C250td problem

[BMCG]

Hi there,wondering if anyone can help me...I have a 1999 C250td Estate Auto and it's driving me nuts just now!!When you are driving along all the warning lights on the dash come on and it seems to lose power for a second or two then carries on as normal only to do it again a wee while later.If you pull over when the warning lights are on then try and pull away again it really really struggles to drive,but if you wait on the lights to go out it pulls away no problem at all!!There doesn't appear to be any pattern to the fault.Dry,wet,day,night,loaded or empty. It can run for miles or days and not do it or it can happen 3 or 4 times within a 10 mile run.Any suggestions would be very welcome before it sends me completely round the bend!Thanks,Brian.

 

[ralphphilip]

have you checked all your earthsat ;east you can run yours i have a problem with raido key wont open or let me start mine i have a99 2.5 td sport

 

[television]

Hi there,wondering if anyone can help me...I have a 1999 C250td Estate Auto and it's driving me nuts just now!!When you are driving along all the warning lights on the dash come on and it seems to lose power for a second or two then carries on as normal only to do it again a wee while later.If you pull over when the warning lights are on then try and pull away again it really really struggles to drive,but if you wait on the lights to go out it pulls away no problem at all!!There doesn't appear to be any pattern to the fault.Dry,wet,day,night,loaded or empty. It can run for miles or days and not do it or it can happen 3 or 4 times within a 10 mile run.Any suggestions would be very welcome before it sends me completely round the bend!Thanks,Brian.

Hello Brian, Ouch not easy, at least we know it is not a fuel problem, I have had a look around and nothing listed for your fault.
If it was mine,I would start the car up and move all of the earth wires,tap the relays with the handle of a screwdriver to try and make it stop,even a faulty starting switch could do it and have a poke under the dash,just move the wires. See what happens-

Malcolm

 

[BMCG]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.Have had the car at a local diagnostic centre and he said he was "fairly sure" it was the ignition switch,but at 350 quid for part plus fitting and,of course,it would have to be to be re-coded by a MB dealer I want to be a bit more than "fairly sure"! Guess I know what I will be doing after work tonight......

 

[television]

Thanks for the quick replies guys.Have had the car at a local diagnostic centre and he said he was "fairly sure" it was the ignition switch,but at 350 quid for part plus fitting and,of course,it would have to be to be re-coded by a MB dealer I want to be a bit more than "fairly sure"! Guess I know what I will be doing after work tonight......

I know how you feel on this,i did mention the switch too, if you start the car,tapping and turning the key may show the fault.

Malcolm

 

[BMCG]

Blimey its freezing out there tonite!!Tried tapping relays and the dash is still in bits where I been tracing and moving wires about(only got my hand stuck twice and skinned three knuckles!) but no joy.Will have a good play with the earth and other wires under the car on Wed on my day off.Hopefully it will be just a tad warmer and a lot less windy!! Did find out another part to my problem tho...when all the warning lights are on if you shut the car down it wont start again,starter will engage and turn engine over for about one turn then throws itself out,but if you leave it alone for a while it will fire up no bother...wondering if it's maybe something heating up causing the prob then once it cools a bit back to normal?Getting the key batteries changed tomorrow,don't think it will do any good but it probably needs new ones anyway.Off to try and warm up a bit now...

 

[television]

Blimey its freezing out there tonite!!Tried tapping relays and the dash is still in bits where I been tracing and moving wires about(only got my hand stuck twice and skinned three knuckles!) but no joy.Will have a good play with the earth and other wires under the car on Wed on my day off.Hopefully it will be just a tad warmer and a lot less windy!! Did find out another part to my problem tho...when all the warning lights are on if you shut the car down it wont start again,starter will engage and turn engine over for about one turn then throws itself out,but if you leave it alone for a while it will fire up no bother...wondering if it's maybe something heating up causing the prob then once it cools a bit back to normal?Getting the key batteries changed tomorrow,don't think it will do any good but it probably needs new ones anyway.Off to try and warm up a bit now...

This all points to a battery conection problem, hence the lights comming on.

Malcolm

 

[BMCG]

Hello again,the saga continues..took off and cleaned the earth wires in engine bay and the ones underneath too.Checked the battery connections as much as I could and put car back together again. All was well to start with,then warning lights came on but no lack of power this time,carried on driving til I could find somewhere better to stop to have a poke under dash,got stopped at red light(typical!)put car in park then into drive and it wouldn't pull away!! Slipped it back into park then drive again and warning lights went out and it drove fine...getting more confused by the day. Does anyone know how easy it is to get at the gear selector switch on this model and how do you check the gearbox fluid level or can that only be done at the dealers?