C220 loss of power after sitting in slow traffic for 20 mins or longer

RickTodd

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Hi,
My C220 tends to lose the desire to accelerate if we get stuck in slow or static traffic for any protracted period.
Sometimes this can be accompanied by a faint mothball type smell coming through the vents!
Once it occurs there is little to notice at low speeds but as the road clears and I put my foot down there is not much grunt and no acceleration beyond pressing the accelator approx 1.5 inches. It will still reach about 80mph but it takes a fair amount of time.
The auto transmission appears to be fine and if I can pull over and stop, put the car in park, use the handbrake and remove the key for about a min it seems to reset and is once again fine.
This only happens if I've been stuck in traffic for any time but that is a fairly frequent event on my usual routes.
I thank you for any advice you may be able to supply
Thanks
Rick
 

Cossie7

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Quickest route would be to get the codes read as it sounds like it's going into "limp mode" for whatever reason. If the codes aren't read it becomes guess work and can become more expensive in the long run.

Drive the car and get it exhibit the problem and take it to a garage with the fault present and ask them to plug it in.

Cheers
 

John Laidlaw

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It's not going into limp mode if it's reaching 80mph!
Code reading on Star system is what's needed - the mothball smell I think is your aircon needing a service /flush. Unrelated.
 
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RickTodd

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Quickest route would be to get the codes read as it sounds like it's going into "limp mode" for whatever reason. If the codes aren't read it becomes guess work and can become more expensive in the long run.

Drive the car and get it exhibit the problem and take it to a garage with the fault present and ask them to plug it in.

Cheers
Ive got it booked for later this week, thanks
 
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RickTodd

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It's not going into limp mode if it's reaching 80mph!
Code reading on Star system is what's needed - the mothball smell I think is your aircon needing a service /flush. Unrelated.
I thought that about the smell and agree, however the ONLY time I get it is just as the car starts playing up with this acceleration problem!
 

John Laidlaw

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Which also happens when you're stationary when the AC will be working harder....
 

turbopete

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It's not going into limp mode if it's reaching 80mph!

mine used to do 80 in limp mode if necessary (and legal)

edit: just re-read the original post, the car is auto so wont go right through the 'box like i could.
 

John Laidlaw

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mine used to do 80 in limp mode if necessary (and legal)

edit: just re-read the original post, the car is auto so wont go right through the 'box like i could.
Really? Seems to defeat the purpose of limp mode!
I've only experienced it in the 212 E300 I had twice and I couldn't get over 40, and in the Galaxy several times the same ....weird
Edit: just saw your edit!
 

turbopete

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Really? Seems to defeat the purpose of limp mode!
I've only experienced it in the 212 E300 I had twice and I couldn't get over 40, and in the Galaxy several times the same ....weird
Edit: just saw your edit!

yes it seems that the engine power gets restricted (limp) and in an auto, that must somehow communicate with the gearbox to prevent the box going above 3rd or 4th gear. in the manual though, you are limited to around 2-2.5k rpm but can go right through the box.
 

John Laidlaw

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Could this be just the regen mode the engine is in at the time?
 

umblecumbuz

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As Steve in Cleveden knows, I've had a persistent limp mode in my C220 204, and it still will cruise at 80-ish, although the engine will not rev much beyond 3000.
In limp, by working the tiptronic (because limp often affects the gearbox change-up positions) I can keep up with normal traffic - but it's a right pain to do so. Steep hills are best avoided.

That doesn't help OP's problem of course, but it does give an insight into 'limp' and its differing effects.

As for 'regen' - although the smell might suggest a forced regen - I have never noticed a regen cycle in my similar car. Does the 220 of '04 vintage even have a dpf? There is only one 'canister' in the exhaust pipework - is this a combined cat and dpf? I don't know.

Umble
 
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turbopete

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As Steve in Cleveden knows, I've had a persistent limp mode in my C220 204, and it still will cruise at 80-ish, although the engine will not rev much beyond 3000.
In limp, by working the tiptronic (because limp often affects the gearbox change-up positions) I can keep up with normal traffic - but it's a right pain to do so. Steep hills are best avoided.

That doesn't help OP's problem of course, but it does give an insight into 'limp' and its differing effects.

As for 'regen' - although the smell might suggest a forced regen - I have never noticed a regen cycle in my similar car. Does the 220 of '04 vintage even have a dpf? There is only one 'canister' in the exhaust pipework - is this a combined cat and dpf? I don't know.

Umble
DPF was an option, i believe on cars after a certain date. ive heard of 2005 cars having them, they were standard on the mk4 mondeo launched in late 2007, so its very possible they were on the options list for MB in 2004
 
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RickTodd

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DPF was an option, i believe on cars after a certain date. ive heard of 2005 cars having them, they were standard on the mk4 mondeo launched in late 2007, so its very possible they were on the options list for MB in 2004
I've just had the DPF replaced about 2 months ago.
Umble is right though, it just won't go above 3000revs
 

Rappey69

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my maf has failed a few times and caused the car to be retricted in power, would say it was limp mode, but could still break the speed limit on the motorway eventually.. but was just completely gutless.. 3000 rpm in an auto is faster than 70..
 


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