This just started happening, and I don't know why.

My defroster now takes about 75% if not more of my horsepower... cold, I can't even keep it idling with the defrost button pushed - running, it never gets up to full rpm, it lurches and stumbles and complains, like it's about a 2 cylinder diesel instead of a 6 - only with defrost on.

My first thought was "oh crap, the compressor's trying to lock up or something."

But I can't reproduce the problem with the A/C buttons! If it's the compressor, shouldn't air conditioning cause the same problem? It's unusual... A/C is just the normal power loss, but defrost almost kills the engine... and did I mention the smoke clouds b/c the engine starts lugging?

Any guesses why defrost causes a problem that air conditioning doesn't? I don't even know where to start troubleshooting - but it's a serious issue and I need help.

It was random, it just started doing this one rainy night. When I parked it was fine, when I left, it was miserable.

Somebody help me please... literally, with defrost on, I can put it in gear in the yard, floor it - and the car will not MOVE until I turn the defrost off.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL