2013 ML350 W166 - HELP! ACCIDENTALLY JUMP START MERCEDES WRONG POLARITY NOWWONT START
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Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 191
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From: Los Angeles
2001 E430, 2014 E 350, 2012 C63 PP30
2013 ML350 W166 - HELP! ACCIDENTALLY JUMP START MERCEDES WRONG POLARITY NOWWONT START
Guys,
I have a 2013 Mercedes ML350 W166. I accidentally connected the jumper cables incorrectly (from under the hood) after the battery needed some juice. I did not connect the jumper cables to the back battery (located under front passenger seat) but the red cross under the hood. I connected the ground to the red cross and the positive to the ground on the chassis.
Smoke was coming out of the alternator. When I hook up the car to jump start again the car does not start. I think i fried my alternator. What should I look for in diagnosing my issue?
The car seems to turn on accessories but does not wish to start.
I have a 2013 Mercedes ML350 W166. I accidentally connected the jumper cables incorrectly (from under the hood) after the battery needed some juice. I did not connect the jumper cables to the back battery (located under front passenger seat) but the red cross under the hood. I connected the ground to the red cross and the positive to the ground on the chassis.
Smoke was coming out of the alternator. When I hook up the car to jump start again the car does not start. I think i fried my alternator. What should I look for in diagnosing my issue?
The car seems to turn on accessories but does not wish to start.
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
There is no 800-amp fuse to the alternator (cold-cranking amps and all). The alternator, both car batteries and very possibly a bunch of wiring is/are damaged or fried. I am afraid @E55Greasemonkey is right... take it to the dealership, open your wallet and pray.
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Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 191
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From: Los Angeles
2001 E430, 2014 E 350, 2012 C63 PP30
So I cannot take it to the dealer as I live in Mexico. The nearest dealer is 1 hour and 40 mins away. So I checked the truck and i noticed that the steering wheel no longer locks when i remove the key. The car also does not even attempt to start when in accessory 2 and I switch the key over.
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
The fact that you at least have accessory power is encouraging, but the alternator is very likely fried, quite possibly the starter motor, some wiring and/or a bunch or (expensive) control modules. Unless you have a full STAR / DAS / XENTRY solution available that you know how to use, are able to supply external auxiliary power to the car, happen to have a spare alternator and starter to swap out and can inspect the wiring inside the various wiring harness portions that may have been damaged, I am afraid you'll need help from a factory-trained technician.
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From: In the Shadow of the Tetons
2013 ML350 Bluetec
I wonder if Comprehensive insurance covers things like this.
Then again, I also wonder why circuit protection isn't built into these fine pieces of engineering.
Then again, I also wonder why circuit protection isn't built into these fine pieces of engineering.
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
For the same reason that flotation devices or parachutes aren't built in just in case someone drives the car into a lake or pushes it off a cliff. How many people exactly do you think end up frying their Mercedes because they connect the jumper leads backwards, and how much more money would you personally be willing to pay for such a protection device? Just a 1000A DC rectifier (which would have to be part of any such protection circuit so that it could still fire up the starter motor) is about $1200-$1500 US, so the protection module would cost at least $3-4K. Would you also like the same protection in case you put in your car battery backwards? Add another $3-4K. How about protection against someone removing all five wheel bolts off and driving off? On all four wheels? Or, what about protection against putting water or gasoline in the diesel filler neck? How much are you willing to pay for all of that protection?
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From: US
2008 E350, 2012 ML350, 2014 E350, 2015 ML350
Happened to a friend of mine (2012 ML 350), $4500 later and 4 weeks waiting for a new ECU from Germany the car was back on the road. I remind it her that an Uber it would have been cheaper instead of forcing the car to start w/o knowing exactly what to do.
Hope the damage is repairable within reason.
Hope the damage is repairable within reason.
Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 103
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From: Canada
2012 ML350 Gas
I'm new to Mercedes but with BMWs you knew you had a bad ECU when you put your key to ON position and the check engine light never showed up. So check if your CEL shows up. If it doesn't then you might need a new ECU.
However I am assuming that you can't just buy one from a junkyard and plug it in. Most likely needs to be new and dealer needs to code it to your VIN.
However I am assuming that you can't just buy one from a junkyard and plug it in. Most likely needs to be new and dealer needs to code it to your VIN.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 97
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From: Canada
2014 ML550 AMG package
Alternator damage wouldn’t prevent it from starting. You probably fried your ECU or some other module controlling the ingnition and you could have destroyed the battery under the seat. You could have also blown the fuse that trips when the car gets into an accident and stops it from starting again. It’s going to need to go to a shop that knows Mercedes’ and has Star or Xentry that can check all the modules for damage.
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Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 487
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From: DFW, TX
Ml350 bluetec
Guys,
I have a 2013 Mercedes ML350 W166. I accidentally connected the jumper cables incorrectly (from under the hood) after the battery needed some juice. I did not connect the jumper cables to the back battery (located under front passenger seat) but the red cross under the hood. I connected the ground to the red cross and the positive to the ground on the chassis.
Smoke was coming out of the alternator. When I hook up the car to jump start again the car does not start. I think i fried my alternator. What should I look for in diagnosing my issue?
The car seems to turn on accessories but does not wish to start.
I have a 2013 Mercedes ML350 W166. I accidentally connected the jumper cables incorrectly (from under the hood) after the battery needed some juice. I did not connect the jumper cables to the back battery (located under front passenger seat) but the red cross under the hood. I connected the ground to the red cross and the positive to the ground on the chassis.
Smoke was coming out of the alternator. When I hook up the car to jump start again the car does not start. I think i fried my alternator. What should I look for in diagnosing my issue?
The car seems to turn on accessories but does not wish to start.
Smoking of the alternator does not affect the vehicles ability to start. You more than likely fried all the computers/ECU in the vehicle.
Had you used a proper jumper back instead of jumper cables, this would not have happened as jumper packs are usually designed prevent this from actually happening.
NEVER EVER USE JUMPER CABLES for this very reason. Always use JUMPER PACKS.
