Electronics - instruments flicker and alarms

[s88]

Hello Gents,

I wondered if anyone could offer any advise.
SL 350; R230 ; 2006. approx 56600 miles.

After starting; the front parking sensors come on - red, even if nothing is close by.
then all the needles in the dash drop to zero and return. Trip counters reset.

Numerous warning lamps come on and go off.

Alarms for tyre sensors comes on - not fitted
Alarms for Speedtronic comes on - not fitted.

Cruise does not work and when attempted "visit workshop" comes up. Switch off and on again and it works.

On some days it can do this 3 or 4 times in 100 yards and some days not at all.

Other than all that the car starts and runs fine! Will it always do that?

I have searched on here and interent and found similar but no answer.

I suspect I will have to visit MB, unless anyone knows any Can bus/ MB electronics experts in the Doncaster area?


Thank you,

S88

 

[Deletedmember130310]

Have you had the battery checked properly, whilst it is under load?

MBs are very sensitive to battery condition.

 

[grober]

Any correlation with Rainfall?I'm thinking water ingress somewhere/blocked drain tubes. Doesn't sound like a canbus problem- more like major power failure/shorting or component earth failure.
Digging a bit deeper would indicate that units in the cluster are connected by ribbon/ziff connectors- I wonder if any of these have come loose from vibration and need reseating.
SL Instrument Cluster LCD Panel - Mercedes-Benz Forum

 

[s88]

Have you had the battery checked properly, whilst it is under load?

MBs are very sensitive to battery condition.

Greenmanslk, thanks for the reply.

Both batteries tested recently and Ok i was advised. Thanks

 

[s88]

Any correlation with Rainfall?I'm thinking water ingress somewhere/blocked drain tubes. Doesn't sound like a canbus problem- more like major power failure/shorting or component earth failure.
Digging a bit deeper would indicate that units in the cluster are connected by ribbon/ziff connectors- I wonder if any of these have come loose from vibration and need reseating.
SL Instrument Cluster LCD Panel - Mercedes-Benz Forum

Grober, thanks for the reply. This car appears dry in the areas normally mentioned, passenger footwell and boot.
will look into the ribbon/ziff connectors.
car was tested today and I was advised that many faults were shown, including instrument panel, but when tested from that end it showed no fault!

Thanks again,
S88

 

[AndrewOl]

I had a similar type of thing with my 2006 GL. Turned out to be water ingress and the central gateway had freaked out. If you are dry might be worth checking connections to the gateway. A star session would probably help as if the gateway is goosed then there will be no comms to the car usually.

 

[s88]

I had a similar type of thing with my 2006 GL. Turned out to be water ingress and the central gateway had freaked out. If you are dry might be worth checking connections to the gateway. A star session would probably help as if the gateway is goosed then there will be no comms to the car usually.

Andrew,

Many thanks for the reply.
I think I will book it in to MB Doncaster and see what they make of it. after all they are the experts.

The German Car Specialist and his system found numerous faults but when checked from fault end then there were nil! he could not give me a "fault" and hence did not charge which was good of him.

Where would I find the gateway?

I think these symptoms are more common than we think.

thanks again,
S88

 

[grober]

Andrew,

.

Where would I find the gateway?


S88

2003 SL55 Central getaway mogule Question - Mercedes-Benz Forum

 

[AndrewOl]

I had a similar type of thing with my 2006 GL. Turned out to be water ingress and the central gateway had freaked out. If you are dry might be worth checking connections to the gateway. A star session would probably help as if the gateway is goosed then there will be no comms to the car usually.

Not sure on your model. Is in the passenger footwell in mine along with various other expensive bits and pieces.

 

[s88]

2003 SL55 Central getaway mogule Question - Mercedes-Benz Forum

Grober,
many thanks.
S88

 

[s88]

Not sure on your model. Is in the passenger footwell in mine along with various other expensive bits and pieces.

Andrew,

Thank you,
Will have a look, but apart from prodding wires I think this is beyond my abilities.

S88

 

[s88]

Gents,
Just to report that MB and STAR diagnostics could find no fault.
From my list of issues they would guess at the instrument cluster!
I said i could leave it overnight and when they start it first thing they would see the faults! (ah that would be another 150 quid).

Thanks to all those who offered suggestions.

S88

 

[s88]

Just to add an update to this: the cluster eventually went dark and only the dials worked. No lights or warnings.
This was then diagnosed as a cluster failure! A new one was sourced from MB (which looks slightly different) and fitted.
At the moment no issues at all.

Anyone like to buy a lovely car? It just does not get enough use.