W204 - Dash display blanked out

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Webbo15

Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2021
Messages
30
Location
South Yorks
Car
C180 Kompressor (W204)
Hi

My new to me C180 had the dashboard display and other electrical items fail today. Indicators would not work but fuel guage still ok. No speedometer, rev counter or temperature display. Came home and as I pulled into drive all returned ok. Have tried it again and all seems ok but I am now worried it could happen again and maybe leave me stranded. Has anyone else experienced this or have any idea what the problem may be.

I wondered if it could be ignition switch related and know from service records that it had a new steering lock fitted and coded in by Mercedes dealer in 2019.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be appreciated.
 
Had something very similar happen with my S204 a few months ago, took the car to a local indie who has the full Star/Xentry system, it seems the dashboard had lost its programming, they re-programmed it and touch wood all OK since!
 
I've had some weird electrical gremlins with my C180 also: the wipers refused to play a while back and then about a month ago, the window switches/mirrors switches stopped working.
In both instances, pulling the relevant fuse and reinserting it after a quick spray of contact cleaner did the trick.
 
Thanks for the replies - will try cleaning some fuses and if the problem persists I will find an Indie who can read fault codes.
 
This can happen if the battery voltage is low - don't know why but it can. The reason it all started working again is because the battery got some charge in it. It is either because you have not used the car enough combined with the cold weather or because your battery needs replacing.
 
Thanks Smiley, I have been looking at things more closely today and think you are probably right. I have been fooled by a faulty multi meter into thinking battery volts were ok and when I bought the car the dealer said it had been stood for 2+ weeks over Christmas and the New Year and started with no problem. Since having the car on the 16th January it has only been out 3 times for very short journeys so no help in charging the battery. Having sorted the meter out I can see the voltage is low and when I removed the cover over the battery it looks very much like the original that came with the car. It is a Varta with Mercedes stickers on it and was very dirty on top so hasn't been touched for years. If so it's done remarkably well - 13 years in fact! Anyway I have had it on charge today and have now ordered a new one on line and should have it by Thursday. So fingers crossed I am hoping that particular problem will be sorted.
 
As Smiley said. I had same problem because battery power was low. After a good blast, all was ok again.
 

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