Alternator Problems?
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Newbie
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 12
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'09 C63 AMG
Alternator Problems?
Hello!
('09 C63)
Recently there's been a snowstorm (not sure if it's related) and while I lent my car out to a family member he came back to the car throwing an ABS/ESP inoperative message & SRS malfunction, and the car won't start. After around 20-30 minutes, the car worked just fine and a quick google search led me to believe the battery had failed, so they took it to a nearby friends' shop and swapped out the battery, and they told them it was a alternator failure. I also managed to recreate the problem as I needed the car to get somewhere but immediately headed home after the screen said "Comand Shutting Off" and all the orange illumination on the dash immediately went black - thankfully I wasn't too far from home and went straight back until I recieved the same ABS/ESP/SRS errors along with a CEL that won't scan (I'm using some random bluetooth OBD scanner).
I think by now it may very well be an alternator problem as jumping the vehicle gave it about 100 yards of juice to get it parked in a safe spot, but I just want to make sure if it's actually an alternator problem and if I should seek rebuilding or replacement. I'm not sure how much it'll cost to rebuild, but I do know the costs of getting a replacement (w/o labour, around $375US). What should I do, I'm not very experienced with this problem and anything I can find online points to battery/voltage problems rather than alternator problems.
(If it's worth mentioning, reverse gear seems to not work at all or works extremely slowly, and after jumping the car won't shut down but the lights went out and I had to wait a bit for the car to shut itself off after a few minutes of parking, whilst the taillights and all went dark)
Thanks in advance!
('09 C63)
Recently there's been a snowstorm (not sure if it's related) and while I lent my car out to a family member he came back to the car throwing an ABS/ESP inoperative message & SRS malfunction, and the car won't start. After around 20-30 minutes, the car worked just fine and a quick google search led me to believe the battery had failed, so they took it to a nearby friends' shop and swapped out the battery, and they told them it was a alternator failure. I also managed to recreate the problem as I needed the car to get somewhere but immediately headed home after the screen said "Comand Shutting Off" and all the orange illumination on the dash immediately went black - thankfully I wasn't too far from home and went straight back until I recieved the same ABS/ESP/SRS errors along with a CEL that won't scan (I'm using some random bluetooth OBD scanner).
I think by now it may very well be an alternator problem as jumping the vehicle gave it about 100 yards of juice to get it parked in a safe spot, but I just want to make sure if it's actually an alternator problem and if I should seek rebuilding or replacement. I'm not sure how much it'll cost to rebuild, but I do know the costs of getting a replacement (w/o labour, around $375US). What should I do, I'm not very experienced with this problem and anything I can find online points to battery/voltage problems rather than alternator problems.
(If it's worth mentioning, reverse gear seems to not work at all or works extremely slowly, and after jumping the car won't shut down but the lights went out and I had to wait a bit for the car to shut itself off after a few minutes of parking, whilst the taillights and all went dark)
Thanks in advance!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,899
Likes: 93
C63 AMG
Hello!
('09 C63)
Recently there's been a snowstorm (not sure if it's related) and while I lent my car out to a family member he came back to the car throwing an ABS/ESP inoperative message & SRS malfunction, and the car won't start. After around 20-30 minutes, the car worked just fine and a quick google search led me to believe the battery had failed, so they took it to a nearby friends' shop and swapped out the battery, and they told them it was a alternator failure. I also managed to recreate the problem as I needed the car to get somewhere but immediately headed home after the screen said "Comand Shutting Off" and all the orange illumination on the dash immediately went black - thankfully I wasn't too far from home and went straight back until I recieved the same ABS/ESP/SRS errors along with a CEL that won't scan (I'm using some random bluetooth OBD scanner).
I think by now it may very well be an alternator problem as jumping the vehicle gave it about 100 yards of juice to get it parked in a safe spot, but I just want to make sure if it's actually an alternator problem and if I should seek rebuilding or replacement. I'm not sure how much it'll cost to rebuild, but I do know the costs of getting a replacement (w/o labour, around $375US). What should I do, I'm not very experienced with this problem and anything I can find online points to battery/voltage problems rather than alternator problems.
(If it's worth mentioning, reverse gear seems to not work at all or works extremely slowly, and after jumping the car won't shut down but the lights went out and I had to wait a bit for the car to shut itself off after a few minutes of parking, whilst the taillights and all went dark)
Thanks in advance!
('09 C63)
Recently there's been a snowstorm (not sure if it's related) and while I lent my car out to a family member he came back to the car throwing an ABS/ESP inoperative message & SRS malfunction, and the car won't start. After around 20-30 minutes, the car worked just fine and a quick google search led me to believe the battery had failed, so they took it to a nearby friends' shop and swapped out the battery, and they told them it was a alternator failure. I also managed to recreate the problem as I needed the car to get somewhere but immediately headed home after the screen said "Comand Shutting Off" and all the orange illumination on the dash immediately went black - thankfully I wasn't too far from home and went straight back until I recieved the same ABS/ESP/SRS errors along with a CEL that won't scan (I'm using some random bluetooth OBD scanner).
I think by now it may very well be an alternator problem as jumping the vehicle gave it about 100 yards of juice to get it parked in a safe spot, but I just want to make sure if it's actually an alternator problem and if I should seek rebuilding or replacement. I'm not sure how much it'll cost to rebuild, but I do know the costs of getting a replacement (w/o labour, around $375US). What should I do, I'm not very experienced with this problem and anything I can find online points to battery/voltage problems rather than alternator problems.
(If it's worth mentioning, reverse gear seems to not work at all or works extremely slowly, and after jumping the car won't shut down but the lights went out and I had to wait a bit for the car to shut itself off after a few minutes of parking, whilst the taillights and all went dark)
Thanks in advance!
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 612
Likes: 112
2014 C63
I had this same thing happen to my C32. These cars go nuts with alarms and lights when the voltage goes low. I replaced the battery first as well thinking that was all it was. That worked for a short time then I had the alternator replaced. $1300 at the dealer! If my 63 alternator goes out I'll probably change it myself this time. Check ebay, see what they are going for. For the C32 I could either use a Bosch or Valeo. Not sure what the options are for the 63.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 12
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'09 C63 AMG
You'll need a voltmeter which is pretty inexpensive, <$15. Test the voltage at the battery terminals with the ignition off (it'll be 12.xV) and then with the engine running. With a good alternator you should see 14.xV. Mine has always been charging at 14.4V when tested. Someone posted here that Autozone sells a limited lifetime warranty rebuilt alternator for $226 ($40 core charge).
0121715007 BOSCH
Which seems to correspond with the Mercedes P/N on their system, but I was also wondering if it's the same as the Bosch AL0862X. Hopefully so, as they're only asking $200 CAD for it.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
'09 C63 AMG
I had this same thing happen to my C32. These cars go nuts with alarms and lights when the voltage goes low. I replaced the battery first as well thinking that was all it was. That worked for a short time then I had the alternator replaced. $1300 at the dealer! If my 63 alternator goes out I'll probably change it myself this time. Check ebay, see what they are going for. For the C32 I could either use a Bosch or Valeo. Not sure what the options are for the 63.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 748
Likes: 93
From: Dhahran, KSA
2020 E 300 Coupe and 2019 GLS 400
I bought the alternator from FCP:
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...rnator-al0862x
Their lifetime warranty is excellent.
Good luck.
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...rnator-al0862x
Their lifetime warranty is excellent.
Good luck.
