On my Mercedes Benz C180 (1997-model) the LCD panel for outside temperature, odometer and clock (bottom instruments) has started to disappear during rides. The only way to make them reappear is to stop and start the engine. About the same time this started happening, the engine started to have problems. The engine suddenly lose almost all power, and it gets a rough idle. Restarting the engine fixes the problem.

I suspect that these two problems are related, because they once occured at exactly the same time. The problem usually happen once every ride (10 km), but seems pretty random.

Just got back from the car shop, and they told me the engine computer reported that there had been a misfiring on cylinder #4. They did not find the cause of the problem, but suspected that is was an electrical fault. They told me the problem could be difficult to diagnose. I got the car back for the weekend to see if their fiddling had solved anything. The problem reappeared on my way home from the shop.

It is pretty cold up here in Norway at the moment (below 20 degrees celsius), but the car has worked fine at this temperature for the last 13 years.

Has anyone experienced similar problems? Any tips?

Thanks in advance! -Baard