My CLK is dead after being idle for 4 days
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From: HK
MB CLK320
My CLK is dead after being idle for 4 days
I posted the following on CLK thread and dont know if it's more suitable to post here....
Thanks for any help
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Whenever I dont start the engine for 4 successive days, the battery dies and I cant even open the door (need to use the mechanic key)
I tried 2 fully-charged batteries and the result is just the same. It happened 3 times so far.....
I think it's not related to the alternator by logic because
(1) if I dont leave it idle for 4 successive days, no problems at all. I'd been driving the car for more than one month until the first time it could not start after being idle for 4 days.
It implies the alternator is charging the battery.
(2) if the alternator fails, the warning light should turn on.
I tried to disconnect the alternator and the warning light did turn on.
(3) i checked the voltage of the battery during engine run, it read 13.5V so I think the alternator is working.
(4) the battery was fully charged before I installed it.
of course, I will get it a service check by MB but any clues?
Thanks for any help
--------------------------------------------------------------
Whenever I dont start the engine for 4 successive days, the battery dies and I cant even open the door (need to use the mechanic key)
I tried 2 fully-charged batteries and the result is just the same. It happened 3 times so far.....
I think it's not related to the alternator by logic because
(1) if I dont leave it idle for 4 successive days, no problems at all. I'd been driving the car for more than one month until the first time it could not start after being idle for 4 days.
It implies the alternator is charging the battery.
(2) if the alternator fails, the warning light should turn on.
I tried to disconnect the alternator and the warning light did turn on.
(3) i checked the voltage of the battery during engine run, it read 13.5V so I think the alternator is working.
(4) the battery was fully charged before I installed it.
of course, I will get it a service check by MB but any clues?
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From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
Alternator
You should not have disconnected the alternator with the engine running - never do that!
Other than any damage you may have done to the charging system by the "test" you mention, some electrical component is faulty and/or something is consuming power quite rapidly when the car is off.
The battery could be duff too - maybe that's a good place to start. Drive the car for a few days, disconnect the battery and check its voltage right afterwards (should be about 13 V). Check it a day later (still disconnected). It should be identical to just after the car was turned off. If not, that's probably it. Wait 4 days and see what happens - if it can hold the charge.
Do you leave the key in the car overnight? That would also cause the symptom you mention.
Is the car under warranty? I hope so, if the above tests reveal nothing.
Other than any damage you may have done to the charging system by the "test" you mention, some electrical component is faulty and/or something is consuming power quite rapidly when the car is off.
The battery could be duff too - maybe that's a good place to start. Drive the car for a few days, disconnect the battery and check its voltage right afterwards (should be about 13 V). Check it a day later (still disconnected). It should be identical to just after the car was turned off. If not, that's probably it. Wait 4 days and see what happens - if it can hold the charge.
Do you leave the key in the car overnight? That would also cause the symptom you mention.
Is the car under warranty? I hope so, if the above tests reveal nothing.
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From: HK
MB CLK320
Thanks for your reply.
I disconnected the alternator because there's some problem with the alternator pulley system. The engineer had to replace the main pulley. After he removed it, I saw the warning light on.
I tried 2 fully charged batteries but both of them were gone after 4 days.
Something inside the car is eating the battery, quite for sure but what can it be??
Of course, wont leave the key in the car
I disconnected the alternator because there's some problem with the alternator pulley system. The engineer had to replace the main pulley. After he removed it, I saw the warning light on.
I tried 2 fully charged batteries but both of them were gone after 4 days.
Something inside the car is eating the battery, quite for sure but what can it be??
Of course, wont leave the key in the car
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From: HK
MB CLK320
Thanks. I tried today and it read 300mA!
I havent tried removing the fuses but will do later.
But I still got a big question.
Even if it's 300ma, the battery has 100A in total. Well assume it's half-full and has only 50A
it should still last 50 / 0.3 = 166 hours or 7 days.
but it just dies in 4 days....
I havent tried removing the fuses but will do later.
But I still got a big question.
Even if it's 300ma, the battery has 100A in total. Well assume it's half-full and has only 50A
it should still last 50 / 0.3 = 166 hours or 7 days.
but it just dies in 4 days....
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From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
Dema
You have a good basis to start sussing out the problem thanks to Dema's suggestion. 300 mA may not sound like much but the battery only needs to go as low as 11V or so to not start/run the car. It definitely does not need to drop to half.
So that is the problem, not you just have to follow Dema's advice and pluck the fuses one by one and hope that one of the fused circuits is causing the current flow.
There are some unfused circuits too (like the starter), so it could be one of them too. Try the fused ones first though.
So that is the problem, not you just have to follow Dema's advice and pluck the fuses one by one and hope that one of the fused circuits is causing the current flow.
There are some unfused circuits too (like the starter), so it could be one of them too. Try the fused ones first though.
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From: FL
2000 S500 Brilliant Silver, 1990 BMW 735iL, 1971 Pontiac Trans Am 455 HO, 1976 Pontiac Formula 400
dead battery
I went through 3 new MB batteries in my S class. After 2 idle days, it would be dead. The dealer found the problem to be something involving the a/c ( a switch or something) and they fixed it.
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From: HK
MB CLK320
Thanks for all your replies and compliments.
Well.... the problem has not been solved....
Last time the engineer tested my current and it read 60mA
Today, I did the test again with my own amp-meter. It is around 60mA/12.5V again (I waited longer this time).
I think it's a very normal reading as the technical menu says normal current drawn is 50mA as far as I know.
I will call MB services tomorrow... but it's very expensive here in HK..... poor me...
Well.... the problem has not been solved....
Last time the engineer tested my current and it read 60mA
Today, I did the test again with my own amp-meter. It is around 60mA/12.5V again (I waited longer this time).
I think it's a very normal reading as the technical menu says normal current drawn is 50mA as far as I know.
I will call MB services tomorrow... but it's very expensive here in HK..... poor me...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,377
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver Island, B.C. Canada
2005 smart cabrio; 2008 Mercedes-Benz B 200
key
Others have posted that leaving the key in the switch drains the battery. I have no first-hand experience. However, given the technology employed (listen the next time you put your smartkey in), it would not surprise me. I think MBTech208 could confirm this.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2002
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From: nj
'00 e55
do you have an aftermarket sound system or other aftermarket electronics...i had the same problem with my e55 and it was a miswired radio/cd....regardless, the problem looks like a slow drain...not battery or charging problem.
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From: HK
MB CLK320
Originally posted by bumpski
do you have an aftermarket sound system or other aftermarket electronics...i had the same problem with my e55 and it was a miswired radio/cd....regardless, the problem looks like a slow drain...not battery or charging problem.
do you have an aftermarket sound system or other aftermarket electronics...i had the same problem with my e55 and it was a miswired radio/cd....regardless, the problem looks like a slow drain...not battery or charging problem.
I think I dont have but I'm not 100% sure.
But I will bear this in mind and thanks a lot!
