300D Left me stranded :( - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TheDon · #1 03-04-2008, 08:47 AM

I went to go to the store and pick up some milk and a stamp for my mom 45 minutes ago.

I go in and come back out and it turns over very slowly. It turned over just fine last night and was a little slower than usual when I left to go to the store.

No one around with a car to jump me, my mom's equinox cannot jump or be jumped(stupid modern cars) and this random guy and his small 1.4 engine couldnt get me to turn over.

What am I looking at here...

I want to say the Voltage regulator took a crap and made me run off battery for at least a few days or just all of last night.

I'm going to go pull the battery and take it to autozone

pawoSD · #2 03-04-2008, 08:52 AM

You're on the right track, probably alternator or voltage regulator related. Or maybe even a slipping/loose belt.

A volt gauge is a good idea on these cars, then you know when something is not working before you get stranded.

TheDon · #3 03-04-2008, 09:04 AM

no loose belts.. I inspected them last oil change.

I need to get a volt meter and test the voltage across the alternator

pizzachef · #4 03-04-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

..my mom's equinox cannot jump or be jumped(stupid modern cars) ...

Are the battery terminals hidden? Do they do that on purpose or is it just cramming too much stuff into a small space?

TheDon · #5 03-04-2008, 09:24 AM

i dunno... gm sucks

I'm on the phone with Mercedes Road Side assistance to see if they can get out here and get me started and then run out to orlando to pick up a voltage regulator

and since the battery is dead.. a jump box will not be of help... I just need to get it started so I can drag it to my mechanic out in Orlando and get a Voltage Regulator swapped in.. He is a lot cheaper than the dealership for parts..

#6 03-04-2008, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

and since the battery is dead.. a jump box will not be of help...

I've started mine with a portable jump battery when it was completely dead. I carry one in my car, mostly to jump other people. It's a good $100 investment.

hangit · #7 03-04-2008, 10:35 AM

I'll be installing voltmeters in both my cars this weekend. The 240D left my daughter stranded once too many times before the alternator finally gave up the ghost.

John

Magoo · #8 03-04-2008, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I've started mine with a portable jump battery when it was completely dead. I carry one in my car, mostly to jump other people. It's a good $100 investment.

Ditto here.

tangofox007 · #9 03-04-2008, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hangit

I'll be installing voltmeters in both my cars this weekend. The 240D left my daughter stranded once too many times before the alternator finally gave up the ghost.

John

My daughter would not look at a voltmeter unless it sent her a text message!!!

bustedbenz · #10 03-04-2008, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangofox007

My daughter would not look at a voltmeter unless it sent her a text message!!!

Something like that could be rigged up with a USB volt meter probe, a laptop, some programming, and some in-car power wiring for the laptop... but something tells me that might not be a cost-effective solution for the problem at hand.

TheDon · #11 03-04-2008, 11:43 AM

Well swapped in a smaller battery that my neighbor had in his truck and it started up just fine.

Alternator was putting out a steady 13.5 volts to the small battery and once I got home I hot swapped the old in. It too was getting the proper voltage. So.. the voltage regulator was fine.

I went to discount auto and replaced my battery since I bought my last one there in 05 and I just found the receipt they will test it and tell me if it will be replaced under warranty or "pro rated"(which I have no idea what that means)... anyways.. I think its fixed.. so therefore it is fixed

I want to/need to install a new boost gauge and I want a pyrometer just for the added benefit of having it.. and now a voltmeter would be great... I just need the time to go it all

Matt L · #12 03-04-2008, 11:58 AM

Pro-rated means that the longer you've had it, the more you pay.

Normally there is a free period of one or two years (sometimes three), and each month beyond that increases your contribution to the new battery.

TheDon · #13 03-04-2008, 12:00 PM

oh.. well.. I've had the old one since 12/05..so technically its still under warranty(36 months) .. if it checks out bad. It has to be bad since I have no parasitic loss from electronics when the car shuts off, I haven't hacked any wiring..well except to put in the stebel air horn but its switched with a relay

we'll see

$95 for a group 49 that will list eh... 2.5 years. sucks

lutzTD · #14 03-04-2008, 12:06 PM

yeh, cooked batteries is a Florida specialty. I try to 5 yr batteries so I can at least get half off the next one.

Jordan G · #15 03-04-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDon

oh.. well.. I've had the old one since 12/05..so technically its still under warranty(36 months) .. if it checks out bad. It has to be bad since I have no parasitic loss from electronics when the car shuts off, I haven't hacked any wiring..well except to put in the stebel air horn but its switched with a relay

we'll see

$95 for a group 49 that will list eh... 2.5 years. sucks

That reminds me (the equinox part).....the past weekend I tried replacing the battery and cables on my Dad's '96 vette....and I had to remove the freaking fender just to get it out! I suppose performance trumped future maintenance access

.

It was such a PITA though.....the positive cable post was completely corroded too and I had to order a new cable from the dealer ($95) and it's impossible to replace, as it's all tucked in behind the rear of the block and it branches off 3 or 4 different ways. Just a nightmare. Finally, I just said screw it.....threaded the old post back into a new battery (got it started) and told him to deal with it (or have a mechanic do it). I'm such a bad son.