First Mercedes - 400E - Need some assistance, please. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

BJaltima · #1 11-18-2009, 06:46 PM

Hello there. I just bought a '93 400E on Sunday. It has approx. 160k miles on it. I'm very happy with it, as it is in great condition. There are a few problems with it though.

1. Suspension:
A)There's a loud rubbing noise when I turn the steering wheel. It is more prominent when I turn the wheel to the right and the car is sitting. (You can actually feel it). The man that I bought it from was very into cars himself and told me that he believes it's the bushings on the top of the struts/shocks. Does this sound like it may be true? It could also be bushings or something on the lower parts of the suspension/steering system.
B) There is a horrible popping noise and shake at 65+ mph. I know I need an alignment and my tires balanced/rotated, but this is a bit much. I'm thinking that my shock/strut is so bad on the front left that my wheel is bouncing up and down (I've seen this on other vehicles on the freeway). Also, my left front tire is wearing dramatically on the outside while all my other tires are wearing evenly. You think it's just the shock/strut that needs replacing?

2. The check engine light is on. I spent a few hours searching this site for instructions on how to retrieve and clear the codes and found one set of instructions that involved the "button and flashing light" module under the hood, near the firewall on the passenger side. I tried to do it today, but it did not work. I held the button down, with the key in the "on" position, but the light just stays on and doesn't blink at all. I'm not too worried about it, but I need to clear it and have the check engine light off so I can smog the car (California), as tags are due next month. I found those instructions in the archives. Could someone PLEASE link me to the best set of instructions for this? I would truly appreciate it so much.

3. My "brake pads worn" light is on, even though the brakes are pretty new. I will inspect this at school tomorrow. I figure that the sensor needs to be replaced, or it was disconnected? No big deal.

4. Sometimes there's a strange whining noise coming from the direction of the transmission or driveshaft that I can hear in the cabin. The noise gets faster as I'm moving, which would normally make me think of a wheel bearing, but because of the location of the noise, I don't think that's what it is. Kinda weirds me out. Dunno if others may have had this intermittent issue as well.

5. The odometer stopped working at 135k. What's the best way to go about changing this out? Is it just simply the part in the gauges? Should I get a used one? Would I be able to adjust the mileage to make it more accurate?

Thank you all for your help. I know that there are a lot of questions in my post and it's fairly lengthy. This is my first Mercedes. I'm used to working on my previous Nissans and Infiniti (huge Nissan/Infiniti enthusiast here). :p It also helps that I'm in school to be an automotive tech so I'll be able to do most things myself, which is a huge plus. Thank you all again and I look forward to learning from and contributing to this site as much as possible.

-BJ

Hirnbeiss · #2 11-18-2009, 09:20 PM

1 sounds like you need some major attention to the suspesion / steering. The top strut mounts (bearings) could be bad, but combined with the shake and tire wear it sounds like there could be mutilple items. Taking it in for a balance and alignment should give you some better clues.

2. On the codes, there is a little LED circuit you can make (search the forum) with about $10 in Radio shack parts that blinks the codes out. It was like that for my W124 and I think the same for yours. See where exactly to read fault codes?
Ask Arthur Dalton if you can't find the detail on the reader.

3. Yes, check the sensors first - they're cheap.

4. Wheel bearings seem to give different sounds. Mine was like the drone of a WWII bomber (not as loud), and it did not vary with anything at all except speed. I think diff noises tend to vary with accel/decel. Finding a shop with chassis ears can help confirm and isolate the side before committing to the repair

5. Congratulations. This is a desgn featur of your VDO speedo. The gears need to be fastened back to the shaft. I sent mine to a TX company called Overseas Speedo, but there are some other alternatives.

pawoSD · #3 11-18-2009, 10:07 PM

The LED light + button thing works by pressing the button down for about 2-3 seconds then releasing the button. The LED will then blink the code.

BJaltima · #4 11-18-2009, 10:47 PM

Well I'll be balancing/rotating the tires tomorrow, as well as cleaning my brake parts and checking on the brake sensors. All this I'll do at school. We don't have an alignment system so I'd have to pay for that, but don't want to pay for an alignment, and then have to get all this suspension stuff done, only to have to redo the alignment. And I don't have the cash in hand to spend on a lifetime alignment (which is what I'd normally purchase to save $$$).

As for making the code reader, I'd rather not if there's a way to clear it without it. I just want it cleared so that I can get it smogged. The previous owner owned it for 10 years and the light was on almost the entire time he owned it. He kept getting new parts that various shops said had been causing the light to come on. Only none of the parts helped. Thankfully, one of the parts replaced was the dreaded wiring harness that seems to be a very costly issue with these 400e's.
After a while he gave up and just had the code cleared whenever he needed to smog the car. Then the light would come back on after a couple days. That works for me, for now, until I have the money to buy whatever parts may be needed and then I'll just replace them myself.
For now, I'll try what PawoSD said again in the morning (thanks by the way).

I unplugged the battery for an hour to see if it will do anything. I'll find out when I drive it tonight.

As for the other "whining" noise, I've never had a bad wheel bearing on one of my vehicles since they've all been newer, but I've diagnosed wheel bearings on vehicles that my friends and family have owned. This is something different...I'm not gonna worry about it too much for right now.

The odometer issue I'd like to work out soon though. Not only for keeping track of gas mileage (which is seeming a bit harsh, lol), but also so that I can have a more accurate mileage on the car for resale, if I choose to do so.

Thanks very much Hirnbeiss and pawoSD. Your responses are greatly appreciated.

pawoSD · #5 11-18-2009, 11:27 PM

A vibration at higher speeds could also be drive shaft related. Be sure to inspect the front and rear flex discs, as well as the center bearing and carrier assembly.

BJaltima · #6 11-18-2009, 11:39 PM

hmm...drive shaft issues....that scares me. However, the crazy vibration (shaking) is coming from the left front wheel. I imagine there's some other minor vibration going on, but the tires haven't been balanced in quite a long time. Any other shaking/vibrating is being drowned out by the craziness going on with that front left wheel.

While it's on the lift tomorrow, I'll inspect the driveshaft as well. Now are the front flex disc what connects to the tranny.....and the rear flex disc what connects to the differential? Either way I'll be giving the car a full once over...maybe twice over....since now this will be the first chance I've had to get it in the air.

ps2cho · #7 11-19-2009, 12:43 AM

Visually check the strut mount for cracks although if its making a noise it would be very obvious or broken entirely. I don't understand how anything else in the strut setup could make a loud noise while being stationary.

I would start by jacking the car up and try to move the wheel around and see if there is an play. Then remove the wheel and check all suspension arms for any broken/worn bushings.

As for the VDO, you can try taking it apart and see if a gear has worn down. Its not too difficult to get it open, but if no gears look worn, you may need to send it off
http://www.speedometer.com/mercedes.html
^ This guy will do it for $85 + shipping. Somebody just gave me this recommendation today and I am going to do it for my 260E.

As for codes --
a) ignition on
b) press and hold button for 8 seconds
c) start car
d) press and hold button for 4 seconds and now it should start blinking at you.

BJaltima · #8 11-19-2009, 01:40 PM

I'll be putting the car on the lift in an hour or so to see what's going on under there.

As for the VDO, I'm not quite ready or sure of myself with working on the small, important stuff like that yet. These Mercedes scare me because of how finicky they are, while my previous cars didn't scare me at all. I'll probably just pay for the local MBZ mechanic to take care of that.

And for the codes, it seems like everyone has a different way of doing it. I just did it about half an hour ago.
1)Ignition on
2)hold button for 2-3 seconds and release
3)it will blink a certain number of times
4)hold button for 2-3 seconds and release
5)it will blink a different number of times if there's another code
6)repeat till all are done, then go back and hold the button for 8-10 seconds to clear

These are the codes that popped up: 6, 15, 17, and 26. More codes than I was expecting.

samiam44 · #9 11-19-2009, 02:19 PM

Sounds like a bunch of potential problems- and your unfamiliar with benz's.

Taking the speedometer out and sending it to a specialty show is the easiest thing here to fix.
Benz brakes are quite simple and the pads are soft. I bet you need pads and sensors- maybe rotors at the mileage.
Suspension at this mileage could be anything and everything. Struts ussually last forever on these cars, but the rubber parts have a finite life.

For all the codes- you really need to take it a good independant mercedes shop familiar with this engine. Probably will need a throtal actuator and wiring harnesses are known expensive parts to fail. If they haven't been replaced, it's a good bet. Could be lucky and just a sensor or something.

Wining- probably related to belt tensioner.

Does your engine pull extremely strong to redline ? Idle should be very smooth- I even have to chk if mine is running by the tach at when I come to a light.

Michael

Jim's500E · #10 11-19-2009, 04:18 PM

ON item #4...that whinning noise (I call it a howl) might be the rear dif which is know to be noisey on these cars...switch out the fluid to a synthetic one such as Redline (a fav of mine). That cured my noise...hopefully it helps your also.

73Elsinore · #11 11-19-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BJaltima

These are the codes that popped up: 6, 15, 17, and 26. More codes than I was expecting.

Congratulations on the new car- and on your new hobby :-)

I assume your car is a 124.034. If so, here is the meaning of the codes:
6 - not used
15 - not used
17 - CAN data: Electronic accelerator control module - no data transmission
26 - According to the manual, there is no code 26. Maybe you miscounted?
If it's 27, it is: 27 - Injectors, open or short circuit.
Or 25: 25 - Adjustable camshaft timing solenoid, open or short circuit.

Maybe drive the car awhile til the codes reset and then count them again.

If you'll send me your email I will send you the reference for the codes.

These cars are not 'finicky' per se but they are different; it's just a matter of learning it. A Fiat or a Trimuph is finicky. If you are going to work on the car yourself you need to get the shop manual. Call 1-800-FOR-MERCEDES and order it - it is like $65. Then you need to get this index from this site to use to navigate the manual:

http://web.mac.com/dakota/Mercedes/Indexes.html

Did you get any of the service records? If not, you need to R&R the trans fluid and filter post-haste.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

BJaltima · #12 11-20-2009, 12:32 AM

Thank you all for your help. I cleared the codes this morning, as said in my previous post. Then immediately went to smog it and it passed, but had I been off by one point, I wouldn't have. Interesting, although I knew the exhaust smelled stronger than usual. Oh well, for now.

After that, I went to school and put the car on the lift. All my brake pads were almost brand new. However, the rotors will need to be replaced when I put new pads on. I don't think they can be turned anymore. I think that the sensor light is on because they need to be replaced. I'm thinking that they weren't replaced when the pads were changed. I almost screwed up and torqued the lugnuts to 110 ft/lbs instead of 80.

Never used metric and it was actually 110 Nm. Luckily I didn't break off any lugs and fixed it before I got on the road.

As for the engine, it pulls strong throughout the power band. The wiring harness has already been replaced by the previous owner in '04 or '05. I read about the harness issue while researching the car. Not sure about the throttle actuator though. Could this cause an occasional and very subtle idle bounce? I'll go back through the records. The whining noise is definitely not the belt tensioner. It's coming from the center (possibly rear) of the car. Maybe I'll change the differential fluid just to be sure (good call Jims500E).

I changed the tranny fluid and engine oil and it looked fairly new and was full enough. Although, I'm thinking I should change the tranny fluid and filter just in case. Today, it took a second longer than usual to engage into reverse (is this odd? sensor? hmmm...). It can also be jerky when switching gears, sometimes. What kind of fluid should be used in a '93 with approximately 160k miles on it? I've heard that not using a specific fluid for higher mileage cars could actually damage the transmission.

I dropped my 400e off at a Mercedes mechanic that I've previously met and works on friend's vehicles. He's going to check out my front suspension and let me know what's up with it. I did find that the bushings were a little worn at the top of my struts (one had a little chunk missing and the other was just very dry and cracked looking/feeling). I showed him the loud rubbing noise and he started looking underneath the car and told me it's not the bushings on top. I'll know tomorrow what is up with that as well as what exactly those codes that I retrieved mean.

He's also going to price some '94-'95 headlights. I already have the tails from that year so figured, might as well get the headlights, or at least the turn signal housing that have less amber in them. Along with that, he's gonna look into the best thing to do with the odometer. I really don't want to tear it apart. I would in a second with my past cars, but I don't want to risk messing anything up with this one. This is no project car.

Thanks for reading and responding to my looooong posts. I think I could win the "longest post" contest. Haha.

-BJ

samiam44 · #13 11-20-2009, 12:07 PM

Just as a suggestion.

While the 94-95 headlights will be better-they are still US spec. Go with the european lights. There are Bosch, Hella, and an aftermarket replacements. Both the german ones are really nice. You can get the 500E lights have driving lights in the fog light locations.
Of course if you can get the 94-95' style really cheap- it will be an improvement.

Michael

BJaltima · #14 11-20-2009, 09:16 PM

Thanks Sam. I looked up some euro-spec ones. They are very nice. I will invest in some when I have some extra money. I'll also be putting on the oem 94-95 side markers. I plan to keep this car looking classy and original, although I'd love to have the exact same wheels, but in 16".

As for the codes, I looked them up on the computer program at school and it showed that:
#6: idle speed control inoperative
#15: wide open throttle information defective
#17: data exchange malfunction between individual control modules
#26: upshift delay 1 to 2 (model 124.034 only), 2 to 3 (all models)
So idle and throttle was an issue....could this be early signs of needing the "throttle actuator" replaced? Not sure what the data exchange malfunction between control modules means. And the upshift delay would be a transmission issue?

I got the car back today and the horrible rubbing noise was fixed. It was a steering issue (steering damper was bent). He said that someone either bottomed out or hit something on the road. Oh well. He also found out my power steering pump is leaking. That's gonna be a pain in the @.. ! That's gonna have to wait. He gave me a free gallon of p/s fluid to hold me over. The leak isn't that severe.

Hirnbeiss · #15 11-20-2009, 09:20 PM

DId your mechanic identify your balance / tire wear issue?

Your tranny fluid is Dexron III.