2003 E500, dynamic driver chair, Heatr chairs, steering column are not working.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
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From: Living in US
2003 E500
2003 E500, dynamic driver chair, Heatr chairs, steering column are not working.
Hello forum,
Just have my first Mercedes few weeks ago. It's a 2003 E500 and has only 90k miles on it. Car's super clean and looks like new. It run smooth and most thing work fine except:
Cannot adjust driver chair and Steering column in any direction.
Heater chair buttons aren't working.
I brought the car to dealer. Report said "current CAN communication codes... CAN is down... inspected can connector and all look ok and are no wet or corroded... all concerns are most likely related to CAN codes... will need more diag time to find cause."
Susgest: Replace Central Control Gateway ($610) then run diag to find the cause.
I did not buy it. Why the passenger chair is working fine?
I bought a used Control Gateway from eBay ($40), it was pulled from other 2003 E500. Before waste more money to program the Gateway, I plug it in the car to give it a try: all problem are still the same.
Please give advice for what should I do next?
Thanks
Just have my first Mercedes few weeks ago. It's a 2003 E500 and has only 90k miles on it. Car's super clean and looks like new. It run smooth and most thing work fine except:
Cannot adjust driver chair and Steering column in any direction.
Heater chair buttons aren't working.
I brought the car to dealer. Report said "current CAN communication codes... CAN is down... inspected can connector and all look ok and are no wet or corroded... all concerns are most likely related to CAN codes... will need more diag time to find cause."
Susgest: Replace Central Control Gateway ($610) then run diag to find the cause.
I did not buy it. Why the passenger chair is working fine?
I bought a used Control Gateway from eBay ($40), it was pulled from other 2003 E500. Before waste more money to program the Gateway, I plug it in the car to give it a try: all problem are still the same.
Please give advice for what should I do next?
Thanks
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Living in US
2003 E500
Thanks Plutoe for the input.
Let's skip the homeless option for a moment.
At first I intent to replace driver seat controller, and maybe seat controller switch. However, the steering column and heater seats are completely dead. I just wanna know if that caused by some sort of central control. By the way, the steering wheel heater is working fine.
I'm thinking about buy the C3 Xentry DAS/Dell Lat D600. I just don't know how hard the learning curve be?
I don't wanna play the dealer game, the cost will be up to sky before anything fixed. Last time they charged me $142 just to let me know that they don't know anything and ask me spend $610 more so they MAY find out something. When I ask them to reprogram the control gateway, they said that it can only done with the BRAND NEW not the used one. And the guy on the phone admit that he don't know what the control gateway is!
Let's skip the homeless option for a moment.
At first I intent to replace driver seat controller, and maybe seat controller switch. However, the steering column and heater seats are completely dead. I just wanna know if that caused by some sort of central control. By the way, the steering wheel heater is working fine.
I'm thinking about buy the C3 Xentry DAS/Dell Lat D600. I just don't know how hard the learning curve be?
I don't wanna play the dealer game, the cost will be up to sky before anything fixed. Last time they charged me $142 just to let me know that they don't know anything and ask me spend $610 more so they MAY find out something. When I ask them to reprogram the control gateway, they said that it can only done with the BRAND NEW not the used one. And the guy on the phone admit that he don't know what the control gateway is!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,224
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
You might have separate issues and those cars will show some details on SD scan.
I was replacing skin on our 2004 model and the fans wire harness broke off and was laying on the floor.
Bought replacement skin from 2006 model, and the same harness come in 2 pieces.
Deteriorating wires on those cars seem to be common problem, so start with checking under.
Seat heaters on MB never have been long-lasting.
I was replacing skin on our 2004 model and the fans wire harness broke off and was laying on the floor.
Bought replacement skin from 2006 model, and the same harness come in 2 pieces.
Deteriorating wires on those cars seem to be common problem, so start with checking under.
Seat heaters on MB never have been long-lasting.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Living in US
2003 E500
Thank you again, Plutoe.
I have seen the video of replacement seat adj controller but didn't know it also control the steering column. I will go ahead replace it.
Still need help about heated seat issue though.
Thanks for a very helpful input.
I have seen the video of replacement seat adj controller but didn't know it also control the steering column. I will go ahead replace it.
Still need help about heated seat issue though.
Thanks for a very helpful input.
Last edited by ngocrebel; Mar 22, 2016 at 06:39 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Living in US
2003 E500
Thanks
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Living in US
2003 E500
Once again, Big thanks to Mr. Plutoe. I don't know if someone ever said "driver seat adjustment module is also control steering wheel" before but to me that's a great saying. I replace the module and voila, both of them work nicely.
However, it was a nasty job. We have to remove the seat in order to access the module. To do that we must move the seat all the way back and forth. How can we do that with a dead seat adjustment module?
Theory, we can manage to loose those 4 bolts with a non-local-online-only-rip-off-$24-E10-Torx-wrench like this one
Which I doubt it will works because the wrench is very short and those bolts are very hard to access. Forget the universal wrench because I can sure it won't work.
I decided to start with air hammer which took me 2 hours to removed 3 bolts. The last one didn't like the air hammer that much so I have to pulled the dremel. I then replace them with all new Allen key bolts which will be much easier if I ever need to do it again. I also replace the same set of bolts for the passenger seat while the chair is controllable now.
In my culture, if you say something good you will be award 1 beer and if you make mistake you will be punished 1 beer. In this case, I punish myself 1 beer because I didn't joint the forum sooner and award Mr. Plutoe 1 beer for great saying. However, Mr. Plutoe is not here I'll on behalf of him and take both.
Now it would be great if someone point me how to fix the heater seats.
Thanks
However, it was a nasty job. We have to remove the seat in order to access the module. To do that we must move the seat all the way back and forth. How can we do that with a dead seat adjustment module?
Theory, we can manage to loose those 4 bolts with a non-local-online-only-rip-off-$24-E10-Torx-wrench like this one
Which I doubt it will works because the wrench is very short and those bolts are very hard to access. Forget the universal wrench because I can sure it won't work.
I decided to start with air hammer which took me 2 hours to removed 3 bolts. The last one didn't like the air hammer that much so I have to pulled the dremel. I then replace them with all new Allen key bolts which will be much easier if I ever need to do it again. I also replace the same set of bolts for the passenger seat while the chair is controllable now.
In my culture, if you say something good you will be award 1 beer and if you make mistake you will be punished 1 beer. In this case, I punish myself 1 beer because I didn't joint the forum sooner and award Mr. Plutoe 1 beer for great saying. However, Mr. Plutoe is not here I'll on behalf of him and take both.
Now it would be great if someone point me how to fix the heater seats.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
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From: Living in US
2003 E500
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: In the Shadow of the Tetons
2013 ML350 Bluetec
I had my local tire guys do a 4 wheel alignment when they installed a set of winter tires for me in January. They did a great job: the steering wheel is centered, the car goes straight, and the tires are wearing evenly 4K miles later. The alignment cost me $60.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
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From: Living in US
2003 E500
I brought the E500 to Plaza Tire for wheel alignment. They have $150 life time alignment which I think it's pretty good deal.
The steering wheel is center now and the car go straight. However, the technician said that car need special camper kit for both front and rear in order to do a complete alignment. They also give part number and picture so I can DIY. I just order the part, will put it on and re-alignment the car.
DO you guy ever change the camper kit for your Mercedes?
The steering wheel is center now and the car go straight. However, the technician said that car need special camper kit for both front and rear in order to do a complete alignment. They also give part number and picture so I can DIY. I just order the part, will put it on and re-alignment the car.
DO you guy ever change the camper kit for your Mercedes?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
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From: Living in US
2003 E500
However, the heater seat is still dead. And now the water flooding rear driver footwell after the rain. Any idea guys?
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: dmv
2009 E550 2000 Honda civic mash n' go
Yes seat and steering column are moving nicely after replace seat control module ($85 used). While the idiot tech at dealer ask me to replace the gateway module for $650 then he can star the diagnostic after that???
However, the heater seat is still dead. And now the water flooding rear driver footwell after the rain. Any idea guys?
However, the heater seat is still dead. And now the water flooding rear driver footwell after the rain. Any idea guys?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Living in US
2003 E500
All buttons on control panel which seat heater switch located are working fine except the seat heater switch.
I checked the windscreen drain and found out they logged both sides. It logged at nipples behind the front wheels liner. I thought the clogged at front only cause water leak in to front footwell, wasn't it? But my front footwells are dry. Water only leaks in my rear driver footwell.
No logged at rear sunroof drain tube where the opening pour onto the rear wheel liner
Which DRAIN tube can leak into rear driver footwell? And where can I find it?
How can I remove the rear driver carpet in order to dry the underneath?
Thanks
I checked the windscreen drain and found out they logged both sides. It logged at nipples behind the front wheels liner. I thought the clogged at front only cause water leak in to front footwell, wasn't it? But my front footwells are dry. Water only leaks in my rear driver footwell.
No logged at rear sunroof drain tube where the opening pour onto the rear wheel liner
Which DRAIN tube can leak into rear driver footwell? And where can I find it?
How can I remove the rear driver carpet in order to dry the underneath?
Thanks
Last edited by ngocrebel; Apr 28, 2016 at 01:06 PM.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 15,901
Likes: 4,630
From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Carpet removal front & rear: http://workshop-manuals.com/mercedes...vering_(left)/ + next pages - when removed staining “may” indicate where your leak originates.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 15
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From: Living in US
2003 E500
OK, I removed the carpet, water problem became obvious. The leaking caused by clogged at the nipple drain behind the front wheel liner driver side. The mystery is the driver footwell do not wet at all.
I used wet vac to clean the rear driver footwell but as soon as I took the car out the water reappeared in rear again.
After remove the carpet, I think I know the reason. The water leak is not enough to flood the carpet so the front carpet is dry. When I drive the car, most of water pulled to the rear and enough to flood the rear carpet.
Now I don't know how to extract the water out of the thick padding under the carpet. It may take a whole week for it to dry if it ever does.
I used wet vac to clean the rear driver footwell but as soon as I took the car out the water reappeared in rear again.
After remove the carpet, I think I know the reason. The water leak is not enough to flood the carpet so the front carpet is dry. When I drive the car, most of water pulled to the rear and enough to flood the rear carpet.
Now I don't know how to extract the water out of the thick padding under the carpet. It may take a whole week for it to dry if it ever does.
