Possible sensor problem A170 cdi 2001

[Vicki Swaine]

Hi, yesterday after 1.5 hours of travel battery warning light came on, followed a bit later by temperature gauge. Power steering lost, then everything else. Battery currently being recharged by a garage. However I had exactly the same problem 6 years ago and it was a short in live wire within wiring loom in engine bay. I am in France so if someone can tell me the location of this wire, it would help enormously only communication with the mechanic. Is it linked to a sensor?

 

[Flyinspanner]

Check your auxiliary belt - it drives alternator (battery charge light) water pump (temp) and power steering pump!

 

[Flyinspanner]

I’ve put a shout out to see if any members can speak french (car technical) well and linked to this thread.
Hope you get sorted

 

[grayb]

I have a cousin who runs a garage in Pau, south-west France if that helps at all? I can send contact details. Not a Mercedes specialist but...

 

[tode]

Hi Vicki,
Where abouts are you in France?

I live over here and have no problem with French.
As Flyinspanner above, I would have thought of the accessory belt and/or a pulley problem . . .

Do you have a telephone number where you can be contacted ?

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Too far but thanks

I have a cousin who runs a garage in Pau, south-west France if that helps at all? I can send contact details. Not a Mercedes specialist but...

 

[Wighty]

May be worth going to a Mercedes in France at least they can read the fault codes correctly on MB dedicated diagnostics

 

[Vicki Swaine]

May be worth going to a Mercedes in France at least they can read the fault codes correctly on MB dedicated diagnostics

Yes but car is undriveable

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Thanks

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Hi Vicki,
Where abouts are you in France?

I live over here and have no problem with French.
As Flyinspanner above, I would have thought of the accessory belt and/or a pulley problem . . .

Do you have a telephone number where you can be contacted ?

Between Bergerac and Sarlat. Car is 110km away.

 

[tode]

Between Bergerac and Sarlat. Car is 110km away.

A bit far from us (near Rennes) to help you with transport !

Would you like me to phone your garage to see what's going on and what they've found so far ? If so, post up their phone number and I'll try ringing them.

 

[Wighty]

A bit far from us (near Rennes) to help you with transport !

Would you like me to phone your garage to see what's going on and what they've found so far ? If so, post up their phone number and I'll try ringing them.

Nice offer buddy

 

[mattkh]

.... followed a bit later by temperature gauge. Power steering lost,

Seconds before you lost the power steering, did you hear any noise ?

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Seconds before you lost the power steering, did you hear any noise ?

No. It coincided with the battery warning light coming on

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Nice offer buddy

A very kind offer indeed. It is M. Rodriguez at a garage in Grezillac 05 57 84 53 98. He met us last night outside the mairie at Tirzac and was going to retrieve the car today and charge the battery to start with. Thank you so much.

 

[ajlsl600]

if you search here and bert rowe (lofty) you will find that there is an article on the area (i cant remember) where wires that can cause this rub thru to a short. i remember that its caused by long periods of engine idle causing wiring to rub thru. sorry i cant for the life of me remember where that is but its a known fault on the A class you could also ask forrera at https://www.facebook.com/aclassForrera/ i was wondering on alternator regulator, did it run again on fully charged battery ?

 

[Vicki Swaine]

if you search here and bert rowe (lofty) you will find that there is an article on the area (i cant remember) where wires that can cause this rub thru to a short. i remember that its caused by long periods of engine idle causing wiring to rub thru. sorry i cant for the life of me remember where that is but its a known fault on the A class you could also ask forrera at https://www.facebook.com/aclassForrera/ i was wondering on alternator regulator, did it run again on fully charged battery ?

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Thanks so much. I will look. I don't know the answer to your last question. This all happened last night and by the time we crawled to a halt, the battery wasn't functioning.

 

[tode]

A very kind offer indeed. It is M. Rodriguez at a garage in Grezillac 05 57 84 53 98. He met us last night outside the mairie at Tirzac and was going to retrieve the car today and charge the battery to start with. Thank you so much.

Hello again,

I've just had M. Rodriquez on the phone - the situation:
- the car's in his garage
- quick inspection showed that the accessory belt is broken and the belt tensioning pulley is seized.
- he's ordrered the belt and should have it to-morrow, but needs a copy of the "carte grise" (car registration) in order to order the pulley. He would like you to send him a copy by mail (his adresse is: garage.mps@wanadoo.fr).

I would have thought that the car VIN would have been sufficient to order the parts, but he wants the car registration papers (which aren't in the car).

If all goes well, he should have the parts early next week. The work shouldn't be too long, but I know that the A-class engines can be difficult to work on.

I presume that you're in a hotel - do you have any other problems ?

 

[Vicki Swaine]

Hello again,

I've just had M. Rodriquez on the phone - the situation:
- the car's in his garage
- quick inspection showed that the accessory belt is broken and the belt tensioning pulley is seized.
- he's ordrered the belt and should have it to-morrow, but needs a copy of the "carte grise" (car registration) in order to order the pulley. He would like you to send him a copy by mail (his adresse is: garage.mps@wanadoo.fr).

I would have thought that the car VIN would have been sufficient to order the parts, but he wants the car registration papers (which aren't in the car).

If all goes well, he should have the parts early next week. The work shouldn't be too long, but I know that the A-class engines can be difficult to work on.

I presume that you're in a hotel - do you have any other problems ?

You are extremely kind
Firstly the car is on English plates so I can only send him the UK registration document. At the same time I will ask him for a devis. We had to get a taxi home last night (360 euros). We live in Paleyrac, 110 kilometre away. The VIN is in the engine compartment and on the windscreen. I will explain this to him when I send the email. It is good to have an obvious diagnosis and not be going down the route of new battery, then new alternator etc! Once again thank you!