2004 E320 Radio turns on by itself - drains battery
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
2004 E320 Wagon
2004 E320 Radio turns on by itself - drains battery
Periodically, the Harmon Kardon (OEM) radio will just turn on by itself when the car is off and no one is in it. Car is turned off, no key in ignition, sometime locked, sometimes not. The radio was not left on when the car was turned off (not that that should matter). I will drive somewhere, go inside or arrive home and come a little later and radio will have turned on. Twice now it has totally drained the battery overnight. Any idea what can be causing this or how to fix?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
2004 E320 Wagon
Waking or sleeping??? Not sure what that means or its relevance.
The radio has voltage/power 100% of the time. It can be turned on at any time with or without a key in the ignition. Just as it can be done on all 3 of the Mercedes cars/SUV's I have owned. The issue is that the radio randomly turns itself on.
The radio has voltage/power 100% of the time. It can be turned on at any time with or without a key in the ignition. Just as it can be done on all 3 of the Mercedes cars/SUV's I have owned. The issue is that the radio randomly turns itself on.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,749
Likes: 881
From: In the Shadow of the Tetons
2013 ML350 Bluetec
The radio on my '05 is the same: I can turn it on at any time, key in or out, car on or off. Knock on burly maple high gloss wood trim, it has never been a problem.
Also, just a technical point: Voltage doesn't flow. It is the electromotive force - the pressure, to relate it to water - that causes the electrons to flow (amps).
Also, just a technical point: Voltage doesn't flow. It is the electromotive force - the pressure, to relate it to water - that causes the electrons to flow (amps).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,969
Likes: 1,317
From: Republic of Texas
'99 and '05 E55 AMG
One must push a mechanical switch that activates the circuitry via a pull-up or pull-down resistor or that mechanically opens/closes a circuit. That implies the switch is bad, the circuitry is bad, or there is contamination on the board that allows voltage to reach a pin it should not.
Unless you repair electronics as a hobby, I think you are looking at a replacement radio.
Unless you repair electronics as a hobby, I think you are looking at a replacement radio.
Newbie
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2004 e320 W211 estate wagon
Periodically, the Harmon Kardon (OEM) radio will just turn on by itself when the car is off and no one is in it. Car is turned off, no key in ignition, sometime locked, sometimes not. The radio was not left on when the car was turned off (not that that should matter). I will drive somewhere, go inside or arrive home and come a little later and radio will have turned on. Twice now it has totally drained the battery overnight. Any idea what can be causing this or how to fix?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
2004 E320 Wagon
Did you ever find the cause of radio turning on by itself and draining the battery, and with it a solution that didn't involve replacing an otherwise perfectly working radio? My 2004 e320 wagon is doing the exact same thing and yesterday i had to get a jump. I've seen in other forums that people have taken the fuses out for the radio and CD changer, which I've now done and so far has seemingly worked, but it's hardly any fix and at not even 24 hrs is not much time to see if pulling fuses matters or not. Please let us know how you resolved the situation. Thank you.
