HONDO250

I just encountered a problem...
My check engine light came on
Extremely cold , & not sure of the overall problem ...decided to let the vehicle sit in my driveway ..I will be receiving my Scanning tool on this Tuesday via UPS.
It being 17 degrees as a high ,it is cold weather speculation that the extreme Cold is a factor ,.triggering a Check engine light .Before I venture out to my the Dealership or the repair shop ,I will troubleshoot the codes ,then based on the screen scan will decide.
Vehicle is a year old ,bought new At 7K mileage, I can only hope that if the problem is serious ,it will be covered ,vehicle received High Price $$$ service from dealer 3 weeks ago..time will tell . It could be bad fuel (diesel gel) ,I could use an additive to the fuel...if emissions it is covered by warranty. but I should not get a Check engine light automatically because it is cold...

Any Suggestions??

LesF

That sounds like the ad-blue issue, if it is it's a warranty issue. I can't see it being chargeable. What kind of high $ service did you have 3 weeks ago at 7000k, could it be why your CEL is on now?

HONDO250

In response to my recent problem,check engine light...I am waiting for my scan tool to arrive...I will check the codes,make a decision...
If I take it to the Dealer ,they will try to stick me...the car still has low miles & has been serviced ..if something is wrong,It needs to be corrected. My MBDealer is a 45 minute drive , the weather needs to get warmer or I will call AAA Service or THE MB(PAID)Service,put it on a Roll Back...tow it in...

It is minus 2 degrees this morning and it going to snow more...I going to let the GLK250BT sit , at that temperature ,I can only imagine that there is a fuel gel problem& I will add a diesel conditioner ...Possibly bad diesel , the tank is full,I filled up the other day ,the next day the problem...serious drop in temperature.
The check engine light is not blinking & I will go through the steps, check things out .
Today it is 10 degrees ,why put the car through any additional problems..??.MB says the GLK250BT does not need a plug in heater...but this cold, fuel, starter ...It is too cold to mess with the car period....

HONDO250

In my previous entry ,I mentioned that I had a check engine light display.
Today,the outside temperature was "WARMER":instead of 10 degrees F, it was 26degrees F ..I have not started my vehicle for 2 days , added the the proper amount of Diesel conditioner , vehicle seems to run fine...& I did short run at city speed /Highway speed no stumbles that occurred a few days ago

With my scan tool the following trouble code was P261F....I tried to find the code but despite my best effects ,I could not find this exact code-additional letter 0 or O were listed on various source .
This was the only problem code that appeared after I did the extensive scan
Hoping that this was a extreme cold weather ...

I have a decision to make Take it to the dealer or my Car shop
The initial problem went away and frankly I can remove the trouble code myself with my scan tool.If the issue will be corrected without a hassle ,I will take it to the dealer:After my last Dealer Visit ..it was a con job.
Vehicle was MB serviced for 5,500 miles Oil change, DEF Fill alerts removed.
A vehicle was this low mileage & was serviced two weeks ago ??? Isolated or needs to have immediate attention...

So I leave my question to the forum guru's

ningster

seems like a specific code that your code reader does not recognize... the dealer might be able to tell you more with their MB code reader.


just curious, when it's that cold outside, how long does it take for the glow plug light to go off before you start the engine?

ningster

by the way, P261 ABCD are all codes related to coolant pump... might be something worth checking out...

skelly5282

I had a check engine light come on a couple of months ago on a 2014 GLK 250. The weather was cold outside (-25 C)but the car is parked in a heated garage. I moved out of the garage and parked outside, no cel warning on. I let the car run for 10 or 15 minutes or so and came back to the car and cel was present. I booked an appointment with the dealership the next day to determine the issue. In the meantime, the cel went away after a day or 2. I do not know the exact scan code that was discovered but ultimately it was determined to be a coolant pump issue. The coolant pump was replaced on warranty.

HONDO250

Recently , I posted on the forum an inquiry concerning the relationship of cold weather starts of MB GLK250BT , diesel fuel & check engine light.
The members of MBWorld assisted me in process establishing scan code,& advice to correct my problem.
Part of my inquiry was to notify the State Government Agency (USA) that responsible for testing the diesel fuel purchased from the last known source.
The agency notified me that State Department tested the pumps, & ground storage tank.I received a copy of the print out & the name of the fuel carrier.
The filling station was a 24 hour convenience store operation that provided fuel.
The convenience store was not part of a BRANDED known fuel such as HESS ,SHELL or EXXON/MOBIL. The store purchased wholesale,transported through ICC Motor Carrier.
The report found no problems with the fuel according to the test results.With this information , I eliminated that portion of the puzzle. I probably will return to that fuel source because they have the best price for diesel fuel...case in point ,sometimes the government works.

LesF

being unbranded fuel is of itself not a big deal except for the issue of additives used for engine maintenance. I would check with MB to see if you can use any additives that may be missing from cheaper fuel without voiding your warranty.

HONDO250

Problems can occur with any vehicle, my decision & choice of this additive was researched before I proceeded. There are countless types of additives , i am certain that no damage was done. I believe I resolved my problem & if the problem reoccurs ,I have the problem repaired that does not invalidate a vehicle warranty...but there are laws that state that I certain actions will not invalidate my warranty. Case in point , if I decide to purchase new tires of exact replacement size, the warranty is not invalidated.I anticipate that replacing my OEM run flat tires will be an investment but price wise it will not be a MB Dealer, Tire Rack or my trusted tire dealer can provide good service & price.
Thus far all service was completed by the MB Dealer ,except the State safety Inspection...The State of PA does not require Emission Sticker.First oil change ,5,000 mile service.was done by MB Dealer ...yet I am doubtful, that I will return to that MB Dealer because of the Service. I have an Idea of the amount of DEF ,I used 2 bottles in 5,000 miles & adding the proper DEF is something I can do ....
In my travels North & South on the Interstate 95 , I was not always impressed by the conditions of the Name Brand Station, especially seeing large amounts of residue oil around the pumps, or in the drive path...The customer hopes that the fuel is good stuff. I recently visited a SHELL Station & the condition of the hose, nozzle was bad...I went elsewhere.
I have visited Truck Stops/Travel Centers with sections for Cars & the conditions were excellent.Confidence in service & careful decisions especially during this frigid weather.Extremely Cold Weather Starts can place stresses on any vehicle...but sometimes there are no choices when travel is necessary.
Driving on Black Ice in hazardous conditions , I don't drive,I cancel ,wait...

fabbrisd1

Let me clarify something here:

1) If you had owned your GLK for one full year - at the time it was in the dealer at 5500 miles - "technically" there was a small reason to "maybe" do the 10K/annual service - but frankly no warranty/practical reason to have that 10K service done early. That said I do have customers in low mileage situations that feel better about themselves and their MB if they have "annual" service done - but again that low mileage annual option is the Owner's Choice.

2) Please note generic scanners do not read manufacturer specific codes - including MB's - scanners read generic codes only, and scanners can misreport manufacturer codes - at 7K miles - under new MB warranty - I would recommend that you do not "erase" a CEL code with your scanner - and that - yes - you take it to service.

Yes - you can do DEF top off yourself - 5K miles is proactive - you hv close to 11K-12K DEF range.. Make it easy - find a commercial fuel station that has pump def - and don't overfill.

Personal recommendation - if you are low mileage guy - you might consider dosing your fuel tank "once" going into colder months with Power Service diesel additive - white bottle/red cap - doesn't take much additive at all - 4 oz or 1/4 of the 16 oz bottle.

I am not a fan of diesel additives for blueTech engines - especially with the super high injection pressure of the 250 engine - but as a low mileage guy - prudent one-time winter use I think is smart money.

HONDO250

I have received great sound advice .
The use of an additive was part of my process of steps during this extreme cold.
Individuals ,non owners of diesel vehicles usually speak about the cost of diesel.
I enjoy my MB GLK 250BT ,pro's & cons are of the ownership.
I try to be a problem solver,stay calm...as mentioned there is a reason to schedule an appointment for service...I am up to date in my Scheduled service, I paid the high prices of MB SERVICE. There are the usual automatic reminders....

Diabolis

Only one small issue of contention with item #1. The anuual service - even if the miles are below 10K - is there for a reason. People that mostly drive short trips where the oil never gets up to full operating temperature and stays there for a sufficiently long period of time for all the water to evaporate from the crank case need to change the oil MORE OFTEN that those driving longer distances, because water turns the oil acidic, and the low-SAPS oil formulations that are required because of the DPFs are unable to neutralize the acid (it's the SAPS additives that combat oil acidity). That's the only reason you need to change the oil every year even if you only do 4K miles, and it is a practical one. However, if you put your 4K miles on it the form of eight 500-mile trips, then your point would indeed be correct.

Cheers,
D.

fabbrisd1

I understand the "oil at temp" comments - which frankly with earlier block technology was the morn where it took "time" for the block to warm the oil to temp - often causing "brown pudding" to collect inside the valve cover and inside the oil filler cap as well.

The new block technoligies in place now are more thermally efficient - which means they pass combustion heat thru the block much faster and more effectively - in turn bringing the oil to operating temp more quickly as well - hence "no pudding" anymore is a way-gone symptom..

Do I do annual service - sure - for my classic and semi-classic MB's.. would I choose annual on ultra-low mileage 204... not really.

Sh*t - a oil change out at 5K - the factory "break-in" oil with those factory additives in my mind should stay in there for the 1st 10K if at all possible - as recommended..

HONDO250

With all the sound advice ,I believe I can proceed .
Short trip,long trip, I do travel ...& see that the vehicle is being operated warm ups....The vehicle has been on some long trips up & down the East Coast...yet ,the mileage does not always reflect my driving habits.
Being retired , there are some days that I do not leave my house,lately the weather outside has been extremely cold ,road conditions bad...
Finding the right time & temperature to complete activities during this cold weather ...careful look at the weather channel...Washing my car,road salt use is very high in this area brine, the potholes,avoiding damage is part of my routine...avoiding single digit temp start-up but there are activities that must be completed ...just more careful...
I am a person with a disability ,& ice, is not part of my winter activity...I use a Light/fold-up wheelchair ,it fits just fine in the back
I have not encountered problems recently & the many small advisements combined have been positive....thanks

Diabolis

No - I am not talking about the pudding / sludge that we used to get with conventional oils and on old engines. When you drive the car on short trips, the engine oil - not the coolant - never gets up above 100 C, where it has to stay for some period of time (i.e. at least half an hour) for the dissoved water to start evaporating from the crank case. The GLK doesn't have an oil temp gauge but my C63 does, and it easily takes 15-20km or 20 minutes of driving for the oil the just reach 100 C. So, unless you drive the car ONE WAY - without shutting it off - for at least 50 minutes, you never get the moisture out of the oil. Moisture causes the oil to turn acidic; the oil additive that controls acidity is sulfated ash and phosphorus (SAPS), but the modern diesels with the fine partuculate filters (DPFs) can only use low-SAPS oils. If you could run regular Mobil 1 0W40 in your BlueTEC that has 1.3% sulfated ash content, you could change the oil after a longer interval because it is able to neutralize the acid. Seeing as you can't because you're limited to runing low-SAPS oils that only have about 0.7% sulfated ash content at the most, the oils' ability to neutralize the acids wears out a lot quicker, and you create the most amount of acid by driving short trips (i.e. 30 minutes or less one way) wherere the oil never stays above 100 C for the moisture to evaporate.

What I am saying in essence is that because of the DPFs and their requirement for low-SAPS oils on the BlueTEC cars, it is more important than ever to change the oil more frequently than on gasoline engines where you can run mid- and high-SAPS oils. Nothing to do with the chocolatey stuff that used to build up - only what UOAs show in terms of pH level.

If you were to drive the car for 10K miles in one long drive across the continent and back, the pH (acidicty) level of the oil would be more or less the same as the pH level of fresh oil (usually about 8 - slightly alkaline), On the other hand, if you were to only drive the car for 2K miles but as 200 10-mile trips, all other thigns being equal, the pH level would drop to below 4 (that's pretty acidic). And, we all know how well metals reacts to acids, so I hope you see my point about having to change the oil on a regualr basis on a DPF-equipped diesel regardless of the actual mileage.