R E320CDi electronic problem

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muhandis89

Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2005
Messages
54
Location
Majorca
Car
E320CDi Estate
A friend who is not a member here(yet) has one of the above.It appears that her was trying to start another car,when after consulting his handbook,he connected the eath cable from the other car,to what he thought,was the earth on his own(a large bolt in the engine bay fuse box!!).After some sparking(for this must have been a positive frather than an earth),his electric have been wiped out and car gears cannot be engaged.His local Merc specialist has traced this back to the vehicle CANBus,which sounds rather expensive.To be fair,the location of the earth spike in his engine bay,as shown in the handbook,is not clear.It transpires that the battery is under the drivers seat,which has to be unbolted to get at the battery! Any thoughts?
 
A friend who is not a member here(yet) has one of the above.It appears that her was trying to start another car,when after consulting his handbook,he connected the eath cable from the other car,to what he thought,was the earth on his own(a large bolt in the engine bay fuse box!!).After some sparking(for this must have been a positive frather than an earth),his electric have been wiped out and car gears cannot be engaged.His local Merc specialist has traced this back to the vehicle CANBus,which sounds rather expensive.To be fair,the location of the earth spike in his engine bay,as shown in the handbook,is not clear.It transpires that the battery is under the drivers seat,which has to be unbolted to get at the battery! Any thoughts?

Which car do you mean actually? If it was an R-plate E320CDI, it would not have the battery under the driver's seat. Do you mean an R320CDI?

The R class battery is under the driver's seat. The user manual instructions for jump-starting are as shown in the attached photo. I do not consider this advice confusing.

If the advice feels confusing, one should not even consider jump starting (giving or receiving help). It is worse for the electronics than running a diesel with gasoline and no coolant is for the engine.
 

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Must be an R class...there wasn't an E320cdi, on an R plate.
 
A friend who is not a member here(yet) has one of the above.It appears that her was trying to start another car,when after consulting his handbook,he connected the eath cable from the other car,to what he thought,was the earth on his own(a large bolt in the engine bay fuse box!!).After some sparking(for this must have been a positive frather than an earth),his electric have been wiped out and car gears cannot be engaged.His local Merc specialist has traced this back to the vehicle CANBus,which sounds rather expensive.To be fair,the location of the earth spike in his engine bay,as shown in the handbook,is not clear.It transpires that the battery is under the drivers seat,which has to be unbolted to get at the battery! Any thoughts?

Usually there is no "earth spike". You have a live connection, and the earth is anywhere on the body work.
 
This will have blown a few control units possibly. Get your wallet out as it is going to cost a few quid.
 
It is an R320CDi,and I agree that it could be expensive,particularly the CANBus.
 
It is an R320CDi,and I agree that it could be expensive,particularly the CANBus.

The can bus itself is not more than some twisted pair wires and a few connectors connecting those. The problem is more likely the cost related to the control units that use the CAN bus wires to communicate with each other.
 

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