89 300TE questions
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1
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From: Oregon
1984 300SD
89 300TE questions
I recently bought an 89 300TE (134,000mi) that I love, but it has several issues that I'd like some advice on:
1. Intermittent SRS light
The SRS light comes on intermittently after driving for more than half an hour, especially in warm weather. It flickers occasionally, then eventually stays on nearly all the time as I continue to drive. I've seen some postings about this being related to the seat belt latch, or some other device near the transmission housing, but it's not clear to me what to look for. I doubt this is caused by the contact rings in the steering, since it's so consistently linked to time and temperature. Help!
2. Rough idle & difficulty starting when warm.
I've read a number of postings about this, and it's clearly difficult to diagnose. The injectors, plugs, cap, rotor, both fuel pumps, and lambda tower were all replaced recently (before I bought the car). What's the next thing to check? The car starts fine when cold, but often requires two or three attempts when warm.
3. Power & mileage
I get less power & worse fuel economy (~20mpg) than I expected. What could be causing this? Do the catalytic converters on this car get clogged?
4. OVP
I've seen many postings regarding the maligned OVP, but I've been unable to find one on my car. I looked all around the battery, removed the black plastic piece behind the battery and checked there, and still don't see anything with the expected blue or red fuse on it. Can someone post a photo?
5. Climate control
Is it possible to get a temperature sticker for the climate control that's marked in Fahrenheit? It just annoys me that the external gauge reads in different units than the climate control knob.
Thanks in advance for the help!
1. Intermittent SRS light
The SRS light comes on intermittently after driving for more than half an hour, especially in warm weather. It flickers occasionally, then eventually stays on nearly all the time as I continue to drive. I've seen some postings about this being related to the seat belt latch, or some other device near the transmission housing, but it's not clear to me what to look for. I doubt this is caused by the contact rings in the steering, since it's so consistently linked to time and temperature. Help!
2. Rough idle & difficulty starting when warm.
I've read a number of postings about this, and it's clearly difficult to diagnose. The injectors, plugs, cap, rotor, both fuel pumps, and lambda tower were all replaced recently (before I bought the car). What's the next thing to check? The car starts fine when cold, but often requires two or three attempts when warm.
3. Power & mileage
I get less power & worse fuel economy (~20mpg) than I expected. What could be causing this? Do the catalytic converters on this car get clogged?
4. OVP
I've seen many postings regarding the maligned OVP, but I've been unable to find one on my car. I looked all around the battery, removed the black plastic piece behind the battery and checked there, and still don't see anything with the expected blue or red fuse on it. Can someone post a photo?
5. Climate control
Is it possible to get a temperature sticker for the climate control that's marked in Fahrenheit? It just annoys me that the external gauge reads in different units than the climate control knob.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 595
Likes: 0
From: Middlefield, CT
1994 E320
1. You'll need a pulse counter or LED to read the trouble codes from the SRS module. The diagnostic connector is located near the battery. Get a service manual to help you identify the problem.
2. There might not be a problem with rough idle at warm start. This happens to my 260E every once in a while. The KE injection system can require up to 4 seconds of starting (according to serv. man.)! If the engine starts but idles rough, just give the accelerator a quick tap; that clears the problem for me.
3. A 300TE is a big car with a big engine. Fuel economy will not be great. A 260 gets 20 city/24 highway. The cats usually don't get clogged (I think). They get so hot that most debris will simply be incinerated.
4. Can't help you much with OVP. Sorry.
5. The temp. selector wheel is usually removable. You can probably get just the wheel. If not, get a rebuilt pushbutton control unit and send in your old one for a core refund.
2. There might not be a problem with rough idle at warm start. This happens to my 260E every once in a while. The KE injection system can require up to 4 seconds of starting (according to serv. man.)! If the engine starts but idles rough, just give the accelerator a quick tap; that clears the problem for me.
3. A 300TE is a big car with a big engine. Fuel economy will not be great. A 260 gets 20 city/24 highway. The cats usually don't get clogged (I think). They get so hot that most debris will simply be incinerated.
4. Can't help you much with OVP. Sorry.
5. The temp. selector wheel is usually removable. You can probably get just the wheel. If not, get a rebuilt pushbutton control unit and send in your old one for a core refund.
