Intermitant loss of power (newbie)

[kougar]

Hi Forum - Drove up to Banbury today from Oxford and my "E" class 270cdi on 54 plate - 114 K miles was its usual reliable self cruising along at a steady 60mph. Hit a bit of traffic and t/lights when I noticed the engine would not rev over 3 and half rpm! - no kick down and very poor acceleration. Stopped the car, switched off, back on again, fine no problems. More stopping and starting - same problem came back. Got to Multi storey, parked up for about 5 hours and was dreading the drive home, drove home - no fault found! it was fine- what's going on??

Any thoughts/ideas greatly received (service due in 1000k miles)

 

[BlackC55]

It could be many different items that are at fault.

It needs plugging in firstly.

 

[s55taff]

Diagnostics needed

 

[Mavster]

I had exactly the same thing on my E320 cdi yesterday. It also happened the day I test drove it at the dealer. I told myself that it was probably because the last owner never drove it hard. I got the dealer to check it out before delivery to me, but they said that there were no error codes, and it has to happen while they have the car in their posession to be able to find the issue..

Its really weird when it happens. its like having the speed limiter on. Manual gear change does not help. If you floor the loud pedal it acually accelerates slower than if you just gently push the pedal down half an inch.


When you turn the ignition off for a while, then something seems to reset and then when you try it again, the car puts your head back like an E55

I to would be interested if anyone knows the problem

 

[s55taff]

Strange?

 

[BlackC55]

Plug it in

 

[Mavster]

Hi Forum - Drove up to Banbury today from Oxford and my "E" class 270cdi on 54 plate - 114 K miles was its usual reliable self cruising along at a steady 60mph. Hit a bit of traffic and t/lights when I noticed the engine would not rev over 3 and half rpm! - no kick down and very poor acceleration. Stopped the car, switched off, back on again, fine no problems. More stopping and starting - same problem came back. Got to Multi storey, parked up for about 5 hours and was dreading the drive home, drove home - no fault found! it was fine- what's going on??

Any thoughts/ideas greatly received (service due in 1000k miles)

Got it checked out today as I had the problem again on saturday, and there were some fault codes this time. Apparently there is some switch that is part of the turbo that sticks sometimes and so puts the car into a restricted power mode to protect the engine. So if you then turn the car off and on again this can rectify the problem temporarily...The solution (according to Mercedes) is a new turbo ! Not sure how much that would cost. I have a Used car warranty, so hopefully will be getting a new turbo soon.

 

[jaymanek]

Yes im afraid its not available seperately and so the bill is going to be over £1k.
If the warranty doesnt cover it then I would get an independent garage to do the work as new turbos from Euro Car Parts are less than half MB price.

 

[Aral Rice]

Poor acceleration

My experience with my 2007 E280 CDI is very similar to that of Mavster:

He said: ".. its like having the speed limiter on. Manual gear change does not help. If you floor the loud pedal it acually accelerates slower than if you just gently push the pedal down half an inch. .." Yes, that was my experience yesterday when pulling onto the motorway out of services. Got to 60mph then suddenly no more power (no, the speed limiter wasn't on). Incrementing the cruise control would cause the car to accelerate, but pushing the accelerator to the floor did nothing (but when the pedal was released there was a point on its return when the engine responded). On a second occasion the car was noisily indecisive about changing up and down, and again wouldn't respond to the accelerator.

He said: " ... When you turn the ignition off for a while, then something seems to reset and then when you try it again, the car puts your head back like an E55 ... " Yes, I tried further hard accelerations later in the journey (without, in my case, the engine having been switched off in the meantime) and scared myself with how quick it was, with absolutely no problems in engine or gearbox.

 

[Aral Rice]

Poor/no acceleration W211

Further to my last post, my E280 CDI has shown no further symptoms of poor acceleration. Since I only took delivery of it a week before from a MB dealer, where it had probably sat around for a few weeks being moved short distances, I wonder if the software gets confused under these conditions? Since driving it harder it has shown no more symptoms.

Because it is under guarantee I have booked it into the local MB dealer for a diagnostic check. When I described the symptoms, the service department's initial response was 'yes, they do this sometimes'. Which is both worrying and reassuring ...

 

[Mavster]

I got my turbo replaced under the Mercedes warranty a few weeks ago. No probs since then (fingers crossed) and had a new C class Kompressor to thrash around for the Xmas period from the dealer. I was actually glad to get my E class back with the heated seats and toys.

I can still hear a slight very high pitched whistle from the turbo which was there before also but just a bit louder before. I guess this is normal even for a new turbo?

 

[kougar]

Got it checked out today as I had the problem again on saturday, and there were some fault codes this time. Apparently there is some switch that is part of the turbo that sticks sometimes and so puts the car into a restricted power mode to protect the engine. So if you then turn the car off and on again this can rectify the problem temporarily...The solution (according to Mercedes) is a new turbo ! Not sure how much that would cost. I have a Used car warranty, so hopefully will be getting a new turbo soon.

I have not logged on to the forum for a while but you where spot on! - it was the switch in the turbo and MB now do not sell it as a seperate coponent so I had to have a new complete Turbo. Total bill from a MB specialist was £1750 which is just what you need before Christmas!! Good job I did not use the MB main dealers!!! Now got 12 months warranty on new turbo but had to make sure I had an oil change before 1000 miles or it negatives the warranty