'98 E300 battery or starter question??
 

Silly question perhaps,but I'm still learning about this complex machine.

After I replace the battery do I have to reset anything besides the clock?

Here's the deal.Last few days I would start the car cold,most of the time it would start,on a couple of occasions it would not start and simply make a single click noise coming from the engine compt,and the lights would dim,then a moment or 2 later she'd start,but slowly.
This morning,9 degrees out it started right away,ran it for 10 minutes,shut it off and said"good,it'll be ready to start in a half hour",nothing doing!I put the "key"in,wait for the glowplug light to go out and CLICK.Put a charger on it,came back 20 minutes later,WHOOSH,started right up,no messages about low battery.What do you dieselheads make of this?time for a new Bat?starter relay?stuck solenoid?

How old is the battery? If it's over five years, I'd seriously consider replacing it. You'll have to resynchronize the seat/headrests, windows and have the radio code handy. It's all covered in the owner's manual.

Len
'99 E300 turbo 100,500 miles

A few years ago I had my alternator fail on a trip. I found a dealer and had the alternator replaced. I was told my battery was damaged by the issue with the alternator, and they recommended changing the battery at the same time. I elected to let the battery fail. So, a few years later, yesterday, in fact, the battery died. It gave me warnings - like my instrument panel needles would rezero when the engine started.

I went to Sears and got a Die Hard for MB Diesels. Cost me $126 plus tax. Put it in and no problems. Jim

Just put a new battery in so we'll see.

That's probably what it was,but I was expecting some dash alert to warn me about the battery,Hell,it tells you everything else!

Just for kicks I called the original owner from whom I bought it,he last replaced the battery 5 years ago.........................:eek:

The dash should warn you of a low battery, its a big bright red battery simple and a loud beep.

I would expect a low battery to turn the starter, even slowly - mine does.

The next time it happens, take a hammer to your starter motor and give it a light tap. Thats my suspicion.

I've dealt with bad solenoids before.On my old Chrysler I disassembled it,filed down the pitted contacts flat,cleaned the gummy oil/carbon mix and gave it some lubriplate,Bingo....worked for another 10 years.

Now...if it's NOT brushes but simply a sticky solenoid plunger with dirty contacts why can't I do the same?Seems to be fairly easy to remove.

Does any of this apply to the 603? I have to replace mine today or tomorrow. AFIK all I have to worry about is resetting clock time and radio presets. Do I have to worry about the seats/windows, too, or is that just on the later models? Thanks.

Carlton,
I believe that these cars have some sort of battery energy monitor that keeps the starter from engaging if there is not enough amperage to spin the starter at 'full speed'. That was my experience with my E300 two months ago. It is not a bad idea, but with all of the messages that these things can display why did'nt those idiots include a message to say 'BATTERY CHARGE LOW'?

After you replace the battery you must resynchronize the seats and windows.:silly: This is required due to poor electrical engineering. If you look up in you manual about the seats and windows you will find a section on the resynchronize.:book: It is simple to do.
Nate

Nate,my fellow E300 sufferer! I like that idea of an energy monitor,although I have not seen it mentioned in the admittedly brief search of the archives,I'll dig deeper.Although currently{pun intended}starting well with the new battery I'll reserve judgement for tomorrow morning when it'll be 9 degrees or so....thanks for the resynching tips.

Check them before you go through the process. I had to reset my clock and enter the radio code, but nothing else was forgotten.

Well, I'll shake a Manhattan and study the manual,window switches will only work by being held down,the second,automatic position does not function.

Thanks to everybody for the hints and help.......Now about that mysterious battery energy monitor........:D

Just a thought......
 

Although I have never owned a vehicle that required more resets than the radio and/or clock......it seems that this might just work.....

If you have some test jumper wires, maybe you could supply 12V to the car while changing the battery....there isn't much of a current draw with these "memory" items......just connect a battery charger to the positive terminal and a good ground point......(I suggest small jumper wires for convenience)....and then proceed in changing the battery without totally removing 12V from the system.....

just be careful not to create any sparks/arcing...which may damage the computers.....

SB

Well, since replacing the battery yesterday afternoon no problems. This morning in 13 degree temp, started immediately.Being the anal-rententive guy that I am I must have started it 10 times in a row,stopped and started it again.

Not once did it fail. Took it for a 10 mile jaunt to charge the battery up and then drove my wife to work,16 mile round-trip.Everything seems O.K.

Careful there......you've only got 200,000 starts on the security chip in your key before the key and ign has to be replaced.:rolleyes:

Huhhhh?The devil you say....you yankin'my chain,Sport:D