electronics questions - service, monitoring, cel, etc.
 

Don't laugh but i am very green to car electronic monitoring. my sl65 however is almost sentient and so i want to be able to understand it without shelling out dealership money constantly.

I see you guys talk about star systems, 3/4 etc, xentry, and many other things. I also just found out about bluetooth obd2 adapters and apps on the phone . . . yes i know only a decade late.

So i just ordered (ebay - 25 bucks)
BAFX Products 34t5 Bluetooth OBDII Scan Tool for Android Devices

and bought an app called Torque Pro (android - 5 bucks)


I have no idea if these are any good at all but looked interesting to check out.


What i would like to know from everyone is

1. In order to properly read all of the codes my car produces, and be able to reset them as needed what do i actually need.

2. what has to be done at the dealer/indie if anything. (rodeo comes to mind)
3. as i have several other cars, are these tools / software usable on multiple systems or very specific to just mb
4. some specific things i have encountered so far and would like to be able to do myself if i can
a. keyless go didnt work, bought new key from dealer. programming failed they said i needed a new bus. part looks to be a fuse block type item they say needs programmed (250 bucks and 1200 for part). part online is 300, can i set it to the system myself.
b. working with the trans i replaced conductor plate. easy job but needed ecu/tcu reset to clear limp mode. can i do this myself next time if needed
c. audio system most ring fiber issues. readable/testable ? etc.
d. i'd like to do full fluids flushing and maintenance regularly including the abc etc. can i do the "rodeo" at home or other specialty type things.



my car is an 06 sl65 and i do not really intend to get anything much newer for a while as i prefer to buy older / cheaper so software being the most current is not really an issue to me. i see a lot of odd packages on ebay and other sites offering hard drives for the dell d630 and others with lots of cabling, but have no clue which ones i specifically need. or what the other parts are for. the details given are very limited and vague. i see the prices wildly fluctuating, i do not at all mind chinese / used items as long as they are durable and effective.


with prices online running from 100 bucks to my indie telling me he has to charge 150 to hook up since his computer cost 25k, i guess i am a bit lost. any help would be appreciated.

Ok so you purchased a problem car, ran out of money and you have no experience or diagnostic tools with a litany of unresolved questions------off all your issues please indicate the most pressing question??

To do the things on your list, you need the Star Diagnostics System (SDS) that are found on eBay or elsewhere. Search for SDS on this forum and it will guide you on cost and where to shop.
For this car they are indispensable, and will pay for itself in no time. If you get the C4 version of SDS, it works on all MB years with OBD2.

thank you kbob , as far as the connectors those kits appear to have is only the obd2 interface needed or are there others i should make sure to get ?

and pluto no sir. not at all. i purchased a sweet ass car i love but as we all know they have a good deal of issues. i choose to attempt to be as self sufficient as i can. i am by no means low on money, i simply don't like being bent over at every turn because i drive something other than a chevy. if you feel paying the dealer cements your "haz cash" status by all means do.

If you have an older MB, you may need the other SDS connectors, but I've only used and needed the OBD2.

I just bought a Actron CP9670, and using it for the first time. It recognizes my car, 2007 Mercedes SL550, and the next page has a bunch of codes to choose from, like: (ME97)/ARMADA etc, (ME272)/ARMIN
Does anyone know what these mean and how to select the right one to choose?
Thanks,
Brian A.