Error after attempted scam 2005 Cls 350

[Mcdaymo]

Hi all,
I had a group attempt to scam me on Thursday with the old ‘oil in the expansion tank’ scam , I think they have also disconnected/removed something as I now get the red visit workshop error. Would anyone have an idea what to look for? 2005 cls 350.....cheers

 

[KennyN]

Could be absolutely anything , they probably unplugged one of the many connections in the engine bay or pulled a fuse / relay from one of the power distribution points either under the bonnet or from within the vehicle.

If they unplugged (then refitted) a sensor / connection while the engine was running then it would also throw up a fault.

I would try and reset the fault using a code reader and take it from there , if you dont have one then maybe your breakdown provider could visit and run a code check to point you in the direction of the issue.

Kenny

 

[Mcdaymo]

Could be absolutely anything , they probably unplugged one of the many connections in the engine bay or pulled a fuse / relay from one of the power distribution points either under the bonnet or from within the vehicle.

If they unplugged (then refitted) a sensor / connection while the engine was running then it would also throw up a fault.

I would try and reset the fault using a code reader and take it from there , if you dont have one then maybe your breakdown provider could visit and run a code check to point you in the direction of the issue.

Kenny

I have an obd2 Bluetooth reader which doesn’t pick up any codes, my more mechanically Minded cousin will be having a look later, hopefully he can sort it....

 

[Mcdaymo]

have put multimeter on the batteries...14v on the main battery when charging 12 v when not. The aux battery shows 12v on either...any ideas?

 

[wongl]

Hi all,
I had a group attempt to scam me on Thursday with the old ‘oil in the expansion tank’ scam , I think they have also disconnected/removed something as I now get the red visit workshop error. Would anyone have an idea what to look for? 2005 cls 350.....cheers

I am interested to learn more of this scam as I am not aware of this. How did they get into your car to disconnect or remove something?

 

[KennyN]

I am interested to learn more of this scam as I am not aware of this. How did they get into your car to disconnect or remove something?

Simples , car is started and the seller and a couple of "buyers" are looking at and discussing the engine , one of the "buyers" asks about the size of the boot / folding down rear seats / exhausts and the seller walks round the car with one of the "buyers" to the rear to answer any questions whilst the other "buyer" now alone unplugs a sensor / connector / pulls a fuse or pours some oil into the expansion tank - next thing the car has an EML displayed or a misfiring engine which is now their main negotiating lever.

K

 

[wongl]

Simples , car is started and the seller and a couple of "buyers" are looking at and discussing the engine , one of the "buyers" asks about the size of the boot / folding down rear seats / exhausts and the seller walks round the car with one of the "buyers" to the rear to answer any questions whilst the other "buyer" now alone unplugs a sensor / connector / pulls a fuse or pours some oil into the expansion tank - next thing the car has an EML displayed or a misfiring engine which is now their main negotiating lever.

K

Interesting - I have been lucky not to have encountered this scam previously having sold most (all but one car) I owned privately.

If this took place while the seller is at the other end of the car, would there have been enough time for the buyer to pull a fuse out of the fusebox? And if they unplugged something, would there be time for them to reach far down into the engine bay?

Ultimately a scan of the car with a decent code reader should reveal the issue?

 

[Mcdaymo]

I have sold the car to trader above the trade in value I was offered by a motorhome dealer I am buying a camper from, I could not for the life of me find what they had done , I have checked every fuse and cable I could see. The trader has got a bargain and he knows it . These guys were very slick and very quick , I was weary of the scam but still got caught out....

 

[Mcdaymo]

Simples , car is started and the seller and a couple of "buyers" are looking at and discussing the engine , one of the "buyers" asks about the size of the boot / folding down rear seats / exhausts and the seller walks round the car with one of the "buyers" to the rear to answer any questions whilst the other "buyer" now alone unplugs a sensor / connector / pulls a fuse or pours some oil into the expansion tank - next thing the car has an EML displayed or a misfiring engine which is now their main negotiating lever.

K

This ... and their were two of us but 3 of them....I realised what was going on but was too late to stop them. They just walked off got into their car and drove off when I confronted them, I forgot to take the reg plate of their . So they got away with it....

 

[DanSL55]

This ... and their were two of us but 3 of them....I realised what was going on but was too late to stop them. They just walked off got into their car and drove off when I confronted them, I forgot to take the reg plate of their . So they got away with it....

That's amazing. I'm selling a car at the moment, thanks for the tip.

 

[Wolfie1]

Bastards!

 

[E55BOF]

As well as oil in the coolant expansion tank, they may also squirt a little oil up the exhaust pipe so there will be a plume of smoke on the test drive. I'd not heard of that before, but when a couple of Romanian crooks tried it on me recently, I felt instinctively that something wasn't right and refused to sell the car until I'd had it fixed. I siphoned the little bit of oil out of the expansion tank the next morning, the smoke had cleared up, and the car was fine.

 

[kcsun]

The country is falling apart, I am so sickened and saddened by the antics of people even when you try to help them

Everybody wants something for nothing these days.

kc