Car Overheated
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,880
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From: Seattle
05 E55
Car Overheated
So the wife calls me at work and says that the car has a CEL light on and is overheating. Apparently it said "Coolant Stop, Engine Off." She also said that the engine temp gauge on the right was maxed out and there were no bars left. So, she pulled over and waited for me to come. By the time I go there (about 45 minutes later), I started up the car to replicate the issue and the CEL was off and the temp gague was right where it needed to be. So, I was able to drive it home.
Was that a sign of a water pump failure? I have the OEM pump. Any help would be appreciated.
Was that a sign of a water pump failure? I have the OEM pump. Any help would be appreciated.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 13,394
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From: San Diego
2015 S212
I doubt it. The pump we talk about is the SC cooler, not the one that runs through the radiator. You have a standard water pump on your motor front, so there should be no intermittant issues. Check the pump and see if it is leaking. Next is thermostat sticking, I think. No warranty?
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,880
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From: Seattle
05 E55
I doubt it. The pump we talk about is the SC cooler, not the one that runs through the radiator. You have a standard water pump on your motor front, so there should be no intermittant issues. Check the pump and see if it is leaking. Next is thermostat sticking, I think. No warranty?
Member
Joined: Apr 2008
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2005 E55
Well, I am no MB mechanic, but I would look for a faulty water temp sensor. Normally on cars, if the gauge spikes and nothing is obviously wrong, the sensor is bad/going bad. My E55 did that with the oil level sensor, it had randomly shown an oil level malfunction, but one day everything just went red, and it told me to turn the engine off, and all that...I had it checked and it was the faulty oil level sensor. Yours will not be the coolant level sensor, since that does not control the temp gauge. So I would look into the coolant temp gauge if it were my car. Probably an easy fix.
Thread Starter
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From: Seattle
05 E55
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,880
Likes: 9
From: Seattle
05 E55
Well, I am no MB mechanic, but I would look for a faulty water temp sensor. Normally on cars, if the gauge spikes and nothing is obviously wrong, the sensor is bad/going bad. My E55 did that with the oil level sensor, it had randomly shown an oil level malfunction, but one day everything just went red, and it told me to turn the engine off, and all that...I had it checked and it was the faulty oil level sensor. Yours will not be the coolant level sensor, since that does not control the temp gauge. So I would look into the coolant temp gauge if it were my car. Probably an easy fix.
She has got to be the slowest E55 driver on the planet too.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2007
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From: San Diego
2004 E55
Someone may have to correct me here but I believe that a thermostat failure is just that, a failure. A thermostat is a mechanical device that reacts to temperature, so either it will open or it won't.
If you don't smell coolant or see a bunch of smoke, it's probably not overheating. Maybe a coolant temp sensor?
Not that a new thermostat would hurt... But this is just my understanding of thermostats.
Also, maybe check for the code that threw that CEL??
If you don't smell coolant or see a bunch of smoke, it's probably not overheating. Maybe a coolant temp sensor?
Not that a new thermostat would hurt... But this is just my understanding of thermostats.
Also, maybe check for the code that threw that CEL??
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Seattle
05 E55
Someone may have to correct me here but I believe that a thermostat failure is just that, a failure. A thermostat is a mechanical device that reacts to temperature, so either it will open or it won't.
If you don't smell coolant or see a bunch of smoke, it's probably not overheating. Maybe a coolant temp sensor?
Not that a new thermostat would hurt... But this is just my understanding of thermostats.
Also, maybe check for the code that threw that CEL??
If you don't smell coolant or see a bunch of smoke, it's probably not overheating. Maybe a coolant temp sensor?
Not that a new thermostat would hurt... But this is just my understanding of thermostats.
Also, maybe check for the code that threw that CEL??
So, if a thermostat is broken....it's broken and won't work at all or can intermittently?
Either way, I'll go to autozone to see if they can pull any codes in the morning.
uh, all this time I had a warranty and nothing happend. The month it ends....
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Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Daytona, Florida
SL600
The weird thing is she can't remember if it really threw a CEL. I just assumed it did. But she knows for sure that it showed a temperature gauge in the IC and said "Coolant Stop, Engine Off" with the temparture bars maxed out.
So, if a thermostat is broken....it's broken and won't work at all or can intermittently?
Either way, I'll go to autozone to see if they can pull any codes in the morning.
uh, all this time I had a warranty and nothing happend. The month it ends....
So, if a thermostat is broken....it's broken and won't work at all or can intermittently?
Either way, I'll go to autozone to see if they can pull any codes in the morning.
uh, all this time I had a warranty and nothing happend. The month it ends....
But with that said, Patrick at PTE is a great guy and you should give him some business and pick up one of his cooler t-stats anyway. He is one of the few vendors that are just 110% customer-service oriented. He made me a set of custom t-stats for my M120 V12, in 71c and 78c temps, so now I have a summer one and a winter one. He had to machine one of them almost entirely from scratch, using a vernatherm he wound up having to order from germany, and after all of that he still stuck to the original price quote! You can not do business with a better guy.
Also, speaking generally, newer benzes run too hot anyway. They jacked the operating temps up because it's a lazy way to meet emissions specs. But it's not good for the motor, it's bad for performance, and it's bad for all the plastic stuff in your engine bay as well. There's no operational reason a motor should be running much past 78-80c, and when it heats up beyond that it gradually starts pulling back timing (and power). A cooler t-stat is a nice thing to do.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2004
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From: Seattle
05 E55
Just pulled the code....
P0128 - Coolant Thermostat - Coolant Temp below thermostat regulating temperature.
Dang, it looks like a code for the thermostat, but seems like it eludes to the coolant temp sensor.
From what you guys are saying, I think I will start with the sensor first. Just drove it again today and she stays around 90 C.
CWW - Thanks. What ever i end up buying, I'll go with him.
Dang, it looks like a code for the thermostat, but seems like it eludes to the coolant temp sensor.
From what you guys are saying, I think I will start with the sensor first. Just drove it again today and she stays around 90 C.
CWW - Thanks. What ever i end up buying, I'll go with him.
Last edited by str8ridin; Jan 31, 2009 at 12:56 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: Daytona, Florida
SL600
P0128 - Coolant Thermostat - Coolant Temp below thermostat regulating temperature.
Dang, it looks like a code for the thermostat, but seems like it eludes to the coolant temp sensor.
From what you guys are saying, I think I will start with the sensor first. Just drove it again today and she stays around 90 C.
CWW - Thanks. What ever i end up buying, I'll go with him.
Dang, it looks like a code for the thermostat, but seems like it eludes to the coolant temp sensor.
From what you guys are saying, I think I will start with the sensor first. Just drove it again today and she stays around 90 C.
CWW - Thanks. What ever i end up buying, I'll go with him.
First you get a warning saying it's overheating, now you get a code saying it's not warm enough. It's 100% the sensor.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,880
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From: Seattle
05 E55
You are right. Let me shoot a note over to Patrick at PTE and see what he has to offer. I guess, while I'm under the hood, I'll get it a little cooler as you suggested.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,517
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From: Daytona, Florida
SL600
As to your temp sensor, you need p/n 0005425118
Cheapest I found it is from autohausaz.com, for $12. Not bad at all. If you need anything else, buy it at the same time because you get free shipping on orders over $50.
http://catalog.autohausaz.com/autoha...uct=0005425118
