tge4

I was just filling up my windshield washer fluid and noticed a red/orange flashing light over by the battery charging terminals (where you'd put jumper cables). It's not very bright. You most likely wouldn't see it if it wasn't dark. Anyone know what this is? Anyone else have this going on? I did a search and couldn't find anything. The car is driving fine, and I have no alerts from the ECU. I'm not that worried, but it almost seems like it's flashing a code. 4 quick flashes, slight pause, 4 quick flashes, etc...

2011 E550 P2

thefisch

I haven't noticed anything like that. Can you take a picture and post it?

tge4

Here's a picture of it. This is under the hood (obviously), passenger side, by the battery terminals. The lights down in there somewhere. all I see is the glow.photo 2.JPG

thefisch

No idea what that is. If you remove the air box (that sits over the battery held on by three clips) then you might get a better angle on it.

KEY08

You are having any issues with the CIA or anything like that are you? Sounds like you may have a bogey on board.

drsaab

Maybe it is a tracker like Walter White used in Breaking Bad.

Or The car is from a Buy here pay here lot at some time and has a tracker.

AudiA4Turbo22

That does not look OEM to me. IT'S A BOMB!

mleskovar

Is that battery clamp/cable always there? Maybe there's a battery slow charger hidden beneath the air box?

Arrie

I would ask the dealer service what it is. In my car the only blinking light is the one in the center console when the car is locked.

tge4

No, the cables are for a battery trickle charger I was using. I have a 4 1/2 and a 3 1/2 year old that sometimes like to turn on the reading lights in the back when they're getting in and out of their car seats. If it's day time, I won't notice it. I rode my motorcycle to work a couple of days last week and didn't discover the lights for a few days. The battery wasn't dead, but I wanted to "top it off" to be sure.

So, no one else here has that light? It's pretty faint. You have to look closely.

thefisch

Have you looked under the air box yet? Remember to cut the red wire, not the green one.

AudiA4Turbo22

Could be lojack or something, lojack does have a red LED.

Tjdehya

I just checked mine. I didn't see any lights. 2011 E550 P2 4matic.

X-girlfriend tracking your every move?

alanme123

Damn dude this is starting to get creepy...

v12driven

If the dealer service department cant help, maybe try Jack Bauer, MacGyver or HAL9000?

Please let us know the origin of this beacon.

Patriot631

Hmmmm, maybe NSA? What do you do for a living?

m4sta

Is this dude still alive?

alanme123

Now that you mention it.. OP needs to deliver!!

tge4

Haha! Sorry. I love this forum, but I'm not a daily reader. Answer: I still don't know. To be very clear, it's a super dim light. So dim I thought it had stopped until I really looked. I think it's a LED on a board of some sort. I'll try to get an answer for you. I bought this car from my wife's uncle (he works at a MB dealership in chicago). Bought it with 9K miles, one previous owner that my wife's uncle knew, so I don't think there's a nefarious past.

Arrie

What if the car was a loaner at the dealer and they installed a tracking device and forgot to remove it when the car was sold? Or better yet, if your wife asked her uncle to install one...? I would really seriously find out what it is as there is not supposed to be any flashing lights under the hood.

And I would dig myself under the hood to see what it is. You should be able to take a picture or video of it if you can't get your head in position to see it.

If you can't do any of this yourself I would take it to a different dealer than where you bought it to keep the uncle out of it when they find out what is blinking.

stale-bread

subscribed for the answer..

instantfob

Big brother is watching

stale-bread

So almost 2 months later from your post that you wanted an answer for, you still havent acted upon it? Then why post in the first place??

tge4

totally agree and i'm sorry. I'm not much of a contributor to this forum. I posted this originally to see if someone had a quick answer. When they didn't, it got back burner status and I'm sorry.

Answer is, it is a tracking device. Previous owner had a lojack kind of service that has long since lapsed. The flashing light was indicating no service. I just took my car in this morning for it's 3rd service and I asked the service manager. They removed it. Took about 3 minutes. Truly sorry for the super delay.

stale-bread

No worries! Glad to finally know what the heck that was. And good to know no one is tracking you!