STAR ECU reset after battery change

[MercLoverr]

Hi everyone, great forum!

I have a W166 ML350 which Mercedes has diagnosed as needing a new main battery, following an issue with it not going into Drive after being left to stand overnight. I know how to replace the battery but I've been told that I need to use STAR to tell the ECU that a new battery has been installed. Is this true?

Mercedes want over 400UKP to replace the battery and update ECU etc, but I can get an equivalent Exide EK950 battery in the UK for 135UKP and install it myself. However, I don't have access to STAR so I was wondering what other people had done in this situation? I haven't seen any posts about resetting the ECU after a battery change - hence the post.

Regards
MercLoverr

 

[AMGeed]

No need for Star after a battery change!
Get one with the same spec as your current battery, remove neg terminal first and re- attach last.
You may need to reset the windows afterwards which is simple to do.

Tayna and Mercedes- Grangemouth are the two places I would look for price comparison.
If you have stop/start you need an AGM battery BTW.
019 Car Batteries - Wet, AGM or EFB?
The dealer who wants to charge you £400 to supply and change a battery is beding you over!

 

[m80]

Maybe they just want to do the software update, that's a free recall anyway. That being aside from worse fuel economy and a gearbox that doesn't like top gear anymore.

Designing a car that requires their specialist computer after a flat battery would teach people not to buy them in the first place surely.
£400, they don't care about customer satisfaction and loyalty.

 

[mersum1es]

As above, MB does not need any diagnostic reset in battery change, thats some VAG cars stuff only.

 

[MercLoverr]

As above, MB does not need any diagnostic reset in battery change, thats some VAG cars stuff only.

Thanks everyone for the replies, really appreciate it.

The dealer in question is my nearest Official Mercedes dealer, who stated that the replacement genuine battery is £190 plus some diagnostic charges to bring it up to £400. So they either meant that they were going to charge me for the diagnostic fee for finding the fault, which is actually a known problem with a stored code that they checked, or there was some post-install ECU work required. I thought it was the latter as my car is under Mercedes service and maintenance warranty, so any software updates are covered with costs. Surprisingly, if it was the accessory battery which was faulty, which is much harder to replace, it would be covered by the warranty!!

As for the replacement battery, it's from a UK seller on Ebay with a 99.9% rating from nearly 83,000 reviews. It's an Exide EK950 Stop Start 12V 95AH 850A AGM VRLA Original Genuine OEM 019 Battery. This is exactly the same rating as the one in my W166, so I might take a punt on it for £135 inc courier delivery. Tayna want £129.77 inc delivery for an Enduroline battery - never heard of that make!

What do you think?

 

[ChrisHampshire]

I use something similar to this when disconnecting the battery:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07KWJDG1K/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

No need to reset anything after that, all memories/settings should be preserved.

 

[Chrishazle]

Do NOT connect a battery to your OBD port, it's designed for connecting a diagnostic, not for connecting a power supply. Halfords did precisely that - connected a small 12v battery to the OBD port of my S204 while changing the battery, fired fuse 18 so OBD port dead, could not get the traqnsmission out of park (had also done something to the transmission control unit) 2 days of hassle and a bill for £174 from my indie (which Halfords did reimburse swiftly) was the outcome!

If you feel you must connect a slave power supply while changing the battery, use the emergency +ve under the bonnet.

 

[MercLoverr]

I use something similar to this when disconnecting the battery:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TONWON-Connector-Diagnostic-Alligator-Replacement/dp/B07KWJDG1K/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=223ABAPQQ18FI&dchild=1&keywords=obd+memory+saver&qid=1584716906&sprefix=obd+memo,aps,147&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFEVVlKQ0VCWE01MDImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0NDk0NTAyVzFIQTFWRDI2WEE5JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3ODU0MTBMTzJRSjlaWU1WRzgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

No need to reset anything after that, all memories/settings should be preserved.

Won't you need a spare battery for this?
Can it be linked to a battery charger?

 

[mersum1es]

Only way you could use that kind of OBD power feed is that you will use power source which CANNOT produce (or can be limited!) more current than couple of Amps... Battery can push huge current and if there is some module or system which is drawing the current, it will happen. OBD line is not designes such currents and something will fry.

 

[190]

I've just recently had the battery disconnected for 24 hours and the only things affected were the time and date and loss of the average mpg since last reset. Even the electric windows seem fine. In spite of the time and date needing to be set, it remembered that a service is due in 20 days.

 

[mikrt]

I use something similar to this when disconnecting the battery:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TONWON-Connector-Diagnostic-Alligator-Replacement/dp/B07KWJDG1K/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=223ABAPQQ18FI&dchild=1&keywords=obd+memory+saver&qid=1584716906&sprefix=obd+memo,aps,147&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFEVVlKQ0VCWE01MDImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0NDk0NTAyVzFIQTFWRDI2WEE5JmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA3ODU0MTBMTzJRSjlaWU1WRzgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

No need to reset anything after that, all memories/settings should be preserved.

NO
NO
NO

 

[ChrisHampshire]

Well I've used it several times with no problem and it retains all settings etc but, as they say, "Your mileage may vary".

To add, I don't turn the ignition on or activate any accessories that draw power whilst using it.

 

[Chrishazle]

Neither did Halfords when they did my battery change and screwed the car royally. I can but report exactly what happened to me as a warning to others on here, whether you listen is your choice.