Just bought a 300E... and it's got gremlins!

[BadTasteUK]

Hi guys, my first post here. Firstly great site, I've been browsing for the last few weeks whilst I was looking at W124 300E's, and it's been very useful.

Well, after years of wanting one I've got the same car as my old man had when I was younger, the great 300E. (Albeit he had a 1986, and I've got a 1993).

She's got 97000, climate, and magnolia leather, and I'm delighted!

However, I think there are a few gremlins lurking somewhere, as it's doing some funny things. Perhaps they've been heard of? (Couldn't find them whilst browsing).

1) Last night (after picking it up), every time any of the doors were opened or closed, all the doors locked and then unlocked. Then, with the engine off, I switched on the courtesy light, and all the doors locked. Switched it off again, and they unlocked. Yet all day today, it's been fine! :?

2) I switched the wipers on to intermittent, and then straight back off (to clear a few drops of rain), and the wipers wouldn't switch off until I flicked the wipers on and off a few times. And then when it started raining, and I put them back on intermittent, after 10 mins, they kept going between constant wipe, and intermittent.

Is there anything obvious here, or is it an expensive trip to MB?

Sorry if the post is too long.

Cheers,
G.

 

[Mike Buley]

Welcome G,
Point 1)....I have had a similar thing, my central locking going up and down for no particular reason...The most stupid thing stopped it.....My tailgate looked closed, and indeed locked/ opened with the car but it wasnt closed completely. I couldnt see it, it turned the courtesy lights off, but obviously confused the locking. Try slamming all doors / boot shut. It sounds stupid and I am not teaching you to suck eggs but you never know!

2. Sounds like a fault in the wiper stalk, not too expensive but if you can live with it no problem!

Hope it helps a bit, enjoy the car, I have a 300te, goes like a bomb....

 

[kid-jensen]

G,

I recon the problem with the wipers is located in or around the self-parking mechanism, rather than the switch, but I've been wrong before.

The only thing I can advise as a newish E-class owner is to rush down to Europarts and get a serpentine belt to carry with you at all times.

There's 2 x A4 pages of different belt lengths in the manual, so you'll never get the right one when you need it in a hurry.......

Check the length written on the belt, something like 6PK-2330 and get one that length, don't assume the parts places know the correct one for your car :roll:

 

[Arnie]

G,

Seems like your wiper problem is related to the wiper motor parking mechanism, as suggested in the prevuious post. No idea about your central locking problem, however.

 

[BadTasteUK]

Thanks for your help guys!

On the door locks, Mike's suggestion of something not being shut sounds possible, as it hasn't happened since the first night I bought it. (Fingers crossed :roll: )

On the wiper, I took it to a recommended Merc specialist in London, and he's going to change a relay under the "Warranty Holdings" warranty that came with the car. I'll give him a shout tomorrow and mention the parking mechanism.

He also found small things like rear discs and a couple of worn bushes, but other than that said it's in great condition. 8)

Next thing is to fit a Cat1 alarm. I read somewhere on here that a Clifford was recommended. I was quoted £350 fitted for a Clifford Concept 300. Any comments on that?

Thanks again,
G.

 

[BadTasteUK]

Quick update on the gremlins.

The wipers turning on by themselves was a faulty relay which was replaced.

The locks going up and down by themselves hasn't happened again since the first night.

Fitted a Clifford Cat1 and am very happy, (although I needed to get a central locking module).

The embarrasing bit was coming home late one night along the M4 and deciding to see what it would be like to really open her up. Sh1t loads of steam later, found a huge hole in a water pipe. £20 trip to MB Edgware Road later, new pipe fitted in 10 mins, all sorted! (Haven't opened her up again since!)

 

[Kinky]

Was the CatI Clifford the cheapest you found?

Who did you buy it thru & who fitted it?

I assume it's got an immobliser as well as alarm?

Sorry for all the questions - but I'm looking at buying one too (any CatI system).

K

 

[BadTasteUK]

I didn't look at anything other than a Clifford. Quite a few friends have had them fitted and been delighted with them.

It's got an alarm and immobiliser, the only irritating bit being that once you deactivate it to get in, you have 30 secs to start it or the immob. will kick in again. (you only have to press the alarm fob again, but still!)

This is apparently something that Thatcham insist on for a Cat1 system.

BTW, I also needed a central locking module, because the W124 uses a vacuum rather than electrics for the central locking.

I paid £350 for the Clifford Concept 300, and £20 for the c.l. module. Bought it at New Image Hifi in Pinner, North West London.

Also picked up a Sony MP3 head unit for £140, which was out of stock at the Sony shop up the road for £200 so wasn't a bad price. Unfortunately the speakers need changing as well. Any ideas on custom fit speakers for the W124 anyone :?:

 

[Orlando 300E]

Hello G,
Just fitted some component two way Pioneer 10cm speakers to the dash. Type TS-H107 maximum music power 110W. My originals were the standard Pioneer 12cm speaker. Unfortunately this size difference means that the speaker does not seal the front from the back. But they have made such a difference to the crispness of sound. Best bit (apart from the sound improvement!) is they fit under the grille with no extra modification.

Planning in future to change the rears for some of the same type as above, Pioneer speaker, but 13cm size -move a bit more air. They should fit under the standard grille -there is a lot of space there. The existing rear speakers are again standard Pioneer 12cm ones with horrible paper cones.

If you are contemplating a sub, it is quite tricky to get the sound out of the boot -ideally a Sub should be mounted within the cabin. This is nie on impossible without major carving up of metal. I have mounted my 25cm sub directly under the first aid kit -there is a 5cm square hole in the metal there. It still works but is a bit muffled. Newer 124s had small subs mounted in the lower rearmost area of the front doors. This came with a complete sound package -think it was Bose. The is a Problem reported with these door subs, they rattle everything loose -proud owners have to keep rebuilding their doors to re-tighten everything! :lol:

On the subject of MP3s -they are great! I got the Kenwood 10 disc MP3 auto-changer, in theory I can get over a 100 albums in there -only problem, I can?t find most of them though! :wink:
Cheers for now
O