Battery went dead, soft top no worky, ABS light on, more.. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

waybomb · #1 10-16-2005, 01:02 PM

Hi
Before the RAID crash, I had posted this.

My battery went dead because I did not start the car for at least two months. Prior to this, all was ok.

The battery went dead, I charged it up, and it started.

When starting, the engine barely runs and requires lots of cranking to get it going. It takes at least a minute or so before i can even think about giving it gas. If I touch the throttle while in this rough idle mode, the engine will die. Once it gets a bit warm, meaning about a minute or so (it si 60ish outside recently), then everything works fine. No stumble, good acceleration, good idle. On the highway, I drove it up to 100mph with no problems, so there is some cold sensor that must be affecting it. Any ideas?

Also, the top will not retract. When pulling the button to open it, I get a flash every second or so. I held the button for 35 flashes, and it was still flashing. Someone suggested counting the flashes - how high can it go? I also did a search and tried running the windows up and down and holding them there. I also ran the roll bar up and down.

Also, the ABS light stay on., which it did not do before.

All the fuses seem ok.

Any ideas?

iwrock · #2 10-16-2005, 01:32 PM

The soft top just needs to be resynced. I believe you do so by resetting the windows. The manual says you hold the window switches down after rolling up the windows for 10 seconds.

waybomb · #3 10-16-2005, 04:03 PM

I tried that - again, and it had no affect. I ran the windows down and held them there for 10 seconds, and again for longer. Then I tried it and held the soft top button at the same time still no affect. I pulled every relay I could find and pushed them back in, thinking there might be some corrosion.

Are the ABS and soft top somehow interconnected? Where are all the relays that operate the top? I took the fuse box cover off and pulled those relays out and in, then I did the relays and computers under the cover in the engine compartment in front of the passenger.

If I attempt to go the other way with the top, as if to close it up, the back pulls down a bit, so the pump works.

Also, on the engine starting issue - the vacuum gage is stuck on 30, no matter what the throttle position is. Is the vacuum gage electronic? Where is the switch for it? Could this be related to the starting issue?

I also noticed something else - the switch, under the radio for the suspension, does not light up in either position.

Help?? SOS?? Please don't say the dreaded "dealer" word! All this because the battery went dead?

Kebowers · #4 10-18-2005, 12:24 AM

Try disconnecting the battery for a few seconds/minutes and reconnecting. That MAY clear up all the'error codes' that low voltage triggers. 'Extended cranking' is akey clue. the system voltage drops a lot on cranking for more than a couple of seconds--and these cars definitely do not like low voltage and lots of weird things happen. Good luck. I feel you will come out OK on a 'cold start/reboot'

LeaUK · #5 10-18-2005, 02:27 AM

Yeah, leave the battery disconnected for a good 15 minutes. Make sure the battery is fully charged upon reseating.

Check the fuse onboard the Base Module (BM), as it controls many of the ancillary components. It's in the control box - the one with the red 5A (I think) fuse visible.

Yes, the vacuum gauge is electronic.

Maybe of some help...?

whitcre · #6 10-18-2005, 07:55 PM

i was told by mercedes mechanic that when the battery is disconnected you have to reset the abs light. he told me you have to turn the steering wheel all the way one way and all ther way the other way. dont remember if you had to it more than once. it didnt fix mine because i had other issues 1) clock spring needed to be replaced and the crank sensor( i think) needed to be replaced. have a 97sl and it had been in a wreck

waybomb · #7 10-18-2005, 08:42 PM

Thanks for all the input!
I'm out on the road and won't be back till Friday, but my 17 year old is handy around MBs and has helped out a lot. I'm going to have him try these things hopefully tomorrow.

waybomb · #8 10-18-2005, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeaUK

Yeah, leave the battery disconnected for a good 15 minutes. Make sure the battery is fully charged upon reseating.

Check the fuse onboard the Base Module (BM), as it controls many of the ancillary components. It's in the control box - the one with the red 5A (I think) fuse visible.

Yes, the vacuum gauge is electronic.

Maybe of some help...?

Where is the Base Module? Is this the device with the clear plastic cover and two ATO type fuses in it in the same compartment as the engine computers? Both of those fuses were good.

bobterry99 · #9 10-18-2005, 10:34 PM

No need to synchronize the windows on an SL made before roughly January of '94. Also, there is no Base Module in a 300SL. The module that waybomb has located is the OVP, and even if the fuse is good, it's well-documented all over this forum how it can be bad.

The flashing top switch indicates the top controller has detected a fault and set a diagnostic code. You read the code by counting the flashes after triggering a read at the diagnostic socket. You trigger a read by briefly shorting the diagnostic socket to chassis ground for 2 to 4 seconds. If you search the archives under my username, you should find all you need to know.

LeaUK · #10 10-19-2005, 02:31 PM

Uhm, no BM - I thought that would be required for all models. So what does the BM control out of interest?

waybomb · #11 10-19-2005, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeaUK

Yeah, leave the battery disconnected for a good 15 minutes. Make sure the battery is fully charged upon reseating.

Check the fuse onboard the Base Module (BM), as it controls many of the ancillary components. It's in the control box - the one with the red 5A (I think) fuse visible.

Yes, the vacuum gauge is electronic.

Maybe of some help...?

My son said he did this after school today - no difference. I'll try again this weekend. Any other ideas?

LeaUK · #12 10-20-2005, 03:08 PM

Buy a completely new set of fuses and replace the lot. It's reported that the dissimilar metals between the socket and fuse can cause failure - still cheaper than the Benz garage.

Don't forget to check fuses in the boot compartment!

Running out of ideas now... try making a post in the Tech Help forum too...

Lea

waybomb · #13 10-20-2005, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeaUK

Buy a completely new set of fuses and replace the lot. It's reported that the dissimilar metals between the socket and fuse can cause failure - still cheaper than the Benz garage.

Don't forget to check fuses in the boot compartment!

Running out of ideas now... try making a post in the Tech Help forum too...

Lea

I rotated all the fuses and checked for power. Had charging voltage on all fuses, at the spring metal clip.

bobterry99 · #14 10-20-2005, 09:06 PM

Hi Lea. The Base Module controls the fuel pump relay, A/C compressor and some other stuff. The CFI-engine cars have an "MAS"/"Engine Systems Control Module" instead off a Base Module. It controls some of what the Base Module does and differs further by not having any fuses.

LeaUK · #15 10-21-2005, 02:28 AM

Hi Bob

I'm going to take a look through some of my schematics I think, try and see if we can help any further. The BM looks physically significant and so I was guessing managed all the remaining electronics on the vehicle - like the MPG gauge etc but maybe it's role is quite modest in reality. Perhaps it's all air inside?

Cheers
Lea