A Lucky Escape today (Flat Battery Woes)..

[markben]

Greetings all

At 3.30 p.m. today I went to unlock my 2004 W220 (using the Remote control key fob) and nothing happened. Zilch. Locked out . A flat battery in Remote key maybe?

So I tried again with the spare key & new battery. Still nothing . After unlocking the driver’s door mechanically with the detachable ‘blade’ I inserted the key fob into the ignition to start the car. Result: the dashboard display didn’t automatically illuminate as it should, and NO start - just some alarming electrical buzzing noises. Yikes! I’d only ever had a ‘Low Battery’ warning on the dashboard display once, briefly, and several months ago. Mmmm... .

Then.. I tried to unlock the boot (again using the mechanical blade key to over-ride the PSE system). Result: much clicking noise from the PSE pump and the Bl…y Alarm went off. W220s are notoriously complex electrically, and a flat battery could be due to a myriad of other issues. Double Yikes!

So I called my Motor Insurer’s Breakdown & Recovery service for a ‘Home Visit’ (quoted time 90 mins - but thankfully the local agent arrived within 45 mins). After various checks, the technician diagnosed a ‘failing’ 6-year-old battery, gave it a brief Booster charge and confirmed that the Alternator was working ok. His advice: ‘It will start now, get it in for a new battery - but DON’T switch the engine off in between or you’ll be STRANDED again!’. Triple Yikes?

By now it was 4.30 p.m. and getting dark: so I drove in Trepidation to my friendly & helpful local National Tyres & Auto Care centre 10 minutes away in the hope of getting there without breaking down En-route AND that they would have a replacement battery. If not, Halfords (‘Halfrauds’?) were nearby and open until 8.00 p.m. so I decided to take my chances on either or both to keep mobile and avoid further hassle (breaking down / further Recovery services / Taxi fares etc).

15 mins later, NT&AC had a new OE spec 019 battery in stock and fitted it for £140 all-in + with a 5-year Guarantee. This was exactly the same price as the one I’d had fitted 6 years & 40k miles ago. Their conclusion: ‘pretty good performance for a battery - but the latest Cold Snap + increasingly frequent use of ancillaries (headlights, wipers etc) have probably finished-it-off’.

End-to-end from the start of my 'sudden' (or not?) flat battery issue to resolving it took only 2 hours and with no further complications or hassle. All I can say is a big ‘PHEWWW!’

My Conclusion? At this time of year (e.g. in the UK), keep a Close Eye on the health & performance of your car's battery - especially if it's getting older AND with greater demands on it during cold and dark Winter months. Replacing it as a precaution could save you more than the cost in terms of wasted time & hassle if you don't.

MB

'The Best or Nothing'.

 

[00slk]

Mercedes's arcillies heal, unhealthy batteries

 

[Woodleigh]

Greetings all

At 3.30 p.m. today I went to unlock my 2004 W220 (using the Remote control key fob) and nothing happened. Zilch. Locked out . A flat battery in Remote key maybe?

So I tried again with the spare key & new battery. Still nothing . After unlocking the driver’s door mechanically with the detachable ‘blade’ I inserted the key fob into the ignition to start the car. Result: the dashboard display didn’t automatically illuminate as it should, and NO start - just some alarming electrical buzzing noises. Yikes! I’d only ever had a ‘Low Battery’ warning on the dashboard display once, briefly, and several months ago. Mmmm... .

Then.. I tried to unlock the boot (again using the mechanical blade key to over-ride the PSE system). Result: much clicking noise from the PSE pump and the Bl…y Alarm went off. W220s are notoriously complex electrically, and a flat battery could be due to a myriad of other issues. Double Yikes!

So I called my Motor Insurer’s Breakdown & Recovery service for a ‘Home Visit’ (quoted time 90 mins - but thankfully the local agent arrived within 45 mins). After various checks, the technician diagnosed a ‘failing’ 6-year-old battery, gave it a brief Booster charge and confirmed that the Alternator was working ok. His advice: ‘It will start now, get it in for a new battery - but DON’T switch the engine off in between or you’ll be STRANDED again!’. Triple Yikes?

By now it was 4.30 p.m. and getting dark: so I drove in Trepidation to my friendly & helpful local National Tyres & Auto Care centre 10 minutes away in the hope of getting there without breaking down En-route AND that they would have a replacement battery. If not, Halfords (‘Halfrauds’?) were nearby and open until 8.00 p.m. so I decided to take my chances on either or both to keep mobile and avoid further hassle (breaking down / further Recovery services / Taxi fares etc).

15 mins later, NT&AC had a new OE spec 019 battery in stock and fitted it for £140 all-in + with a 5-year Guarantee. This was exactly the same price as the one I’d had fitted 6 years & 40k miles ago. Their conclusion: ‘pretty good performance for a battery - but the latest Cold Snap + increasingly frequent use of ancillaries (headlights, wipers etc) that have finished-it-off’.

End-to-end from the start of my 'sudden'(or not?) flat battery issue to resolving it took only 2 hours and with no further complications or hassle. All I can say is a big ‘PHEWWW!’

My Conclusion? At this time of year (e.g. in the UK), keep a Close Eye on the health & performance of your car's battery - especially if it's getting older AND with greater demands on it during cold and dark Winter months. Replacing it as a precaution could save you more than the cost in terms of wasted time & hassle.

MB

'The Best or Nothing'.

A timely reminder; I recently had to replace my "Lockdown Battery".
Now I make sure it gets connected to the CTEK once every few weeks, especially after short runs.

 

[Chrishazle]

Every once in a while Lidl sell a battery condition monitor for not a lot of money - less than £15 from memory. After similar problems as mentioned above, and the fact that our S204 lives on the driveway (unlike the SLK which is coddled in her garage with a battery conditioner attached) I bought one for the S204 - the joy of an estate with the battery in the boot is that I can connect it with the display visible through the tailgate without unlocking the car! i can also, when the condition monitor goes red, run my Jojo reel into the boot, rig the charger then close the boot over the extension cable, lock the car and leave it overnight to do its thing!

 

[mioba]

It is well known that cold weather highlights weak batteries.

I have always used MB batteries. They last donkies. My original W220 battery lasted 13 years and the second now on 5. My W251 is on its original - 12 years.
There is something to be said for MB batteries.

Glad you are sorted and rolling again.

As a side, windscreen wipers are good to check this time of year with alot of rain. Nothing worse that juddering wipers.

 

[M80]

the joy of an estate with the battery in the boot is that I can connect it with the display visible through the tailgate

You could re charge via the estate 12V socket.
Live all the time and as charging isn't going to be greater than 15A (those chargers aren't capable) the fuse will be happy.

 

[markben]

It is well known that cold weather highlights weak batteries.

I have always used MB batteries. They last donkies. My original W220 battery lasted 13 years and the second now on 5. My W251 is on its original - 12 years.
There is something to be said for MB batteries.

Glad you are sorted and rolling again.

As a side, windscreen wipers are good to check this time of year with alot of rain. Nothing worse that juddering wipers.

Yes, I think this cold snap finished mine off but I was fortunate to get it sorted so quickly.

Re. wipers / blades, good point. I've just replaced mine with Bosch Aerotwins after only 9 months since the last set. Usual problem, juddering etc. despite cleaning the windscreen every week. I read somewhere that the summer heatwave didn't do wiper blades any favours - something to do with making the rubber more brittle?

 

[Chrishazle]

You could re charge via the estate 12V socket.
Live all the time and as charging isn't going to be greater than 15A (those chargers aren't capable) the fuse will be happy.

The only 12V socket in my car that is permanently live is the one in the centre arm rest for the UHI connector. First time we went away I expected to be able to charge my wife's phone via the 12V socket in the boot overnight - soon as I turned the ignition off it died! Have tried all the other 12V sockets in the car, same result. I know I can use the emergency jump start connectors under the bonnet as that's what I use for the conditioner on the SLK, but it would mean leaving the S204 bonnet open so I do what I mentioned above and it's worked well.

 

[Blobcat]

The only 12V socket in my car that is permanently live is the one in the centre arm rest for the UHI connector. First time we went away I expected to be able to charge my wife's phone via the 12V socket in the boot overnight - soon as I turned the ignition off it died! Have tried all the other 12V sockets in the car, same result. I know I can use the emergency jump start connectors under the bonnet as that's what I use for the conditioner on the SLK, but it would mean leaving the S204 bonnet open so I do what I mentioned above and it's worked well.

You can (if you’re careful) close the bonnet onto battery conditioner cables without damaging them and still having the bonnet closed.
I’ve wired a conditioned lead to my SLK (but use it so much I don’t have time to charge it…)