2009 E280 CDI SPORTS ESTATE - COMPLETE FAILURE OF DISPLAY + OTHER FUNCTIONS

[johnsco]

Hi All.
BIG PROBLEM this morning.
Put the key in - No panel display at all.
The panel is completely blank - Nothing at all - No lights - Clock stopped (although the time in the radio display is still running).
The turn-lights and emergency flashers still work but the panel repeaters don't.
The headlights come on when set to off, but go off when side-lights is selected.
Main beam only works when lights are set to on (3rd clockwise position).
Horn doesn't work.
Cruise control and speed limiter doesn't work.
Brake "HOLD" doesn't work.
There may be other things that I haven't spotted yet.
Other than the above - The car starts, goes OK - Stops OK - and appears to perform OK.
So far - I haven't done anything .
Could it be a fuse ? If so - Which one and where ?
Should I disconnect the battery and reconnect ?
Good advice needed - Urgently - Before I go to Rodley Motors and ask them to plug it in.

 

[55AMGCLK]

I have had a similar problem with my car in the past. The issue was a low battery. Drove the car for 30 mins or so and all fine after that. It has happened again and all fine again after charging the battery.

Is the battery fully charged?

 

[johnsco]

.
Thanks 55AMGCLK.
The battery is only a couple of years old and it started the car first turn of the key - So it can't be all that bad.
However - It hasn't had all that much use recently.
The weather was pretty cold yesterday.
So -It might just be what you say.
I'll get it on the charger over-night and see if it improves things.
Thanks for your help.
J.

 

[55AMGCLK]

.
Thanks 55AMGCLK.
The battery is only a couple of years old and it started the car first turn of the key - So it can't be all that bad.
However - It hasn't had all that much use recently.
The weather was pretty cold yesterday.
So -It might just be what you say.
I'll get it on the charger over-night and see if it improves things.
Thanks for your help.
J.

Exactly the same as my car John. Started and drove fine but no cluster. My findings were that if the battery drops below a certain level, the instrument cluster is one of the items that are turned off. I was quite surprised by this as I would have said the instrument cluster is the most important system to show you what speed you are doing!

 

[geraldrobins]

I had the same problem and MB diagnosed a new cluster required. The quote was £1400 but MB paid half as the car was only 4 years old.
I hope your problem is battery related.

 

[johnsco]

Thanks guys ... Much appreciate your comments.
I certainly hope it's battery-related.
I certainly don't want a £1400 hit ....... That's what I was fearing.

Regarding saving power if the battery is in a low state, I wouldn't think the panel used that much power.
Especially, as the headlights come on when the switch is turned to OFF.

I'll charge the battery and report back.
Probably tomorrow now as it's very dark and cold out there.

 

[alexanderfoti]

If not, then front sam is a likely culprit, although a disconnection of the battery and reconnect may recover it.

 

[zipdip]

Disconnect the battery for 20 mins,you just might need to reset it

 

[55AMGCLK]

Worst case there are companies that will repair the cluster for a lot less. I think the cost was around £150 when I last looked thinking that my cluster had failed.

 

[johnsco]

Thanks again.
First thing tomorrow, I'm going to get the battery on charge.
Then - If that doesn't do it - I'll do the 20 minute battery disconnection.
I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that will do the trick.

 

[zipdip]

Well the only time I had that happen was in the company car took it to the dealers with hardly anything working very strange driving without the speed or anything else going on the dash,I was trying to get in touch with our mechanic driving there,anyway they said it needed a whole new dash,but they would effect a repair for now,and gave me the car back after 30 mins,our mechanic said ring them up and cancel the dash he said all they did was disconnect the battery ,so that is what I suggest to you,because your car is just like mine was,it is well worth a try,also my/company car never did it again.

 

[johnsco]

Thanks zipdip
J.

 

[Fununcle]

Thanks zipdip
J.

 

[johnsco]

Hi Guys.
SUCCESS !! ...... At least 95 per cent success.

I disconnected the battery and gave it a good charge.
From the voltage reading (approx 14 volts), I reckon it should be about fully-charged.
When I reconnected the battery and started it up, all the panel lit up and the various light-switch positions all seemed to work OK.
The brake hold position seems OK. The clock reset itself. All good
I haven't given it a real long run to check out everything - But the panel is alive.
With the engine running, the battery voltage reads approx 14 volts.
With the engine stopped, the reading is a touch over 12 v.

There is one small malfunction.
The engine management light stays on.
The car starts and drives OK in all respects.
I suspect that the management unit has logged a fault code that doesn't reset when the battery is disconnected.
I may have to take it in to scan the codes and reset this one.

Thanks for help so far.
Any suggestions please.

 

[johnsco]

I did one foolish thing while doing the job.
After disconnecting the battery, I dropped the tailgate.
A bad mistake.
With no power, you can't open it from the outside.
I had to tackle it from the back-seats.
The hardest bit was removing the luggage cover and then reconnecting the battery terminal while leaning over the back seat.
A lesson learned !!

 

[jimbg]

Measure the voltage when the battery is "rested", say a couple of hours after you last used it.

You should have around 12.6 volts

 

[55AMGCLK]

Hi Guys.
SUCCESS !! ...... At least 95 per cent success.

I disconnected the battery and gave it a good charge.
From the voltage reading (approx 14 volts), I reckon it should be about fully-charged.
When I reconnected the battery and started it up, all the panel lit up and the various light-switch positions all seemed to work OK.
The brake hold position seems OK. The clock reset itself. All good
I haven't given it a real long run to check out everything - But the panel is alive.
With the engine running, the battery voltage reads approx 14 volts.
With the engine stopped, the reading is a touch over 12 v.

There is one small malfunction.
The engine management light stays on.
The car starts and drives OK in all respects.
I suspect that the management unit has logged a fault code that doesn't reset when the battery is disconnected.
I may have to take it in to scan the codes and reset this one.

Thanks for help so far.
Any suggestions please.

Hi Guys.
SUCCESS !! ...... At least 95 per cent success.

I disconnected the battery and gave it a good charge.
From the voltage reading (approx 14 volts), I reckon it should be about fully-charged.
When I reconnected the battery and started it up, all the panel lit up and the various light-switch positions all seemed to work OK.
The brake hold position seems OK. The clock reset itself. All good
I haven't given it a real long run to check out everything - But the panel is alive.
With the engine running, the battery voltage reads approx 14 volts.
With the engine stopped, the reading is a touch over 12 v.

There is one small malfunction.
The engine management light stays on.
The car starts and drives OK in all respects.
I suspect that the management unit has logged a fault code that doesn't reset when the battery is disconnected.
I may have to take it in to scan the codes and reset this one.

Thanks for help so far.
Any suggestions please.

Good result, the symptoms were pretty much the same as what I had in may car. I did not get the EML though, I would drive it around a bit and see if it clears itself.

 

[johnsco]

Thanks jimbg for that table of voltages.
I never realised that there was so little difference between the full charge and half charge voltages at rest.
or ... between 50% and 20% for that matter.
It's a piece of poor design on the part of MB that this critical voltage occurs when there is still easily-enough life in the battery to start the car first-turn when it's been sitting outside for a week.
It's just a recipe for trouble.

As you say 55AMGCLK, I'll drive it for a while and see if the EML light clears by itself.
I don't think there's anything actually amiss with it.

 

[johnsco]

Update on the above.
Having driven the car about half a dozen times, the EML has switched itself off.
Using a precision voltmeter, I checked the battery voltage after some intermittant use when the car had been standing for about 48 hours.
The voltage was 12.3 volts.
I've had no further problems and all is well.
So - Thanks again to those who were so helpful.