SL/R230: Help!! Flooded SL500
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5
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Help!! Flooded SL500
Hey All,
I'm down in miami and during the last hurricane my 2003 SL had water come up to the bottom of the drivers door. The carpet of the car got wet inside.
I went out the next day and it wouldn't start.. Then two days later it started up but I get a bunch of error messages .. defective display, visit workshop, battery, ect. ect..
Unfortunately, I don't have insurance that covers this.. I know it's stupid but I wasn't driving the car for the last 4 months so only had liability insurance..
Anyway, I took it to a mercedes repair shop and they said that they were going to need to replace the modules under the carpet in the car. There are like 5-6 at a cost of somewhere from $300 to $1500 per module.. No including labor to install.
.. I know repair places like to take the easy/most profitable way out.. This is a hell of a lot of money for me..
My questions:
1. May this modules end up working after they dry out? The carpet is still damp...
2. Can I use modules from a used/wrecked sl500?
3. Anyone know a good place to look for used ones?
4. Is it difficult to replace these modules? In other words do you guys think my normal mechanic ($30 per hour) or do you think I need a mercedes mechanic at ($85 per hour) to do it?
I know I should have had insurance so please no lectures..
I'm down in miami and during the last hurricane my 2003 SL had water come up to the bottom of the drivers door. The carpet of the car got wet inside.
I went out the next day and it wouldn't start.. Then two days later it started up but I get a bunch of error messages .. defective display, visit workshop, battery, ect. ect..
Unfortunately, I don't have insurance that covers this.. I know it's stupid but I wasn't driving the car for the last 4 months so only had liability insurance..
Anyway, I took it to a mercedes repair shop and they said that they were going to need to replace the modules under the carpet in the car. There are like 5-6 at a cost of somewhere from $300 to $1500 per module.. No including labor to install.
.. I know repair places like to take the easy/most profitable way out.. This is a hell of a lot of money for me..
My questions:
1. May this modules end up working after they dry out? The carpet is still damp...
2. Can I use modules from a used/wrecked sl500?
3. Anyone know a good place to look for used ones?
4. Is it difficult to replace these modules? In other words do you guys think my normal mechanic ($30 per hour) or do you think I need a mercedes mechanic at ($85 per hour) to do it?
I know I should have had insurance so please no lectures..
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 259
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
If you can find the modules that might be damaged I would suggest removing any plastic housing or covers that might be removable. Try a hair dryer on each one using a low setting and high air flow to try and dry them out. Each uint should take you 30 minutes or so. Don't overheat any part. After all units that might have been damaged are "dry" I would disconnect both the batteries and reconnect them after several minutes of down time. I know some people would say that's a bad idea but your in dire straights right now. Some errors get corrected after a certain number of engine starts and stops, others by turning the steering wheel all the way left and then all the way right several times. I'm no expert on this vehicles electronics, but I have worked on vehicles for some 35 years. Good luck.
glenn
glenn
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 716
Likes: 1
From: Alaska
Lexus
Man you should have insurance, I mean really
Just kidding, **** happens.
Car-parts.com is a good web site. You can find some I am sure, just make sure the numbers match. I would put the top down and remove the seats and carpet. then start it up in a few days and try it again. Sorry about your luck. Good luck. If you want to sell it let me know. Dont take it to a mercedes dealer or it will be in the service history that it had flood.. save your resale.
Just kidding, **** happens.
Car-parts.com is a good web site. You can find some I am sure, just make sure the numbers match. I would put the top down and remove the seats and carpet. then start it up in a few days and try it again. Sorry about your luck. Good luck. If you want to sell it let me know. Dont take it to a mercedes dealer or it will be in the service history that it had flood.. save your resale.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,168
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
g
Originally Posted by MerzadY_BoY
why don't you just sell it as is and get what u can?
My advice is if you have a chance go visit College Auto Sales, they have a lot of experience with flooded BMWs and Mercs. Check their website out at www.casmiami.com.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 918
Likes: 1
none
Well if it was salt water you can forget about "drying" them out..
Had you not started the car or turned the ignition on and it was fresh water there would be a slim chance that the modules might recover.
If you were in tampa I could refer you to a couple of former MB techs that could pinpoint which modules are bad, then you could go hunt them down.
What you need to do is pull the carpet out, and clean underneath it and have the undercarriage cleaned as well.
My corvette suffered a similer fate, and after sitting 3 days at the dealer some serious rust was forming on the seat brackets and on the outer metal of some control modules..
Id fix and then sell it... otherwise you will deal with electrical gremlins forever.
Had you not started the car or turned the ignition on and it was fresh water there would be a slim chance that the modules might recover.
If you were in tampa I could refer you to a couple of former MB techs that could pinpoint which modules are bad, then you could go hunt them down.
What you need to do is pull the carpet out, and clean underneath it and have the undercarriage cleaned as well.
My corvette suffered a similer fate, and after sitting 3 days at the dealer some serious rust was forming on the seat brackets and on the outer metal of some control modules..
Id fix and then sell it... otherwise you will deal with electrical gremlins forever.
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Super Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 918
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none
Originally Posted by SL600TOM
my e55 battery went dead and after recharge all the same messages came up. all i had to do was have the computer recalibated. cost $70. maybe this is your problem. tom
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Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 154
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
2003 Black SL500
Yes, but hes saying that it might 'just' be the battery. Slim chance, but possibly. Then again, the mercedes shop said it was the modules. Depends how much you trust them. Does it run fine besides that? Only thing I can reccomend is call around, try to find a better price, or just wait and save up. It could be worse, at least it is running and driveable.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,447
Likes: 14
From: UK
SL55 AMG
You say water up to the bottom of the door. Were the modules actually sitting immersed in water? How long did you leave the modules? If they've been sitting in salt water for weeks, you're in trouble. If you had removed the modules immediately, rinsed them in fresh clean water and then left them to dry out on a moderate source of heat, they might have been OK. Hasn't it wrecked the seats as well?
Plus you car is going to smell like a wet dog forever... not good.
Plus you car is going to smell like a wet dog forever... not good.
