Now here's something for you all...

A couple of days ago when I started my car I felt the smell of smoke almost immediately. It smelled like burned cable/plastic. Then I saw white smoke comming out from the hood at the right side (inside view). I shut off the car and opened the hood. I didn't see anything strange so I turned the ignition back on and the smoke started again. The smoke was comming from a point between the container for washer fluid and the edge of the car. It's very tight so I coundn't figure out wich cable it was. From where the smoke is comming there's 3 rubber tubes and 4 cables. I eliminated the possebility that it was the rubber tubes which leaves the 4 cables. 2 of them going to the washer fluid container. 1 to the right turn signal. I couldn't figure out where the 4th is leading. I turned the ignition off again and pulled/shaked the cables I could reach (Just moving them a little). When I turned the ignition back on there was no smoke and it hasn't come back. It had rained/snowed all day so it was a little wet. No fuses had blown (maybe indicationg that it's a non-fused control current??). I guess this has happened once before. That time I didn't see the smoke but I recognized the smell. Except hoping for a warm and sunny summer without rain - What can I do?? Picture from where the smoke was comming:

__________________
Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green

You have a very nice engine ... just cleaned for the pic?

Can't possibly imagine what or who would be smoking at that compartment. Might do some good to have it checked at the garage.

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

Thanks for your reply. .
To be honest I stole the picture from "Cars" at this very forum but I would say, without hesitation, that mine is even cleaner. "A single male in love with his (smoking) Mercedes"

Do you know if there's any current in the cables to the washer fluid container and if it's fused just with the ignition turned on?? I guess 1 is for the level of fluid and the other for the temperature (?). Just guessing though.

__________________
Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green

emilio,

Was it the R129 that started to smoke, or was it another MB model? I have heard of MB's that started to smoke because of the window washer fluid heater. In our 2000 people village called Zieuwent 2 mercedesses (250 turbo diesel and 190 2,3-26) were burnt completely due to a short in the window washer fluid heater system of the W124.

ymsin,

You should have seen by the US lights that it was not emilio's european vehicle...

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

MBenz

Yes,, It was my R129. Do you know where the short was?? I guess that the heater requires a lot of current and with a little common sense I figure it must be fused. But if it's fused and short to something the fuse would blow.. I don't get it. Is there some kind of unfused control-current to the heater that was shorted in the cases you refered to?? It's spring in Sweden now and the fluid heater isn't that necessary. Is there a way to disable it?? I really don't want my car to be transformed to a carbon pile.

__________________
Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green

I have seen burned opel astra diesel because of a lack of fuses! The shorted wires under the hood weren't fused at all.

Normally the washer fluid reservoir should be fused, but it seems that some models in the past had some problems with that. I guess that if you take of the connector at the reservoir side of the heater you will be save (since the system will no longer use any power than).

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)

MBenz

Do you know which one of the cables going to the container that is for the heater. I think both of them look rather thin and I presume that it takes a big deal of current. I'm confused.

Thanks for heping me out..

__________________
Emil Österman, Stockholm - Sweden

MB SL500 -93 - Silver
MB 230CE -84 - Silver
MB 230E -82 - Yellow
MB 180B -59 - Green

MBenz - I took it for granted that the pic posted here was emilio's. I had a really good look at the pic and wondering why does it look like a W126 ...

__________________
... Kerry

126 tailed by a 203, 129 leading the pack.

Probably because it is one...

emilo:
The window washer fluid is heated by the engine coolant water and is not electrical heated...
The only wires that go to the window washer container is the one for the pump (front) and level indicator light (top).
The headlight, indicator and horn wires run between the washer container and fender... So I don't know what caused the smoke in your car...

greetingz,

__________________
1990 300SL-24
1993 C250D with a minor 600+k kilometer
www.MBenzNL.com(the Netherlands)