TOMB NEWBIE

[TOM BELL]

Was that before you started the engine or after? Whats really needed is the voltage before starting and then again 2 minutes after starting.

He has just called me to say it was 14v before start up and 14.5v a few mins later

 

[LostKiwi]

He has just called me to say it was 14v before start up and 14.5v a few mins later

Hmmm... that doesn't sound right as a lead acid battery will only have 2.2v per cell so 6 cells would be 13.2v and thats for a perfect battery. Most batteries after a few years will show only 12.6v after being left overnight and if any less than 12.4v they are usually considered knackered. If yours is reading 14v then thats very high!
When running 14.5v is pretty much bang on.
I doubt very much your battery is the issue here. Has it been read on STAR (other MB specific readers are available) as there may be clues in there.

 

[TOM BELL]

Hmmm... that doesn't sound right as a lead acid battery will only have 2.2v per cell so 6 cells would be 13.2v and thats for a perfect battery. Most batteries after a few years will show only 12.6v after being left overnight and if any less than 12.4v they are usually considered knackered. If yours is reading 14v then thats very high!
When running 14.5v is pretty much bang on.


Hello Lost Kiwi,

It's a 80AH 800 AGM Battery ... I'm not sure if the gadget he used was STAR.

I copied the following from your forum................

my auto is stuck in park. i parked up & 2 hours later i went to put it into drive & it would not slide into drive or any where else.

i had been working on the car earlier in the day ,taking off the air filter box to clean up the area as i had an oil leak so i steam cleaned that area around the cat &turbo but it ran perfect after that that with no problems,

i had a warning light on the dash about the ESP not working could this be anything to do with the problem?
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This could be the brake lamp switch, do you have the tiptronic box, if so what is showing in the display, if a P then brake lamps switch, if nothing showing then gear box ECU
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The answer again is what is displayed in the window in the cluster, is it showing the P. The circuits normally re set themselves Ok if the fuses have been taken out, the gear shift will lock up if no speed signal present for that circuit as it does not know that the car is not moving.
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.is there a way of unlocking the gear lever that is stuck ? i see on some models that there is a hole to put a pen or such like & it unlocks it.
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If there is a hole it is in front of the gear shift lever, what is showing in the display

stuck in park sorted !

 

[LostKiwi]

Brake light switch would be a good thing to check/change. Only a few quid from MB and easy enough to change too.

 

[TOM BELL]

Brake light switch would be a good thing to check/change. Only a few quid from MB and easy enough to change too.

Thanks Lost Kiwi... I had a problem with warning lights a few years ago and my friend changed the brake light switch and all was well

 

[John Laidlaw]

Brake light switch.....quite common too

 

[harrye500]

Morning Tom, the Coupe is a very handsome chariot! I have an E500 A207 Convertible which I think is pretty much the same car running-gear and platform wise. Our cars I believe have an Auxiliary Battery which controls the gear selector actions, it's a non-mechanical selector (that means to my understanding there's no mechanical link to the gearbox so it selects your gear electronically). If that battery fails or is ready to die, you may get gear selection issues. Possibly this was the cause of not being able to select the gears and the battery needs to be changed (even as a preventative measure). It is worth checking that and it should be passenger side, end of dashboard via an access panel which comes off, though I've not had mine off! Happy to stand corrected by more knowledgeable chaps but its worth checking you have it and change it, cost about £50 - £60 for OE part. From my research, its a tiny 1.2ah battery. If that helps, great and it'll be good to have helped someone out as I've had some great help from this forum, thats what its all about!

 

[harrye500]

Forgot to add - by small, I mean mini lead acid type! Also, lots of articles on this Google wise. Maybe one to add to the electrical problems section if this proves the problem.

 

[TOM BELL]

Hello Harry Thanks for your response... going quite mad here.

I have ordered a brake light switch just to rule it out as it seems to be a common factor setting off warning lights and "Jamming" the gear lever in PARK.

Coincidently my mechanic friend checked out the small battery (In the boot in the E220) and I have the readout in front of me.

It says GOOD BATTERY SOH: 100% Voltage 12.92V SOC:98%
Measured 290A Select Input EN Rated 200A

.... so all seems to be alright there.

Just tried to start the car again... fires up first time... but all the warning lights are on again and "jammed" in PARK.

 

[LostKiwi]

I suspect the hairdryer was a red herring as all the indications are the batteries are healthy.
For the price of a brake light switch (and the ease of fitting) its a good place to start in the absence of STAR diagnostics.

 

[harrye500]

I see, it seems that the smaller battery is in a different place (boot or end of dash) dependant on model / year. You live and learn! Hopefully the brake light switch will do the job and get you back to normal.

 

[TOM BELL]

I suspect the hairdryer was a red herring as all the indications are the batteries are healthy.
For the price of a brake light switch (and the ease of fitting) its a good place to start in the absence of STAR diagnostics.

I have just had a look on YOUTUBE re Mercs Stuck in Park. The video said to lift up the leather around the gear lever with your fingers. Underneath you can see a square YELLOW button... Start the engine... Push the button down with a pencil as you move the gear lever from PARK to NEUTRAL. This all worked famously so I reversed out ... put it into DRIVE and off I went.
I came back after a short drive and turned the engine off. Waited a while and turned it on again... No Warning Lights and the gears worked as they should.
I will try this again tomorrow... It can't be anything too serious if it is working right now. Fingers crossed.

 

[TOM BELL]

Had the new Brake Light Switch fitted today... it didn't affect the warning lights at all... they have all cleared themselves as of yesterday when I unlocked the gear lever using the square yellow button to the rear of the gear lever which is under the leather cover. (The leather cover can easily be lifted clear using just your fingers).

All seems to be fine... thanks for advice.

 

[LostKiwi]

Fingers crossed it stays that way.

 

[TOM BELL]

Fingers crossed it stays that way.

Thanks again

 

[TOM BELL]

Thanks again

Got up at 4 this morning 22 Feb 2018 (Work at Hospital) All warning lights came on and Gear lever stuck in PARK ...
I released Gear lever using hidden button under Leather around gear lever... Gear Lever released ok but this time ALL of the Warning Lights stayed ... I didn't have Power Steering, Full Beam, Heating, Radio, Internal Lights, Some External lights didn't come on, No Indicators, No Horn ,etc.
Drove to work with very heavy steering and no heating.
Same on way home at 2.00pm today.

Friendly mechanic said to disconnect the EARTH on the small battery in the boot.... Car Started fine with NO warning lights.

Reconnected small battery in boot and went for a drive... All OK

What is the matter with these cars? (2012 E220 Coupe 57,000 Miles)

 

[TOM BELL]

Got up at 4 this morning 22 Feb 2018 (Work at Hospital) All warning lights came on and Gear lever stuck in PARK ...
I released Gear lever using hidden button under Leather around gear lever... Gear Lever released ok but this time ALL of the Warning Lights stayed ... I didn't have Power Steering, Full Beam, Heating, Radio, Internal Lights, Some External lights didn't come on, No Indicators, No Horn ,etc.
Drove to work with very heavy steering and no heating.
Same on way home at 2.00pm today.

Friendly mechanic said to disconnect the EARTH on the small battery in the boot.... Car Started fine with NO warning lights.

Reconnected small battery in boot and went for a drive... All OK

What is the matter with these cars? (2012 E220 Coupe 57,000 Miles)

FAILED AGAIN Friday morning at 4.00am
Same problems as above... Drove to work with very heavy steering and no heating.etc etc
Finished work at 1.00pm... disconnected the EARTH on the small battery in the boot.... Car Started fine with NO warning lights.
Drove home WITHOUT reconnecting small aux battery in boot ... All OK

What does the little battery do? An American website suggests it's just for ECO start/stop.

 

[TOM BELL]

I'm getting it STAR checked on Monday

 

[TOM BELL]

Article which sounds spot on to my issue:

ENGINE STARTS BUT W/ MULTIPLE WARNINGS IN IC, VEHICLE WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK, ALL CONTROLUNRESPONSIVE

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ENGINE STARTS BUT W/ MULTIPLE WARNINGS IN IC, VEHICLE WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK, ALL CONTROL UNITS ON CIRCUIT 30G ARE INOP. I.E. COMAND

DEALER TECH TOPICS; FEBRUARY 2014

Reference Number(s): TT 02/14, Date of Issue: February 2014
MERCEDESBENZ:
Models 207, 212
GROUP: 54.15 Fuse
and relay box
TOPIC
Engine starts but w/ multiple warnings in IC, vehicle will NOT come out of Park, all control units on circuit 30g are inop. i.e. COMAND

CAUSE / EXPLANATION

30g relay not closing

DTC's "B219116 The power supply of circuit 30g is outside the valid range. The limit value for electrical voltage has not been attained", & "B214B72 The output for switch "Quiescent current ON" has a malfunction. The actuator does not close."

CORRECTION

Diagnosis The 30g relay opens after the vehicle is stationary with key off after 6 hours. Let the vehicle sit for six hours with a volt meter or scope. Look for the 12 volt supply to close the relay from the rear SAM going to F32, when waking up the CAN. The signal is fast and on a meter may only read about 6 volts for a short period. If using a scope it will read battery voltage. If the problem is occurring and 12 volts to close the relay is okay, then replace F32 (30g is inside F32).

 

[TOM BELL]