One day I was heading back home from visiting my folks and I pumped a full tank (wasted). I go to start my car... and no crank. I find out my battery is dead. Long story short, I sent it to a near by shop and they replaced my battery but my fuel gauge would reset to full then half then none then full again. Also, my speedometer was off my 5 miles after 45mph (i noticed my digital reads vs speedometer) and finally my cluster lights would not come on when I turned my head lights on. The codes were never cleared. I know... I never would've sent it to a local shop but it was the Sunday I had to leave to go back to school 4 hours away.

Now the real reason. I sent car in to the shop. They said I need to replace my entire cluster and replace my fuel sending unit and pump. roughly $2600 and $1200. Do you think it is just that I need my code cleared and may be it is a software issue? Especially after my battery previously died. Also, are those prices accurate?

 

If you had no issues whatsoever before your battery died, I would try disconnecting the battery, leaving it for 30 minutes then reconnecting it again - it may solve your issue.

These cars are quite finicky when it comes to batteries dying or being disconected, more times than not I have had to do a hard reset after disconnecting my battery, it has worked every time for me.

Good luck.

 

+1 Kev! I smell a rat here. This is extremely unlikely. These cars like being kept alive with a quiescent power source when changing batteries. Of course if the battery was dead flat (unlikely) then this is not possible. The worst that usually happens with careless battery replacement is a blown SAM or a corrupted SAM that needs reprogramming.

Try a hard reboot of all micro processors by pulling the negative terminal of the battery.

If this does not work get a second opinion.

Also pull codes with an OBDII scanner & post.

There is no way that changing a battery can damage the fuel senders & pump - that would be pure coincidence. The cluster is also unlikely.

 

Thanks guys. I'm not sure as to how the fuel pump/ set got into the picture. May be they just made an assumption when I mentioned my fuel gauge was off and on. I'll mention to them the issue about the battery and perhaps a reset. Another issue I had was an oil leak from the valve gasket on to the exhaust I know that one isn't a miss-diagnosis.

Its times like these that remind me why I used to frequent these boards. Great friends, cars, and advice. I think the only reason I stopped was because I was going broke/broke and wanted all the mods and goodies that I saw on here and couldn't have them

 

Dealers today are just parts changers. They never dianose anything. They throw parts at the problem until it goes away.

The cambox gasket might not be the cause of the leak. It might be the cam bore expansion plugs.

See here:

https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...et-sealer.html

 

Glyn, does the M113 (5.0l V8) have the cam plugs like the M272/M273 engines? I know the M112 does not.

And back to topic, this actually sounds like a blown SAM. The rear SAM controls the fuel sender. If it's throwing "crap" across the CAN bus, it could cause problems on the cluster. One of the most common causes of a blown SAM is using improper procedures when trying to jump-start or change a dead battery. Some shops use these plug-in devices in OBDII connector to provide 12v to retain your settings. MBZ's don't like those. You're better off just dealing with your lost settings, which really just involves resetting the clock (unless you have COMAND). ESP and the auto-close function of the windows and sunroof. The radio keeps its presets.

 

Thanks that sound quite logical I'll be sure to bring that up.

 

+1 - I'm pretty sure this is SAM trouble.

OT Rodney

Both 112 & 113 have expansion plugs. They are different to 272/273. Not cam bore.

23 A 403 997 06 20 .EXPANSION PLUG
TO PLUG CORE HOLES 006
23 A 403 997 06 20 .EXPANSION PLUG
TO PLUG AIR-INJECTION BORE 002

35 N 000443 3028000 .EXPANSION PLUG
CYLINDER HEAD, RIGHT, WATER JACKET AT REAR
Replaced_By: N 000000 0004332 001
35 N 000000 0004332 .EXPANSION PLUG
CYLINDER HEAD, RIGHT, WATER JACKET AT REAR 001

 

Ah, those are actual expansion plugs on the coolant side of the heads and the M272/M273 engines have them, too.

These "cam plugs" that leak on the M272/M273 engines are not for expansion; they are for service access to the cams and they are on the oil side. Basically, you remove these plugs so that you can manually rotate the left-bank cams when replacing the timing chain so that it locks into the tensioner.

 

Yes correct! Not oil side!