C220 ECP Intermittent !HELP

[billy]

I have a P reg C220 Auto Diesel Ch No 2021212F583153 that I have had from new.

My problem is the ECP light comes on and the engine the goes into slowdown mode.I then sw off the engine and restart and its O.K.
The fault light comes on day or night and occurs with foot of pedal.

This problem ocurred within 3 months of delivery and being very distressed I contacted my MB dealer who kept the car a day and said it was a just a glitch: true the problem did not occur for 4 years but is now very frequent.

I contacted a small local garage that specialiises in MB and he put his Bosch test box on and we had about 10 faults, he cleared these and asked me to return on next EPC msg.
The next msg was a FUEL TEMP SENSOR which was one of the original msgs but MB parts tell me it is not listed. He not being familiar with this problem suggested tha I take it to a MB main dealer.

They ran a test with their more suphisticated box and came up with pages of faults : again they cleared them and told me to return on next EPC msg.

I returned two days later having had 1 msg and with second msg still illuminated again they could not identify the fault as they had pages of faults from fuel to gearbox and require the car for 3 days which I expect will cost meggar bucks(£80+ph)

Two suggestions I have had change Battery (on order) and change car.

 

[Andy]

Hi

I think it the EDC light that is coming on. If this is the light which is coming on. Then of the top of my head and experience I would think its the injection pump which is causing the problem. I would of thought that the dealer would be able sort this easily though. The fault codes as a rule point to a valve in the pump which is not supplied seperately.


C220D'S suffered with them quite a bit. Around the 100k mark.



Hope I am wrong. &468 plus vat plus fitting. Don't make the mistake of having it repaired. It always costs more. Don't let the dealer fit a brand new one. There is a part number for the exchange version. Which is around the price I have mentioned above. If MB don't have stock, see if you can get a brand new one for the price of the exchange version. I have had some luck in this department for my customers.

Good luck

Regards

Andy @ mercedesservicing.com

 

[billy]

C220 ECP Intermittent! HELP

Thanks Andy for your response sorry I got my ECP and EPC mixed up it is EPC with regards cost is £8468 + vat etc

 

[Andy]

Hi


We are getting our "&" and "8" mixed up. £468 or there abouts for the pump plus fitting plus Mr Browns VAT!!!!!grrrrrrrrr.


Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[Merky Al]

EPC Warning fault

Ive just read your post with reference to the EPC fault on your car. How has the situation developed, is it fixed yet?

I have had the same problem as you have described now since April 2002 Ive had the faults reset, a new EGR valve, a new MAF airflow sensor, fuel treatment additive, a new battery (strange it lasted for two weeks without cutting out after the battery was fitted.)

My local dealer is now recommending the fuel pump be changed at £512+vat and fitting.

Would`nt you think with all that electronic technology this type of fault could point the mechanic in the right direction. And for what seems to be such a little fault a hugh cost of replacing a pump, are these pumps not capable of being serviced?

I hope you get the problem sorted and you gain your confidence back when driving the car, without wondering when its going to chuck out on you again.

Good Luck.
Alan

 

[billy]

C220 ECP Intermittent ! HELP

Thanks for your response Alan

As I stated in my first mail I did fit a new Battery and like Merky Al all was well for just over 2 weeks and back on it came. At this stage I am reluctant to let my MB dealer keep changing components as it is so easy to say well Sir there was a fault code for that bit and would be most sad if I paid for a new pump and the fault came back.

billy

 

[Merky Al]

EPC Warning fault

Since my last posting on the forum the car was back to MB on the 8th Jan `03 this time the bill was £472 they replaced the throttle position sensor and the plug that the wires from the harness were attached to.
Sofar the fault has not happened but I would like to see it go past two weeks before I`m really confident.
If this has fixed my problem its been very expensive. There is a fault code that would have pointed to this device, (do a search for Mercedes fault codes on the net).

On my vehicle the device in question is located near the fuse box under the bonnet infront of the brake servo unit. I believe it is just a potentiometer controlled by the accelerator cable telling the cars computer the position of the throttle/pedal position.

If the fault has not gone this time and after paying so much out I think MB and me will be on tele. My fingers are crossed.

Good luck to all with this type of fault. I was nearly tempted to buy Carsofts code reader software and leads for arround £1500+vat. May still as I use the car for work (private hire/Chauffer/Vip) and intend to keep it for a while.

 

[piestore]

EPC Light On

Hi Billy

I'm not a lot of help on this. An idea of the fault code numbers in the diesel control unit would help any other's in other control units are probably red herrings. there are two sensors in the pump which can give trouble the only other components are diesel ECU, loom and throttle potentiometer ( if thats how you spell it?). As you have seen from other posts air in the fuel line is common and can give electrical fault codes but I would say this is very unlikly as you would have starting trouble. If you can let me know the fault code numbers and I will find out what I can.

GOOD LUCK

 

[billy]

C220 EPC Intermittent !HELP

Thanks Piestore for your response

The problem I have is I dont have a code reader and the only indication I had was when the car had all its MSG cleared the first MSG was FUEL TEMP SENSOR. It was my hope that that this would relate to a component which was a frequent cause of trouble and change it ie( potentiometer)

I have checked the lead from the potentiometer for corrosion and it was very clean I then drove the car and the EPC Lt came on after 2 miles.

On a bad day this Lt can come on 5 times on 8 mile trip which means pulling in and restarting the car.

On good days it can go a whole week with journeys of 200 miles with stops and starts and no problems ( the weather makes no diffrence)

Thanks for your indulgence

billy

 

[billy]

Hope I am not boring you with my problem. I have had the car again tested and the fault code are P0180 P1228 which relate to items in the pump.

It has been suggested by a MB tech that there was a problem with air being sucked in via the 12 or so "O" ring seals on the L/Px side of the pump and that it is worth changing these as the sensors may be detecting air. I have had no start problems but its worth a try. after that it looks like a pump change. The pump is a Lucas type and I now know that is the location of the fuel sensor.

Any suggestions would be most helpful.

 

[Merky Al]

EPC Warning fault

Hi Billy,

Those fault codes P0180 and P1228 point to the following:

P0180 - Fuel temperature sensor A circuit malfunction

P1228 - Throttle/Pedal position sensor/switch C circuit high input

My own vehicle seems to be fixed I have not had the problem occur again since the throttle position sensor was replaced the fault code that my local MB tech found was P1222 - Throttle/Pedal position sensor/switch B circuit low input, very similar to your code dont you think. ??

Always go for the cheaper option first, I would had played more myself but I needed the car to do my job.

Good luck once again

 

[kenn]

I have a '96 C220 diesel auto.

The EDC light comes on every time I drive the car for the last 2 days. The engine starts first time, never stalls or lost power although the rpm is limited to 3500 with the throttle fully depressed. Another thing is the engine runs on for 3-4 seconds after turning the ignition off.

Took the car to local garage that specialises in MB and he put his test box on, msg FUEL INJECTION SHUT OFF VALVE (code P1622) came up.

The question is should I get the valve (supplied separately) replaced or get a new/exchange pump as Andy suggested.

 

[dieselman]

Buy a new valve as it bolts to the outside of the pump housing.

 

[kenn]

Thanks dieselman.

Took the car to MB yesterday, who recommended replacing the valve (an extensive job, may need 2 days) or may need a new pump.

Is this valve inside the pump as pointed out by Andy or is the another valve outside the pump ?