treddel

I believe I have read every post regarding this dam.. topic - this is new.

Half a year ago I went through red battery message ordeal with my '04 E500 and ended up replacing the main battery and the alternator. Everything was fine.

Now I get "Battery Protection: Convenience functions temporarily unavailable" followed (always) a couple of minutes later with "SRS malfunction Visit Workshop". I though it was the small battery, so I replaced it.

Didn't make any difference still get the same messages. Here are the symptoms:

1st message: "Battery Protection: Convenience functions temporarily unavailable" - No radio; AC is running low

Minutes later additional: "SRS malfunction Visit Workshop"

Sometimes it fixes itself: "convenience functions restored" (Including SRS)

When I turn off the car and back on, everything is normal and the display shows the "restored" message. I can make long trips or short ones - it is totally unpredictable when it appears; but it pretty much happens on every trip. I am driving like this for 2 weeks without charging any battery - no changes.

I assume it is one of the battery control mdules but which one?

As always the input from this forum is highly appreciated and I trust it more than any repair shop.

Thanks!

sosh

I would think that to correctly diagnose this issue a good dealer shop is your best bet.

paulv

Have you tested the Auxiliary Battery (the same one under the hood for the SBC system)? There's an electrical relationship between these two batteries and I've had similar messages when my aux battery started to fail. Check out the attached dual battery info from MB.

Regards,
paul...

treddel

SOLUTION:

It was a loose battery connection - overlooked it during my initial check.

NorsemanE320cdi

pls be in mind that your car have 2 batteries, the main in the rear, and auxellery (by some also named as "SRS-battery") under the hood. It take care of more than SRS, so beware of that.

Diesel Benz

SBC or AUX battery.

NorsemanE320cdi

thx for correcting me - i ment SBC ;-)

sirbobby

my 2006 e280 has had same problems since 1 year old. took to main dealer, they checked alternator ok, checked batteries, ok. they say car is fine so why do i keep getting convenience functions unavailable?. car is used daily albeit 13 mile round trip most days to work and back. their solution? take car for a long drive on a sunny day without lights on etc to charge battery! following a 400 mile round trip to see relatives, guess what? same message. went back to main dealer and chewed their ear off, got a new main battery under warranty. problem solved........for 1 year and now getting same message again! car was checked for voltage drains - nothing. it seems i just do not live far away enough from where i work!

Diesel Benz

13 miles is good enough. I drive a similar distance daily, also at winter and we must always use lights (my car does not have LED DRLs), seat heaters on and on the way back I often use the aux heater (fuel heater running before I start the car). I don't know what is wrong with your car but it should easily survive from a 13 mile trip to work if everything is working OK.

delviacv2

I had the same problem a few days ago and it was a loose ground cable at the Main Battery.

sirbobby

checked the connections on mine, they're ok, took the car for 2 hour drive, problem solved...for 1 week then warning on again! warning clears after 5 mins driving but the first 5 mins is when you need your rear demist, windscreen demist etc. The car has never failed to start, it's just blooody annoying!

delviacv2

Looks like you have a failing battery them.

sib4897

My car is 8 years old with 51,000 miles on the clock. I am the second owner. It was garaged nightly for 7 years with the original owner, unfortunately 5 motorcycles are filling the garage so the car is parked outside at all times. With the onset of winter I noticed the 'electrical consumers switched off' message was appearing more frequently (it had been appearing beforehand, but less frequently) so I checked both batteries. The main battery was showing output of less than 12 volts, the auxiliary battery was showing output above 12 volts. I decided that now was a good time to replace the main battery, I'll check the auxiliary battery again in six months, once the output is showing less than 12 volts, then I will replace it.

I enquired at the MB dealership and was quoted £150 for the main battery, and £90 for the auxiliary battery. Searching online I found the equivalent main battery Yuasa Professional 100 12v 70Ah 650CCA Car Battery for £75 delivered, and the equivalent auxiliary battery Yuasa YTX14-BS 12v 12Ah Motorcycle Battery for £52 delivered.

I've now fitted the new main battery, and even after being parked outside for more than a week covered in snow, and with temperatures below freezing for most of the week, the 'electrical consumers switched off' message is no longer appearing.

Cheers

Stephen

Clinton Horn

I don't think anyone who owns a 211 would deny that the electrical system is the achilles heel of the vehicle.I have a 13 year old van with front and back A-C, heated rear screen, windshield wipers on both front and back etc. I can run all of that stuff wide open and drive 5 miles a day on a 5 year old battery with never a care. I think the alternator is 195 amps!
The brake system certainly complicates the whole thing. Personally, one loose battery cable is the only thing I can complain about. Still the number of problems indicates a high failure rate on the early cars. I have replaced both replacement batteries due to premature failure. I cannot blame M-B for my poor choice in aftermarket stuff.

vettdvr

If the car had this equipment installed when mfg new. I do blame MB for poor equipment.

My tension pulley (among one of the many failures) failed. I changed it myself. Then put the pulley in my lathe and cut out the bearing.

Nope it didn't say "made in Germany". The bearing said "MADE IN CHINA"

and this WAS installed by MB. So Yes I do blame them for any failure on my MB E500.

Just my own $.02 of course.