Need "true" help. General Failure ML280cdi (W164)
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 12
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ML280CDI
Need "true" help. General Failure ML280cdi (W164)
Hello everyone and Happy New Year....
Need Help. I got an error "Visualizer failure" with a white light symbol (that's in the Spanish version. maybe in English uses a different word), and at the same time the tailgate can't be opened, the light detecting a front child seat remains on, front and rear wipers don't work, Cigaret lighter don't work, the electrical adjustments for both front seats do not work, mirrors do not retract when locking the car, the fuel gauge indicates empty tank when it is actually full, central rear locking does not work also, and who knows what else I didn't check already still's not working.
Also some time ago, the indicator came on with a white battery symbol, that turns off after driving for a while, but it's not a battery failure as I checked that the battery voltage is 12.4 volt and turns into 13,8 with engine running. The car also starts fine without any low battery symptom.
Any help is much appreciated !!
Thank you.
Need Help. I got an error "Visualizer failure" with a white light symbol (that's in the Spanish version. maybe in English uses a different word), and at the same time the tailgate can't be opened, the light detecting a front child seat remains on, front and rear wipers don't work, Cigaret lighter don't work, the electrical adjustments for both front seats do not work, mirrors do not retract when locking the car, the fuel gauge indicates empty tank when it is actually full, central rear locking does not work also, and who knows what else I didn't check already still's not working.
Also some time ago, the indicator came on with a white battery symbol, that turns off after driving for a while, but it's not a battery failure as I checked that the battery voltage is 12.4 volt and turns into 13,8 with engine running. The car also starts fine without any low battery symptom.
Any help is much appreciated !!
Thank you.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 48
Likes: 2
ML
I had similar problems with my 320 a couple of times. In my case it was showing front hood opened, wiper didn't work, battery light was on, tailgate couldn't be opened and even the car stopped turning on and it was like it has no power at all ( couldn't even lock it). Problem turned out to be that the circuit board behind the right tail light was wet. First time it happened I took it to the dealership they just dryed it and everything worked fine. There was no need to replace it. They said water or moisture came from the taillight. Check the bolts of the taillight, tighten them if they need to. Second time when I got this problem, I just left the car for a day and on the next day everything was back to normal.
Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 142
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From: Braselton,GA
2008 ML320cdi Irid.silver, 2013 VW Jetta Prem. Tdi Dsg red
I think the white battery light means your small back up battery is bad. (At least on the 320) In the 320's it's located under the front passenger seat floor next to the main battery.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2013
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ML280CDI
Thankyou Borko. Yes it was that.
The multi failure issue was the SAM rear unit. It was completely wet and with a lot of corrosion between integrated circuits pins. It seems the water get's in through a defective seal on the right rear light. To be more real, it's a MB design failure which affects a lot of ML W164.
Take a look at the picture of how was the SAM PCB. Incredible to see that on a MB, specially if it is caused by a defective design that makes rain water to drop exactly on top of the SAM.
The small batery I confirmed that is to provide energy to the 7G gearbox in order to change from Parking position to others when engine is off. Otherwise (bad battery) if you turn off the engine and you forgot to switch into parking, then it won't be possible to do anything with the gears untill you start the engine.
The multi failure issue was the SAM rear unit. It was completely wet and with a lot of corrosion between integrated circuits pins. It seems the water get's in through a defective seal on the right rear light. To be more real, it's a MB design failure which affects a lot of ML W164.
Take a look at the picture of how was the SAM PCB. Incredible to see that on a MB, specially if it is caused by a defective design that makes rain water to drop exactly on top of the SAM.
The small batery I confirmed that is to provide energy to the 7G gearbox in order to change from Parking position to others when engine is off. Otherwise (bad battery) if you turn off the engine and you forgot to switch into parking, then it won't be possible to do anything with the gears untill you start the engine.
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