Help Engine Management Light, new 2nd hand car!

[justjust1]

Hi,

I just purchased a second hand C180K on a 2003 plate done only 60000.

On driving it home i filled it up with super unleaded at BP and have noticed that the Engine Management light came on!

I phoned the guy who i bought it off who is a trader and he said that as it has been sat on the forecourt for 2-3 months and not been on a long journey this could be the problem it could be the mix he said.
It only happened after i had filled the car up and was on the moterway doing about 60-70MPH.
Any ideas?

 

[carat 3.6]

Welcome to the forum. You need to get the codes read by a diagnostic tool, that will tell you the problem.

 

[justjust1]

The guy said to wait a few days and the light may go out!

Watcha reckon?

 

[rajinder_1]

Hi,

the light will be on due to the ECU recognising a fault somewhere.

Get the codes read and that will tell you whats wrong, maybe a lambda sensor, air mass sensor or something relating to the fuel.

i had it come up due to the mas sensor, but you will defo need to get the codes read to be 100% as it could be something totally different.

Raj

 

[Smiley]

His explanation could be correct. Just use the car for a few days - not very short journeys though and see if it goes out. If not then you need to have the codes read.

 

[steveskeggy]

If you hunt around, you will probably find the OBD2 socket somewhere under your dash, it will probably be on the drivers side but may be on the passengers, mine was underneath a little flap that you pull down, just above the drivers side kick panel .
It should look like a large D-Sub socket.
If you find it then get off to Halfords and get a reader.
Plug it in, then start the engine, then press the scan button and let it do its stuff.
When its done, it should give you a code starting with a letter, usually p, followed by four numbers (different readers may work slightly differently, just read the instructions first).
All you do then is get online and search for OBD2 codes and match the numbers against a chart, then you will have an idea what is wrong, if not exactly what is wrong.
You can also clear the code(s) then if they come back you will know that the problem isnt going to fix itself.
This isnt as accurate as a MB dealer STAR diagnosis would give, but once you have the reader it will work on pretty much all petrol cars made after 2001 and diesel cars made after 2004.

 

[justjust1]

Thanks everyone for your help,

The light has gone out, found out the problem too!

The Petrol tank was run low pretty much empty, so when I refilled the light came on. After driving/restarting the car 4 times light went out.

All documented in the manual!!!!

Now I have a problem with a steering wheel wobble when going round corners. Took the car to Osbornes Maidenhead(German car specialist very helpful garage) they say steering rack needs to be replaced!
I have a warranty and the wobble is not massively bad so will drive it for a few weeks then claim! They said it will be ok!

 

[grober]

Its possible the inner or outer ball joints/u/j' s on the rack could be replaced rather than the whole rack which is an expensive job labour/parts . I would be looking very carefully at the terms of your warranty to see just what is covered= there may be a limit to any one claim or number of claims you can make within the warranty period. Don't put this off too long. The longer the time between sale and claiming gives the trader much more wriggle room in the event of you looking for recompense for selling a car which was not of mechantable quality --which selling a car with defective steering certainly is.
ps How long an MOT does it have?

 

[Dichtung]

+1. W203`s soon have rattly outer ball joints. Relatively inexpensive to replace.

 

[justjust1]

MOT was done in July!

 

[Dichtung]

Bulge on inside tyrewall?

 

[grober]

MOT was done in July!

If it was given a proper MOT in July it should not have passed with a defective steering rack/balljoints!

 

[justjust1]

Yeah that's what I thought with regards to the MOT!

Taken it to a Merc Specialist and also to Merc themselves and they both say new rack is required!!!!

The wobble is very slight, not sure if this would have been picked up on an MOT!!!