My wife just called. She got into our 1998 C230 turned the key, she can't remember if shifted from park to drive, but then there was an immediate loud bang from the back of the car and the car went dead. She could smell something like a burnt clutch. Car is an automatic. The car is dead no power. no horn, nothing. I am on my way to go have it towed to my house. I just replaced the MAF last week although I don't think this would be related. Any ideas.


John

There have been a lot of batteries explode! look in the trunk

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John.

If it is your battery, can you tell me if this is the cars original battery, and if it is a replacement battery - is it a MB battery?

After i posted i thought it might be the battery exploding. i got the car home now but i have not been able to get the trunk open. No power so the laser key won't work and i can't get the mechanical key into the trunk lock. it slides into the door lock fine. i just squirted some pentrant/lubricant in there. hopefully it loosens up. Not sure if its the original battery. i bought the car from an independant dealer ayear and a half ago. I do have the repair history from the original MB dealer. i will see.

Didn't you yanks have a recall on the W202 battery? We have a different battery (I understand due to a "Canadian package that includes a heavier battery and alternator and some other stuff...) so I don't have any details.

The fact that ALL systems on the car are dead, I would suspect the battery. Though I'm not sure why the trunk would not open unless the locking mech has been damaged somehow.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

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I like MBDOC's replies. They often are to the point and based on his vast experience with MB cars.

Dear White951:

You can ALWAYS open your trunk with the master key no matter what! (no power or no vacuum). Just insert the key in the trunk lock hole, turn the key all the way to the left and push it in. The trunk will be unlocked.

I'm pretty sure that the loud bang was due to a battery explosion.
I have seen quite a few old INTERSTATE batteries exploding WHEN CARS WERE STARTED, even though they were Japanese cars. Fortunately, the hoods were closed when explosions happened.

Do not be too cheap on your car's battery. It should be replaced after 6-8 years for safety reasons, if they can last that long. We cannot tell when they will go berserk and explode.

Eric

very interesting but sad to know.

not sure if this helps but I have heard, on some of the post here, that if you rip out the rear seats floor carpets, you will have accss to 2 think harness which runs from the battery to the front.

I was told that you can supply 12 volts to these and than open the boot!

this is as much as I can bring light to this. keep us posted!

Key still will not go all the way into the trunk lock. I had sprayed some penetrant overnight and had hoped it would loosen things up. Last night it did go in a little more but not all the way. I am not sure what to do at the moment. i will be playing with it over the weekend. I just want to get in there as soon as I can to start neutralizing the acid. PProbably will have to chuck everything thats in there. Hope the CD player is OK.

found it. Hope this helps. My car is a W140 but hay W202 could be the same setup!

In situtation like these, any light is GOOD light. Good luck mate.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=34658&highlight=w140+battery

Is there any way to hookup a battery charger anywhere in the engine bay so I can get power to the car to open the trunk? I don't like the idea of ripping out carpet. The key still will not go in to the lock. I pulled out the back seat bottom and back hoping it may have some access to the trunk but its all sealed up back there. i could shine a light in some holes and it looks like any battery electrolite did not get into the trunk area.

If you can get to the starter you should be able to connect a +12V source there...or maybe you can follow the cable to the distribution block in the engine compartment. Another possibility is via the accessory outlet (cigarette ligther) if you only want enough power to open the trunk.

Good luck!

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Glen Tokuhara
Beauty & the Beast and the wagon that could!