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I'm having some issues on my 2006 SL350 (3.5). About 3 weeks ago I started to get Speedtronic, ESP and Tyre inflation inoperative warnings while driving, all 3 would come at the same time. This was then followed by very jumpy gear changes instead of the usual slick changes. I have also had the D and S symbols on the dash start flashing but this only occurred once. I now have the issue where the car is stuck in park, with a red warning telling me put it in park (it's already in park). The Speedtronic, ESP and Tyre inflation warnings are also coming up immediately.
So far I have had both batteries confirmed as good and replaced the brake light switch. Were all these warnings early signs that the plastic lever in the gear selector was failing or am I looking at a different issue?
You need to get codes pulled (not a generic OBDII scanner - use one that pulls from all MBZ's proprietary systems). I suspect the AGS is failing, but codes will tell you for sure.
This does not sound like the Park lock lever going bad and leaving you stuck in Park.
That lever is operated by a solenoid and opens when you step on the brake (brake light switch), and other electrical details (like the key) are OK.
So now getting additional SRS and parking brake errors so I think something is wrong with the CAN bus. I’ve checked the control gateway for water damage but it looks clear. The gateway has two sockets but only one plug, is it missing one? Also can the gateway just go bad?
It could be a problem with the central gateway controller or the EIS You really need to use a scanner that reads MBZ's proprietary systems ad pull codes from all of these.
So I have managed to do some more work on this and have run diagnostics, the number of error codes huge. I went away for 3 weeks on holiday and came back to find the car would start and I can get it out of park. Now every time I go to the car all the electrics have reset. To my horror I have found that the passenger side footwell (RHD car) is a swimming pool, the heater box drain was blocked. If have flushed this out and it is now emptying as it should be. This weekend I am going to remove the seat and lift the carpet. I’m expecting some water damage but which sensors or modules are under the carpet (kind of want to be prepared)?
There's really nothing under the carpet (the subwoofer is in the slanted area of the floorboard). But there is a lot of wiring in the door sill channel so check that for water.
So here is an update to close this thread. Once I had lifted the carpet on the passenger side I found 2 completely corroded plugs and a part called the canbus distributor (part #005 546 1240) that was completely corroded as well. I have now replaced the corroded parts and hey presto, the car lives but now with an annoying issue involving the consumer battery for which I will start a new thread.
thanks to everyone for your assistance with this issue, I’m sure that forums have saved many a car from the scrap heap along with many thousands of dollars for individuals.
The drain that was blocked is located on the passenger side (my SL350 is a RHD) and is where the internal heater draws the air from outside. If this blocks the water will just flood into the footwell and will be absorbed by all the foam under the carpet.
It's a good idea to regularly check those water collector drains, especially if you park outside under trees. I make sure I check mine for proper draining each time I wash the car.
2005 R 230 SL350 (M112 3.7). Sold the 1966 W113 230SL recently
Gremlins! corrosion? EIS? wiper motor?
typed on a defective keyboard, tried to work around missing characters....
(R230 2005 SL350 M112 3.7) Some folks have reported combined issues with SRS warning, a rattling rollbar relay, rollbar light, safety belts tightening and stiffing up, all at random and typically when trying to activate the wipers (wipers and window washers dead). I had exactly these issues. The wipers would occassionally work, but usually were dead and the gremlins would enthousiastically jump to life. Consensus on this and other forums: EIS gone (electronic ignition switch).
I am gracefully still covered by garantee from my seller. At its first attempt to resolve the issue(s) the MB dealer replaced the driver side fuse/relay chassis (A230 545 0201, photo 1) and the accompanying SAM (A230 545 1932). The problem persisted 100% (one wonders how they would have missed that). This second time I went there myself. Star diagnosis said now the wiper motor (with whatever that it is built onto it) is the culprit. Even when prompted by Star directly, the wipers remained dead (on the way there, they kindly worked when tested, much to my distress). I have my doubts, but who is to say where the root of the chain of problems is hiding. Part is now on order and well see what happens next.
On the replaced items, the cable plug sockets, three on the chassis, four on the SAM, look like new (Photo 2). The sockets where the fuses and relays go seem fine as well. But the 16 connectors between the chassis and the SAM are corroded (photo 3). The problem not being solved yet, I did not open the replaced SAM for a visual check inside. I wonder why there has been a moisture issue in a place so concealed between these two parts, hidden in a solid fuse box. Will corrosion hit again, I wonder? The drain box on the passenger side is bone dry and I ran a thin nylon rod through its drain, no problem there.
I noticed that the plastic slat, running under the hood louvres and just below the windscreen, is partly chipped off (photo 1 and 4). How much, I do not know. That exposes the fuse box and part of the wiper mechanism to some extra daylight with the hood open, but seeing the heavy rubbers running around the fuse box, I doubt that that would cause moisture havoc below and within. The hole (arrow on photo 4) that meets the drain of the left hood louvre is intact and solid. Could anyone post a pic of his/hers intact slat in a LHD R230? I would like to see what protection I am missing from mine (3.7 V6 engine, dont know if shapes differ).
Thanks for reading! Any ideas?
1- the new fuse/relay array
2- clean cable receptors on SAM (left) and chassis (right). Onderneath when in installed.
3- corroded inter connectors
4- chipped off plastic slat, with drain (arrow) for hood louvres intact
I looks to me like the water collector (the plastic panel below the windshield and covering the wiper linkage) is butchered. The rubber gasket that seal against the hood should go all the way to the fender. Without this, water that is hitting the windshield will run right down on top of that e-box. Of course the box has a cover with a gasket that should keep it dry, but I don't think it's a very tight seal, and the signs of moisture and corrosion do seem to be an issue. My guess is that the shop damaged the water collector when working on the wiper motor. It is not uncommon for that part to break as it ddoes get brittle with age. It really needs to be replaced.
Now, I cannot say if this corrosion is the source of your problems, but I'd definitely clean and dry all of that thoroughly. Your symptoms do seem to be typical of EIS failure, though. Mine does something similar. About once or twice a month, it will act like I have just shut off the ignition. I get all the dash lights, and the needles bounce, the seat and steering column go into east-entry mode, the seat belt tensioner will click, and sometimes I get a "key not detected" or "SRS" message on the cluster. If I am idling, then engine shuts off, but if I am driving, it will skip a beat but keep running. The only errors I can find are some "CAN bus in single wire mode" messages. I did hear one person said he found corrosion on one of the CAN bus junctions behind the floorboard kick panel and that seems to fix his problems. I did remove the EIS and use some contact cleaner on its wiring connector, but that did help. Honestly, is a very minor annoyance so I have not really investigated it further.
2005 R 230 SL350 (M112 3.7). Sold the 1966 W113 230SL recently
Friend is going to bring in the car for me, to the dealer. I need MOT or will be fined and can’t do it myself because I’ve been incapacitated for a while and will be (hernia). The dealer just told me it will take them FIVE HOURS to exchange and code the EIS.
Does that sound realistic? Apart from the cost of labour I feel bad about someone having to wait thát long for what I think ought to be a part swap + online excercise.
Changing out the EIS might take an hour. However, the programming can takes several hours, but they should not charge you fro that because it's unattended - they can plug in the "Green key" and walk away while it downloads.
07-02-2018, 01:15 AM
