E430 Electrical woes- HELP!
 

I need someone to tell me this won't be expensive!!

My wife takes the 99 E430 to the store, all is well. She returns in 5 minutes, the car won't crank, the radio reads "code". I arrive, connect the cables, and let the bat. charge for a few minutes, and we get a click, nothing else. Out comes the seat cushion, in goes a new battery, the car starts right up. Shut off, replace cushion, restart, and all the abs lights are on, BAS in center of display. after a few moments, these extinguish, it seems all is well. On arriving home, I attempt to shut the windows and sunroof- no way! The rear windows will go down, but they too will not go up. It's 10:00 pm, so I'm done for the day.

Please tell me I'm looking at a circuit breaker or something simple, and not some mega dollar relay that will take 2 days to diagnose!!

Art

Um, I think you had a dead battery and now all the windows (& sunroof) need to relearn the auto-up anti-pinch feature. Roll the windows up manually - don't push the window button through the "click" into the auto up feature. When all the way up, push through the click and hold for 2-3 seconds. The window learns where it is all the way closed, so it can tell the difference between being closed and pinching your kids fingers.

I don't think there's anything wrong with your car, other than reaching the normal five life of the OEM battery.

- JimY

Thanks, Jim. I closed the sunroof with the hex wrench, and tried your suggestion for the windows. I was able to get them closed, and as you suggested, pushed thru to the auto position on the switch to "program" the windows- no luck. After this process, if I attempt to use the auto feature, the windows will go down, then quit functioning until the key is removed and replaced, only to work in the manual switch postion. The sunroof continues to be non-responsive. Any further help would be welcomed!

Art

To normalize the sunroof, you need to hold the switch in the "vent open" position. (Pushing straight up). the sunroof should completely close and resynch.
The steering angle sensor needed to be adapted by turning the steering wheel lock to lock. That was causing the ESP/BAS/ABS
lights and such.
The windows need to be relearned. Using the first detent of the switches, roll each window down and then up. Do not use the second detent or the "express" position to do this.
They need to meausure their complete path of travel before allowing the express feature to operate.
Good luck.
DR.D

Dr. D- Thanks- you're advice was very helpful. The sunroof and all passenger windows are functioning normally- but I can't get the driver's window to respond correctly. I can get it down if I hold the express position for a few seconds, and then the express will function up or down, but I can't seem to get the manual position to work. When I remove the key, the drivers window goes back to non-functional. The other windows are fine.

Art

Does anyone think that disconnecting the bat. again may help getting the driver's window operational? Also, the battery I installed is not the large oem unit, although it fits well in the battery well. Is there any specific reason I should use the large M-B battery?

Thanks,
Art