I just bought a '93 300CE. It has 170K but most everything has been replaced including the engine. It has slight rear end damage but hardly noticeable. I did not get a chance to drive the car but the seller and the previous owned were honest people. I was a little nervous but forged ahead.
I picked up the car in San Diego to drive home about 130 miles away. As I drove out of the lot onto a main street the gas pedal seemed unresponsive. I had to push it almost to the mat to get any power. Then I realized that I had to back off the pedal completely to get the transmission to change up. By this time I was on the freeway headed north. I also noticed that the cruise control was not working. I stopped for lunch about an hour later and when I got the car started again all of the above conditions had disappeared. It ran beutifully and responsively and the cruise control worked.
The next morning I started to drive it and the same thing happened again. By the time I driven 5 miles, everything was back to normal.
Do I have a throttle linkage problem? Any ideas guys?
(I love the car)
Anziani

I would start checking by checking electrical components. OVP and voltage regulator. Make sure the battery voltage is good.

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Your throttle cable may need adjusting.

Another thought - the 93 model year puts it close to where they started installing biodegradable wiring harnesses. Check the engine wiring harness for disintegrating insulation. More importantly, the electronic throttle actuator (ETA) may be made with this same type of wire. I assume your car has the ETA.

Does the car have ASR??

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A Dalton

ASR? I don't know. I'll take a look and get back to you.
Anziani

Turn the key on and lok at the speedo..there will be a triange ASR indicator there and also an ASR lamp next to ABS lamp

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A Dalton

Arthur,
Oh damn!! Yes, it has ASR. The "triangle" is lit but not the ASR lamp on the lower lamp panel. I started it and the engine lit right off.
So do I have the dreaded "limp home mode" problem?
Anziani

Arthur,
I just read your notes to the guy in Switzerland that had a 600. On my CE, it just got a new battery AND alternator so I don't think there is a low voltage problem. The car was hit in the right rear bumper area and I know there were some wiring problems with the stop light on that side.
I'll get it in to my mechanic tomorrow AM and look at any codes. Forgot about the 3rd light problem.
And if anyone is wondering if the car will drive at freeway speeds in the limp mode, mine did. I ran at 65 MPH in the right lane for 50 miles. Had no problems but did not stomp on the throttle. Arthur, thanks for your input. As soon as I find anything I will report back to the forum.
Anziani

Ask him to se if there are any codes , from pins 8 and 14...Specially 14.

Here:

E320 16 PIN DTC Charts inc. pin 8, pin 14

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A Dalton

I don't think driving at 65 mph for 50 miles is the genuine limp home mode, but an imposter of some other variety, especially if you didn't have an ASR warning light. Not all limping is the limp home mode.

Deanyel,

Good point! I'll let you know what we find out.
Thanks,
Anziani

'93 300CE 170K
'95 E420 115K

Just returned from the mechanic. He pulled the codes, then cleared them. He was getting ready to drive the car and see if any returned when he discovered there was no CE light. He pulled the dash and there is NO bulb socket or connector. We found a reference in the manual that some models (not California) do NOT have a CE light. This car origianally sold in Florida. Can anyone verify that some do NOT have CE's?
And of course, how do you know you have a problem, by the smoke billowing out under the hood?

Apparently this car has an Engine Control Module located back of the battery. The manual states: " Data exchange occurs between the engine control module (N3/4), the electronic accelerator module (N4/1) or Cruise Control/ISC module (N4/3) and the diagnostic module N59) in CALIFORNIA version vehicles."
My question is: What occurs on NON- California cars?

Do I need to go to the MB training school?

Anziani

If the Diagnostic Connector box has a built-in led/Sw , you have Cal emmissions with CE lamp and N/59 module.... Just look at the 16 pin connector ..if it has a push sw. at pin 2 and a Led at pin 4 , you have a CE with N/59 module.. and if you don't , then you have Federal version and no CE or N/59 module.. no need to pull the dash apart.
....but regardless, you can still get codes from other modules with a code tool.
It also states Cal on the sticker under the hood.

What codes did he find?????????????????????

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A Dalton

Arthur,
It is definitely a Florida car from 2 different car faxes. I'll get back to you with the codes as soon as he pulls a second set.
But with no CE how does one tell if there is a problem?
Anziani

A CE lamp is not diagnostics for the cars systems..it is simply a warning that the N/59 emmissions module has detected a fault that will effect the emmissions mandates of a Cal car.
And the purpose of the CAN wireing is that it allows modules info to interchange/communicate with one another ...that's all...those codes get monitored by the N/59 module, as many originate and are from the other modules. But they will only trigger a CE via N/59 if the fault will effect the emmissions...it it does not, then N/59 does not trigger CE to ground for ilumination.
A simple example of this would be a triggered CE lamp and the code fault that triggered the CE fault could be found in the DM N/59 module via the built-in Led/Sw...but that might just say " Ignition Fault". [ code 7] ..b/c an ign. fault would , in fact, effect emmissions mandates...but if you then went to the IGNITION MODULE -pin 8, [ which is where the fault originated and CAN sent it to N/59 in the first place] .. that would tell you a specific ignition system fault...like a particular coil that has a low output, etc. [ code 23, for instance].......The offending failure is that coil and it is detected by the Ignition module first, not the emmissions module...but the emmissions module knows thru CAN that an ign fault has been detected by N-3/4 and that fault is going to effect the cars emmissions ...so it triggers the CE...and when you go for a test, the guy sees a CE and he knows your car has a fault that will not allow it to pass an E Test..but the fault can be from another module and the true code is not in the N/59 module..it is in an Engine Management module. In this example , in the HFM/SFI -N3/4 module..which is accessed at pin 8 on the 16 pin, Black Box diagnostics connector next to the battery. The N/59 will simply direct one to the Ignition module for further. more refined Ignition System diagnosis.......
The thick of it is there can be stored codes in the Engine management modules w/o a CE lamp b/c a CE is an Emmissions related code, not an Engine mangement or running gear code. Another example of such is you could have a detected intermittant bad stop lamp sw. contacts screwing up your ASR system and you will see a code 5 in the EA/CC module at pin 14, but that would never be detected by, or trigger, a CE lamp.

The real codes are in those other modules and that is why I told you to check [ pins 8 and 14] for your conditions. That is why there are many different pins..they each go into the memory of the different systems modules to look for codes in THAT module.
A car from Fl can have Cal emmissions , Fax or no fax.. Cal E only means that the car is cabable and set-up to pass Cal Es...which they all went to in subsequent years ..most all 94/95 OBD1 are Cal E with CE lamp and N/59 module..your years was option..Fed or Cal b/c that is when they were making the change.
This may help you understand better than my explanation:

E320 16 PIN DTC Charts inc. pin 8, pin 14
After '95, they were all OBD2 and the code dianostics were refined and digital...way better and more specilfic.. but the Flash codes of OBD1 were a start and there is owner accessed info in there to aid you in systems diagnostics. And for $10, you can build your own code retrieve Led/Sw combo that will get you the codes from the other pins...not bad info to have avilable with simple owner access.............this same tool can also be owner used for simple Ce lamp deactivation/code clear, and Module Memory reset procedures...............................................

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A Dalton