When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
When looking at my front SAM and ESP module, It almost looks as though the wiring on the connector has heat discoloration, aswell as another connector that goes into the front SAM. I am having issues with my ESP communicating with ME-SFI code 531A, and random throttle/drive auth issues. Any ideas as to what the wire into the SAM could be or the ESP issues?
The cover was left disturbed, and the windows left down with the trunk open for quite some time. At most 7 years. That wire I am going to repair, but I have yet to do so as I bought it that way. I have no clue what that wire could be. It has not driven propperly in 7 years according to odometer reports and its condition backs that statement. Whatever modules or other things that issue that could be water logged id like to figure out and test/replace to get this car back on the road
The cover was left disturbed, and the windows left down with the trunk open for quite some time. At most 7 years. That wire I am going to repair, but I have yet to do so as I bought it that way. I have no clue what that wire could be. It has not driven propperly in 7 years according to odometer reports and its condition backs that statement. Whatever modules or other things that issue that could be water logged id like to figure out and test/replace to get this car back on the road
Windows down and trunk open "outdoors"? Or in a garage?
Also, download the WIS for your car. The schematics will help. I didn't see the WIS for the CLS55 so view and download the WIS for the E55; same car with different sheet metal and interior. https://charm.li/Mercedes%20Benz
It was sadly outdoors, ive got most of the interior stripped and its now giving a CAN code for interior short to ground on the low side, code 9313. Testing CAN B low to ground for continuity at the CGW though does not show any connection, so im even more confused. The codes just keep changing and random modules go in and out with errors randomly. Its also now throwing a baro sensor code after imobilization/drive auth failure. Ive contact cleaned all the grounds im at such a loss here
Interior short to ground is most likely a bad module. Been there, done that. Finding it is the PITA the first time but after that it gets much faster to resolve.
See attached. Start disconnecting major portions of the CAN Bus until you get minimal functionality on the CAN-C network (the engine/transmission/ESP portions that have network priority). Then start bringing modules back online one at a time. Gonna be quite the exercise for you. The below links to my CAN Bus troubleshooting on my W210 will give you an idea of what to do although I will state the W211/C219 is more complicated. The first link took me several days to figure out. The second link took me about one hour to diagnose and another couple of hours to repair. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...is-repair.html https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-part-2-a.html
A network monitor may assist. A link to a link in the following (read the comments) will find you the inexpensive device you can plug into the CAN Bus to see it traffic is flowing across the network. https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...-no-start.html
Please keep us updated.
Last edited by bbirdwell; Sep 20, 2025 at 10:09 AM.
Component location may also help. Again, this is for the C219 that you have but it applies to the W211 I drive. See attached.
PM me your email address and I can send you plenty of tech info on your car. It might assist you. It will take about 10-12 emails to get all the attachments to you.
Consider opening up SAMS to see if corroded. Filthy state of that fusebox says car was mistreated while still running, followed by 7 years of rain inside.
Even IF you get it running, expect cascading gremlins and failures. You literally need to clean and verify EVERYTHING that got wet.
This isn’t like a ‘68 Chevy where you dry everything off and all is well.
You might be better off finding a wrecked similar car at Copart to get most electronics and interior out of. Have you put a wrench on it and made sure engine spins? Can’t imagine there is much of value left.
Last edited by MacVidMB-V8; Sep 19, 2025 at 08:42 PM.
Ive limped the car around and everything functions as intented, all save for the keyless go features and the throttle operation. That is, without the CGW connected. Its in quite poor condition paint wise but it is an Arizona car so any moisture that may have entered the car was long gone as I bought and started it after a period of months without rain. It is now rain season again, but the car is garaged to keep it protected as of now. Ive been working at this issue for about 6 months now so a few days/hours of troubleshoting is light work at this point, I will gladly go that route with the CAN diagnostics. Component location would be a great help, I will PM you that email. Thank you all for the replies and assistance this is the most attention ive got twoard this issue to date!
Strong hint. Do NOT attempt to re-initialize the CGW. That erases the factory coding. If you have STAR/Xentry, it has the option to read out and save the factory coding that can then be used to program a new replacement CGW.
Also, there should be a hard plastic cover over the front SAM and ME modules plus a flexible rubber cover over that. The hood vent on the W211 drains water directly into that area. I learned this the hard way while working on my car early in my ownership. I left the covers off with the hood closed and then two inches of rain fell. After the storm was over, I went out, inserted the key fob, and discovered my car was "bricked". I pulled the front SAM and motor electronics to remove the water; I opened the ME module and literally found a 1/4" of water in the module. Fortunately, I caught it within minutes and suffered no long-term effects except to my piece of mind.
Ahh, dribs and drabs. Yes, AZ is very dry. I spent a month in Tucson once, all my skin dried out, bad. Hopefully out of the sun. 7 years of dust and sun not good for leather.
Hopefully you got windows up.
Trace that green wire. Quick way might be to disconnect it and see what doesn’t work. Solder & heat shrink. Fix things for good, not just “for now”
Sounds like my best bet is to just remove and inspect all modules just to be safe, and clean corosion or anything else I may see along the way. Ive pulled my ME and pulled it apart, and it lookes to be in great condition with no signs of water damage. My ESP module has what I believe to be a reman/manufacture date of 2023, so I think its been gone over once before my ownership. It has an Arnott airmatic delete, but im not too sure if it was propperly done or how to finish it, and the airmatic lines have been cut and sensors removed. The module remains in place, and so did the tank before I removed it to get a better view at the trunk.
Its a bit too late to not re-initialize the CGW, as I did that early on into my attempts at fixing it and had to assume coding using what I could pull from coding sheets for my VIN and what I saw installed on the car. I also had to pull some different software to re-initialize it, but the old software versions was the only thing I still have a picture of, if that could change how the CGW communicates. I used Videamo to reprogram it after it was wiped, a few months ago. I will unplug that connector and try to trace what it is, when I got it it was that way just taped over. Fixing things for good should hopefully narrow down the problematic areas so repairing that wire and removing/testing and inspecting modules is my next go-to. I do have Xentry and a C4 DOIP, but missing that rubber cover that goes over the plastic fusebox cover for ME-SFI and the front SAM/ESP.
Three options at re-coding the CGW.
-attempt to do so yourself using the datacard. Doable. Will take some experimentation.
EDIT: I wonder if a copy of another vehicle's CGW data can be copied onto a USB drive and then written into your CGW? Then only limited modifications to the data to account for options on the datacard. After I get home from church I'll pull out the system I have and play with DAS Sim. If possible, you should be able to use data from any comparable C219 or W211.
-contact BenzNinja and pay him to recode it for you. He's in Europe so there is a time delay. Unknown if he can do so but he's good.
-contact a dealer and have them connect to the servers in Germany and recode your CGW. The dealership may balk until you get most of the modules online or reduce network connectivity to the bare bones.
This one is a challenge...
2nd EDIT: CGW programming changed between 2005 and 2006 model years; that is specifically called out in the DAS Simulation. Dealership can go to the online servers and update with latest if necessary or, alternatively, it can be performed offline so long as one can communicate with the old CGW. It does not appear possible to read data from one CGW and then transfer to another CGW *in a different vehicle*; the process is designed to read the data from a semi-failed CGW and transfer to a replacement CGW installed in the same VIN vehicle. Literally a few minutes in which to swap them out.
If you can communicate with your CGW there are multiple tests in that module to monitor the different CAN Bus networks.
Last edited by bbirdwell; Sep 21, 2025 at 03:06 PM.
Sorry for such a late reply, life got a bit busy. I attempted that first option you mentioned about a month and a half ago and it sort of worked but last week after unplugging what I could my airbag light is now on and flashing and the imobilizer will cut the car more frequently and with the CGW Disconnected. In the CAN brochure you sent, they enter EIS to look at the can status on a W203, however I do not have that option on EIS, any idea where it could be? Also after recodeing the CGW the car no longer can be scanned without it connected. Which modules does the car need comunication with to still be scanned and run? I will pull the dash most likely since when I was trying to scan it with everything in the car it would occasionally loose connection with the EIS. Visually inspecting what I could that was sat in the passenger footwell everything looked alright internally so maybe something in the dash is not right.
After a few tests backprobing the CAN connectors, all 3 brown wire cabin CAN B connectors read 7 ohms. The CAN C connector reads 60 ohms, as I believe it should. CAN D also reads 60 ohms, testing from the OBD port. Is my next best bet to start unplugging connections on each CAN B connector until they read 60? Not sure if they are that different, but looks like on the 211 the passenger side kick panel connector (X30/4) is bridged to the drivers side front trough connector (X30/7). That connector then bridges to both the drivers side SAM, the rear SAM, and the Central Gateway. The CAN connector under the HVAC on the passenger side goes to the Ignition Switch and drivers side SAM, though a thinner line on the SAM part of the diagram so maybe not part of the main CAN stream? From the ignition switch it just leads to the CAN C connector (X30/5) and then the Central Gateway from there.
Scratch that last post, maybe? A little more digging and it looks like on the 211 CAN B is a non terminated low speed network so Ohm readings wouldnt mean anything there, would they?
Tried unplugging and swapping as many things as I could find and didnt think would break, still at a loss it seems like the more I dig into it the worse the issue gets, more things start acting up and now the interior lights and other lights will randomly turn on and off and I hear things clicking in the car if the ignition is on, which wasnt the case before. All this acompanied by a new SRS light that has no codes or any other reason to be on, feeling completely in the dark now
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
I pulled the front SAM and motor electronics to remove the water; I opened the ME module and literally found a 1/4" of water in the module. Fortunately, I caught it within minutes and suffered no long-term effects except to my piece of mind. 
