C280 '96 Very Strange Indicator Problem

[MAXP]

Has anyone had a similar problem to this? When driving the car the indicators will work for a while if I'm lucky. Then they will stop. So will the hazards.

This is the strange bit ... I can tell when this will happen as the rear window demister switch will illuminate of its own accord. I will also lose intermittent wipe at the same time. I can't turn the demister switch off manually when this occurs.

Once the demister switch decides to turn itself off the indicators will work!

This is doing my head in...does anyone have any ideas?

 

[mjtray]

May have a solution to your problem....I read in my MB Owners club mag this month a letter from a reader with a similar problem.

The Techs reply was that there is a combination relay in your fuse box that controls idicators, heated rear window and intermittent wipe.

On a W124 its the N10 relay....your W202 is likely to have a similar relay.

The reader was told to check for corrosion between the terminals in the fuse box and on the relay itself and clean off with some emery cloth. He also suggested cleaning up the other terminals whilst you were there if you did spot corrosion.

If the clean up does not work, he then suggests replacement of the relay.

Good luck.

 

[mjtray]

May have a solution to your problem....I read in my MB Owners club mag this month a letter from a reader with a similar problem.

The Techs reply was that there is a combination relay in your fuse box that controls idicators, heated rear window and intermittent wipe.

On a W124 its the N10 relay....your W202 is likely to have a similar relay.

The reader was told to check for corrosion between the terminals in the fuse box and on the relay itself and clean off with some emery cloth. He also suggested cleaning up the other terminals whilst you were there if you did spot corrosion.

If the clean up does not work, he then suggests replacement of the relay.

Good luck.

 

[guydewdney]

all the above items are controlled by the dreaded exbenzive combination relay...

 

[190]

Try Euro car parts £43.96 http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecommerce/Search_Results.asp

 

[MAXP]

Many thanks to both of you. I will try to sort the relay out as you suggest and see if it cures the problem...

Then I'll try to fix the alarm problem!

I didn't know how dodgy the electrical system was on these cars ... I do now!

The car's been faultless over the 50,000 miles and 5 years of my ownership ... I was just about to sell it when all the alarm and indicator faults started ... do cars have feelings?

 

[cambo]

i had the very same problem, but never found a cure to the fault,

 

[MAXP]

...following on from previous posts, I checked at my MB dealer and a new relay costs £50+VAT. However they also said that the relay is located on the passenger side...

I believe its on the drivers side under or behind the main fuse box. I can hear the relay clicking, but I can't see an easy way to get to it. It isn't in the fusebox as some web articles seem to suggest.

Do I have to unscrew the fuse box and lift it to gain access to the relay (N10?) behind or under it?

Does anyone have a picture of where it is and what it looks like?

Thanks for any help!

 

[joe bloggs]

6 screws holding fusebox top on, its at the back of the fusebox, 1.5" x 4" x 3", you cant miss it, just make sure that it is plugged fully in, they can work loose on 202, also make sure terminal block is retained fully in holder, and not moving down when pushing relay down.

 

[MAXP]

Thanks Joe Bloggs

Thanks for the reply. I guessed it must be somewhere near the fusebox, but was looking for confirmation before I started fiddling about.

Thanks again.

 

[GrahamC230K]

Ii is the relay - I had the same on my C200. Would only sometimes indicate right!

There was much confusion about the exact type and location of the relay on my '98 car and it had to come down to the chassis number to get it right. Good luck.