05 E320 CDI Instrument Cluster NOT working - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

toyotaboy8 · #1 12-27-2010, 10:35 PM

hi guys,
need help on my 05 cdi. i parked it outside during the rain and cold weather and after a week i started the car. it started fine but none of the digital stuff, lights, gauges, tachometer, clock, speedometer worked. as in nothing. disconnected the auxilliary battery and main battery to "reset" it but no luck. checked all fuses and they were all fine. i noticed that there was some water in the spare tire area but checked wiring near it and they were all dry. NEED HELP? do i need a new instrument cluster? is it just a relay? thanks guys!

mike
walnut, ca

ps
checked it today and now the clock is working...

Parrot of Doom · #2 12-28-2010, 05:33 AM

On the W210 there are two fuses which control the instrument cluster, so I'd imagine it's a similar design on the W211. There are several locations around the car where fuses and relays are kept, so I think you should go around the vehicle checking for water ingress.

vstech · #3 12-28-2010, 07:18 AM

Welcome to the greatest forum on earth!
hard to believe a single instance of parking a great car outside one nasty weather night would be an issue, but lets see if we can help...
it starts and runs, but have you gotten it up to full operating temp? moisture that's obviously inside the vehicle may have collected on the electronics and shorting things out.
I'd first find the fuse indicator labels and verify which fuse handles the instrument cluster. then remove those fuses. then I'd start the car, and try driving around and see if the transmission shifts where it should, then go for a short drive and let the car get up to operating temp. next I'd get the heat and defrost set to max, and get the inside of the car as hot as possible. once I'm sure it's fully above freezing inside the car, and out, I'd put in new fuses for the cluster, and see if it works.

oh. and dry up the water you find. pull up the floormats etc...

toyotaboy8 · #4 12-28-2010, 08:43 PM

hi guys,
thanks for your feedback guys....the day after the instrument cluster wouldnt work, the clock started working but nothing else.. after 2 days , everything was working fine on the cluster. it did give me CHECK ENGINE light though so i went to Valley Mercedes and had them diagnose it. at idle with no auxilliary load, my voltage was at 14.7 which was way too high. we turned on the a/c, defroster radio, etc and it dropped to 14.4 but was still high. ran an ALTERNATOR TEST and it failed. the alternator was OVERCHARGING. my mechanic suspected that it probably tripped the cluster problem...$583 for the alternator and its a special order. 3-4 hrs labor and i'm looking at $900 parts and labor.....just sharing and thanks again.