While driving my '88 300ce down the freeway in the heat of the day the SRS light comes on for about 2 to 8 seconds then goes off in 10 to 20 second intervals. It seems to only happen when its hot outside and usually only driving down the freeway.

Would this have anything to to do with a worn out alternator? The only reason I ask is when idling with the headlights on I can see the dash lights and headlights will fade in and out like its not pulling enough amps!

next time this happens switch over two lanes.... if it goes out...it's a worn contact ring behind the steering wheel.

tends to happen when you are on straightaways a lot.... not noticeable in town when you are constantly turning .

for the alternator.... just spend the 20 dollars for new voltage regulator brushes...they screw in and out in 5 minutes.

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1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

like I always say.... the "S" stands for "spensive"

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1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Is the contact ring expensive to replace? Could it be done by an amature?

As for the Alternator, how many brushes are there? Is that all there is to it, just R/R the brushes and good as new?

regulator.... you buy the regulator which has the brushes attached to it...no more than 25 dollars. as good as new. When I have bought my 300's (i have owned 3). I did these as routine maintainance the same way i changed out all the fluids. It gives me a baseline

contact ring... yes, an amateur could do it... that's what most of us here are.
I believe you need a long torx screwdriver... do a search for the size of the torx and instructions on how to do it.... i think the ring is about 60 dollars...

some have just cleaned the ring contacts and have had success...

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

My SRS light always stays on in the SL for approx 1 1/2 minutes after start up, then it goes off until the next time I start the car. WTF ?? It really doesn't bother me too much,,, at least about the same as when the wiper parks on the right side of the car for a few seconds,,, sometimes.

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95 SL500 Smoke Silver, Parchment 64K
07 E350 4matic Station Wagon White 34K
02 E320 4Matic Silver/grey 80K
05 F150 Silver 44K

This is next up on my list to fix.

Is the contact ring on the back of the wheel, or where the wheel mounts/behind the mount?

I'm gonna try and clean it first and see if my SRS light stops flickering on the freeway.

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Same thing here...don't know why it only happens when it's warm outside but every time I begin seeing it I give it a good spray with canned air and it goes away until another speck of dust works it's way in. Electronics grease would probably work well

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Are you saying you remove the wheel or just shoot around the wheel with compressed air?

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

No removal. I just stick the little straw on the end and shoot into the wheel from behind, not "full" power on the can trigger, jus enough to get dust and stuff out. First time I did it a nice little cloud of dust shot right in my face . Obviously it's not a proper fix but the area of loss of contact in my steering wheel is literally about 1/8" of a turn, for some reason I always hit it perfect when I parallel park on my street. I imagine others with this problem are probably encountering it far more often and throughout more of the wheel's travel/contact

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

Heck, I'll give it a try and report back in a few days to see if it made any difference!
Thanks!

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

It's cheap enough to try, it really depends if it's dust and dirt that gets caught or if the contact plate itself is worn through

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

I've had it since I bought the car back at 66k miles, but it only happened when driving long distances between states. Now in AZ (hot climate coincidence or not...) most freeway driving over 15mins flicks it on and off until I move the wheel.

Roads here are more "straight" than California too, so who knows.

I'm looking for an excuse to upgrade the stock wheel to a leather one anyway. Maybe this it

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

I changed the hub ring out and it solved my intermittent SRS light. I took the steering wheel out a couple of times and cleaned the hub and the light went out for awhile but came back.

It is an expensive part and it may or may not be the cause. I first bought new brushes (cheap) but they did not solve the problem.

Other causes that I have read about are crap in your seat belt buckle and failing alternator.

Two difficulties, 1) a little nerve wracking working around the air bag and 2) getting the steering wheel off. Other than that just a routine take apart, replace and put back together.

With the battery disconnected, there is little to fear in regards to the airbag. Just work off to the side and not in front of the unit.

The most annoying thing is putting the wheel back in the same place it was. That was the problem with my other car. I couldn't get it back in the same slot and ended up losing the orig position -- so I just guessed basically.

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k