Help Needed please near York

[Timster]

Help required near York please!

My wife has just driven to near York in her new (to us) S203.

She reports that about 30 mins before arriving the car went into a kind of limp mode.

Initially losing power between 50 and 60mph then between 40 and 60mph finally between 30 and 60 mph. She says that it now takes about 2 minutes to creep from 30 to 60. Once it reaches 60 it's ok.

The problem is I'm in scotland.

Can anyone suggest what might be wrong?

Is there a good Indy nearby anyone can recommend?

If not sounds like I'd better take out an AA membership with roadside assistance and "to me home" cover!

Postcode where she's staying with friends for the weekend is: YO32

Thanks in advance.

Tim

 

[Timster]

Ps - only symptom I've noticed is when starting car from cold glow plug light goes out as normal. Car starts fine. Then glow plug light comes on again for another 30 seconds approximately.

Could it be a glow plug issue?

 

[Timster]

Can't imagine it's related to glow plugs. More likely a leaky pipe or turbo?

 

[gIzzE]

No way it is a glow plug issues.
Has she turned the car off and restarted?

It is in limp mode, but electrical rather than gearbox by the sounds of things.

My guess would be the swirlflap motor.

Ask her to see if it is OK when she first drives off, so accelerate fairly briskly and then see if it looses power again.


It could also be the maf of course.

 

[ChrisA]

Mercedes-Benz York
Centurion Park
Clifton Moorgate
York
Yorkshire
United Kingdom
YO30 4WW

Only a 10min limp

Really good Customer Service

They'll place car on STAR and sort it there and then if she puts on the waterworks

 

[davidjpowell]

MB Service history? Mobilio if so...

 

[davidjpowell]

There is sometimes a minimum time before you can use get me home cover..... check carefully

 

[dozypillock]

There is sometimes a minimum time before you can use get me home cover..... check carefully

Green flag came out to us on the day our policy started, if that's any help.
We have a joint policy through caravan club for under £100, that will take us to destination, with caravan, on either car, and then home again at end of holiday if not fixed.
Only went with them due to RAC not covering caravan, apparently.
Had RAC through car insurance, but needed more cover so set it up to change on a particular date. Day of change arrived, and was picking Merc up from garage, with misses following, when the driveshaft went in the Focus. Got superb service, after we googled their number, amid the confusion over who we were covered through (Merc has RAC through insurance still, but only till renewal, and only, it seems, for that vehicle).
Rang green flag, and they were absolutely brilliant, with no questions asked. Kept in constant contact with whereabouts of driver etc, and seemed almost pleased to help.
Credit where credit is due.
Cannot recommend them highly enough, and will transfer everything to them next year.

Neil

 

[gIzzE]

When I said I think it is the swirl flap motor, there is a very cheap fix.

a 4.7k resistor pushed into the electrical connector.

is it a C270cdi by any chance?

 

[Timster]

Thanks for all the info. It's a C220 Cdi.

Will decide tomorrow what to do about it. Think I'll go for a breakdown recovery option.

 

[Timster]

Mb York will have a look at the car this morning for her. Happy days. Cheers folks!

 

[Wheelsnuts]

I hope it's a simple fix for her. I have found MB York to be helpful and reliable in the past. Good luck.

 

[Timster]

Fabulous service from MB York. They let her bring the car in.

Plugged it straight in for her. Reported only a low voltage fault. Checked the gearbox and gave her the all clear!

Didn't charge her.
Gave her coffee.
Complimented her on the car.
Recommended she get a new battery at somepoint.

Can't fault them.
Brilliant service.

Thanks MB club for the advice and recommendation.

Happy days!

 

[Timster]

Incidentally the car behaved normally this morning when she got in it!

 

[davidjpowell]

Fabulous service from MB York. They let her bring the car in.

Plugged it straight in for her. Reported only a low voltage fault. Checked the gearbox and gave her the all clear!

Didn't charge her.
Gave her coffee.
Complimented her on the car.
Recommended she get a new battery at somepoint.

Can't fault them.
Brilliant service.

Thanks MB club for the advice and recommendation.

Happy days!

That's the sort of service that all dealers should give..... Good to hear a positive outcome.

ETA - That's what used to set MB apart.

 

[Dieselman]

The fault can't have been low battery voltage, unless the voltage regulator is duff, as it happened during the journey.

In the absence of error codes, I would think the MAF might be faulty. Either way, if it actually keeps going, I wouldn't worry too much.

About 9 months ago, I needed to get to Cheltenham pretty quickly in heavy rain on the M5. For the first time ever, the intake sucked in water and put the car in limp home mode. It kept moving, so I let it...

 

[LTD]

Poor batteries can develop a charge overnight. We all know that a poor start after an internal light is left on is often cured by leaving the car a while the let the car start and recharge the system. No different from a poor battery needing a bit of time to get it's breathe back .....

Any battery of an age is best swapped out at the first sign of electrical issues. They will only return to bite you when you need the car .... that's the rules ?