Been getting this message lately upon starting. Goes after 5 mins or so which is a pain as I'm just getting to work by then and my **** is cold!
Heated seat LEDs flash and doesn't heat up until it clears.

Haven't had a chance to look at the manual - anyone know off the top of their head what's causing it? Thanks.

 

Is that the message that says.. Consumer Functinons Disabled or something?
I think that means your consumer battery is low.

How often do you drive the vehicle?

 

Hi Ricky,

Drive it most days although only a 5 min run to and from work but just back from a week in Austria.
Is it consumer? Can't drive with my reading glasses! I'll read it next time. Didn't get that message after a 3-week holiday in Nov. I'll see what the manual says.
Thanks,
Bobby

 

Five minutes 'should' be fine, that's similair to my dads drive to work.

See if you can tell me what the message says, I think it might be consumer. You might have to drive for a longer period of time.

 

The message (in the US versions at least) is "electrical consumers offline". According to the manual, it is displayed when the "house" battery (as distinct from the dedicated starter battery) voltage is low.

There are previous threads on this here and here.

Depending on your car's age and driving habits, it may be time for a battery replacement, or possibly symtomatic of a charging system issue. I have a vague recollection of a technical bulletin on the charging system, but nothing definitive.

I have had the message twice recently (after a pair of ten-day vacations). It has not recurred once I resumed driving regularly

 

It's convenience functions in left hand dial and temp unavailable in the right. Maybe I didn't explain myself progperly.
Funny how it appears sometimes and not others. I'll give it a good run at the weekend. Thanks Ricky.

 

Thanks ToonArmy. Interesting threads there about voltage leekage.
I'll see how it behaves this weekend. ToonArmy - you from Newcastle?

 

Been thinking. I've noticed over the past couple of days that the radio comes on instantly upon starting when it used to boot up in the past. Wonder if COMAND isn't shutting down properly and draining the battery?

 

Whatever gave you that idea?

Yes, I'm a Geordie, born in Newcastle, but now living in the USA.

 

Ah, that's a different message. I don't know if the difference is just in the message wording between the US/UK systems, or if that is indeed a different fault. I don't have my manual handy, so can't check if your message is documented in the US version.

 

************************************
You have a problem with the condition of the one battery--that which is servicing "body electrics". Voltage is initially too low to permit switching on of electrical load.

At about 30,000 miles on my Launch Edition 2003 SL 500, I've had the problem--- resulting in the replacing (under warranty) of the entire alternator /voltage control unit--which keep the battery at proper voltage, etc. (check for Mercedes Campaign Bulletin on this)

More recently, I had a related problem which was a problem with my Mercedes
built-in phone system, which was draining that same battery over night-- when the car was not driven on long runs during the prior day.

Everything electrical now fine @ 48,000 miles.

Giff Albright, State College, PA

 

Hmm. I believe in my car, while the COMAND screen goes through a boot sequence, the sound starts up immediately. But certainly, having an electrical system stay active would cause the symptoms noted, but see Giffscpa's note on the alternator system bulletin (which I vaguely recalled hearing about and alluded to in a earlier message).

 

************************************************** *******
***Carmaker Mercedes Benz has issued a worldwide recall to improve the quality of passenger cars already in the field.

According to Dr Eckhard Cordes, head of Mercedes Benz, this will add emphasis to the quality initiative.

"We are now producing the best product quality ever and our aim is to ensure that those vehicles in the hands of customers which are the cause of complaints achieve a standard of quality that reflects our highest expectations," he said.

The voltage regulator in the alternator for vehicles with six and eight cylinder petrol engines built between June 2001 and November 2004 is being checked and if necessary will be replaced.

On E-Class models made between January 2002 and January 2005, new battery control unit software will be added to enhance onboard power supply.

In addition, the braking systems on E-Class models and SL-Class models from the production period of June 2001 to March 2005 are also being updated.

Giff Albright, State College, PA USA

 

Power problems is a greater issue than i first thought.

In general the problem can be divided into 3 categories.

1. Modern MB Sportscars have a lot of powerconsuming electrics and exstra´s whitch is drawing high current from the system. In some situations the consumption is higher than the generators capacity, so that current is drawn from the battery, instead of the battery being charged.

This is especially a problem in the winter, when you only are driving a short distance. You turn on the fan, turn on the rear window defroster, turn on the seat´s heating, turn on the light, maybe foglights too, etc. In this case the system is drawing power from the battery, until some of the comsumers are switched off, after about a 10 min. time. It is at this point that the generator have spare capacity to charge the battery again. The battery need being charged for some 20-30 min. to bee fully charged again, and that requires a driving time in total of 30 -40 min.

2. Modern MB´s draw current from the battery, while standing in the garage. This makes the problem described above even worse.

3. The charge characteristics on the generators is not good enough. Recent years development in regulators for generators have made major improvement in time nessesary to recharge a battery to full capacity, and that might be what MB now wants to refit in our cars. This does help, but it does not solve the problem described in colum 1, it only reduces time nessesary after the first 10 min. consumption. AND remember, the starter battery wants to be charged as well, reducing charging current to consumers battary even more.

There are several way´s to handle this problem:

If you only drive short distances, dont turn on more consumers as absolutly nessesary.

Add a charger to your car, so you can charge the battery while it is in the garage.

Take longer drives to allow the generator to recharge the battery, frequently.

 

Great stuff guys. No mention in any manual of Convenience Functions Temporary Unavailable that I can see. Get that message straight away even before I switch on the heated seat so voltage must already be pretty low.

Took it a good run today so I'll see how it behaves. If it crops up again I'll take it to the dealer.

Had a feeling you were from Newcastle Toonarmy. :o)

Thanks again everyone for your feedback. Much appreciated.