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  #1  
Old 01-27-2006, 02:07 PM
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malfunction message modern Benz

Car 2002 C240 ,7K miles, warranty up in March.

A few times with car running I have gotten a '1 malfunction` warning on the dash display.

When I turn car off or flip through Command function on steering wheel the '1 Malfunction' goes away and I get a 'No Malfunction' message. There was never any description of the cause. Pressing the RESET button once car has been turned off retrieves nothing.

Dealer says there is no method of retrieving Malfunctions ( or accessing the cause ) when this happens. Is this right?

I did a search on this forum and didn't find anything.

I have an inkling the problem may be a bad Brake Switch, from another dealership swork. But this is just a guess.

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  #2  
Old 01-27-2006, 02:54 PM
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Most common we find is the tele-aid system. (emergency call)
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  #3  
Old 01-27-2006, 03:26 PM
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thanks MB Doc that is interesting I would never have thought that.

I'll keep an eye on that and see if I can detect anything.
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  #4  
Old 01-27-2006, 04:10 PM
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Why not check for malfunctions while the car is running? Low Fuel Warning and Low Windshield Washer appear as malfunctions in the MFD. So it could be one of them. Next time you need to go to the page in the MFD thaty says # Malfunction and then up or down arrow to see what it is. This of course is very simple to do. If it is red then it is a serious one and will display it. A normal one is not as important and therefore just comes up as # Malfunction after you clear it off the screen by changing menus.
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  #5  
Old 01-27-2006, 04:55 PM
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mctwin, With my car I've had a history of getting intermittent MALFUNCTIONS, that always clear when the engine is turned off.
Today I did search for the malfunction with the engine on. When months back I had a BAS/ESP Malfunction I photographed the errors on the display to show the dealer. And I was curious if there were a method for the dealer to retrieve these Malfunctions at a latter time even though my dash display showed nothing.


BTW I live in Baltimore County and my favourite bonzai run is up Interstate 83 Harrisburg expwy to York and then back down to Balto.
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  #6  
Old 01-29-2006, 08:18 PM
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W203 (and W211 and W220) malfunction warnings

My '01 C320's favorite warning is "crankcase overfilled". The first time this hysterical announcement lit up all red, I did take it up with my dealer. They may or may nor have reset the measurement parameters. I still see it every few months and I just smile and hit the reset button. Fool me once........

This is the sort of thing that skews the JD Power surveys and has so little real significance. Except to first time MB owners, that is. I'm used to things like this after thirty years of MB ownership.

That's why I'm going to order a W204 as soon as it becomes possible to do so.
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  #7  
Old 01-29-2006, 08:44 PM
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I started this thread, and I used to get the same crankcase overfill message also.

Instead of taking it back to the dealer I did my own oil change and never got the nessage again. Are you sure the dealer didn't slightly overfill?

My overfill warning would only happen during highway driving and the car was well warmed.

Actually the malfunction messages don't piss me off too much as long as the car always starts and never breaks down.

Your not going to wait for three years of 204 production in order to get a sorted out car?
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  #8  
Old 01-29-2006, 08:56 PM
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If the oil level is really over the max level to the point that it triggers the warning on the instrument cluster (obviously verify with the dipsitck), I would remove the excess before driving it any further.
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  #9  
Old 01-29-2006, 09:14 PM
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these 203's have no dipstick, so you sit parked, engine off with the car level and use the dash display to chk oil level. I would chk the oil through that method and it would read perfect, then while out driving I'd get an urgent message on the dash, warning of an overfill.
Kind of wild cause if your really low the dash display would even tell if your half, or one quart etc. low.
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  #10  
Old 01-29-2006, 10:31 PM
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W203 Malfunction display

<>

As long as the car had four years of free service, it went back to the dealer for it. Additionally, I change oil at the 5000 mile point just because it makes me feel good. M1 0W40, of course. As to the chance of a real overfill, not possible since I use the shop oil level check on the MFD which reads to the tenth quart. And, I own a shop dipstick (since in the W203 no dipstick is present) which I can use as an accurate backup. It's just an extra long dipstick which is called a "shop tool" so that MB can charge $110 for it. No matter, since the engine uses no oil anyway and I know it's not manufacturing it's own.

<>

Mine lights up at random times but only when warm.

<>

And it does just that. What with no engine driven fan, aux fans, AC compressor clutches or built-in oil leaks.

<>

That would then be about 2011. Don't think so. I have on my desk a photo from the internet which my dealer now admits is the car since they have now seen the official MB photos. As to first year German cars, I know about that, having owned a few Porsches. But, the engines and transmissions will carry over and most of the features are used now , so it's a new car with older proven (my theory) mechanicals. And just last week, I inspected a new 2007 S550 at the dealer and it's clear that this is the first car produced after MB's statement that quality was coming back. The panel fit and paint quality was beyond reproach and the interior (in Cashmere Beige) was a knockout and fully as well put together as a present day Rolls. Or Audi A8, for that matter.
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  #11  
Old 01-30-2006, 03:06 AM
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If your car has Tele-aid, can you press the wrench symbol and have the tech diagnose the problem over the air?

I recently bought my daughter a CPO 2002 C320 wagon. At the first gas fill up I went to check the oil and was surprised to find no dipstick

I am old school and I am not sure I like that.

BTW, the C320 wagon is a hoot to drive. It handles way better than my E320. It actually feels like a sports car with a huge trunk :-)
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  #12  
Old 01-30-2006, 11:23 PM
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malfunction messages/TeleAid/Oil measuring

<>

Mine does but I haven't used that button. I did press the question mark button when the car was new and asked some technical question or other. I do know that stored codes can be extracted so that the tech driving the service wagon has some idea of what to bring along.

<>

CPO??

Yes, there is no dipstick. No dedicated oil pressure idiot light either but most likely the check engine light will come on. As time goes on, you will get over worrying about it, as I did. At each fillup, I check the oil using the MFD buttons. OK/NOT OK. From time to time, I check it using the other MFD method that I mentioned in a previous post.

BTW, MB has not only jacked up the base price on the '06 C320 but has removed TeleAid and rear door airbags (and more, probably) from the standard equipment list. TeleAid now costs $850 or so and I won't buy it in my next car.

If you would like to check the oil the accurate way, here's how.
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Sitting in the driver seat with the door closed,

Insert key and turn to position one.

On the steering wheel's left button group, press the down menu (left side) button once or twice to dismiss the odo reading.

Immediately press and hold the odo reset button until the dashboard beeps. Takes up to 45 seconds.

Release it and press the up-menu button once (right side) which will change the display.

Turn the key to position 2.

In a moment, the oil quantity will be displayed (8.2 quarts, for example) along with some technical info about the MFD itself plus the engine type and version. You can drive the car with this display visible and it's interesting how much oil is in the engine when it's running.
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I attempted this on a friends W211 E500 and it didn't work so this must be a W203 procedure on pre-facelift cars with the semicircular instrument panel.
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Last edited by ROGER E.; 01-31-2006 at 02:10 AM.
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  #13  
Old 01-31-2006, 12:26 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROGER E.
<>

Mine does but I haven't used that button. I did press the question mark button when the car was new and asked some technical question or other. I do know that stored codes can be extracted so that the tech driving the service wagon has some idea of what to bring along.

<>

CPO??

Yes, there is no dipstick. No dedicated oil pressure idiot light either but most likely the check engine light will come on. As time goes on, you will get over worrying about it, as I did. At each fillup, I check the oil using the MFD buttons. OK/NOT OK. From time to time, I check it using the other MFD method that I mentioned in a previous post.

BTW, MB has not only jacked up the base price on the '06 C320 but has removed TeleAid and rear door airbags (and more, probably) from the standard equipment list. TeleAid now costs $850 or so and I won't buy it in my next car.

If you would like to check the oil the accurate way, here's how.
_________________

Sitting in the driver seat with the door closed,

Insert key and turn to position one.

On the steering wheel's left button group, press the down menu (left side) button once or twice to dismiss the odo reading.

Immediately press and hold the odo reset button until the dashboard beeps. Takes up to 45 seconds.

Release it and press the up-menu button once (right side) which will change the display.

In a moment, the oil quantity will be displayed (8.2 quarts, for example) along with some technical info about the MFD itself plus the engine type and version. You can drive the car with this display visible and it's interesting how much oil is in the engine when it's running.
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I attempted this on a friends W211 E500 and it didn't work so this must be a W203 procedure on pre-facelift cars with the semicircular instrument panel.
CPO = Certified Pre Owned

I got a 2005 C240 loaner from the dealer and it did nothave the Tele Aid. I thought it was only the C240 where the Tele-Aid was an option. Apparently not.

I think that MB makes a mistakes when it does not offer Tele Aid as a standard feauture across all model lines. First, it is a great selling point, like OnStar (we have that in our Yukon and I love it); and Second people who buy cars with Tele Aid tend to renew the service after the original term expires, making Benz more money. I'd rather have Tele Aid than Sirius or XM radio, but oh well.

The wrench button is great for those intermittent problems that magically go away as soon as you pull into the dealer's parking lot. I am sorry that my 1998 E320 does nothave it and it would be the only reason why I would trade in a car that has worked well, and is paid for, for a newer E series.

I know what you mean about no missing the oildipstick. I bought the car for my oldest daughter and I really don't want her messing around under the hood checking oil and stuff (I don't want her messing around anywhere else for that matter either).

I do miss the oil pressure gauge though. It can be an engine saver if you detect changes in the pressure pattern. I don't like driving a car w/o an oil pressure gauge. I also miss the funky "economy" gauge in the old W124 and W126 series. I still get a blast trying to keep the needle in the "economy" side while driving around in my old 300TE. But oh well....

Thanks for the info on how to check the MFD for oil level. I'll check it out.
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  #14  
Old 01-31-2006, 09:27 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ethan
mctwin, With my car I've had a history of getting intermittent MALFUNCTIONS, that always clear when the engine is turned off.
Today I did search for the malfunction with the engine on. When months back I had a BAS/ESP Malfunction I photographed the errors on the display to show the dealer. And I was curious if there were a method for the dealer to retrieve these Malfunctions at a latter time even though my dash display showed nothing.


BTW I live in Baltimore County and my favourite bonzai run is up Interstate 83 Harrisburg expwy to York and then back down to Balto.
I get the quart low warning about 8000 miles after the change. I add a half quart only at this time since I have no dipstick to verify the idiot light. But of course I also get warnings once in a while of course for low fuel and low washer fluid as well. I hate the fact that low washer fluid is considered a malfunction, should be warning. But hey it is just wording. At 43000 miles I got a low coolant warning once. I do get once in a while license plate lamp out as well even though the lamp is in fine working order. I have had it replaced twice already and both times the old bulb was still working and seemed the right intensity compared to the other one. Silly electronics in these damn cars.

I was lucky and never once got the BAS/ESP warnings. I did have an alternator issue due to a weak alternator. Car ran fine just had the idiot warning come up after a cold start. Restart and it went away. When they replaced the alternator they forgot or did not know to reset my auto leveling on my Bi-Xenon headlights. Lights would aim almost straight down when I would start the car. Did not notice til three days after the work since we did not drive it at night at all during those three days.

Where do you go out in York?
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1986 190E 2.3 Black, Auto, Mods to come soon.....
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  #15  
Old 01-31-2006, 10:04 AM
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I'm embarrased for myself to tell you this, but a bonzai run is pretty much taking the car out for a drive to see how fast you can go. Usually just shoot right up expway and turn around. Most times early morning when there is little or no traffic
Really is an incredible road rain or shine.
I TRY to be very safe, I'll slow down as I get near or pass other traffic.
With the deer population and a recent murder on the side of the road in Maryland near the border with PA., I am holding off from any more runs.
The C240 isn't used often so I try just to put some miles on it.
It was during one of these runs that my ESP/BAS warning went off.
But I do go to Browns Orchard: Apples, apple butter, cider, pies in York County.

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