Heated Steering Wheel?
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Chicago Burbs
'03 E500 Sport
Heated Steering Wheel?
"supposedly" my car is equipped with a heated steering wheel. I cannot find a button anywhere on the car to turn it on. Anyone have this feature and know how it works?
Thanks,
PetePap
Thanks,
PetePap
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You should have three control switches attached to the left side of your car's steering wheel. Top one for cruise control, centre for signals/wipers/high beam and the bottom third... well you guess it!
By switching the top end you turn on/off the heating system... a red light on the tip of the switch handle should illuminate when system is on.
By switching the top end you turn on/off the heating system... a red light on the tip of the switch handle should illuminate when system is on.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 173
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From: Chicago Burbs
'03 E500 Sport
You should have three control switches attached to the left side of your car's steering wheel. Top one for cruise control, centre for signals/wipers/high beam and the bottom third... well you guess it!
By switching the top end you turn on/off the heating system... a red light on the tip of the switch handle should illuminate when system is on.
By switching the top end you turn on/off the heating system... a red light on the tip of the switch handle should illuminate when system is on.
PetePap
Out Of Control!!
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
The steering-wheel heating heats the leather areas of the steering wheel. To switch on or off: make sure that the key is in position 2. The steering-wheel heating does not switch off automatically. 1 To switch on the steering-wheel heating, 2 to switch off the steering-wheel heating, 3 indicator lamp.
Last edited by konigstiger; Jun 14, 2007 at 01:23 PM.
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
In the summertime, you probably will feel nothing. It will only operate in cold weather but I cannot remember what outside temperature it starts working at.
Also, mine turns off automatically after so many minutes but again, too long ago since cold weather to remember.
Also, mine turns off automatically after so many minutes but again, too long ago since cold weather to remember.
Last edited by pfphipps; Jun 14, 2007 at 08:23 AM.
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Member
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From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
Found the info. According to Mercedes:
In order to operate, "the interior temperature less than 86º F w/no faults present" so it might work at night in the summer. Mine seems to stop working at much lower temperature but perhaps that is just my imagination.
As far as timing:
Functions for 24 minutes
- 7 minutes high
- 17 minutes low
I had a problem with the heated steering wheel when the car was new. When the outside temperature was below about 35 degrees (when you need it), it would quit working. The dealer had a hard time finding the problem but finally isolated it to a control module by putting parts of the system in a freezer.
In order to operate, "the interior temperature less than 86º F w/no faults present" so it might work at night in the summer. Mine seems to stop working at much lower temperature but perhaps that is just my imagination.
As far as timing:
Functions for 24 minutes
- 7 minutes high
- 17 minutes low
I had a problem with the heated steering wheel when the car was new. When the outside temperature was below about 35 degrees (when you need it), it would quit working. The dealer had a hard time finding the problem but finally isolated it to a control module by putting parts of the system in a freezer.
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From: Houston, TX
2015 E250D
wonder why the dealer would put parts in the freezer. The control module does not register temperature directly. it is taken from the overhead control module or a/c panel via CAN network lines. Faulty control modules for heated wheels is common accross the line of MB cars. If your LED ever blinks on the stalk, chances are the control module is faulty.
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From: Northern Kentucky
2011 E350 4 Matic,1994 C220,1965 Mustang, 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600
wonder why the dealer would put parts in the freezer. The control module does not register temperature directly. it is taken from the overhead control module or a/c panel via CAN network lines. Faulty control modules for heated wheels is common accross the line of MB cars. If your LED ever blinks on the stalk, chances are the control module is faulty.
Once the car is at the dealer in the shop it is no longer sitting in extreme cold and the problem can not be duplicated.
I think that this was a very creative way of diagnosing the system, kudos to the tech.
More than likely there was a small crack in the circuit board and as it got cold and contracted the circuit opened causing the heated wheel not to work.
Any good electronics repair man will carry an aerosol can of a product that will actually freeze a circuit board to basically accomplish the same thing.
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From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
In my case, the LED did not blink. After a few seconds, the whole system would just turn off.
I agree that I had a sharp tech working on the car. Unfortunately for me, he moved out of state a few months later.
I agree that I had a sharp tech working on the car. Unfortunately for me, he moved out of state a few months later.
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From: Houston, TX
2015 E250D
Putting a faulty control module in the freezer will replicate the conditions of the outside ambient temperature below 35 degrees.
Once the car is at the dealer in the shop it is no longer sitting in extreme cold and the problem can not be duplicated.
I think that this was a very creative way of diagnosing the system, kudos to the tech.
More than likely there was a small crack in the circuit board and as it got cold and contracted the circuit opened causing the heated wheel not to work.
Any good electronics repair man will carry an aerosol can of a product that will actually freeze a circuit board to basically accomplish the same thing.
Once the car is at the dealer in the shop it is no longer sitting in extreme cold and the problem can not be duplicated.
I think that this was a very creative way of diagnosing the system, kudos to the tech.
More than likely there was a small crack in the circuit board and as it got cold and contracted the circuit opened causing the heated wheel not to work.
Any good electronics repair man will carry an aerosol can of a product that will actually freeze a circuit board to basically accomplish the same thing.
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Posts: 4,005
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From: Houston, TX
2015 E250D
If the entire system shut down, chances are the heating element inside the wheel is bad or bad control module again. The steering wheel also has a control module for the heated wheel.
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From: Northern Kentucky
2011 E350 4 Matic,1994 C220,1965 Mustang, 2005 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600
Unless the circuit board had a problem working in cold temps, freezing it will not help as the temp reading is NOT taken from within the board itself. It is taken from the overhead control panel via CANbus. Most of the heater control modules that are faulty was not because of broken circuits but bad software and firmware.
As you said MOST of the control modules are not faulty due to cracks,but in my 20+ years with Mercedes I have seen a few that have failed due to cracks.
In this case it was stated that the tech was having a problem duplicating the problem until he "put misc. items in the freezer", thus isolating the control module.
Last edited by KYBENZ; Jun 15, 2007 at 11:26 AM.
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From: Chicago Burbs
'03 E500 Sport
I finally found it yesterday, and gave it a shot. I didn't feel any heat, but maybe because it wasn't cold out. (It WAS less that 86 degrees though)
Should it ever turn on at all when its not cold out? (Little red indicator light)...
PetePap
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From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
I just checked on my car. The car's temperature display says 76 degrees. When I turn on the heated steering wheel switch, the red light comes on and stays on. I assume it would go off after 24 minutes but I only left it on for a couple of minutes. I could not feel any heat from the wheel.
I do not think that it has been pointed out that even when the power is applied to heat the wheel, it is not continuous. It switches on, turns off when the wheel reaches a certain temperature and then comes back on when the wheel cools. Even in the winter's cold, you can feel it cycling. I cannot find the schematic right now but I seem to remember there is a separate thermostatic switch for each side of the wheel. In any case, I doubt you will feel anything in the summer.
I do not think that it has been pointed out that even when the power is applied to heat the wheel, it is not continuous. It switches on, turns off when the wheel reaches a certain temperature and then comes back on when the wheel cools. Even in the winter's cold, you can feel it cycling. I cannot find the schematic right now but I seem to remember there is a separate thermostatic switch for each side of the wheel. In any case, I doubt you will feel anything in the summer.
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
I am just reporting what it does, not why it does it. How can we explain German thinking? I suppose by that time the car is supposed to be warm and you do not need it any more.
It it a nice option for colder climates but it seems to be overly complicated in the way it works. For the New Mexico/Arizona area, not the most needed thing but a fun toy.
Do any of the E class cars have this now even as an option?
It it a nice option for colder climates but it seems to be overly complicated in the way it works. For the New Mexico/Arizona area, not the most needed thing but a fun toy.
Do any of the E class cars have this now even as an option?
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2015 ML 350
Thread Starter
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From: Chicago Burbs
'03 E500 Sport
Phipps - Thanks for the input. I will wait until it gets cold out this winter and try it out I guess. Thanks for checking. Chicago gets really cold, and this feature is really nice for really cold days...
PetePap
PetePap
