When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
While Ninjabenz was servicing my car, the battery light came on, accompanied by other problems, and he was able to identify the central gateway as the likely cause, since the coding did not persist after being recoded. Curiously, the car started multiple times afterward, but then died while idling. I checked the charging system and found that the alternator was working properly, with a charging voltage of 13.6 volts while idling. It is worth noting that the ECM was replaced less than eight months ago and programmed by Ninjabenz. I intend to purchase another gateway to determine if that will resolves the issue. The battery icon appears intermittently on the cluster when the car dies. This is baffling.Also I was able shift into gears no issues.
I kind of wince when I see fellow MB owners with such crippling issues. It casts doubt on the reliability and the reputation of the brand. It also gives me cause to worry that I may run into the same or similar problems. It would be nice to have some validation that we chose the right brand, individually and having the validation of the rest of the group to be proud in ownership and brand loyalty.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
In consideration of the car's age, approximately 19 years, it is inevitable that certain parts will fail. Nevertheless, it is perplexing that simple remedies are frequently not identified, notwithstanding the extensive technological advancements. I plan to thoroughly clean all Canbus blocks located under the seats, noting that the block under the driver's seat has a direct connection to the drivetrain, as does the block in the front sam.
I kind of wince when I see fellow MB owners with such crippling issues. It casts doubt on the reliability and the reputation of the brand. It also gives me cause to worry that I may run into the same or similar problems. It would be nice to have some validation that we chose the right brand, individually and having the validation of the rest of the group to be proud in ownership and brand loyalty.
clb has a good car. He's breathed new life into it and then went far beyond that!... Check out all his threads. His car is in fine shape. It's been gone through extensively. The same bugs could present with any late model vehicle that has been torn apart and reassembled. These are very fine cars even with age, I believe, to a niche enthusiast who knows what he's doing, and has the resources/knowledge to keep up on them. As complex as this gen is, it is old enough that it can be dissected relatively worry-free with the right tools, knowledge, and resources (BenzNinja, being undoubtedly the most valuable to the DIY'er).
Example: My driveshaft vibration. 10 years ago, nobody would have torn apart the underside of a 221, removed, reconditioned, and replaced the driveshaft, replaced tranny mount, exhaust, etc. etc. to address it. It was still too new. You won't see anyone doing the same in the 223 forum to their car. I could have even done it cheaper than I did, I just wanted the convenience of the FCP kit and parts (plus the lifetime warranty).
My intuition tells me there will still be more 221's on the road in the coming years than 222's and 223's at the same age.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
I'd like to share a brief update. Swapping out the front Sam relay "O" resulted in the car starting unexpectedly. I mistakenly assumed the issue was fixed. Initially, the car started multiple times, and I was excited. Further investigation revealed water ingress in the Canbus distributor block under the driver's seat, affecting both the black and small white blocks. Cleaning the Canbus plugs and block temporarily resolved the issue. However, the problem persisted. I then reconfigured the Canbus plugs on the white distributor to other available ports on the block, and the car started again. Unfortunately, the issue recurred. I've identified the Canbus blocks, which contain resistors, as the likely source of the problem. I'm still unsure about their purpose. Thank you, Senecat, for your faith in me, but I'm finding this issue annoying.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
The star headliner was done and they took care to clean the sunroof drains, including those at the front and back. Notably, the back drains require headliner removal for cleaning as they consist of tubes that run down the quarter panel and drain behind the rear wheels on both sides.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
Water has compromised the Canbus distributor blocks under the driver's seat, as confirmed. By removing and repositioning the plugs, I was able to get the car started. I will share a picture from another member's post for illustration. However, cleaning the blocks does not give me full confidence in their functionality, so I have purchased new ones. The replacements include one under the dashboard and two under the seat on the left side, and two under the passenger seat on the right side. I still need to obtain part numbers for the Telematics Canbus block and Chassis Canbus block in the passenger side footwell and passenger floor.
I am interested in determining whether replacing the chassis CAN bus will resolve the issue with my electronic parking brake, for which I installed a new module two years ago but still does not operate. Additionally, I hope to correct the issue with my heating system, which is not functioning despite having a working air conditioning system. I have replaced the change valve for heat and all other components involved in the HVAC heating system, yet I still get no heat. A new radiator was installed five months ago, along with modules. I have also included a picture and would appreciate it if anyone could provide the part numbers for CAN bus telematics X30/35 and chassis CAN bus X30/30. Furthermore, I have cleared the issue of water leaking in by cleaning the rear sunroof drains, which can only be done with the headliner off.
you design specific capillary action in to the sound deadening material used in the carpeting (and of course place all the critical canbus junctions near the puddles)
it all comes from very technical engineering know how, including how much debris builds up in x years - so we get the water to reach the canbus just outside the legislation period
there is absolutely no doubt the level engineering and dedication around the design and build of these cars - its just for the last 35 years none of it has been to help customers
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
Here is the answer. When blockages occur in the front and rear sunroof drains, water flows between the front and rear, leading to its descent down the B-pillars. Water inherently seeks its own path. During the radiator replacement process, my Mercedes mechanic identified signs of water ingress, including moisture under the front two seats. However, as starting the car did not pose an issue at the time, he did not conduct a more in-depth examination of the CAN bus blocks. Following the removal of my headliner install the stars, the installer cleaned both front and rear sunroof drains, and it became apparent that this water issue has been present for some time. Fortunately, I have identified this issue in a timely manner and will perform the necessary cleaning and part replacements. It is fortunate that this vehicle is not used on a daily basis, as I have other vehicles available. One advantage of the W221 model is the ease of obtaining replacement parts.
QUOTE=Senecat;9198742]How does water from the rear drains creep to the front seats?[/QUOTE]
Clean drains and dry car now then, right? So this was a moisture issue from a while ago that just now caught up to you. So problem solved. Lesson here is, keep water out of the cabin, that's where all the expensive and critical computers are (:
Interesting that of all the little microswitches and sensors arrayed around the car, there is nothing to detect or alert to moisture. If the dash displayed a red light and “Warning! Front SAM module detects moisture in operating environment. See manual and stop driving until leak fixed and unit dry.”
Or if moisture in ECU triggered a CEL. Water by itself doesn’t cause such horrible damage, it’s greatly worsened by running power through wet PCBs that kills things. Electro migration moves conductive molecules around, a crude form of electroplating. It finds a shortcut and BANG your lights quit working.
they sell cars - the idea your satisfaction matters or what you think of the brand is an irrelevance - marketing will keep the lemmings buying anything
if the poor suffer and struggle with cast offs, good - that all helping the dream - which is steal the money before they realise, it for them has come to an end
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
Botus,
I've discovered a minor issue with one of the brown wires, which appears to be partially damaged. While awaiting the arrival of the CANbus blocks, I intend to perform a repair. Can I simply restore the wire's integrity with a small amount of solder? My proposed solution involves cleaning the affected area and either soldering it or utilizing waterproof heat-shrink butt connectors. Hopefully, the combination of the new central gateway and CANbus blocks will resolve the issues, allowing me to enjoy my vehicle. I've acquired the latest part number for the central gateway, which was successfully provided by Ninjabenz.
Originally Posted by Arrie
See my post #16. New CGW will probably fix it all.
I soldered my pins in it and it has been fine ever since. Can't remember, but lose to a year now.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
On today’s episode of w221 won’t start, I detected further corrosion on the pins situated near the CANbus block's circuit board. Despite meticulous cleaning, the issue persists, failing to attain 100% resolution. This morning, the vehicle started without issue. However, after shutting down and remaining stationary, it failed to restart. I observed that repositioning the plugs on the CANbus block eliminated certain error messages. My theory suggests that the chips or resistors on the board are malfunctioning, causing the CANbus block to lose communication with the central gateway due to overheating. Consequently, the vehicle likely remains in 'drive' mode, preventing a restart. Hopefully, obtaining replacement parts will rectify this problem. Additionally, I successfully placed a dehumidifier within the vehicle to remove moisture from beneath the carpet.
‘16 Mercedes GLE450 amg,’15 Mercedes gla, coupe,’07 Mercedes w221,’12 Audi A
I am seeking guidance on troubleshooting my vehicle's heating system. The fuse panel, located on the right side of the dashboard, has led me to wonder if a missing fuse in slot 91F is the root cause. Unfortunately, I do not have a fuse chart and there are no visible numbers next to the fuses. Any help or the part number for the OEM fuse chart would be greatly appreciated.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
