CLK 270cdi problems

[Ian306]

Hi there, don't know if anyone can help but here goes......

I have been having starting problems with my W209 Clk 53 plate for about 12 months. At first I thought it was a problem with the battery not holding a charge, so I bought a new battery. Seemed ok for about a month then the problem returned ( the problem being that if I left my car for 2 days of more without using it the battery would be flat). I took the car to a local garage, who are Mercedes specialists, to see if they could find what was going on. They noticed that when the car was in sleep mode, there was a drain on the battery of 1.2 - 1.4 amps, but this wasn't constant. It was like the car was constantly waking up then going to sleep again after about 20 seconds. When I went on holiday I left the car with them for 2 weeks to see if they could get to the bottom of the problem. No joy, but they were absolute diamonds because they never charged me a penny. Because I have an aftermarket audio system in the car they suggested I take it back to where I got it fitted and ask them to check it over, just to make sure the audio system wasn't responsible. I did and it's not.
My problem seems to have gone one step further today. Drove the car more than 120 miles yesterday arriving home at 8pm last night. Gone out to the car at 3:30pm today to go and do some shopping at Asda and nothing. The car unlocks from the remote, put the key in the ignition and everything lights up, headlights work, stereo works but when I turn the key to start the car I get a big fat zero. Not even a sound that the car is trying to start.
I am at my wits end now and feel like taking a sledgehammer to the thing. Any help anyone can offer I would be extremely grateful.

Ian.

 

[Cole@MBS]

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46827

Have a read there, same as the 209,

As for the drain, what spec is your car,what toys???

Welcome to the forums

 

[Ian306]

Solved the problem of it not turning over. A fuse had gone. Wish I had seen your reply first so I would have known which one to check first. I've just replaced it with another 15amp fuse. Why should I change it to a 20amp one instead of the 15amp that is in it?
With regards to your other questions about my car, it is a CLK 270 CDi Elegance Automatic on a 53 plate (W209). Leather trim, electric memory and heated seats, easy entry/exit feature etc. The only thing that has changed from the factory spec is the audio system that I have put in it: new Alpine head unit, ipod connector, upgraded front component speakers, 6x9's in rear parcel shelf, 10" sub in box in boot and 2 amplifiers to power.

Ian.

 

[Ian306]

I don't know if it's related but I forgot to mention that I also started having problems with the seat and steering column adjustment (easy entry/exit). From time to time it would just stop working, always in the easy entry position (seat as far back as it goes and the steering wheel as far forward and up as it goes). It would stay like that for anywhere between a day or so and up to 2 weeks then it would just start working again. When they were stuck I couldn't even adjust them using the electronic seat controls on the door panel or the steering column adjust leaver. The last time they were working I decided to put them in a position that was comfortable for me then disconnected the plugs under the seats. That was in Feb when it was really cold and had the added bonus of preventing the battery from going flat overnight, instead extending it for an extra day.

Ian.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Reason for swapping the 15 to a 20 amp fuse, was MB deemed it as "underated".

One of the biggest reason for a battery drain on a 203-209 is the seat module, seen hundreds of them, last time i wanted one it was on back order! disconnect the control main feed and see if that helps?

 

[Ian306]

Where would I find the control main feed to try disconnecting it?

Ian.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Look under the seat, large plug with 2 heavy wires, pull that out!

 

[Ian306]

I have 3 plugs under the front of my seat, 2 have 2 wires going in and the other has 8 wires going in. All 3 have been removed since Feb and I can't leave the car for more than one day without use or it won't start. It's driving me nuts.

Ian.

 

[Cole@MBS]

Very easy to trace a drain, where in the world are you?

 

[Ian306]

I'm in Skelmersdale, near Liverpool NW England.

 

[Cole@MBS]

To far for me then, try removing the 4 20 amp fuses at the top of the dash fuse box, that will disconnect all 4 door control modules, another well known drain!

 

[Ian306]

I'm going up to the Lakes this weekend so I'll give that a go tomorrow and report back on Sunday night.
Thanks,

Ian.

 

[Ian306]

Just had a quick look in the fuse box I think you mean (the one on the drivers side of the dashboard). This is what mine looks like:

Hope the pic shows because my fuse box doesn't have 4x20amp fuses at the top, there are 4x30amp fuses instead.

Ian.

 

[Cole@MBS]

My mistake, the 4 30 amp fuses!!!

 

[Ian306]

No problem, just needed to make sure I'm going to pull out the correct ones.

Thanks.