Visit workshop and very rough at idle when I can start it?
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From: Phoenix by way of Texas
2003 E55 AMG
Visit workshop and very rough at idle when I can start it?
Well, I once again have the dreaded red visit workshop with the battery picture. I've dealt with this in the past. It amounted to me replacing the main rear battery for $137 with Mercedes Roadside Assistance in Feb '08 the first time. The second time I ended up replacing the auxiliary battery up front in July 2010 for $75, thanks to DrBob's input on it basically being a 14BS motorcycle battery.
This thread has been great for information in the past and I've posted my experiences as well...https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...w-battery.html
However, this post scared me a little as now I'm dealing with the warning again, which has been different...
Over the weekend on Saturday, the warning came on that my convenience functions weren't working. I wasn't too worried about it because I figured it was going to be a battery issue and have dealt with it before. The visit workshop warning came on as I was ending my trip that Saturday evening. I didn't drive the car on Sunday or Monday, but drove to work today (13 miles). At lunch I ran around and did some errands that amounted to around 6 miles. On the way home, at around the 13 mile mark (went the highway route) and I get an error that ESP and ABS are turned off and other stuff will turn off in 3 minutes. Sure enough, the brakes go away and I glide to an ignominious stop, all 500+rwhp worth and four miles from home. The car was idling very rough, so I shut it off. The car was towed in short order to my home as I figured I'd take care of the battery issue. Here is where I'm not sure which path to take; the aux battery was reading mid 12volts, so that is fine. The main battery was reading 7-8 volts, which I'm not surprised. I eventually was able to jump my car and guess what?...the main battery is still reading around 8 volts, so I'm concerned the alternator isn't doing it's thing. I've done more reading and realize it could very well be the voltage regulator instead of the alternator. III II I I AMG's post got me to thinking maybe it is the crank position sensor and I've certainly read through shardul's DIY https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-diy-pics.html. It idles terribly rough at the moment...
My question is, knowing I most likely drained the main battery to just about nothing, is the reading after start up a surprise considering you would usually see 14v assuming a good alternator? I'm thinking I'm dealing with a battery/alternator issue. In the previous months, I was dealing with a serious hesitation issue (almost felt like the cats were plugged or there wasn't any fuel), but it has been gone for about two months, magically. The threads on the CPS made me wonder if this is an accumulation of that issue that has finally made it to the fore...but I think I'm overthinking this?
What do y'all think? Thanks!
This thread has been great for information in the past and I've posted my experiences as well...https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...w-battery.html
However, this post scared me a little as now I'm dealing with the warning again, which has been different...
my problem is crank position sensor, alternator.. and battery dead cause of alternator.. which the battery/alternator light came on.. brake light came on.. abs light came on.. blah blah... stop vehicle light came on.. so i was trying to drive the car to mercedes with everything popping on and beeping noise.. so i pulls out the parking space, power steering wasnt working.. then brakes were very hard, no abs.. when i pulled out the complex.. i was in first, going.. up to 5k rpm, the transmission wouldnt shift to 2nd.. and out of nowhere.. it stalled out in the middle of the road.. but the tech told me.. when the battery goes low on these cars.. all sorts of weird things happens like me.. and crank position sensor goes out often on these cars.. so im picking it up tomorow.. total is 2116$ include towing
My question is, knowing I most likely drained the main battery to just about nothing, is the reading after start up a surprise considering you would usually see 14v assuming a good alternator? I'm thinking I'm dealing with a battery/alternator issue. In the previous months, I was dealing with a serious hesitation issue (almost felt like the cats were plugged or there wasn't any fuel), but it has been gone for about two months, magically. The threads on the CPS made me wonder if this is an accumulation of that issue that has finally made it to the fore...but I think I'm overthinking this?
What do y'all think? Thanks!
Former Vendor of MBWorld
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From: Houston
2003 W211 E55, 2003 W220 S600
I think it your alternator again. If you have star Run a quick test on the car. I have seen the battery control module also go bad on the w211 chassis.
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From: Houston/ Austin /Toronto / UAE / Minneapolis / Orlando /Cincinnati
Eurocharged Performance ML63 and TT lambo
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,010
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From: Phoenix by way of Texas
2003 E55 AMG
I must say though, loungn, not a bad DIY for the alternator? It looks like a serious pain in the *** to get that thing out of there!
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Houston/ Austin /Toronto / UAE / Minneapolis / Orlando /Cincinnati
Eurocharged Performance ML63 and TT lambo
Well, I swapped out the voltage regulator thanks to shardul's DIY thread. It was a little bit of a pain to get up there with my car on a RV modular ramp, but doable. However, after putting everything back together, I was still reading 12.2V with the car running. Crap, looks like I'm going to be getting a brand spankin' new Bosch alternator on Amazon for $262 shipped. Those ******** at the stearlership wanted $597 for a refurbished alternator.
I must say though, loungn, not a bad DIY for the alternator? It looks like a serious pain in the *** to get that thing out of there!
I must say though, loungn, not a bad DIY for the alternator? It looks like a serious pain in the *** to get that thing out of there!
Steps that I remember:
Disconnect battery
Take off the top panel above the radiator
remove bottom panels
Remove the radiator (there is a screw on the bottom under the car as well holding a line)
move the sc coolent hoses as well as the radiator hose
the alternator has 2 bolts on it. Remove those as well as the connector and power wire
The thing was a pain to get out, so I beat it with a hammer till she was loose
The new one popped right into place
Reverse instructions and your good to go.
