donjuan45i

hope its something you will never have to hear someone use these words, especially when conversing about your car.

OK so i need your guys' help

For those of you that can help dont have time, or dont care to read this crap (no pun taken) skip down to the big ---------------- Line that I will put for you. It will mark the end of schpeel and go straight to the problem.

For those that want to read, have nothing better to do, you lurkers or enjoy stories especially about others misfortunes. I just want to give you guys the opportunity to partly appreciate this situation for what it is. Im gonna fill you guys in on the rotten **** past few weeks ive been dealt. I got some free time so for those of you that have the same, here goes my life lessons in possesing an expensive and highly sensitive electronic automobile. Crack open a cold one, make a sandwhich, and put on your seat belts kids. We are going for a fu*king ride!


OK out in my driveway sits a 2000 s500 "Brilliant Silver" on light grey interior. your classic and typical w220 color combo Has standard S500 options id say a good 63% still work so not too bad, like tape on a coin toss. but buttons all look cool and still light up so its all good, adds to the "your in a cockpit" feel that we all like

I have owned the car for about 2 years now. Car has actually been good to me. I barely ever drive it, maybe once every two weeks, and it sits in the winter. so Ive put about 2k miles on it in 2 years. When you put it that way how can the car NOT be good to me when I dont use it. So good point guys ill keep that in mind for next time. But she hasnt cost me more than some oil changes that I have done due to the "you should" factor every 6 months because I dont drive it. She sat pretty and looked good and got a "whoa why dont you drive this" everytime someone saw me open my garage.

well it all started with a cragislist ad, about 3 weeks ago I came across a 03 SL500 that I well fell in love with. 58k, red on black, CHERRY! person was asking 16,500. yea i know said that right, clean title too, I did the car fax has to be. kidding I called in the VIN. Now Being that I have always owned a 4 door, and large cars, hey I needed the space for all the bros and hoes. But now that im having a kid and cant go out anymore the thought of a 2 seater well suits me better Go figure, and great timing you d-bag said my ol girl. who cares I would barely drive it any who, have the accord for everyday. Well this car was maybe 10 grand under priced. This recession really has made for some "motivated sellers" and not only being 10k under kbb value. and there was that magic letter combo of OBO.

After talking a little turkey made a deal with the guy he just wanted CASH, said if he didnt have the car sold, he'd take me up on it, gave him some time to see if he could get a better deal and his title, while I came up with money. for that price?! he was desperate. he had another car for sale to. a yukon I think. well now he wasnt the only one that needed cash i now needed cash, and fast. I thought about the S500, and about my uncle who possess a dealers license, figured auction = sale = money. I didnt care what I got for the car as long as it would give me at least a large down payment + what I would put down cash i would probably have the car almost paid off for, or take out a 2,000 loan on for. Pre approved, thought I could use that for some mods. wheels, and a air freshener and have the car for a comic 100 a month.

I dont need the title anyway, who needs the damn title, not like people going to be YOU own that car? Prove it? Driving the car with my name on the plates is enough I think (joke) I wouldnt sell the car anytime soon, Too much liability especially with ol girl, I dont trust her. Id rather the bank hang onto it, let them worry about where its at, and who can forge it.

So heres where the story starts getting juicy. I get the car ready for auction on the following thursday. But I messed up the car over heard the conversation and it was going to put up a fight they always I MEAN ALWAYS EFFING DO, so fates wheels start to turn...

I decide to wash her down, but she didnt comply. battery was dead car wouldnt start. OF course it wouldnt, and why should it. plugged the charger waited til next day, car still wouldnt start. never ever had problem starting it. BUT so be it, call the dealer and he tells me price of a battery. which if theres a time to invest money into a battery its right before you sell it. No doubt. Tech Guy tells me why dont I just buy battery from generic auto parts as long as it had 800 amps. was very impressed hearing the tech say this. He said should be able to get one for about 70. went to autoparts battery was 109.00 with 10 core charge. Now I only had 1 check my keys and 1 check, dont ask me why, I took 1 check. in case I got mugged? I dont know? well I guess I have too big of a signature and black and green screened computer couldnt read the account number guy gave me a 10 minute explanation on it. so I stayed there while my friend drove back home to get my wallet. Well he comes back with yet another checK this time I signed it very carefully, and what now. Damn computer wouldnt take it. no dice whole time at autozone and I leave with nothing but 2 voided checks a waste of 2 hours of my short existing life. thanks autozone!

well I go get cash buy battery. get to the car. I go to take off the terminal right as I touched it the cars alarm went off. Terminal was loose. my pops wanted to help and disconnected the charger (rather ripped it out) the charger had connecter right on the bolt, but wasnt there anymore and so terminal wasnt tight. so thats why charger well wasnt charging, and the car didnt start. I dont even care any more its getting dark and auction is next day. clean her up, she was looking good, garage lights just gleemed right off her.

Next day I take her to auction check her in, go home get ready for work. Uncle calls me that alot of people are looking at car, gets my hopes up. I call guy and confirm SL500 is still available. Get another call, that cars price was listed way wrong and would have to be put in again on another day. Figured I would just put it right back in so I let the car sit until auction at their highly secured and gaurded facility.

Well few days passed by Its the weekend and I decide to go pick up the car to take out a last couple of times. As im walking what seemed like 2 miles to the car, I squint to look closer and realize, either my tint came off or something is wrong. As I get closer NO!!!!!!!!! followed by YOU HAVE GOT TO BE F&**ING KIDDING ME! and some other expressful words. But THEY LEFT THE WINDOW DOWN, I look inside and the drivers window is down as well. I open the door, and remember that we had a hail storm 2 days before, along with a typhoon of rain. I was hoping it was that kind of rain that seemed to "come straight up from underneath" as forrest gump would put it

now if MBWORLD has taught me anything, especially the "I have no power to such and such door" threads is that those DC modules are some sensitive little truckers.

Sure enough open the door, cluster doesnt come on figure maybe just dead battery, maybe I got lucky WRONG. stupid stupid thought, Got the car started, notice doors werent soft closing, and windows wouldnt go up or down. drive the car up to check point, ask to talk to manager. after a powerful converstation. it ended with a promise to review it and car was sent to detail.

I get a call about a week later, manager guy tells me that the door control modules where shot, pretty much just repeated to me everything I told him the MB techs would tell him. "yea the MB manager told me that this is probably the worst car to leave in the rain with the windows down" Yea thanks I needed that. and all I could say was told you so. Also told me he reviewed camera footage of when car went in, and windows were up. so if they were left down, they had to have worked. Said he would have the doors fixed, would call me when car was finished.

another week goes by calls to tell me that he should have car in next day. Go to pick it up, guy asked me for dam gate pass, that you need to take a car out. he knows its my car, I was given one the day I went to get the car originally, but I didnt know where it was. I think I gave it to you I said. he said I need a gate pass and would have to wait to get one on monday, because sales people were not there. go figure, i guess thats what managers are good for. Tried and tried no dice. waited til monday, which was this last monday.

well I go to get the car, and talk to sales they tell me just to go get the car and say im getting the mercedes. didnt need a pass. doors worked windows worked. By now SL500 was GONE, so that was no longer. I drive the car home, go to a gas station, when I came out, the car started but barely. checked terminals everything was on tight. I guess all this jump starting took its toll on that battery.

Got home put other battery in. Got a beer from the fridge and thought "damn" car really must want to stick around. stared at it for a while, and really kinda fell in love with it again. eh ill hang onto it for a while I thought.

well yesterday I go to drive it to get a wash. and the dam cluster is telling me "service rear foglight", "service left tail light", "service right tail light while your at it" and a "bite me" car was still pissed.

well I inspect the tail lights and they work? signals, brake, reverse. only one bulb in each tail light wasnt working and that was the bottom inside one, closest to the trunk. Took the bulbs out, and they look fine? Filaments are intact swap them around and nothing. thought maybe the rear foglight thing has something to do with it so I check fuse diagram, which is absurdly placed in the trunk folded like a wet nap. why couldnt they just put it on the covers like everyone else. and the all it says for rear foglight is "electronic"

I plan to go to germany one day show that to an engineer at the MB plant and say " WTF DOES THAT MEAN" and as soon as he starts to say D-O-N-T K-N-O-W, poke him right in the eye! so does anyone know what "electronic" means in the fuse diagram. My patience has run out along with my luck, fate, im about done with this car, and the dealer, and autozone. But I can redeem the situation I think if I can fix this myself ha its a long shot I know. but I got nothing to loose

i did play with the headlight switch, I get all the same messages on the but when I turned on the rear foglights, the cluster instead now says "Left Tail Light substitue is on?" when that bulb turned on in the left side. so im dumbfounded? dont know what it is. thought maybe it was the bulbs. But come on both bulbs burning out what are the chances and same one in each tailight?, I dont think im that lucky. its got to be something more costly remember we are talking about a 2000 w220 that was rained in.

so there you have it, another detail is that the when I got the car I noticed that the green light was on in the headlight switch which I think means that the foglights were on, which I dont think were. didnt pay much attention to it, but now I think maybe the headlight switch was fried too when rain got in? because when I messed with it, thats when the substitute came on. I also got a little frustrated and started hitting it, and now the damn switch caves in, so I think have to replace it anyway, anyone know how to do that? I think the parking brake is going to make it interesting.

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HERES THAT LINE as previously mentioned

facts: car was rained in, door control modules were fried but replaced, now I on cluster I get service of the rear foglights, left tailight and right taillight. Green light is on in headlight switch, but no foglight. Bottom inside bulbs of taillight are out. bulbs look fine filaments are intact. swapped bulbs nothing. all other lights work, signals, reverse, brake, etc. Headlight switch works, turns on headlights, fogs etc?

any ideas what it could be? faulty headlight switch maybe? fuse? bad tailights?

Thanks in advance to all, and those of you that read it all, WOW and thanks. Im gonna call this story it "you have 3 messages" thats what is says on the cluster when I turn car off. i dont even want to bother reading them.

thanks guys for everything, and any help, ideas, pointers, or therapy is much much much appreciated. Thanks again

man I wished I never saw that craigslist posting, im not getting on there for at least a week.

Skylaw

The rear Signal Acquisition Module (SAM), which sits behind the fuse panel (the fuse panel is part of the SAM) that is in turn behind the right rear footwell courtesy light (and is located under the back seat) can cause those problems. It is also highly susceptible to water damage, and is as expensive as a DCM to repair. The problems you are now describing sound like a bad rear SAM.

If water collects on the floor, it often runs back in a channel under the carpet to the rear SAM and fries it. Check the rear fuse panel, see if there is any water in it. Not only that, there is a SAM under each front seat. If you start having problems with your headlights and your dashboard buttons, suspect a problem with front SAMs.

The SAMs also contain a device called an "electronic fuse" that is actually a piece of self-correcting protective circuitry that will reset itself when the problem tripping it is cleared. It is a fuse in an electronic sense, but it looks nothing like any other fuses in the car; and you can't simply pull & replace it. It's part of the circuit board.

In your case, I don't think the problem is simply the electronic fuse. Again, it sounds like a fried rear SAM, at least.

donjuan45i

man thanks sky law for the quick response. im going to look into it further, I dont know how I can go back to the auction manager and bring the issue up again. Im sure hes gonna say otherwise?

donjuan45i

UPDATE:

Ok so car has sat for since I wrote this thread, now tailight issue is solved, its like the car fixed itself? I drove it and while driving it I noticed it the notifications went away. Went and checked the tailights and all is well. Maybe she just wanted to be driven.

BUT NOW: Car is eating through batteries. battery in car went bad. So i put in another one
Now I went ahead and took out the headlight switch, because it has been acting funny, when I would change the selector, my headlights would flicker. So I suspected maybe water got in there too. So I unplugged it and noticed there was indeed corrosion in the plug, so I bought a used switch online. Got it in today and its not the same.

This switch has "Auto" headlight feature and plug is not exactly the same. Auto switch is 14 pin and mine is a 12 pin. Anyone know if I can still use this switch? As in the the orientation of other 12 pins is the same? Just the extra two which I assume are for auto wont be used? ugh this is so painstaking. I still have hope though I will get this car going again. I just found a ex Mercedes/Bmw tech that works out of his garage and has all the software So I will be giving him a call on monday.

Quadcammer

the car quite frankly has not fixed itself. Clearly some of the electronics have dried out, and that will cause the issues to temporarily subside. But your driving of the car without getting all the dirty water residue out of the sams will likely lead to a quick failure of many electrical components.

Sorry to deliver the bad news.

donjuan45i

Yea I just read the flooded S class thread. I dont drive it much though. Before only on the weekends mainly, Until now. I drove it that one time to put some gas in it because it was on reserve. What puzzles me is that while I dont know where the car was taken to have the Driver DCM replaced. The older guy explained to me that they ran a diagnostic and came back to be Driver DCM which he was going to have fixed. Wouldnt this diagnostic also turn up other faulty sam/dcm's?

Because I want to take the car to Mercedes tech, if he has Star Diagnostic should it shed light on a faulty module if there is one? because maybe one is working just not working properly.

Im trying to think of also of something much more simple it could be. I just remembered Car does have aftermarket audio installed in it. subwoofer drivers and amps were removed (professionaly) have you. Highs and their amps stayed in car. but that was a little before all of this, but I didnt really drive the car much between then and when all this happened. So I dont know maybe this is doing something?

cameraman123

God that sucks. Im so sorry man, I would have the auction managers ***

donjuan45i

I know I want to, but then I dont want to make a big deal get him mad and take away my uncles dealerships privilege of buying cars there. So kinda stuck.

Im thinking about calling him and asking him where he took the car, so maybe I can take the car there directly and tell them they didnt fix it? and maybe magically car will be billed to some automatic tab that isnt mine hehe

ryanra

A month ago I began my journey with some odd behavior with my 2000 S500 Mercedes.

I was driving to work on a rainy day and as I turned a corner - lost my dash instrumentation reading. Car kept running but also provided about 5 error messages related to the ABS, ECU, etc.

Got to work and the car seemed fine. When I came out to drive home the battery was dead and the left rear tail light was on. Well jumped off the car and it seemed fine when I got home but after I locked the car - I was walking away and noticed that the rear tail light came on automatically. I suspected this was the dead battery culprit.

I have spent 2 weeks disconnecting the battery in the trunk to keep it alive for restarting. Yeah the alarm going off when I reconnect it and having to open the trunk with the manual godforsaken key was a bit annoying but the car did get me to work and back. Until ...... this really hard rain last week.

I connected the battery as usual and hopped in. Soaking wet from the flood but I was in the car and ready to head home. The car turned over perfectly but failed to start. I tried again - whirl as it may - no ignition sounds.

Also noted steering wheel did not descend into my lap and uh-oh, no dash indicators - again.

Had to have it towed. I was in fear of the call from the shop. I feared the worst of course and well I was on the right page. Rear seat full of water and my SAM computer was submerged. Oh - they found light powdered oxidation in some of the wires and told me this was not the first time the SAM went swimming and it was responsible for my other odd behavior - umm the car's odd behavior - not mine.

Any how they wanted 1500 to fix me up minimum and no guarantee the price could go higher since these computer gizmos sometimes fail in masses.

I had the car towed to my home. I took a day off from work and removed the back seat and the SAM from under the back seat. I carefully photographed all the wire connections as I removed them and took the unit inside. I carefully opened the unit and scrubbed each connection and - yes even the circuit board with isopropyl alcohol to clean the contacts. About 45 minutes later the powdered connections were free of that dull look and I assembled the unit - drying it with a hair dryer.

I removed the two drain plugs under the seat to allow water to drain should it still be leaking. I did find the fresh air vent under the hood was clogged and water was standing in the cavity beneath the leaf screen. I found the front floorboard was damp and it seems the water was actually coming in up front and as I drove the car it would find it's way to the rear sam compartment.

Unclogged the drain in the fresh air vent with some 10 gauge wire, a flashlight and a water hose. Replaced my clean sam unit using my digital photos to ensure all wires were back as before and left the units suspended on a wood block to make sure there was no water still in the rear seat area.

I reconnected the battery, prayed and turned the key. The car started immediately, there were errors on the computer but once I cleared them they did not return. I drove the car slowly around the block and parked on a hill to send all water to the rear seat where it imediately found the drain holes open and drained perfectly.

I dried the car with the blow dryer and secured the sam unit with the screws. I left the seat out along with the drain plugs to be sure I have gotten all the water out. I plan to place the seat and drain plugs back in tomorrow. I will check the fresh air - leaf basket everytime I change the oil from now on.

Hope this info is helpful to others with a 2000 Mercedes S500 and have weird battery, lights or dash indication problems that cannot be explained.

I think the answer is clear - it's water.

Peace,

Randall Ryan

KevinJ

I had this problem this time last year.

Please see my posts around #24 : https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ins-clean.html

I have since left the drain plugs off under the SAM and fuse box, just incase any water does get in. Would there be any issues with this?

I too dried off the SAM etc using electronic spray and radiators, hair dryer and all was well. My clue that something was wrong, was that my rear registration plate light was permanently on.

Thanks

Kevin

donjuan45i

havent posted an update on this in a while.

thanks all for the leads and responses.

So ryan did that work for you did you get your car back? As in SAM module not acting up anymore

Well I Called the manager that had my car fixed and brought it up with him, he was not cool with the idea that the car wasnt repaird. I asked him where he took it and he would not tell me. He just told me to give it a few more days and if car still is acting up to give him a call

So I kept driving the car figured if the SAM is done for its done for and I will just drive it til I get more then just a taillight out warning, I also bit the bullet and bought a yet another new battery this time from AUTOZONE, was the DURALAST 49 battery. And is holding up great. I figured since the car had a new battery that something had to be draining it, maybe something I couldnt see but stayed on. But Replaced the battery and car hasnt died on me since. I also want to add that these Duralast batteries are pretty good, if not better than OEM, and about 150 cheaper. They dont look as cool though, I like the all white mercedes batteries, this one is red and black like a regular car battery. Has 1000cca!! so pleased there, and the car seems to be as well.

so she ran fine before I put it in storage car. Drove fine no indicators on cluster, no draining battery? Not sure what it was, I also replaced the tailight bulbs. Im thinking the battery was the problem towards the in. Funny cause I had kinda given up on it and just thought about selling it, going to trade it for a 2001 BMW 740i sport. Man that was a nice car, black on black M-parallel wheels, navigation. Felt like the transporter when I sat in it. or selling it and getting either a nice used A8 or a 745li. I have to stay with the no reliable electronics! Otherwise car will be boring haha.

But all issues went away (fingers crossed) Im pretty sure some water got in there that caused some havoc until the water dried out, and was drained my new battery enough to make it a dud which caused in itself a new set of issues. Great thing is it seems as though the module wasnt terribly effected. At least not long term wise. Because all those issues went away. The only one I noticed before I put the car away was the LED seat indicators on the door?

The heated and cooled seats work however the BLUE LEDs do not light up, only the RED when I turn on heated seats. its almost as if the car thinks it doesnt have cooled seats, but the seat does cool when I push the buttons? I think its a programming issue from when they installed the DCM. Or maybe from one of the many times the car had a dead battery? Anyone know if there is a programming these need?

Well thanks again all for the help.

JonMBZ

A lot of times if you let electronics dry out and clean them properly they will be fine. I spilled a whole margarita on my PC lol and my PC case has an induction fan on top for cooling and it shot threw my whole case. I got a green screen on my monitor, but cleaned it out and dried it with a blow dryer and it's fine. I also had my car detailed and they wet some things they shouldn't have and my car was acting crazy for a few days not opening locks the alarm kept going off and on then one of my xenon headlights blew. After a few days all went back to normal and I didn't have any more problems like this again. Hopefully you have my same luck!

mbrown9000

I left my passenger window open and rain must have damaged electronics. I noticed that when I apply the auto close feature via the switch the window would slide up and then down a 1/4 as if the switch was getting stuck. I think that is what happened to me and I did not notice it. I locked the can and went in for a couple of days and it rained during that time. Now, I can not use anything associated with the front passenger door. The window is open and the mirror is folded inward. ;-( x ? Please help!

2003 S430 4Matic

Skylaw

Answered your identical question here: https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...or-module.html