My sort of broken W221 S600
Discussion
Been after an S600 for ages, but it needed to be cheap. I got one but obviously you get what you pay for and it has a few issues. This thread will be me trying to fix those issues and burning a little super unleaded along the way.
Spotted the car on eBay and over the months watched the price drop and drop and drop. I contacted the guy and did a deal at £3800. One way train ticket and a 200 mile ish drive back what could go wrong? Everything and nothing. Loads of random warning lights speedo flickering steering hardening up at low speed but apart from that it drove really well.
So the saga begins.
Spotted the car on eBay and over the months watched the price drop and drop and drop. I contacted the guy and did a deal at £3800. One way train ticket and a 200 mile ish drive back what could go wrong? Everything and nothing. Loads of random warning lights speedo flickering steering hardening up at low speed but apart from that it drove really well.
So the saga begins.
After some hints and tips from the kind folks over on the 1-5k smoker barge thread me and my mechanic tried a few simple free things. The drains under the bonnet were completely full of leaves and soil. Water was making its way through the firewall through the cabin filters and under the carpet on the passenger side.
There’s a couple of ecu’s under there that seemed unharmed but a couple of earth points had been affected. We hoped this was the issue with the weird electronics. After cleaning up the earth points and resetting on the diagnostics everything seemed to be alright. I’ve left the carpet up to allow everything to dry out but it should be the end of the water getting in for now.
A couple of drives and restarts later the traction/abs/parking sensor warnings are back along with the power steering being heavy.
I’m getting codes for all the abs/speed sensors but with live data they are all working well. Getting 14v when charging and both battery’s on the car were changed a few months ago with genuine Mercedes ones. (They had already been replaced twice before in the last couple of years so obviously a long term problem)
Also getting an Eml and engine misfire, the voltage transformer has been replaced within the last couple of months but not the coils so that will need doing.
There’s a couple of ecu’s under there that seemed unharmed but a couple of earth points had been affected. We hoped this was the issue with the weird electronics. After cleaning up the earth points and resetting on the diagnostics everything seemed to be alright. I’ve left the carpet up to allow everything to dry out but it should be the end of the water getting in for now.
A couple of drives and restarts later the traction/abs/parking sensor warnings are back along with the power steering being heavy.
I’m getting codes for all the abs/speed sensors but with live data they are all working well. Getting 14v when charging and both battery’s on the car were changed a few months ago with genuine Mercedes ones. (They had already been replaced twice before in the last couple of years so obviously a long term problem)
Also getting an Eml and engine misfire, the voltage transformer has been replaced within the last couple of months but not the coils so that will need doing.
I replied on the smokers thread about the drains: glad it might have helped (even if its just preventative).
About the heavy steering / abs warnings: I've had that. Also warnings about cruise etc. Sometimes it would be fine - others not, worse when hot / cold. First time was due to rust inside the rear offside hubcarrier getting between the abs sender ring (the ring of magnets basically) and the sensor. Removing the driveshaft was a pain: but it turned out that corrosion under the sender ring had been fractured it and it was just about held in place by the surrounding rust! Rust stuck to everything magnetic. £10 part: 10 hours of labour. I diagnosed it myself (endoscope down the abs sensor hole).
2nd time was the same on the nearside. Took about 5 hours this time.
I'm not saying that's the issue here: but it might give a clue / starting point.
About the heavy steering / abs warnings: I've had that. Also warnings about cruise etc. Sometimes it would be fine - others not, worse when hot / cold. First time was due to rust inside the rear offside hubcarrier getting between the abs sender ring (the ring of magnets basically) and the sensor. Removing the driveshaft was a pain: but it turned out that corrosion under the sender ring had been fractured it and it was just about held in place by the surrounding rust! Rust stuck to everything magnetic. £10 part: 10 hours of labour. I diagnosed it myself (endoscope down the abs sensor hole).
2nd time was the same on the nearside. Took about 5 hours this time.
I'm not saying that's the issue here: but it might give a clue / starting point.
- Edit: forgot to say - the steering response / feel varies with the cars speed and you normally dont notice it. But when the car isnt sure what speed it is doing - it seems to default to the 'heaviest' setting.
Edited by rocket_ron on Friday 19th April 11:37
ChocolateFrog said:
Good luck.
The insistence of putting sensitive electronics in the footwell is moronic, almost anywhere else would be preferable.
I've also got an irrational hatred of those chrome numberplate surrounds, probably not a priority until the electrical issues are sorted out.
That is the second most important job to carry out, I removed the AMG badge from the boot first :-)The insistence of putting sensitive electronics in the footwell is moronic, almost anywhere else would be preferable.
I've also got an irrational hatred of those chrome numberplate surrounds, probably not a priority until the electrical issues are sorted out.
rocket_ron said:
I replied on the smokers thread about the drains: glad it might have helped (even if its just preventative).
About the heavy steering / abs warnings: I've had that. Also warnings about cruise etc. Sometimes it would be fine - others not, worse when hot / cold. First time was due to rust inside the rear offside hubcarrier getting between the abs sender ring (the ring of magnets basically) and the sensor. Removing the driveshaft was a pain: but it turned out that corrosion under the sender ring had been fractured it and it was just about held in place by the surrounding rust! Rust stuck to everything magnetic. £10 part: 10 hours of labour. I diagnosed it myself (endoscope down the abs sensor hole).
2nd time was the same on the nearside. Took about 5 hours this time.
I'm not saying that's the issue here: but it might give a clue / starting point.
Excellent another great bit of advice, I'll check my ring :-)About the heavy steering / abs warnings: I've had that. Also warnings about cruise etc. Sometimes it would be fine - others not, worse when hot / cold. First time was due to rust inside the rear offside hubcarrier getting between the abs sender ring (the ring of magnets basically) and the sensor. Removing the driveshaft was a pain: but it turned out that corrosion under the sender ring had been fractured it and it was just about held in place by the surrounding rust! Rust stuck to everything magnetic. £10 part: 10 hours of labour. I diagnosed it myself (endoscope down the abs sensor hole).
2nd time was the same on the nearside. Took about 5 hours this time.
I'm not saying that's the issue here: but it might give a clue / starting point.
- Edit: forgot to say - the steering response / feel varies with the cars speed and you normally dont notice it. But when the car isnt sure what speed it is doing - it seems to default to the 'heaviest' setting.
Edited by rocket_ron on Friday 19th April 11:37
TopTrump said:
Wow you are a brave man. I had a 320 cdi and it was the biggest pile of garbage car I have even owned. Everything went wrong, it cost a bomb every time to put right and couldn't see the back of it soon enough.
Huge testees required. Well done sir!
My last car was the 320cdi version and to be fair very little went wrong with it, but if I'm going to waste time and money fixing one it might as well be the best one.Huge testees required. Well done sir!
bolidemichael said:
I agree about the fake chrome number plate surrounds. I was going to suggest some UK-legal pressed Danz Benz plates, but I cannot seem to find them online any longer.
Bugger, was only thinking about a pair of those chrome jobbies the other day, will go and plead guilty on the Council thread now.
Misfire is showing at only one cylinder (cylinder 7) so we are changing the plugs there’s only 24 of them :-) then will inevitably end up ordering the coil/s when that doesn’t solve it. It’s already had the voltage regulator replaced a couple of months ago.
The spark plugs haven’t been done since 2012 but only 30k ago.
The weird electrical issues have not gone away they come and go but all the codes relate to the ABS pump I believe so will get one of those ordered and banged in. Still love it at the moment but let’s see how long that lasts.
The spark plugs haven’t been done since 2012 but only 30k ago.
The weird electrical issues have not gone away they come and go but all the codes relate to the ABS pump I believe so will get one of those ordered and banged in. Still love it at the moment but let’s see how long that lasts.
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