Good afternoon,

I am a newby on here and have read several good post. Today I am writing a post because my 2007 ML 320 CDI has got some issues. A long story short, my carpet got wet and after since then I have had electrical issues. The issues are the following:

1- no sound, but my stereo display works fine. I am guessing this is a issue with the amp?

2- No more Sirius/XM radio

3- my right headlight doesn't work and the front parking lights don't work either.

4- my insturment panel lights stay on most of the time, even when the car is shut off and locked.

5- about every 10-30 seconds, all the warning lights on my dash light up for a second and shut off for another 10-30 seconds


I work on boats and have worked on cars all my life, but it seems like you need a computer programming degree to work on these cars. My best guess is that the front SAM unit under passanger seat got wet and shorted out as well as the stereo amp and XM module. Or maybe there is a switch that shorted out for the xm radio? It says no connection or something like that.

As far as my dash lights and warning lights flicking on, I am wondering if it could be either the front SAM doing that or the gateway controller?

This week I was driving it and the red battery light came on and then went out..... I continued on my trip and the ML ended up acting funny and stalled out. The problem there is the altenator I am sure. It sounds like a bearing or something went out in the altenator. It makes all kinds of noise, but will sometimes start charging for a little while pushing 14.4 volts. I don't know if this is a related problem or separate. I think the altenator is about a year old. The previous owner had it replaced.

I know it is a handful of issues, but I think it might come down to the gateway controller and the front SAM. Could anybody give me any suggestions? From what I read the controller needs to be programmed by the dealer according to the VIN #.

This was a great looking and running car with lots of life left in it. I would appreciate any suggestions or comments. I live near Flint, Michigan and the dealer here has a corner on the market

 

It got wet where? And do you know why it got wet?

 

My mother made a dish in a flembsy disposable aluminum casserole pan. The pan folded in half and went all over the front passengers floorboard. I have the weather guard floor mats. I cleaned it out and everything ease sticky, so I decided to use a "little green machine" carpet cleaner to clean the carpets. It took several times going over the carpet, and I did all 4 area of passenger area. left and right front floors and left and right rears. The words was the front passenger side. the carpet turned out looking great, but have had trouble ever since. I took out the front passenger seat and there was about 2-3 inches of water in the battery compartment that I cleaned out using a dry vac. I haven't checked the drivers side. I think that is where the amp and the gateway is located.

 

Do you have harmon kardon sound?

There is no way your front sam got wet under the rear seat...

It feels like something else. Bad alternator or bad battery.

Any canbus codes?

 

I thought the front SAM was under the front passenger seat? My alternator is definitely bad. It sounds like the is a screw loose inside of it every now and then. I tested it and most the time it isn't charging, but after the noise stops inside of it, it pumps out 14.4 volts. I am in the process of replacing the alternator. I am concerned that there might be a issue that is causing the alternator to fail. I have a harmon kardon system in ML..... everything works on the sound system but the sirius/xm and no sound

 

Here are the codes I pulled on the OBDII:

U0155
P2506
U0423
U0122
U0101
P1408

 

Yea, those arent technically the mb codes. Obd yes, but mb codes are the ones you can rely on. Buy a reader than can access canbus.

 

replaced the pulley on my alternator. It was a clutch pulley. Once I replaced that, a lot of the electrical gremlins went away for a few days. Now they are starting to resurface again, the dash lights staying on and the dash flickering all warning lights every 20-30 seconds. I did some reading and one of the thoughts I have is the gateway controller? But I guess that has to be programmed by a dealership. I found a place that will rebuild my harmon kardon amp for $200. Is the the going rate? Any one have any suggestions they could share?





Thanks,


Frederick