Dashboard lights flickering and speedo clocks on
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
Almost 3 months nothing and after the 3 days under the rain yet again the same problem. This time rear SAM is dry and clean; rear tailgate module is dray and clean.... i thing there might be a bad ground somewhre. Can anyone give me the groinding points for the front SAM and engine compartment to check them all, please?
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Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Bronx, N.Y.
2002 ML 320 & 2006 ML500
Almost 3 months nothing and after the 3 days under the rain yet again the same problem. This time rear SAM is dry and clean; rear tailgate module is dray and clean.... i thing there might be a bad ground somewhre. Can anyone give me the groinding points for the front SAM and engine compartment to check them all, please?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
Here the video again :
And battery drain when this occurs.
There was moisture in the SAM compartment, water in the compartment behind left tail light; water/moisture in the rear tailgate plug and motor compartment.
Now everything above is dry and clean.
There was rain again for two days, but everything is dry. But the problem starts again
And battery drain when this occurs.
There was moisture in the SAM compartment, water in the compartment behind left tail light; water/moisture in the rear tailgate plug and motor compartment.
Now everything above is dry and clean.
There was rain again for two days, but everything is dry. But the problem starts again
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,107
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From: Bronx, N.Y.
2002 ML 320 & 2006 ML500
I will check the wiring diagrams and let you know what might be causing the problem. It may take a few hours.
Have you checked for water where the battery and the front SAM are located?
Have you checked for water where the battery and the front SAM are located?
Last edited by Maj. Dundee; Oct 3, 2017 at 12:33 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,107
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From: Bronx, N.Y.
2002 ML 320 & 2006 ML500
The ground (W29/2) for the Inst. Cluster is at the right side kick panel.
Two fuses power up the Inst. Cluster:
1. fuse #11 in the Cockpit fuse box at the right side. That fuse also powers up the Exterior Light Sw.
2. fuse #55 in the Cargo Area fuse box.
Two fuses power up the Inst. Cluster:
1. fuse #11 in the Cockpit fuse box at the right side. That fuse also powers up the Exterior Light Sw.
2. fuse #55 in the Cargo Area fuse box.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
Thank you!
With removal of fuse 55 the flickering stops (my test last night). This morning i left the car to my mechanic and he will test for parasitic battery drains, SAM checks and so
My question is what module; ground; corrrosive things can send signals to those fuses - 10 and 55?
Can it be a CAN problem or something?
Bad wiring somewhere ?
With removal of fuse 55 the flickering stops (my test last night). This morning i left the car to my mechanic and he will test for parasitic battery drains, SAM checks and so
My question is what module; ground; corrrosive things can send signals to those fuses - 10 and 55?
Can it be a CAN problem or something?
Bad wiring somewhere ?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
Well..... Most annoying thing is that now, there is no dashboard flickering cluster lights, no battery drain at all, all day. The car is at my mechanic garage. We'll see what will happen next days.
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 507
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From: Massachusetts
2014 Smart ForTwo Passion Cabrio
I mention this story because your mention of moisture inside the vehicle, along with the video of the symptom, suggests a hail-mary longshot to me... moisture-induced corrosion in the ignition switch/contacts?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
Many years ago, I was working as volunteer at an aviation museum in Fort Worth, Texas, and since my specialty is avionics and aircraft electrical systems, I was asked to adopt the museum's B-17G Pathfinder bomber's systems. One day I was asked to figure out why the starters for engines 1 and 3 were intermittent, but the ones for engines 2 and 4 were good. After looking at the schematics and scratching my bald spot for a while, I joined the owner of the museum and his crew on the ramp, and asked them to show me what was going on. They showed me the problem, and I determined the starter switch was good, so I took a wire brush, removed the who-knows-how-old humungous fuse from the fuse panel, wire-brushed the fuse holder and the ends of the fuse, and reinstalled it. Problem gone.
I mention this story because your mention of moisture inside the vehicle, along with the video of the symptom, suggests a hail-mary longshot to me... moisture-induced corrosion in the ignition switch/contacts?
I mention this story because your mention of moisture inside the vehicle, along with the video of the symptom, suggests a hail-mary longshot to me... moisture-induced corrosion in the ignition switch/contacts?
But still - the fuse holders can be spray with contact cleaner, right?
Super Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 507
Likes: 25
From: Massachusetts
2014 Smart ForTwo Passion Cabrio
If nothing there, then I would check connectors to anything that leads to the start switch, but I am not an MB maintenance guru like Maj Dundee. I would, however, pull connectors that may even be remotely related and look for evidence of corrosion, such as any powdery film, usually white- or grey-colored.
And while you're at it, go get yourself a couple of large dessicant bags and hide them under the seats to get that moisture out of the cabin. If it is the cause of the problem, it will only get worse if you don't get things bone-dry, pronto.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
OK. Today my mechanic, who also have ML W164, change the dashboards between the 2 ML's. My dashboard was working perfect with his car, but his dashboard on my car was as video above shows.
So the problem is that something (module, front SAM) send signals to the dashboard to flicker the cluster lights.
I need a wiring diagram from the dashboard to the other modules that have access to the dashboard. Can someone give me wiring scheme or something?
What is connected to the dashboard, except the front SAM module?
So the problem is that something (module, front SAM) send signals to the dashboard to flicker the cluster lights.
I need a wiring diagram from the dashboard to the other modules that have access to the dashboard. Can someone give me wiring scheme or something?
What is connected to the dashboard, except the front SAM module?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
A bit of update - there was a broken minus plug for the battery and a front SAM module was green in most of the connectors.
The minus plug for the battery was changed, the SAM cleaned.
Now the weather is rainy and there is a "live"test now.
The minus plug for the battery was changed, the SAM cleaned.
Now the weather is rainy and there is a "live"test now.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,107
Likes: 765
From: Bronx, N.Y.
2002 ML 320 & 2006 ML500
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 57
Likes: 5
From: Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 W212 E350CDI Blueefficiency
Minus plug is the plug you attach to the battery - i don't know how to explain it/word of it.
Minus plug and Plus plug - both plugs attached to the Minus and/or Plus connectors of the battery.
Minus plug and Plus plug - both plugs attached to the Minus and/or Plus connectors of the battery.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 7,107
Likes: 765
From: Bronx, N.Y.
2002 ML 320 & 2006 ML500
The water entry is caused by faulty tail lamp seals or a drainage problem at the sunroof.
Last edited by Maj. Dundee; Oct 26, 2017 at 08:41 AM.
