SL600 vs the not ready flags - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MB is new to me · #1 09-21-2010, 09:54 PM

I searched the forums and did not find the response that I need.

I have a 2004 sl600 Renntech stage 1 w/50,000 miles that I just bought. The prior owner changed the battery just prior to my purchase. I have driven several hundred miles (200) to get her home and then found two not ready OBD -- Secondary Air and Cat 1. There are no pending OBD codes, there are no OBD codes -- just the two not ready's. I had a MB dealer prepurchase inspection and they reported no codes of any kind excepting the no longer present phone. Unfortunately, they did not check ready states as they do not have an emissions requirement in their area.

I have driven 400 more miles in a variety of driving although most have been highway. The car is quite smooth and excepting this OBD problem the car is fun.

I have seen several so called drive cycles -- 60 mph for three minutes drop to 20 mph without brakes then 60 mph for five minutes then coast till a dead stop -- there is no where in Atlanta short of a track that I can do this. I tried at 4AM on Interstate and consider myself lucky to have survived the attempt.

The nice people at the State's emission office were very polite but they told me that there is no alternative -- just keep driving the car. I offered to take the full dyno test but that is not available to me no matter what. I have a few days left but I need to register the vehicle before I own a useless brick. I called a local Atlanta MB Dealer and the service writer told me to just drive the car.

Suggestions ? ? ?

Strife · #2 09-21-2010, 10:33 PM

I'd move, or garage the car until January 20, 2013

But in all seriousness, the 600 is a big leap of complexity over the 500SL, which was a big leap of complexity over the W107, which most people on these boards are most familiar with. THEN, you have a tuner version. You may have to go to a really big city up north or even CA to get it to someone familiar with the car and the significant investment in equipment with which to diagnose it.

It would take a god to diagnose the problem without five figures worth of equipment. And keep in mind that electrical parts on a MB are "not returnable". I know as fact that it is possible to destroy thousands of dollars of modules when their output is shorted in about 1/100 of a second. Repair by substitution is not an option.

Jack M · #3 09-22-2010, 01:58 AM

Hi, In Calif. you can pay the registration fee and have the receipt for the fee with you if you get stopped by the troopers. As long as you have some paperwork showing that you are in the process of working on the issue.
AAA can set this up for you. And the troopers are only really interested in that the fees are paid. They will not issue a sticker until it passes emissions but you wont get a fine for an unregistered (expired registration) vehicle. Been there. Not sure of that works where you are. Good luck. J

MB is new to me · #4 09-22-2010, 10:15 AM

Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, I do not get a license plate from paying the county fee and the troopers tend to pull over cars without plates -- especially ones going really fast.

As to going up north, that may be necessary but what I was hoping for is the drive cycle for the cat 1 and/or the drive cycle for the secondary air that is for this car (2004 SL600).

Rahulio1989300E · #5 09-22-2010, 10:42 AM

I am not sure what a 'not ready' error means, I guess the reason that most people are telling you to keep driving it is because, due to the battery swap, the equipment needs to be calibrated or averaged in some way by a computer? I would think your 200 mile road trip would be enough, but maybe it is looking for city type driving (stop and go like traffic)?

Try visiting the Renntech website, and call or email them. They must have a authorized installer/repair site in the Atlanta area, at the very least maybe they could give you some advice on what you need to try yourself.

Two560Two · #6 09-22-2010, 03:26 PM

you need to find out why those 2 monitors are not ready even after so many miles of driving. Maybe there are components going to fail or already have failed but will not set a check engine light. Or the temp outside could be too hot or too cold or your fuel level is not at the correct level for the monitors to pass. Try to find out the proper procedure Mercedes Benz service techs use for those specific monitors to pass.

MB is new to me · #7 09-22-2010, 08:24 PM

Thank you all for your help -- I am not quite there yet.

Quote:

you need to find out why those 2 monitors are not ready even after so many miles of driving. Maybe there are components going to fail or already have failed but will not set a check engine light. Or the temp outside could be too hot or too cold or your fuel level is not at the correct level for the monitors to pass. Try to find out the proper procedure Mercedes Benz service techs use for those specific monitors to pass.

That is precisely what I am trying to get from this forum. My local MB dealer, well the service writer told me that there is no specific drive cycle for this car nor for the brand.

You point about temperatures may be significant as it has been 90 degrees plus every day since I bought the car. I am not comfortable trying to go so many miles per hour for so long at night as the other competitors on the interstate seem to take this as an invitation to scare the life out of me.

Does anyone have the drive cycles for secondary injection and catalyst monitor??? If not specifically for the 600, perhaps the SL or even a general drive cycle for a 2004 Mercedes Benz.