Preglow indicator light

[Reefergeezer]

Hi all,

I've had a bit of an issue with the preglow indicator on my 2009 CLS which seems to come on mid-journey now and then.

The first time was after about 150 miles of a motorway journey had been done and it kep coming on/going off for the remainder of the journey (anoth 75 miles). It now comes on occasionally for short periods on short journeys.

There is no noticeable change in performance so was wondering what it could be and whether it can be ignored for a while...or if I should start saving up!!

This is my first diesel car as well as my first Merc but from what little I know, preglows are needed to help start an engine, not mid-way into a journey...of course, that could be completely wrong so always willing to be educated

Thanks.

 

[whitenemesis]

Indicates a problem with the glow plugs or controller possibly a loose connection if it comes and goes.

Get the car on STAR and check for any fault codes. Probably nothing to worry about and shouldn't cause any starting or running issues so could wait for next service.

 

[zipdip]

Well as it is to do with the glow plugs,you might even find out what the problem is with a ordinary scanner I used a icarsoft one when I had a glow plug go and needed to find which one,your problem as whitenemesis has posted might be a loose connection,but without doubt the STAR will find the problem,and it could wait to a service to be done.

 

[Reefergeezer]

Thanks.Just had it service 7 weeks ago and forgot to mention it then but that was because it hadn't happened in a while so it slipped my mind.

Does anyone here know of anywhere that I can get codes read in North/East London without resorting to MB? If not, I'll find a way somehow...

 

[zipdip]

Thanks.Just had it service 7 weeks ago and forgot to mention it then but that was because it hadn't happened in a while so it slipped my mind.

Does anyone here know of anywhere that I can get codes read in North/East London without resorting to MB? If not, I'll find a way somehow...

Well these guys get good reviews I have never used them but members have,they are in the East End of London telephone 020 85221818 they are Prestige Car Services they are in E7,

 

[Reefergeezer]

Just to clarify, regarding possible loose connection, it is not as if it flashes on and off. I meant it comes on for a while, then goes off.

Most of my journeys tend to be pretty short (45 mins or so) and it now seems to come on daily a few minutes into the journey and stays on for a couple of minutes before going off.

Thanks for the info re the garage in E7 which isnt far at all - I'll try to give them a call on Friday.

 

[whitenemesis]

Sounds more and more like a failed glow plug

 

[bob6600]

If you don't have a scanner, you could check with a meter

 

[zipdip]

Well a meter is a good idea but this is the V6 and the glow plugs are buried deep,

 

[zipdip]

I would buy a icarsoft i980 and find out what glowplug has gone wrong,then at least you have the scanner if anything else goes wrong,I did it for my S320 found it was number 5 then got the local mechanic to change it took him 20 mins and cost me £20,you need a long socket to get them out,you can buy the glow plugs from eurocarparts,about £15 or less if they have a sale on.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

My light has been on for about a year, my mechanic said I could leave it as 1 glowplug isn't a big issue.
It starts every morning without hesitation.

 

[seymansey]

Yep, some kind soul snapped off glowplug number 1 in my car. £600 to extract, so i've left it. Even in the depths of winter the car has started perfectly.

 

[zipdip]

Yes the cars will start with a couple of glow plugs not working maybe more,but I am striving to get my car to have zero lights or warnings coming up on the dash,I still have the handbrake warning coming up it has to be lose connection,when it is up,the electronic hand brake will not work when the warning has gone after the car has had a decent run the hand brake works on a 1-10 hill so it is not the motor,time to take it to the local mechanic get him to put the car on his lift and check the connections by the back axial ,I have put the i980 on it it seems to say A11 will investigate next week

 

[Reefergeezer]

Thanks all.

I spoke to a mate who is a mechanic and he told me not to bother paying £40 just to have the codes read. He reckons it is a failed glow plug too and he can test it with a meter to identify and replace just the faulty one(s). Prestige wanted to replace all of them for £250 and/or charge £40 for reading fault codes. He thinks can also read any fault codes with a generic scanner.

Like some of the other posts above, it's not affecting performance at all so I'm not too bothered but I don't like warning lights coming on, even those which can be ignored!

 

[Reefergeezer]

Update - light still on...

Hi all,

Since my last post, I had all 6 glow plugs changed (without having any fault codes read) but the problem has remained i.e. warning light comes and goes. We then hooked up the car to a laptop this weekend and after clearing all the stored faults codes, waited for the light to come back on.

When it did, there was one error code which reads as follows:

2267 - [1] LIN message from component 'N14/3 (Glow time output stage)' faulty

Any ideas on what might be causing this? Any loose connections on the plugs (as suggested in earlier replies) would have been resolved when they were changed so my mate suspects it might be the relay. Before ordering a new one, possibly unnecessarily, I just wanted to see if anybody knew what the code/message was likely to mean.

Thanks again.

 

[bob6600]

Your glow plug relay is kaput