Windows open by themselves and lights flash after Hurricane Sandy
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 8
From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
Windows open by themselves and lights flash after Hurricane Sandy
I live near the water on Long Island and since the storm Ive had some electrical glitches that I need help with. There was some water in the battery compartment and part of the power lock vacuum module was submerged. Now when the car sits overnight all the windows open by themselves. What component can cause this. Could that module cause this problem?
Also the SRS light stays on now. help!! I want to keep this car
Also the SRS light stays on now. help!! I want to keep this car
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,942
Likes: 178
From: Seattle WA
99 E320
sorry, you're going to have to go through every single component, fuse,
pump, relay, black box modules, electrical contact, etc you can see
surrounding the battery and clean, wipe down, apply contact cleaner, check
fuse continuity, blow dry, replace foam (or seriously blot the heck dry), place
in uncooked rice, etc. add tons of ventilation for days, too. that's the easy
part. then after you've done all this, carefully check for function and report
back.
also, quit driving it. each time you power it up, you risk shorting more electrical
and electronic components.
pump, relay, black box modules, electrical contact, etc you can see
surrounding the battery and clean, wipe down, apply contact cleaner, check
fuse continuity, blow dry, replace foam (or seriously blot the heck dry), place
in uncooked rice, etc. add tons of ventilation for days, too. that's the easy
part. then after you've done all this, carefully check for function and report
back.
also, quit driving it. each time you power it up, you risk shorting more electrical
and electronic components.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 8
From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
sorry, you're going to have to go through every single component, fuse,
pump, relay, black box modules, electrical contact, etc you can see
surrounding the battery and clean, wipe down, apply contact cleaner, check
fuse continuity, blow dry, replace foam (or seriously blot the heck dry), place
in uncooked rice, etc. add tons of ventilation for days, too. that's the easy
part. then after you've done all this, carefully check for function and report
back.
also, quit driving it. each time you power it up, you risk shorting more electrical
and electronic components.
pump, relay, black box modules, electrical contact, etc you can see
surrounding the battery and clean, wipe down, apply contact cleaner, check
fuse continuity, blow dry, replace foam (or seriously blot the heck dry), place
in uncooked rice, etc. add tons of ventilation for days, too. that's the easy
part. then after you've done all this, carefully check for function and report
back.
also, quit driving it. each time you power it up, you risk shorting more electrical
and electronic components.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: Südflorida
'99 E430, '05 ML500, '15 GLK350
Sorry 01. But to your question, yes, the PSE module has a circuit board in the bottom that controls / is networked to all the devices on the CAN bus. These are your windows, locks, power seats, sunroof. door mirrors.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,942
Likes: 178
From: Seattle WA
99 E320
this is for a w140 but perhaps there are some tips within
this was an older 210 DIY fix i had in my notes but sadly the person who posted
and hosted the photos are no longer. wonder if you can email or PM them
directly for more info?
this was an older 210 DIY fix i had in my notes but sadly the person who posted
and hosted the photos are no longer. wonder if you can email or PM them
directly for more info?
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 8
From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
I tried drying it out in the sun and its been a few days since the windows opened by themselves. Hopefully it will dry out and work one day. There is a small yellow harness/connector that routes past the PSE that has one thin wire connected at each end. The salt water caused the wires to corode and fall out of the connector. I think that is what caused my SRS light to come on. Anybody know what that is? I tried reconnecting it and for a while the srs light went off but now it stays on. Thanks for all your help guys. Id hate to lose this car. it looks and runs perfect
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,627
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From: West Virginia
2001 E320 RWD - Brilliant Silver/Ash: 100,000+
I think yellow denotes fiber optic connectors. Since reconnecting those got rid of the SRS light you must be on the right track. Clean and dry the connection points as well as you can and buy some new wires. Alternatively, does it look like you can cut off the corroded ends and peel back the insulation and get back to some good ends? A picture is worth a thousand words.
Last edited by Musikmann; Nov 8, 2012 at 08:01 AM. Reason: Addition
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 8
From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
Yellow usually denote Air Bag. OK i had some time to play with it and made progress. I spliced the wires together that were connected into the yellow harness and soldered and the SRS light is now off, Also I pulled out the PSE unit and connected a hair dryer to my generator (still no power) and left it on low venting into the holes on the bottom for about a half hour. everything seems to be working fine now. the windows havent opened by themselves in a few days. Fingers crossed. I lost so much in this storm and would hate to lose my favorite car
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
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From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
ok I still have one glitch. The trunk wont open with the remote or console switch. If i disconnect the PSE cables and reconnect it works fine for a few days then glitches out. Everythin else seems ok. Think its still a little wet? any suggestions?
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210 55
Try drying/electrical cleaner again inside the PSE unit. Open it and spay some electrical cleaner, and after dry it with a hair dryer. If the fault persist you need to replace the pse unit (you can get some ebay used with the same part number) hope you solve the problem mate. if i can help, just let me know pal
Fabio Daniel
Fabio Daniel
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
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From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
Try drying/electrical cleaner again inside the PSE unit. Open it and spay some electrical cleaner, and after dry it with a hair dryer. If the fault persist you need to replace the pse unit (you can get some ebay used with the same part number) hope you solve the problem mate. if i can help, just let me know pal
Fabio Daniel
Fabio Daniel
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210 55
Yes mate! you can, just remove the electric connectors, you need to pop one small black clip in the gray hoses retainer to eject all the hoses. Under the gray hose's retainer you would see some torx little screws (3 or 4 if i remember good), remove it, and then open the plastic clips under the pump with a screwdriver (this way you can remove the plastic undercover) thats it, is easy. You need to press some little clips in the black/white electric connectors to remove the superior cover. Just need 5min to open it and clean it totally and i'm sure it will work again. (dont scare when you open it just have an air little motor and one orange hose, wires etc. take care reassembly to connect propperly the orange hose again
Fabio Daniel
Fabio Daniel
Last edited by Fabio D; Nov 14, 2012 at 06:45 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
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From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
Yes mate! you can, just remove the electric connectors, you need to pop one small black clip in the gray hoses retainer to eject all the hoses. Under the gray hose's retainer you would see some torx little screws (3 or 4 if i remember good), remove it, and then open the plastic clips under the pump with a screwdriver (this way you can remove the plastic undercover) thats it, is easy. You need to press some little clips in the black/white electric connectors to remove the superior cover. Just need 5min to open it and clean it totally and i'm sure it will work again. (dont scare when you open it just have an air little motor and one orange hose, wires etc. take care reassembly to connect propperly the orange hose again
Fabio Daniel
Fabio Daniel
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
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From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
Can you explain how those lower clips work? anyway its a lot easier job to replace the PSE knowing you dont have to disconnect all of those yellow hoses and can just swap in the hose assembly.
its working ok now except thetrunk release function seems to freeze up in a few days requiring a power reset. at least the windows dont open by themselves anymore!
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210 55
The lower clips is so easy, just insert a flat head screw driver between the plastic undercover and the upper cover oppening a little the plastic! you need to oppen it one by one (trying to pop up the undercover). its easy and this plastic no crack easly. And the black little wires harness is easy too, you would see a little gray clip rounding the connector right? in the upper part of the connector you would see a little portion that you need to press and then turn the gray part to the left (pressing the little security portion), this way you can disconnect the harness. Sorry for the bad english but hope you understand what i'm talking about.
Let me know any news and try to do the job as soon as possible!
Fabio Daniel
Let me know any news and try to do the job as soon as possible!
Fabio Daniel
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 8
From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
The lower clips is so easy, just insert a flat head screw driver between the plastic undercover and the upper cover oppening a little the plastic! you need to oppen it one by one (trying to pop up the undercover). its easy and this plastic no crack easly. And the black little wires harness is easy too, you would see a little gray clip rounding the connector right? in the upper part of the connector you would see a little portion that you need to press and then turn the gray part to the left (pressing the little security portion), this way you can disconnect the harness. Sorry for the bad english but hope you understand what i'm talking about.
Let me know any news and try to do the job as soon as possible!
Fabio Daniel
Let me know any news and try to do the job as soon as possible!
Fabio Daniel
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,560
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210 55
Your English is fine and you described it perfectly. When I removed those harnesses I immediately knew what my problem was. They must have been under the salt water and were badly coroded. Pins were rusted and I think some rotted away. One pin seemed shorted and burnt. The rest of the PSE was clean and dry I cleaned it with electic connection cleaner as best I could but it was in bad shape. I put it back together thinking it would be worse but it seems to be the same. The trunk works for a while then stops. Everything else seems ok. I never noticed that you can open the trunk from the rear with a button so actually if this is my only problem that would be fine. No need to replace the PSE for that although its not hard to do thanks to your directions. Im a bit worried that some of the pins rusted off and are now stuck in the harness. That would be tricky to fix. Thanks for the assistance. Where are you located? Im on the South shore of Long Island. We took a 12 ft storm surge with hurricane Sandy. It was like a tsunami. Worst storm here in 137 years.
, well i live in Venezuela (here, we no have hurricanes, storms, tsunamis, we no have common natural dissasters here) but we have here the most M***F***** president EVER!!! This is a real dissaster in my country trust me, this As..H... is the worst president in the americas.. we are trusting in God to help us..Well, i recommend you to try to oppen the plastic harness and remove the rusted pins cause it will corrode the female pins in the harness giving you some troubles when you replace the pse unit (In the future), you can remove one little plastic portion in the rear side of the connector (you would slide it with your fingers), then insert a little flat head screwdriver to remove the connector cover itself. This way you got access to the wires/pins one by one (not scare, the pins/wires not pop off to the plastic part) this way you got the possibility to remove the rusted parts by the female pins.
Hope it helps mate, and if you need other help i'm glad to help you friend
Fabio Daniel
Last edited by Fabio D; Nov 17, 2012 at 11:21 PM.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 463
Likes: 8
From: Long Island, NY
01 E320
Well its been a while now and it seems the only lasting problem after Sandy water damage is I cant open the trunk or release the rear headrests. If I disconnect the PSE it resets and works for a few days then stops. Im tenpted to order a new PSE but it may actually be a harness thats damaged and not the PSE. For now I'll live without a trunk. The car eorks perfect otherwise.
