go. It sorta melted the power plug and the carpet a little, but insurance should take care of all that. It was not pretty...but I just bypassed the amp and run off of head unit power...good enough for now. Soon I will put in am aftermarket amp and a small box.
I hope those are not related and I have a bigger issue...but I think it is isolated to the alarm only.
Last edited by CatButt; May 8, 2010 at 12:55 PM.
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From: Lebanon
1995 C 36 AMG; 1992 W124 300E (M103 Ex Mosselman TT KIT) was 320hp @10psi now stock :(
i think that once an AMP decides to short and even try and go out in flames, we can safely say you have a serious issue, and i just hope the load caused by the suicidal AMP has not shorted out the alarm and other ecus with it
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From: Erff
C43
Other odd thing...I had just had the car washed...they always pop the trunk to clean around the lip. There was a SMALL amount of water under the amp...but could have been from the diodes popping or from water from the car wash. I have always had the car washed at the same place and NEVER had a problem before.
There seems to be no ecu issues, but I am gonna have friend plug it into Star computer next week to see what we can see.
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From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
I know the tow alarm well (again, don't ask how I know)...and I know the bypass button. The horn works great, I live in SO Cal...I use it EVERY day! This weekend I will jack up the *** end and drag the car to see if the towing alarm still works.
It is odd...I think there may be an odd short or something. I am not sure, but the memory on my DVD/NAV is wonky. Intermittently it will lose the just some of the info...I am going to try to see if it happens when the flashing light thing does. Might be a coincidence.
I also had the stock amplifier go capoot the other day, Up in flames, well really noxious smoke. The car was off and I could still hear the diodes popping. I had to pull the power plug on the amp to get it to stop. Several passer-bys were saying "get away its gonna blow"...and other stupid ****. It was smoking like a freight train, but I really did not want to let it go. It sorta melted the power plug and the carpet a little, but insurance should take care of all that. It was not pretty...but I just bypassed the amp and run off of head unit power...good enough for now. Soon I will put in am aftermarket amp and a small box.
I hope those are not related and I have a bigger issue...but I think it is isolated to the alarm only.
It is odd...I think there may be an odd short or something. I am not sure, but the memory on my DVD/NAV is wonky. Intermittently it will lose the just some of the info...I am going to try to see if it happens when the flashing light thing does. Might be a coincidence.
I also had the stock amplifier go capoot the other day, Up in flames, well really noxious smoke. The car was off and I could still hear the diodes popping. I had to pull the power plug on the amp to get it to stop. Several passer-bys were saying "get away its gonna blow"...and other stupid ****. It was smoking like a freight train, but I really did not want to let it go. It sorta melted the power plug and the carpet a little, but insurance should take care of all that. It was not pretty...but I just bypassed the amp and run off of head unit power...good enough for now. Soon I will put in am aftermarket amp and a small box.
I hope those are not related and I have a bigger issue...but I think it is isolated to the alarm only.
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Erff
C43
Well...I have some interesting news.
The water under the amp was indeed water and some oily crap from the diodes and resistors...seems to be a leak at the rear window seal...needs further diag. Not related to the other issues as the amp has been unplugged for a while now.
Here's the good one...I guess C43s have a separate horn for the alarm. This is horn is checked and tested by the ecu. THe horn some resistors, etc in it. It looks like my alarm horn is failing causing the alarm to go off, but not sound the noise maker. You can trigger the alarm horn from the Star computer...nomally when you trigger the alarm on it goes on until you shut it off. Mine only stayed on for a second or so. So, via the Star computer we made the ecu use the car horn (versus the alarm horn) if the alarm gets triggered. After two of testing this seems to be working.
What a strange failure and even stranger to figure out. I sure this is the fix, but it sure feels like it is.
The water under the amp was indeed water and some oily crap from the diodes and resistors...seems to be a leak at the rear window seal...needs further diag. Not related to the other issues as the amp has been unplugged for a while now.
Here's the good one...I guess C43s have a separate horn for the alarm. This is horn is checked and tested by the ecu. THe horn some resistors, etc in it. It looks like my alarm horn is failing causing the alarm to go off, but not sound the noise maker. You can trigger the alarm horn from the Star computer...nomally when you trigger the alarm on it goes on until you shut it off. Mine only stayed on for a second or so. So, via the Star computer we made the ecu use the car horn (versus the alarm horn) if the alarm gets triggered. After two of testing this seems to be working.
What a strange failure and even stranger to figure out. I sure this is the fix, but it sure feels like it is.
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From: SCV SoCal
2002 CLK430
For a W208, I seem to remember reading that the horn (and the rest of the alarm) has a separate battery. When the battery dies the results are as you're describing. That's because the lights are also on the same circuit as the car battery, but the alarm horn is only on the circuit with the alarm battery.
Of course, my memory may be fading and/or the 202 may be completely different is this regard.
Of course, my memory may be fading and/or the 202 may be completely different is this regard.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Erff
C43
For a W208, I seem to remember reading that the horn (and the rest of the alarm) has a separate battery. When the battery dies the results are as you're describing. That's because the lights are also on the same circuit as the car battery, but the alarm horn is only on the circuit with the alarm battery.
Of course, my memory may be fading and/or the 202 may be completely different is this regard.
Of course, my memory may be fading and/or the 202 may be completely different is this regard.
I am still looking for a really good mechanic if anyone knows one in the Long Beach or even Culver City area in So Cal. I am a good enough mechanic to when to say when.
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From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
Well...I have some interesting news.
The water under the amp was indeed water and some oily crap from the diodes and resistors...seems to be a leak at the rear window seal...needs further diag. Not related to the other issues as the amp has been unplugged for a while now.
Here's the good one...I guess C43s have a separate horn for the alarm. This is horn is checked and tested by the ecu. THe horn some resistors, etc in it. It looks like my alarm horn is failing causing the alarm to go off, but not sound the noise maker. You can trigger the alarm horn from the Star computer...nomally when you trigger the alarm on it goes on until you shut it off. Mine only stayed on for a second or so. So, via the Star computer we made the ecu use the car horn (versus the alarm horn) if the alarm gets triggered. After two of testing this seems to be working.
What a strange failure and even stranger to figure out. I sure this is the fix, but it sure feels like it is.
The water under the amp was indeed water and some oily crap from the diodes and resistors...seems to be a leak at the rear window seal...needs further diag. Not related to the other issues as the amp has been unplugged for a while now.
Here's the good one...I guess C43s have a separate horn for the alarm. This is horn is checked and tested by the ecu. THe horn some resistors, etc in it. It looks like my alarm horn is failing causing the alarm to go off, but not sound the noise maker. You can trigger the alarm horn from the Star computer...nomally when you trigger the alarm on it goes on until you shut it off. Mine only stayed on for a second or so. So, via the Star computer we made the ecu use the car horn (versus the alarm horn) if the alarm gets triggered. After two of testing this seems to be working.
What a strange failure and even stranger to figure out. I sure this is the fix, but it sure feels like it is.
. This water could of rolled off the top of my trunk as it was wet and I had it sitting open for 30 min or so. I searched everywhere in the trunk and around the windows and couldn't find a source of water. The water under my amp and the content of your thread have me concerned. Please keep us posted and I will post any results I have as I will be looking into this further FOR SURE.
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From: Erff
C43
I did not find a source either...but I can CONFIRM water gets there from washing. I put paper there and tried to find the source last time I washed it...to no avail. There is a hole on the bottom of the parcel tray that I thought I might lead to the rear glass seal...and maybe the the glass needed to be resealed, but I am not convinced that is the case. Also the sunroof drain is there and if it is clogged that might allow water to push up and out the rubber hose, but it did not see, to be coming from there either.
BUT BEWARE...water is THE thing that caused my amp to burn up.
BUT BEWARE...water is THE thing that caused my amp to burn up.
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From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
I did not find a source either...but I can CONFIRM water gets there from washing. I put paper there and tried to find the source last time I washed it...to no avail. There is a hole on the bottom of the parcel tray that I thought I might lead to the rear glass seal...and maybe the the glass needed to be resealed, but I am not convinced that is the case. Also the sunroof drain is there and if it is clogged that might allow water to push up and out the rubber hose, but it did not see, to be coming from there either.
BUT BEWARE...water is THE thing that caused my amp to burn up.
BUT BEWARE...water is THE thing that caused my amp to burn up.
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you need to test with a hose on certain places to see where water drips in.
get your buddy inside the trunk with a flashlight and you standing outside watering your car.
he'll see where the water goes
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From: PDX
1999 C43, 2008 P30 E63, 2014 SQ5, 2024 Model Y Performance
I guess your trunk seal lining that goes around the whole trunk underneath doesn't protect your trunk from water getting in?
you need to test with a hose on certain places to see where water drips in.
get your buddy inside the trunk with a flashlight and you standing outside watering your car.
he'll see where the water goes
you need to test with a hose on certain places to see where water drips in.
get your buddy inside the trunk with a flashlight and you standing outside watering your car.
he'll see where the water goes
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if not then check with Mr. Pesci, I bet he might wanna be of assistance?
or the little people, like highly well educated Mr.DumbSwede said!
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Joined: Oct 2010
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From: Mansfield, TX
2002 C32 AMG
The last few weeks I have noticed that my marker lights will flash for a few minutes then stop...a while later they will do it again. It is as if my alarm is going off, but the horn does not honk. I have had my car towed (well almost towed...don't ask) and I heard the alarm at that point. There does not seem to be an aftermarket alarm anywhere (at least that I can see). The manual does not really menton anything like this...
Anyone have any ideas what it could be???
Thanks in advance.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be???
Thanks in advance.
Thank you,
Sean
Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 230
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From: Toronto, Canada
99 C43 ///AMG
I know the tow alarm well (again, don't ask how I know)...and I know the bypass button. The horn works great, I live in SO Cal...I use it EVERY day! This weekend I will jack up the *** end and drag the car to see if the towing alarm still works.
It is odd...I think there may be an odd short or something. I am not sure, but the memory on my DVD/NAV is wonky. Intermittently it will lose the just some of the info...I am going to try to see if it happens when the flashing light thing does. Might be a coincidence.
I also had the stock amplifier go capoot the other day, Up in flames, well really noxious smoke. The car was off and I could still hear the diodes popping. I had to pull the power plug on the amp to get it to stop. Several passer-bys were saying "get away its gonna blow"...and other stupid ****. It was smoking like a freight train, but I really did not want to let it go. It sorta melted the power plug and the carpet a little, but insurance should take care of all that. It was not pretty...but I just bypassed the amp and run off of head unit power...good enough for now. Soon I will put in am aftermarket amp and a small box.
I hope those are not related and I have a bigger issue...but I think it is isolated to the alarm only.
It is odd...I think there may be an odd short or something. I am not sure, but the memory on my DVD/NAV is wonky. Intermittently it will lose the just some of the info...I am going to try to see if it happens when the flashing light thing does. Might be a coincidence.
I also had the stock amplifier go capoot the other day, Up in flames, well really noxious smoke. The car was off and I could still hear the diodes popping. I had to pull the power plug on the amp to get it to stop. Several passer-bys were saying "get away its gonna blow"...and other stupid ****. It was smoking like a freight train, but I really did not want to let it go. It sorta melted the power plug and the carpet a little, but insurance should take care of all that. It was not pretty...but I just bypassed the amp and run off of head unit power...good enough for now. Soon I will put in am aftermarket amp and a small box.
I hope those are not related and I have a bigger issue...but I think it is isolated to the alarm only.
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From: Erff
C43
Thread Starter
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From: Erff
C43
Yes I am...still have it unplugged and still have not found the leak and yes it still leaks. The bummer is now the antenna in the rear window does not have power and so I get crappy reception. Something I need to sort out one of these days.
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From: Mansfield, TX
2002 C32 AMG
