I'm new here and my car has problems, please help.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 100
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From: Columbus, Ohio
95 M3, 98 C280, 97 E320 (sold)
I'm new here and my car has problems, please help.
I have a 1997 E320 with 87,500 miles on it. My SRS light came on the other day and I took it to the dealer today. They told me there is an "open contact" on the airbag in the steering wheel. "The airbag is defective." To fix it, they want $1,200. What do you guys think? Is this a common problem? My headlights/foglights burn out a lot. Is that common? The dealer told me "they run high voltage, what do you expect?" How much could I expect to get for this car if I wanted to sell it (assuming of course that I fixed the airbag problem)?? I guess I should ask, what are common problems for this car? (sorry for the long post)
Thanks
Thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 291
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From: Portland, OR
2001 CLK320
lights burning out quickly?
I'd suspect that your voltage regulator (charging system) isn't working properly -
It's probably putting out too high a voltage and this is shortening the life of bulbs (and other components possibly). This can be load tested to see how its behaving.
Don't know about the airbag stuff - don't have much experience with that.
It's probably putting out too high a voltage and this is shortening the life of bulbs (and other components possibly). This can be load tested to see how its behaving.
Don't know about the airbag stuff - don't have much experience with that.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 879
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From: Toronto
SLK 350 '05
I've had the lighting problem too..changed at least 3-4 bulbs in one year. it gets a nnoying wwith your car looking like 
with one eye shut....or the tail lights with only one working..
and high voltage? i don't think the lights are even as bright as my sister's Lexus GS! and HERs doesn't burn out half as often as mine! infact, i'm not sure if her's ever burned out at all! how can this be? Lexus vs. M-B reliability? or did i just have a bad car?
Juke
with one eye shut....or the tail lights with only one working..and high voltage? i don't think the lights are even as bright as my sister's Lexus GS! and HERs doesn't burn out half as often as mine! infact, i'm not sure if her's ever burned out at all! how can this be? Lexus vs. M-B reliability? or did i just have a bad car?
Juke
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
Re: I'm new here and my car has problems, please help.
Originally posted by Batman
I have a 1997 E320 with 87,500 miles on it. My SRS light came on the other day and I took it to the dealer today. They told me there is an "open contact" on the airbag in the steering wheel. "The airbag is defective." To fix it, they want $1,200. What do you guys think? Is this a common problem? My headlights/foglights burn out a lot. Is that common? The dealer told me "they run high voltage, what do you expect?" How much could I expect to get for this car if I wanted to sell it (assuming of course that I fixed the airbag problem)?? I guess I should ask, what are common problems for this car? (sorry for the long post)
Thanks
I have a 1997 E320 with 87,500 miles on it. My SRS light came on the other day and I took it to the dealer today. They told me there is an "open contact" on the airbag in the steering wheel. "The airbag is defective." To fix it, they want $1,200. What do you guys think? Is this a common problem? My headlights/foglights burn out a lot. Is that common? The dealer told me "they run high voltage, what do you expect?" How much could I expect to get for this car if I wanted to sell it (assuming of course that I fixed the airbag problem)?? I guess I should ask, what are common problems for this car? (sorry for the long post)
Thanks
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 100
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From: Columbus, Ohio
95 M3, 98 C280, 97 E320 (sold)
Hey Juke, looks like it's not just your car. That's what the dealer told me, "that's just the way these cars are." As for the airbag, I'm going to take the car to the other dealer in town and ask them to tell me why the light is on. I'll let you guys know what they say.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Columbus, Ohio
95 M3, 98 C280, 97 E320 (sold)
Alright, the accurate diagnosis is in. The clock spring contacts are broken. (Also referred to as the SRS Contact Spiral). Part number 170-460-01-49. Now, if you guys could just tell me where I can get the cheapest factory replacement parts, that would be great. If you live in Columbus Ohio, or you're in the area, do NOT take your car to Crown Mercedes in Dublin. They're a bunch of a$$hole$. $ervice, my a$$. When I asked the guy there to tell me why my SRS light was on, he said "Well it's going to take a while, it's not like we can just plug it into a computer and it'll tell us what's wrong with it." That's exactly what they do. Jerks.
Again, I would appreciate it if you guys could tell me where to get factory Mercedes parts for a good price. Thanks.
$ervice, my a$$. When I asked the guy there to tell me why my SRS light was on, he said "Well it's going to take a while, it's not like we can just plug it into a computer and it'll tell us what's wrong with it." That's exactly what they do. Jerks.Again, I would appreciate it if you guys could tell me where to get factory Mercedes parts for a good price. Thanks.
Last edited by Batman; Apr 10, 2002 at 07:22 PM.
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I disagree with your comment on Crown. I've been to many other dealerships, even Potters. Crown is the only place that seems to get the job done. Try going to Potters once and see how they treat you. For a place that is as busy as they are in a small facility like they are in, they do a damn good job.
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From: so. cal
2000 E-class
Hi batman, 
your nickname is pretty cool, btw, I have the SRS light came on twice on my new E. I just have it for one month. I took it to the dealer and they reboot the system, and they said if they light come on again, they have to change the code or something. Lucky enough for me that this is under warranty. I think there is no problem with your SRS Airbag, only computer problem, which is caused by the computer to send a false code. Ask your dealer aout that, dont let them rip off your money. Ask them to reboot the system. Godd luck
your nickname is pretty cool, btw, I have the SRS light came on twice on my new E. I just have it for one month. I took it to the dealer and they reboot the system, and they said if they light come on again, they have to change the code or something. Lucky enough for me that this is under warranty. I think there is no problem with your SRS Airbag, only computer problem, which is caused by the computer to send a false code. Ask your dealer aout that, dont let them rip off your money. Ask them to reboot the system. Godd luck
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Member
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 114
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From: California
2000 E430 Desert Silver
Hey Robin, sorry Batman.
I had the same problem with my Ford Mustang. It seems to me there are 3 scenario:
1. Computer somehow sends a wrong code. Reset the CPU.
2. spring contacts (front or rear) are broken or may be just loose.
3. Airbag but not likely. Big bugs to repair.
With my Ford, the Dealer reset the CPU. The light went off for couple months and one sunny day it went on again. They checked again and found nothing. they reset the CPU again and this time it last just few days. Back to the dealer, this time they told me one of the 2 spring contacts is broken. 400 or 500$ to fix it. I am tired of that, traded it in for a Honda Civix. Good luck.
I had the same problem with my Ford Mustang. It seems to me there are 3 scenario:
1. Computer somehow sends a wrong code. Reset the CPU.
2. spring contacts (front or rear) are broken or may be just loose.
3. Airbag but not likely. Big bugs to repair.
With my Ford, the Dealer reset the CPU. The light went off for couple months and one sunny day it went on again. They checked again and found nothing. they reset the CPU again and this time it last just few days. Back to the dealer, this time they told me one of the 2 spring contacts is broken. 400 or 500$ to fix it. I am tired of that, traded it in for a Honda Civix. Good luck.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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Batman,
dont' spend big $$$ what you can do is go to ebay germany and bid on a nice wood/leather steering then bring it to an MB indy shop and have them replace your steering wheel with the spring contact.About the lightning issue if you always have a bad bulb on tailights then you have a defective tailamps cause the power runs only on the metal plate.If you want i have a spare tailamps left and right including the trunk part I sell it to you for $50+shipping.Just unplug the battery for 3 mins. and it will clear the srs light if the assuming that it's only a fault code.
dont' spend big $$$ what you can do is go to ebay germany and bid on a nice wood/leather steering then bring it to an MB indy shop and have them replace your steering wheel with the spring contact.About the lightning issue if you always have a bad bulb on tailights then you have a defective tailamps cause the power runs only on the metal plate.If you want i have a spare tailamps left and right including the trunk part I sell it to you for $50+shipping.Just unplug the battery for 3 mins. and it will clear the srs light if the assuming that it's only a fault code.
