Mercedes E350 CDI 2010 Starting, Temperature issues.

[Nimz19]

Hi All,

I've been having a few issues with my recently purchased 2010 e350 coupe OM642.83 (93k miles). No codes showing.

1) The car struggles to start on first cold start but then remains fine for the rest of the day. Glow plug lights go off straight away as they should, and both plugs and relay were changed about 4 years ago from paperwork I received. Could the relay have gone again - seems a bit soon to go and the glow plug lights do not flash on and off like some others have experienced when their relays need to be replaced. May try to change the fuel filter first before the glow plug relay.

2) The car takes a long time to get to 92 temp, the car doesn't given driven too much but have been on a 30 min journey and the car barely got up to 80. Highly likely to be the Thermostat I know but was wondering if something else could be causing this which could link to cold start issue? Haven't heard of thermostat affecting cold starts but I may be wrong. It could also likely just be two separate issues.

3) The car has a suspension knock and squeak over bumps from driver side constantly and occasionally both passenger and driver side. 2 Mechanics said sounds like worn shock on driver side whereas another said control arm bushes (no obvious cracks on them though). All had the car on a ramp and couldn't see anything obvious so frustratingly looks like it might be a dart board scenario on what to change. Drop links maybe?

Thanks,

N

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

The thermostat on the 350cdi does provide data to the ECU so looks like it needs changing use a genuine part on this from experience.

Regarding the suspension change the drop links first (cheap as chips) and go on from there if it doesn’t cure it sounds like a bushing problem and could be any of them at 95k miles so a good suspension overhaul might be the best solution

 

[Wighty]

How old is the battery ? Should be a date stamped on top of one of the terminals .
And as above , change the thermostat .

 

[Nimz19]

Thanks for the input both, will change the thermostat and try the drop links for the suspension noise.

@Wighty I have just changed the battery so no issues here (Bosch s4).

 

[Nimz19]

Update - have changed thermostat and fuel filter.

Car now gets up to temp as it should - unfortunately the starting issue is still there.

Will try change the glow plug relay next and post on here if it fixes it.

 

[mersum1es]

...and the measure injector tank leaks... would also be worth to check what are their correction values in ecu (tank leak not always correlate/show problems in delivery)

 

[alexanderfoti]

...and the measure injector tank leaks... would also be worth to check what are their correction values in ecu (tank leak not always correlate/show problems in delivery)

yes +1

but before you bark up the wrong tree, read the codes from the engine ECU!

 

[mattkh]

Will try change the glow plug relay

The relay is doing its job. However, there is no harm in taking it out and cleaning the pins. If you do, please put up a picture of the before and after.
What is the outside temperature when you are doing the cold start?

 

[Nimz19]

The relay is doing its job. However, there is no harm in taking it out and cleaning the pins. If you do, please put up a picture of the before and after.
What is the outside temperature when you are doing the cold start?

Will give it a clean and see where that gets me! It is not that cold when the issue is apparent maybe anything lower than 5 degrees.

 

[Nimz19]

yes +1

but before you bark up the wrong tree, read the codes from the engine ECU!

I've had it read by an indie but nothing came up. However that wasn't STAR - should I be going to Merc?

 

[Nimz19]

Odd one when I was changing the filters, i found this wiring loom not plugged into anything. Could not see any empty sockets either.

Any ideas?

 

[mersum1es]

Could be for water sensor of fuel filter...?

 

[Nimz19]

Update - starting issues fixed with new glow plug relay.

 

[mattkh]

Well I never.
Goes to show one cannot rely just on the click noise of the relay.
Well done and thanks very much for the update . Was the relay about £20.

 

[Mr Greedy]

Thanks for updating.
As per Wighty's post#3, did you look on the top of the battery terminals to see if it was an original Merc battery date stamped? Usually one terminal would have something like:

33
10

To indicate week 33 of year (2000 and) 10

 

[Mr Greedy]

Common front suspension clonks are either the ball joint on the bottom of the hub, or very often the hydro (oil filled) bushing on the front control arm, sometimes call the McPherson strut.

The presenter reports common issues for clunks on the W212 during turning, he mentions ARB drop links at 2m50s.
A2123201189 and A2123201289
and also the McPherson tension strut bushing, by which he means the large, inner bush on the large front control arm (control arms A2123302711 and A2123302811 - just replace the arms rather than faffing with pressing bushes in and out).

He then goes on to recommend replacing all the front suspension components with rubber bushers at about 70-75k miles, and all the rear suspension components with rubber bushes at about 110-120k miles.

 

[bembo449]

glad you got it sorted but when you said 'recently purchased' was that from a garage ??

 

[Nimz19]

Well I never.
Goes to show one cannot rely just on the click noise of the relay.
Well done and thanks very much for the update . Was the relay about £20.

They are extortionate on these! £140 from Merc ebay but fitted myself quite easy to do. Read up a lot of issues on these for the W212 - I did look at the pins all looked very clean and normal just a bad design. They had updated the part luckily so the new one should last a long time fingers crossed.

glad you got it sorted but when you said 'recently purchased' was that from a garage ??

Nope was from a private seller.

 

[Nimz19]

Common front suspension clonks are either the ball joint on the bottom of the hub, or very often the hydro (oil filled) bushing on the front control arm, sometimes call the McPherson strut.

The presenter reports common issues for clunks on the W212 during turning, he mentions ARB drop links at 2m50s.
A2123201189 and A2123201289
and also the McPherson tension strut bushing, by which he means the large, inner bush on the large front control arm (control arms A2123302711 and A2123302811 - just replace the arms rather than faffing with pressing bushes in and out).

He then goes on to recommend replacing all the front suspension components with rubber bushers at about 70-75k miles, and all the rear suspension components with rubber bushes at about 110-120k miles.

Thanks for this its now been to 5 mechanics who all suggest everything looks fine but they have also all driven it and know there is definitely something wrong! I may just have to live with the noise for now :/

Also changed the drop links as this was cheap (£40 ish for both front lemforders) but no cigar.

 

[Nimz19]

Update - suspension knock fixed with new shocks!

Now I can finally start enjoying the car!

Has anyone had their OM642s remapped? It pulls like a train on the motorway but very sluggish from start and low revs which gets annoying when pulling away from standstill! Hoping to get a few quotes for a stage 1 - Heard GAD and MSL are decent