EC light on. no air con

[RADw203]

Hi Kevin!

Yeah, you should go to an indie with STAR first before you decide on anything else. A local aircond expert told me that I had to change the condenser, expansion valve and drier plus a full service and regas for £290 and I still had to go to a Merc specialist to remove the EC light problem. Yeah right.

Luckily I decided to have the car diagnosed on STAR first and there is no damage to the hardwares and the cost was minimal.

About your problem with the "go to workshop" warning", I suggest you get the car hooked up to a STAR diagnostics to find out what is really wrong with your car. Before going to the indie I kept on having several fault warnings appearing on the ASSYST display and non of them made any sense. ABS warning. It worked just fine. ESP warning. It worked fine too. Then rear brake light warning. Checked, no faulty bulbs. Then headlamp warning. No problems too. The xenons are working fine and dandy.

The indie specialist I went to checked for all these faults and found that all the components are working fine. He had all the fault codes removed and no more undue warnings so far.

Cheers!!!

 

[deejaybee]

Just thought I would post to say that I successfully used the proceedure in post 31 to reset the air-con on my W140 - it was quite easy to do.

The EC light came on a few months ago and could not be switched off, but I wasn't too worried at the time in the colder weather. Took it to Kwick-fit last weekend to see if the system was down on pressure. They did a full re-gas and said the system wasn't leaking but didn't know how to re-set the system, so I didn't get charged.

regards,

Dave

 

[supraman_tt]

I have finally got the ac on my w203 fixed.
Issues with it were as follow:
EC Light would not turn off (So no AC), even after having it re gassed by kwik fit
Warm air blowing when the temp was set to the lowest setting.

The W203 does not have the duovalve so couldn't try that fix.

Went to a German Car Specialist, who drained the system, cleaned it and re gassed all for £59+vat.
AC still never came on, he hooked it up to the star diagnotic machine and cleared the fault saying the ac was empty.

Job done, I now have ice cold air and the sun has gone away, typical.

So just to recap, if you have let your system go 100% empty, then a reset may do the fix.

 

[desperate]

Lo folks,
Bit of a long shot, but here goes...! On the 9/6/2009 RW posted a reply on A/C prob`s - "accessing trouble codes" I`ve just picked it up, Bang on RW, my a/c display does all that you said, Ace, except that I couldn`t u/stand how to get the following on `erasing trouble codes -i.e "Set a/c heater temp control to basic position"..! What is and how do I access `basic position`? Will this erasure programme rectify my a/c problem? It blows cold for about 2/3 mins then ambient...? Driving me mad in this weather.
Desperate.

 

[littlebrooklyn]

Everything works fine on my 2001 C class W203 Cdi since the fix ... light out/cold air ... only problem now is when the ventilation system is running without the aircon, there is a really musty smell that hovers around the cabin lol ....

We have that with our A Class. You turn on the A/C and for about 30 secs you get this awful musty smell and it's just like a pair of men's damp sweaty socks

 

[television]

We have that with our A Class. You turn on the A/C and for about 30 secs you get this awful musty smell and it's just like a pair of men's damp sweaty socks

Just walk round the corner to Halfords and get a aerosol of cleaner for it, and it will all smell as nice as yoú within a few hours

 

[Paul8304424]

Hi,
I have a 2001 C200 Komp with the same issue. I have had the air con refilled (it was half empty) but the EC REST light is still on. How do I fix it?
Thanks
Paul

 

[sweeper]

Hi,
All your EC means is that you have switched off the aircon I believe, so as to save fuel. Mine came on last year after a bump released all the gas so I sucked the air out of the system with a vacuum cleaner pipe with a refill pipe in the low pressure connector and taped to the Vac hose and just sucked it out with the vacuum cleaner suction and then disconnected the hose of the Low pressure aircon refill connection while the vac was still sucking to stop air going back in and the refilled the aircon with a kit I got off EBay complete with meter to show how much is in the system and surprisingly to me it worked and is still working. I you've got a leak you can get a gas refill with leakstopper in it i have used that before on another car and it worked fine.
Hope this is of some use to you, if you are already sorted via the stealership it may of use in the future.

This is a classic, and yes it will work BUT you will not have removed the air, air contains moisture, moisture and a/c gas go together really well in making corrosive acid! 'nough said?

 

[W203-C220]

Glad to hear your problem was easily fixed by an indie with little cost.
I just had my thermostat replaced which has got the engine running about 90 again so the heater works now!

Think I will get my local indie (Star Motor Services - Caversham) to sort out my EC fix and a regas. When I get time.

New problem starting to surface now... sometimes throws up a BAS 'go to workshop' warning upon starting. Next time it's normal and fault message only stored during that trip. Had something like this last year with random brake lamp fail warnings but a new LED unit cured that.
Have heard SAM units can play up causing random errors. Could it just be a fluid level switch? Should I be worried?

Kind regards

Kevin

UPDATE ON ALL FAULTS SINCE CLEARED:

The spurious BAS 'go to workshop' messages were followed by the death of the 9yr old original battery. Replacement cured that issue.

My trip to Kwik-fit was a bit of a waste of time actually. They did the whole drain/refill thing twice over and it still was not working with EC light on. They assured me it was now fully gassed though and did not charge (as per the promotion) so I was thinking it had to be serious.

Next I visited 2 seperate 'Aircon Specialists' who both advised me they would have to start from scratch and likely to cost £200+.
Also both stated the EC light would 'reset itself' and had never heard of having to do this via OBD.

I called and went along to my usual indie service guys who drained it again, found it to be 3/4 empty anyway (so what did Kwik-fit do exactly?) and filled it properly with new gas/dye/oil.

The EC light fault had to be cleared next, but then all was well again.
He did all this while I waited/watched and only cost £71 all in.

Life is totally cool once more

 

[RADw203]

UPDATE ON ALL FAULTS SINCE CLEARED:

The spurious BAS 'go to workshop' messages were followed by the death of the 9yr old original battery. Replacement cured that issue.

My trip to Kwik-fit was a bit of a waste of time actually. They did the whole drain/refill thing twice over and it still was not working with EC light on. They assured me it was now fully gassed though and did not charge (as per the promotion) so I was thinking it had to be serious.

Next I visited 2 seperate 'Aircon Specialists' who both advised me they would have to start from scratch and likely to cost £200+.
Also both stated the EC light would 'reset itself' and had never heard of having to do this via OBD.

I called and went along to my usual indie service guys who drained it again, found it to be 3/4 empty anyway (so what did Kwik-fit do exactly?) and filled it properly with new gas/dye/oil.

The EC light fault had to be cleared next, but then all was well again.
He did all this while I waited/watched and only cost £71 all in.

Life is totally cool once more

Good to know the problem is sorted.

 

[Peterjm]

Hi folks,
had same trouble with EC light on newly acquired 02 C200K .On Radw203's advice went to Shlomo S in Livingston enjoyed same service and the fault was rectified ! chuffed and would recommend this chap as alternative to any main dealer

 

[AGM]

I need somebody who is familiar with the aircon self diagnostic system. Anyone?

This is my dilemma everytime i open the system instead of getting the diagnostic trouble codes i get a symbol "E" left side and "FF" right side of the display area this happens after pressing the right auto button. What does this mean? Is this okay?

Also, is it normal that when i press the right auto button the "FF" symbol disappears and the fan turns on then after awhile it reappears and the fan shuts off?

Lastly, when rest button is pressed i get actual value diagnostics, can anyone please give me values in figures for comparison so that i will know if mine is working properly. I also noticed during actual testing my evaporator temperature(celsius) goes up when the the fan blower is in full, hence the air flow is not that cold. When the fan blower is in the middle or lower position the evaporator temp goes down, hence the air flow is cold. Then again the aircon is not that really cold as before.

I'm doing this because recently the aircon of my 1998 clk320 is not as cold as before. Thanks in advance for your insights!

 

[Mikeyboy]

I recently had the EC light on & no air con. Car is an E320CDI with climate control.I contacted a specialist & asked his advice about buying the temperature sensor before he came to check my system. He advised to wait till he checked the system. He found the pressure to be rather low & recharged the system. Started the car & EC light still on & unable to switch it off. He the went through the following procedure & light went off & A/C working perfect. The bellow information may be of use to other readers as the system appears self diagnose faults,

Accessing Trouble Codes

Switch ignition on
Set left AC/heater temperature control to HI
Set right AC/heater temperature to LO
Depress REST and EC switches simultaneously within 20 seconds of switching on
Hold REST and EC switches for more than 5 seconds
Air recirculation lamp flashes
AC/heater control displays di A
Depress right AUTO switch repeatedly. Note trouble codes
To repeat operation depress AUTO switch

ERASING TROUBLE CODES

Depress AUTO switches simultaneously for more than 2 seconds after last trouble code is displayed
AC/heater control displays d and FF
Set AC/heater temperature control to basic position
Trouble codes erased
Switch ignition OFF

TROUBLE CODE IDENTIFICATION

DISPLAY TROUBLE FAULT LOCATION
CODE CODE

003 B1226 In-car temperature sensor with blower
005 B1228 Heater output temperature sensor
006 B1229 " " "
007 B1230 AC evaporator temperature sensor
008 B1231 Engine coolant temperature (ECT) sensor
009 B1232 AC refrigerant pressure sensor
010 B1233 AC refrigerant temperature sensor
011 B1234 AC sunlight sensor
012 B1235 Heater intake air purity sensor
013 B1241 AC refrig pressure sensor, AC temp pressure sensor
refrigerant level
014 B1416 Engine coolant pump motor
019 B1417 Engine coolant heater regulator valve LH
020 B1418 " " RH
021 B1419 AC compressor clutch
022 B1420 Idle speed increase
023 B1421 Engine coolant blower motor control module
024 B1422 Serial interface K1
025 B1423 AC heater valve block
026 B1424 AC heater air intake filter actuator
027 B1425 " "
029 B1429 Serial interface K2

I tried this on my W210 with dual digi climate and it seems to have worked.
A massive thankyou to R W.

 

[porscheplus.co.uk]

AC Control Reset

This is courtesy of Benzworld. Worked for my W220.
1) Set the car in park and turn on the engine, hold the rest and particle filter buttons down together for about 5 seconds (The screen will show searching)
2) This screen gives you the fault codes. If you're curious, scroll up and down to see them using the temp up and down switch.
3) Pop out the left auto vent button and right auto vent button.
4) Now press the the left button in, and then the right one. The system will reset.
5) Turn the car off, wait a minute, then turn it back on again. If you don't have any further problems, the light should stay off. (If it comes back on again, you have more things to do)

 

[Viajaca]

2000 e320. Flushed a/c and replaced freon. A/c blows warm. Can anyone tell me the reset procedure

 

[television]

It will have to go on STAR the evaporator sensor can fail. is the LED on in the control,

Once low on gas and the lamp comes on it will only work after being turned on in STAR

 

[makf2000]

i have E220 2005 can some one help to replace temp sensor

 

[rowley]

eiz/ezs

After having no cold air and a low pressure air con code on my w203 merc, I have recently had the air con pressure sensor replaced . The System has been filled to full pressure. The ec and auto lights can be turned on and off....but still no cold air. The compessor can be manually turned on using a diagnostic pc only . I have read that the EIS/EZS system needs the pressure/temp sensor turning to inactive.

How is this done, does it need a star machine.....any help welcome....cheers.

 

[television]

I am not 100% on this one but after a re charge it does need activating on STAR.

See what others say

 

[Garthrington]

This is courtesy of Benzworld. Worked for my W220.
1) Set the car in park and turn on the engine, hold the rest and particle filter buttons down together for about 5 seconds (The screen will show searching)
2) This screen gives you the fault codes. If you're curious, scroll up and down to see them using the temp up and down switch.
3) Pop out the left auto vent button and right auto vent button.
4) Now press the the left button in, and then the right one. The system will reset.
5) Turn the car off, wait a minute, then turn it back on again. If you don't have any further problems, the light should stay off. (If it comes back on again, you have more things to do)

The EC light is also stuck on on my W220 S320CDI I tried the above procedure, and managed to get the fault codes, and then reset. The light then would turn off. However almost immediately it would come back on and not turn off again. The fault codes were 1257 a & b, after reset only 1257a remains has anyone got any ideas what this code is?

I have also have issues with my external Temp sensor, could this have anything to do with it?

All information gratefully received.

Thanks Gary