that is good news!
Now there is support for battery registration in SAM.

Quoting above procedure:
"Due to technical modifications in the energy management system, it is essential to reset the charge throughput of the starter battery using XENTRY DAS each time the starter battery is replaced.
The complexity involved here means that there may be component Replacement of the starter battery is confirmed in the SAM control"

Thank for posting these pdf.

 

Yes it has to be reset on the newer cars. It will work without being reset but will shorten battery life.

 

Wonder if this applied to other Mercedes models?
When did MBZ start this battery register thing?

 

Varies by model, some as early as 2015.

 

The SoCal, AZ, and NV deserts will kill a battery too. Had my Silverado for almost 2 years (brand new), and the battery died. Our CR-V (previous to our MB GLC300) went thru 2 batteries in less than 4 years. A good battery should last at least 4 years.

 

I wasn't sure if I should replace my battery myself or at the deaIership so wanted to share my experience. I own a 2017 GLC300 (Base) that I purchased CPO in 2018. About 6 months ago, Eco Start/Stop stopped working and I also received the 'Stop vehicle, Keep engine running' message'. I did a full recharge and recondition using CTEK charger and the message went away but Eco Start/Stop still didn't work. I drove for another 4 months and the car started normally every time. Went for my Service A and the Eco Start/Stop problem was reported due to bad battery (I was pretty sure but good to get confirmation that something else wasn't messed up while the car was still under warranty). I was told that the original warranty covered battery but CPO did not.

I drove the car another 2 months without Eco Start/Stop. Car started normally every time. Finally decided to get the battery replaced so that I wouldn't get stranded in summer heat. Checked OEM batteries such as Autozone and Interstate. Most were $230-$250 w/3 yr warranty. They would install the battery but not do Registration. Also called a couple of MB service techs (recommended by friends). One said that MB doesn't need battery registration, only BMWs did. The other said he would do battery registration for extra $160 (1 hr labor). Based on this, I had my battery replaced at the dealership.

Service Advisor confirmed that battery required registration. Total cost incl taxes was $365 ($260 battery + $80 labor +$3 "Battery Fee" + taxes). Took about 2 hrs total.

Old battery P/N A0019829508.
Label: Date Code 1717 Exide Technologies, Made in Italy. 12V 80Ah 800A

New battery P/N: A0019828108
Label: Date Code 4721 No brand or country of manufacture. "Distributed by Mercedes Benz USA, LLC". 12V 80Ah 800A

The SA told me that the new battery has a 2-year warranty (however, it's not mentioned anywhere). Eco Start/Stop works normally. I do plan to use CTEK to do a full reconditioning every year. For my next battery, I will probably go with one of the better brands with 3 yr warranty and register the battery myself using Foxwell NT530 scanner. It all depends on how long this battery lasts and the difference between dealership and retail at that time.

 

Could you describe this procedure in more detail?

 

If you are unable to "unplug the battery sensor control wire located on the battery (-) post"
then
instead simply disconnect system battery for 10mn.

 

I bought my 2020 x253 as a CPO with 4k miles Feb 2022. I noticed the voltage would be as low as 12.8 after long drives. I then saw the low charge message and took it to a dealer. Since then, the charge voltage never is lower than 14.8. According to the SA, they merely "checked" the battery but did not do anything else.
Obviously, they did something.... but what?

 

Variable charge voltage is 100% fine within range

> A short 14.8V charge is good but not for extended periods!! 14.8V is only used while the battery remains deeply discharged and cold.

> After that it is followed by 14.4V until low Amps indicate fully charged.

> After that 13.7V and 12.6V on long drives is perfectly normal float voltage for fully charged up battery.

> Just never below 12.3V with crazy high-Amps currents above 30A.

When looking at the charge voltage it helps to understand what the variable Amps + Volts numbers mean overall. Charging steps are driven by battery sensor feeding serial data to the ECU.

 

So, since the last service, the car has been driven at least 100 miles per stint, never less. (deepest high Colorado I don't have a built in ammeter that I know of, but the voltage stays between 14.8 and 14.9. Never higher or lower. I'm also about 250 miles from the nearest m-b dealer.

 

14.8/9V is too elevated for non-stop charging! There must be a reason your ECU is camping on that value...

Set the cluster display to show you directly the car battery sensor data with Amps + volts @ battery (-) post.
To see these data, call the workshop menu before starting. This menu gets opened with the same procedure than service A / B check-ins. See a YouTube video.

 

Please post a link to the YouTube video for opening the workshop menus. Also Is the service A/B check- ins a separate menu ?
thanks,

 

​​​​​Yes, indeed the workshop menu is where service A/B are recorded. Don't be afraid to spend time on what you're interest in.

None of this is secret....
The steering button sequence needs to be entered before starting while the mileage screen is shown on the display... all those mind numbing details are what you need to gather.

Understanding V/A Display:
Voltage & Amperage data display will show you the actual battery charge level and the Alternator charge voltage.
The ECU charging algorithm tries to taper the voltage based on battery charge current.

Be on the lookout for abnormalities such as low voltage and high current. The charging system can work fine 40mn and then go seriously nuts.

Dismal voltage can lead to many collateral issues:
- Safety beep-beep errors,
- Limp modes two truck,
- Flat battery need a jump,
- Dead over heated AGM battery,
- TCM hanging on gears,
- ECU degraded performance,
- Engine misfires from timing jitter,
- Poor mileage and driveability complains
😏

Unless you get to display Volt/Amp menu , we can NOT connect the dots without any hard evidence of the charging system.


Most of the time when battery voltage is abnormal, the system battery gets replaced prematurely one time, then twice. After couple tall bills and no repair the vehicle gets traded for a newer vehicle and never gets fixed.

✌️

 

Wouldn't the battery already be disconnected for 10 minutes during the replacement process?

 

Right but not necessarily - Some procedure call for use of backup power supply during battery swap.

 

Correct - to maintain all your settings.
I think I'd rather have the shop do a reset than lose all my settings.

But I can't enter into the reset discussion, because I don't know if it's necessary either.

 

I didn't swap battery but I had it down to zero a few times, and had to unplug it from the car and connect charger for 5-6 hours at least to get it charged. All my settings, linked phones all stayed unchanged. Just my experience.

 

Any idea on what model year this may have changed, what counts as a "newer" model? I have a 2018 GLC300, finally getting the low battery error signs. The internet is wildly varying on this question.

EDIT: Okay, after reviewing some of the documents found here and elsewhere, a 4/18/2018 released document states there were "technical modifications in the energy management system" and now a reset of the charge setting must now be made. Seems pretty official.
EDIT2: In terms of a consumer resetting the battery counter, it looks like the Foxwell NT530 described elsewhere may be able to do it. I have it on order from Amazon, will update to the latest software and report back on it.

 

As promised, an update.

After watching several Youtube videos on the battery replacement and the battery reset, it went off without a hitch.

Though this is a battery reset thread, here's the whole process I went through:

This the best video for battery removal/installation:
An important thing to note that they mention, but don't show: the AGM battery will have a vent on each side. Plug the vent on the other side that you're not using. My plug was a part of the removable plastic red lead cover.

I purchased an Interstate battery from Costco. An attached sticker indicated it was manufactured in Germany. It has a 3 year prorated warranty. It seems to be not as wide as the OEM, but otherwise it installed fine.

If you are remotely handy, and have a drill/driver with a socket set, or just a socket wrench, the only other thing you will need is an extender for the driver/wrench to reach the retaining bolt at the bottom of the battery. Homedepot sells 12" extenders for ~$11. I bought a 2 pack 6"+12" Ryobi for the same price thinking it was a better deal. It is NOT.

The magenetic tip is not very strong. Extenders from other better regarded brands have a click-lock + magnet, and I definitely recommend those. You really don't want the socket tip to fall off into the engine compartment with no way to easily find or retrieve it.

This is the best video for resetting the battery counter, with a Foxwell NT530:
The device is $169 on Amazon, and will include 1 make of auto. Make sure you buy the one for Mercedes (it also includes Maybach, but I'm guessing if you have a Maybach you probably aren't changing your own car battery). It appears this is hard coded into the serial of the provided SD card. You may need a PC if you want to update the software to the latest version upon receipt.

I think this can be regarded as a decent price. A dealer may not even entertain the idea of resetting your battery counter if they didn't install it themselves. The total equipment cost of this expedition, not including the driver extender, was $170 battery +170 OBD device = $340. And the Foxwell can be used for any other number of projects, though adding more makes cost ~$60 each.

This was the one I purchased: There is no subscription fee, and the data is reportedly updated consistently. My reset process was pretty much the same as the video, except the first time I ran it the device froze. I pulled it from the OBD port, restarted the process, and this time it went fine.

Right on the battery counter reset screen the NT530 will show the total Ah usage of the existing battery. Mine was ~11500 Ah. This battery is 70 Ah, so that means this battery theoretically went through 164 charge cycles. The vehicle is 5.8 years old and this is the original battery. I confirmed after resetting that the counter was now 0.

Hope this helps everyone else.

 

Thank you so much for posting an update.
I agreed dealer wont do reset for you even if they did replace battery. I have wis from 2021 and there is no step for reset.

I would love to see usage in Xentry might try it tomorrow. Hope I can find it.

 

Choose your options carefully.
There's an 800 CCA battery that fits and is widely available. It matches closer to the OEM battery. I went with NAPA Premium Legend #9A94R. 3 yr warranty. $205 on sale. The cheapest I found was thru Walmart.
To anybody else shopping for a OBD-II scanner, the Autel MX900 will easy reset the battery registration. This is a mid grade scanner that can be more useful later than an entry level Foxwell mentioned that works for only one vehicle. I caught the MX900 on a black Friday deal at $450 and it will scan multiple makes and models which I need along with a lot more capability. If you intend to keep cars more than 5 years, I see this scanner as a big help for DIY'ers.

 

Are the OE batteries AGM or VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid)?
I thought they were VRLA.

If so, wouldn't the OE charging rates have insufficient for an AGM battery?
Or, shouldn't the CTEK be set for LA, not AGM?

 

I use the auto Stop/Start button to artificially force the charge rate to maintain 14.9V until the rate starts to fall at which point I turn auto Start/Stop back on so the charge rate falls to 13.0V. Usually takes about 35 minutes of 35-65 mph driving. My 20 GLC300 is 4 years old with 56k miles. When that doesn't work, I set the CTEK to AGM for a 48 hour stint. Does this mean I have an AGM battery?

 

I don't think any of your situations are related to what type of battery you have.

I would you set the CTEK to the type of battery you have, and I don't know which type it is.

From what I can tell, the cars have VRLA batteries, which charge at a different current/ voltage profile.

If that's true and the OE battery is VRLA, then an AGM replacement might never get fully charged.

For those reasons, I prefer to replace like for like. I just don't know what "like" is.

Yes, it takes more than a half hour of driving to recharge a battery.