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Hi I'm new to the site and am hoping for some insight on a reoccurring problem I have with my SL.
Basically upon start up the displays an SRS problem, the sat nav, CD and wipers won't work in addition the passenger air bag light flashes and finally I hear a clicking noise coming from the roll bar behind my ears. It only lasts for about 10minutes then all appears to be well until I start the car again.
I've taken the car back to my local Mercedes-Benz dealer and they replaced the fuse box but 3 weeks later the issue has returned.
Has anyone experienced anything similar and has anyone any insight into what may be causing the problem?
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Thanks for your response and perhaps I should have explained in more detail. The problem I have is that I don't have much confidence that the Dealership know how to resolve the problem and that is why I came to the forum.
My car was with Mercedes for 3 days and whilst I spoke to the technician and various other people their at no time did I feel confident that they knew what was causing the problem. My concerns have been proved correct and whilst the car is due to go back it would be really useful if I could advise them of any similar issues experienced by owners and how they had resolved them.
+1 to Rudeney. I had exactly same problem half year ago. All problens match 100%. Dealer stated exactly what you say. It is a bad EIS 99%. Dealer will have to fix it any way. My total bill was $927.00
When I went to the dealer, they said same thing - bad SAM, but not sure. Moreover they said I need to replace my dashboard cluster (if I got it right) to fix the problem. Read the rest in the link
Technically, you could replace the EIS as a DIY if you have the skills. One way is to order it and a green (or orange?) key for your VIN and install it. The other is to just order the EIS and use SDS to read the code form the old EIS and write it to the new one. Honestly, for under $1,000, I'd let the dealer do it as the part itself is $650 retail.
Peter - what color is your car? Is that metallic (a.k.a Tenorite) gray, code 755? That's what mine is and it seems to be a fairly rare color. I've never seen another one, at least not in person.
Hi Rodney, yes that's the colour and now you mention it I have to say that I haven't seen another SL like it. I guess we have a little exclusive club of our own going on!
Yes, it seems so! I have only seen one other MBZ in my area in this color, but it was an E-class. I don't see many SL's at all, and most are either black or silver. Tenorite Gray is the factory name for the color, but the marketing designation is Steel Gray. It's odd because sometimes it just looks gray, other times it has a bluish tint. I guess it's supposed to be a "gunmetal blue" color that is mstly gray with a hint of blue.
I was not really excited about the color when I bought it, mainly because my last car (CLK) was similar. It was code 357, called Iolite BLue (or Cadet Blue as the marketing designation). It was definitely more blue than the SL. I was really looking for black, silver or pewter, but I took what I could get. And I have grown to enjoy it's exclusivity.
I think it's a great colour and really sets off the cars lines. I was out driving her last week with the roof down and a guy pulled up next to me and commented on how great the car looked, which was pretty cool and put a smile on my face. I'm sure you have had similar as these cars really do look good...
I get compliments a lot and almost always have someone say something to me at the gas station. Mostly it's just the rarity of the SL. Like I said, there are not many around here. I can drive around all week long and not see another one, though there is a guy with an SL55 that lives or works nearby as I see him on the highway outside my neighborhood every so often. Of course keeping it polished and waxed helps get noticed, too.
To any other reader having this same worrying problem, I would also like to confirm it is the EIS.
I had SRS error light coming on sometimes and when it was on, wipers would not work, passenger airbag LED would flash rapidly in sync with clicks from the seat belt tensioners. And the radio would turn itself off intermittently saying "System Unavailable". Apparently there is security software in this module which causes all those other systems to act up. Went to several different MB mechanics here in Las Vegas that did not know about this problem but wanted to replace the SAMs and communication gateways for thousands of dollars. Luckily I did not fall for that but studied the matter online. Then I got a used EIS on eBay for a couple of hundreds and had another guy on eBay code it to my keys for another hundred or so. After that I never saw the problem again. And the other Mercedes mechanic that I had installing the replacement EIS (which is the best reputed in town) learned something new.
Car back from dealer after 2 weeks! But also had the roof seals replaced as they we're letting water into the boot (trunk).
Have to say whilst I love the car I'm hoping it's now going to be more reliable, although it's low mileage, in the last 12 weeks I've had her back to the shop 5 times;
# PSE pump replaced
# New fuse box
# Boot lid readjusted
# EIS switch replaced
# Roof seals replaced
Previously I had a R129 which never missed a beat so please can someone tell me that the R230 can be a reliable motor - just to make me feel better!
In the meantime thanks again to all those who took the time to reply.
06-13-2017, 04:05 PM
