Severe battery drain C200 1996

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marksy

New Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2003
Messages
2
Location
London
Car
C200 Auto 1996
I have a late 1996 C200 Auto- it's done about 35,000 miles only from new. This vehicle is fitted with the Mercedes-Benz security system incorporating a locking system with remote control. The system incorporates red/green indicators in the interior mirror, and in the drivers door handle. The batteries in the remote are fresh. The engine can only be started when the vehicle has been unlocked with the remote. The vehicle battery was allowed to drain during the summer and I have now replaced the battery. However with a full charge this battery drains completely in 4 days. After 6 days the battery has drained so deeply it needs 10 hours to recharge. I mention the alarm because I reckon this may be the cause of the drain but I am not sure.
Anyone out there got any anwers?
peter:bannana:
 
1stly - Nope I very much doubt your MBSS security system has anything to do with it!

a few questions for you, Why did you replace the original battery? was it because it was dying on you? was this the reason you let it drain over summer? or did it start dying after you let it drain over the summer?

If it started dying after you let it drain have you made sure you have reconnected evrey ring terminal back on to the battery?

are there any warning lights on your dash?

Ok so the new battery you have now is it a MB item? you may have a faulty alternator but I need to know those few things I have asked you.

where in London are you?
 
Try manually operating the pin switch in the boot, to make sure the light is switching off.
 
Well thanks for all your speedy reponses
You state that you doubt your MBSS security system has anything to do with it!
This is what honestjohn.co.uk has to say:
It will be the alarm/immobiliser system. Best to take the car to a car security specialist or a Mercedes specialist to have the
system re-set.

In answer to your questions:
Why did you replace the original battery?
I thought it was faulty but it probably was'nt.
I let it drain over the summer because I had another car to use and felt that it would be OK.
I can tell you that every ring terminal is definitely back on to the battery?
Are there any warning lights on your dash?
When I replaced the battery my ABS and brake light stayed on and a local MB dealer replaced a fuse the lights went out, and they told me all was now well!
Ok so the new battery you have now is it a MB item?
Well its a New Bosch from Euro Car Parts bought for the vehicle. You may have a faulty alternator but I need to know those few things I have asked you.
I reckon the alternator is fine. The battery can be FULLY charged whilst the car stands. I set the immobiliser. The red LED on the drivers door handle flashes away beautifully and after about 4 days - not using the car - its as flat as a pancake! Even the boot light won't come on. That is really FLAT!
The glove box light goes off and the boot light goes off. These are not the culprits.
Although I am not 100% I feel that the MBSS is the culprit.
Surely this must have happened before to someone else!

Where in London are you. I am in NW4.
 
There are a couple of ways of appraoching this,

My favourite is with a multimeter :)


1. Set the multimeter to amps and disconnect the battery

2. connect multimeter in series with battery and pos connection
At this point DON'T attempt to start the car or turn anything on !!!!!

3. Read the current drawn from the battery whilst the ign off.
(You may need to tape boot/bonnet switches shut at this point if you intend to test the alarm as well )

4. If you see a large current craw - start removing the vehicel fuses one at a time until the ammeter drops !

5. see which circuits this fuse supplies and disconnect those individually until you have the culprit


Simple really - well it works for me just about every time !


HTH

Mark
 
I've had a similar problem with my SL. I suggest (as was suggested to me) connecting a multimeter set to amps in between the +ve lead and the +ve battery terminal - make sure ignition is off and the battery well charged. Easiest to use crocodile clips rather than the standard probes to connect the meter. You will then be able to calculate then how long a fully charged battery would take to drain (battery amp hour rating / amps flowing).

Then go through the fuse box and remove the fuses one by one until you see a substantial reduction in the current showing on the meter. Depending on what aftermarket electrics you've got fitted, and how they were fitted, that should eliminate most things except for the alarm and/or immobiliser (assuming they don't have fuses in the main fuse box). If the flow is still high enough to cause concern, then alarm/immob seems most likely.

But as suggested in other posts, check boot and glove box lights first as it is so quick and easy to eliminate them.
 
Damn - you beat me to it Mark.:bannana:

The phone rang while I was typing else I'd have beaten you!
 
Thanks for the pointers.

I have had EXACTLY the same thing happen to me on the V12,
taken to an MB dealer several times, even a few different ones now.

the only way they fixed it was to dis-connect the MBSS...

I'm running without one now, doh!!

Better than havin the battery flat, every time i wanna use it.:mad:
 
interior mirrors on the early mercs with the red and green light on them for the alarm/central locking can go wrong and cause a battery drain,try diconnecting it whilst doing the multimeter test.
 

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