2009 C207 E250 won't start after being hit

[sammy1234]

Hello lovely people,
I've asked this question and haven't been able to get a definitive answer and was hoping someone here would be able to help :

So basically my car was parked and a lorry reserved into it and also the parked car next to it moving the car a couple of feet.

The damage is in the picture with the ground showing how much the car had moved.

TBH it doesn't look too bad - but when I got in the car to drive home nothing works - as soon as the key goes into the ignition everything shuts down - no display, no steering, brakes, and transmission won't go out of P.

When the recovery for the other car arrived, he said it's tripped a safety fuse, and apparently on this car it can only be reset by the main dealer. And apparently the car requires a specialised cherry picker style tow truck to get there.

I've gone through the web and there's a lot of conflicting info about this safety cut off switch. I was hoping someone here would have a definitive answer ie can I get a mobile mechanic to come and reset it ?

Thank you very much for your help.

Best,
Sammy

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[ALFAitalia]

Ouch.....Don't know the answer.....but that looks like a write off to me. Be interesting to here the insurers view.

 

[DSM10000]

Ouch.....Don't know the answer.....but that looks like a write off to me. Be interesting to here the insurers view.

That car is not repairable economically and will be written off.

Make sure you get a proper payout and look forward to finding your next car

 

[fabes]

Ouch.

Yeah, on a 2009 car that's going to be more than it's worth, plus the salvage will have some value.

A pity

Arm yourself with several ads from AT to prove the cost of directly replacing your car, not some vague 'book price' that they will open with.

Did you get the lorry's insurers details?
And if so ask them for a hire car aswell (don't do a TP credit hire arrangement)

 

[ALFAitalia]

They don't fall for the AT price stuff any more.... they know full well that most times the advertised price is nowhere near the sale price. Searching on eBay completed listing is good ammo though. But most won't go much over Glasses retail...because that is largely based on what real cars sold for in the previous couple of months. Best if luck OP.

 

[fabes]

Hmm, agree to disagree.

How many traders have the net margin and therefore can discount sticker price?
By a couple of hundred.perhaps

A warranty from one might be argued betterment (if the claims handler was smart enough, but many aren't...) but it's still the yardstick and even now scores the pricing for traders based on price advertised at point of withdrawal and therefore a sale (in most cases)

Good luck OP aswell

 

[sammy1234]

Guys,

A huge thanks for the love !

It got hit by a lorry trying to find a place to park but thankfully they've sent me all their insurance and driver details. Also the shunt was fully captured on my hotel's CCTV.

Looked up my insurance and I have a £945 excess (apparently refundable), and I've sent the pics to my bodywork chap and as everyone here has said, he's sure it's a write off.

But both he and my mechanic say they've never encountered this "Mercedes safety reset switch" which immobilises everything as soon as I put the key in the ignition.

Apparently a lot of cars will trip a switch, and on Fords it's under the spare wheel area. I'll call a couple of Merc specialists to see if they can shed any light.

Thanks again for your comments - really appreciate it.

Best,

Sammy

 

[Petrol Pete]

I remember years ago a tech I was working with was trying to beat a hasty retreat from a customers site (don't ask) , he 'hoofed' his 25Kg tool case into the boot only to find the car would not run afterwards.

Ford Escort 1.6i (the "i" was very important back then.)

The AA man turned up and re set the safety doo hickey in the boot and off he went ...hours later.

The Rover 214/414 some of us drove back then had the same behind the ashtray forward of the gearstick .

these were G reg cars so I can see no reason why such devices are still not used in modern cars.

 

[WilliamMaldivess211]

Guys,

A huge thanks for the love !

It got hit by a lorry trying to find a place to park but thankfully they've sent me all their insurance and driver details. Also the shunt was fully captured on my hotel's CCTV.

Looked up my insurance and I have a £945 excess (apparently refundable), and I've sent the pics to my bodywork chap and as everyone here has said, he's sure it's a write off.

But both he and my mechanic say they've never encountered this "Mercedes safety reset switch" which immobilises everything as soon as I put the key in the ignition.

Apparently a lot of cars will trip a switch, and on Fords it's under the spare wheel area. I'll call a couple of Merc specialists to see if they can shed any light.

Thanks again for your comments - really appreciate it.

Best,

Sammy

Could it be the pyro fuse? - I have only seen this on most of May Armstrong’s rebuilds though!

 

[m80]

Looked up my insurance and I have a £945 excess (apparently refundable),

Yep, it's a loss to you if you claim through your insurance.
Consider claiming from his, although that is often through an agent that can then complicate things

But both he and my mechanic say they've never encountered this "Mercedes safety reset switch" which immobilises everything as soon as I put the key in the ignition.

I haven't either, but stranger things I suppose.
Personally I can't see the advantage of designing one in.
Especially if there is still power available that could cause ignition to a fuel leak.

I would be considering a poor 12 volt connection, at battery or elsewhere.

But it seems to me that you have the choice to just let insurance fetch and dispose.
Or if you don't mind a not invisible repair, have it repaired and use it after buying back from insurance.
The car can still do as it ever did

 

[DSM10000]

Guys,

A huge thanks for the love !

It got hit by a lorry trying to find a place to park but thankfully they've sent me all their insurance and driver details. Also the shunt was fully captured on my hotel's CCTV.

Looked up my insurance and I have a £945 excess (apparently refundable), and I've sent the pics to my bodywork chap and as everyone here has said, he's sure it's a write off.

But both he and my mechanic say they've never encountered this "Mercedes safety reset switch" which immobilises everything as soon as I put the key in the ignition.

Apparently a lot of cars will trip a switch, and on Fords it's under the spare wheel area. I'll call a couple of Merc specialists to see if they can shed any light.

Thanks again for your comments - really appreciate it.

Best,

Sammy

Your insurance excess isn't relevant

You will not be claiming from your company. Make it very clear to your insurer that you are claiming from the other party

 

[tonysmb]

I don't know the answer, however, it's possible either the car now isn't recognising the key or the ecu needs a reset after the impact.

In addition to what's already been suggested, you could try disconnecting the batteries (I'm assuming yours also has an auxiliary battery in the boot, near the spare wheel), leave for a few minutes, reconnect and see if that resets something. Failing that, it might possibly need a reset by a dealer or someone with STAR.

You have my sympathies; if it's otherwise a good car, some basic bodywork might be enough to keep it on the road, even if the ins company declare it a write-off. Not ideal, obviously, but a possible option.