Red EC light on
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 4
From: NorCal
2001 S600, 2002 CL600,2005 S600, 2005 CL65 AMG
Red EC light on
I've been reading for hours and get close.......but no cigar. I've got an 01 S600. Its been torn apart for the last year and finally put it together last week The water pump seized last year, melted all the idlers etc. The car had also been running on 9 cylinders since 10-12 bores were dead due to "misfiring" per the OBD. Delightfully, I successfully rebuilt the ignition coil pack by installing 6 new IC coils and associated IC drivers. The $150 rebuilt water pump with all idlers, new tensioner and belt are all installed and functioning but no AC. I gauged the system and clearly the compressor is not running as both high and low are sitting at rest @130lbs. I tried to reset the system..... the driver side "hi" passenger "lo" REST hold w/recirc and get one image on the screen - looks like a picture of a manual choke on a chain saw or weed wacker (noted in another post) it says NP.00: Closed. I followed the rest of the instructions to "push" out auto buttons left and right side and then push back in. No change in status. Any connectors that could have come undone from the belt breaking or my water pump install ? Can't find info on any AC relay that could be suspect - pressure switch connector undone (wherever that may be). The AC had been recharged a year before the wp failure and was working perfectly....I'm open to suggestions or clearer instructions for resetting the system to "wakeup" the AC compressor. Thanks !
Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 111
Likes: 14
From: NH/Boston
2004 S600 Biturbo
You need to plug into DAS/STAR and get the actual code. If it was just an unplugged connector or something else that has since been remedied, you can clear the codes with DAS.
Can you share the information on rebuilding the coil pack?
Can you share the information on rebuilding the coil pack?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 4
From: NorCal
2001 S600, 2002 CL600,2005 S600, 2005 CL65 AMG
Thanks for the reply Ryan. I got the sequence to clear the errors and kill the red EC light but I'm still blowing hot air. For anyone reading this in the future...... to read the error codes and ultimately erase them you........
1). Turn on ignition but do not start the engine.
2). Be sure climate control is powered on and both "auto" buttons are pushed in
3). Hold down the charcoal filtration button and the REST button simultaneously and the display reads "searching"
4). The codes can be scrolled through using the "A" button.
5). To delete the code(s) pop out the left side auto button and then the right one. Press the right button back in and then the left. Codes will erase and EC light will go off.
6). Press the EC button to return display back to normal display.
Now to figure out why the compressor isn't engaged, EC light off and plenty of hot air..Ideas anyone ?
1). Turn on ignition but do not start the engine.
2). Be sure climate control is powered on and both "auto" buttons are pushed in
3). Hold down the charcoal filtration button and the REST button simultaneously and the display reads "searching"
4). The codes can be scrolled through using the "A" button.
5). To delete the code(s) pop out the left side auto button and then the right one. Press the right button back in and then the left. Codes will erase and EC light will go off.
6). Press the EC button to return display back to normal display.
Now to figure out why the compressor isn't engaged, EC light off and plenty of hot air..Ideas anyone ?
Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 111
Likes: 14
From: NH/Boston
2004 S600 Biturbo
Thanks for the reply Ryan. I got the sequence to clear the errors and kill the red EC light but I'm still blowing hot air. For anyone reading this in the future...... to read the error codes and ultimately erase them you........
1). Turn on ignition but do not start the engine.
2). Be sure climate control is powered on and both "auto" buttons are pushed in
3). Hold down the charcoal filtration button and the REST button simultaneously and the display reads "searching"
4). The codes can be scrolled through using the "A" button.
5). To delete the code(s) pop out the left side auto button and then the right one. Press the right button back in and then the left. Codes will erase and EC light will go off.
6). Press the EC button to return display back to normal display.
Now to figure out why the compressor isn't engaged, EC light off and plenty of hot air..Ideas anyone ?
1). Turn on ignition but do not start the engine.
2). Be sure climate control is powered on and both "auto" buttons are pushed in
3). Hold down the charcoal filtration button and the REST button simultaneously and the display reads "searching"
4). The codes can be scrolled through using the "A" button.
5). To delete the code(s) pop out the left side auto button and then the right one. Press the right button back in and then the left. Codes will erase and EC light will go off.
6). Press the EC button to return display back to normal display.
Now to figure out why the compressor isn't engaged, EC light off and plenty of hot air..Ideas anyone ?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 4
From: NorCal
2001 S600, 2002 CL600,2005 S600, 2005 CL65 AMG
DAS ?
I forgot to reply to question on the coil pack. I was lucky enough to find a supplier that had some brand new coils. I bought six and fixed my nine cylinder S600. Parts no longer available. I'm trying to source them myself and will launch a new coil pack repair business. Its too much for anything less than a professional tech with professional equipment and conformal coating processes to deal with.
Looks like I'll have to take the car to a shop with DAS ?
Looks like I'll have to take the car to a shop with DAS ?
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 690
Likes: 76
From: Montreal, Quebec
2009 E350 4M Avantgarde;mistress 2002 S600; wife 2014 C300 4M
you should have done that earlier, but, I understand.
Disconnecting and reconnecting components, such as the engine suction fan, with the battery connected caused me all kinds of grief, only to disappear with the DAS connected and faults cleared in the control unit.
Seems to me MB put things like AC into a fail safe mode when certain pressures are not seen, and then must be unlocked with SDS.
Funny, same on my E350.
On the coil packs, look at the red inserts VERY carefully, as they tend to break down and allow the spark to goto ground.
On every misfire that I had, the actual problem was NOT the coil pack, but either the red inserts, or, water trapped in the spark plug recessions in the heads. Never wash an S600 engine with water!
Good Luck!
Disconnecting and reconnecting components, such as the engine suction fan, with the battery connected caused me all kinds of grief, only to disappear with the DAS connected and faults cleared in the control unit.
Seems to me MB put things like AC into a fail safe mode when certain pressures are not seen, and then must be unlocked with SDS.
Funny, same on my E350.
On the coil packs, look at the red inserts VERY carefully, as they tend to break down and allow the spark to goto ground.
On every misfire that I had, the actual problem was NOT the coil pack, but either the red inserts, or, water trapped in the spark plug recessions in the heads. Never wash an S600 engine with water!
Good Luck!
Last edited by kraut56; Sep 24, 2015 at 10:39 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 34
Likes: 4
From: NorCal
2001 S600, 2002 CL600,2005 S600, 2005 CL65 AMG
Resistance/ohms checked on the coils. In all three cases one coil in each cylinder 10,11 and 12 tested bad but I changed both. Of course, the coils can't be tested unless the coil pack cover is successfully removed.
