SLK350 Rebuild

[SLK-350]

Hi all,

Almost completed a rebuild of a 2005 SLK350 that was written off in an accident a few years ago. I have an electrical issue or two to resolve but happy to help anyone else with queries if I can from what I've learnt along the way. I'm not a mechanic, just a keen amateur. Likewise, if anyone has experience of electrical issues, I'd love to hear from you.

I have, on an intermittent basis, an alarm that goes off which I need to lock / unlock on the key to switch off and a couple of lights on the dash that seem to come on as / when they fancy it and need resetting to clear - no issues found though with what they indicate - Seat Belt warning light and Engine Management. Shorting somewhere?

Thanks for reading, Mark

 

[Pullman]

Hi all,

Almost completed a rebuild of a 2005 SLK350 that was written off in an accident a few years ago. I have an electrical issue or two to resolve but happy to help anyone else with queries if I can from what I've learnt along the way. I'm not a mechanic, just a keen amateur. Likewise, if anyone has experience of electrical issues, I'd love to hear from you.

I have, on an intermittent basis, an alarm that goes off which I need to lock / unlock on the key to switch off and a couple of lights on the dash that seem to come on as / when they fancy it and need resetting to clear - no issues found though with what they indicate - Seat Belt warning light and Engine Management. Shorting somewhere?

Thanks for reading, Mark

Welcome to the forum ... Got any pictures of the damage? ..... think you are a brave man myself rebuilding a write off. Had any issues with getting insurance?

 

[V6Matty]

Welcome, sounds like you have had your work cut out so far, in regards to the alarm going off, have you replaced the siren unit, the batteries are known to fail and leak all over the board, I'm not saying this is 100% the answer but could be worth a look. Your other lights then I think your thinking is right as to a short somewhere, it could be worth a session on a STAR machine to try locating what part it is that's failing/shorting

 

[SLK-350]

Hi

Probably didn't take as many photo's as I should have. Best way to describe the damage is to imagine the car being driven into a narrowing tunnel - the front was probably 18" - 24" narrower than it should have been!

Enjoyed the work though. Always wanted to build a kit car but wifey said she wouldn't go in a car I built from scratch! This seemed a suitable compromise.

Bought I as Cat C but no issues when it came around to insuring it. Once rebuilt it was supposed to have a VIC test but they just happened to be abolished as I got the car on the road last October, so the MOT was enough.

What work do you have to tackle - likewise, any pics?

Regards
Mark

 

[SLK-350]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the suggestion and I'll have a look at that, although I think a short somewhere is more likely. Local garage had it on STAR diagnostics and told me it was the front SAM unit. Several hundred pounds later, the Engine Management light still kept coming on at varying intervals, with the same garage re-setting it each time. They even individually tested the components that were supposed to be potential issues for the fault code, but said they all work fine. Certainly I had no loss of power or any symptoms other than an orange light on the dash!

The last time I took it back to the garage, I was told the code had been 'overwritten' and wouldn't come on again. By reaching the end of the road though I had an airbag light on and 50 miles or so later, the engine light. A few trips later and off went the alarm as I accelerated - what joy.

I'm thinking that some wires have been trapped / exposed somewhere and the garage fiddling around have perhaps exposed more to become an intermittent short - which is what the airbag code light indicates, although no sign of issues below the seat as the light suggests. Certainly there's been no airbag or alarm issues prior to the last garage visit. Lost faith in them now and reluctant to go there again.

Had a friend of my daughters, who had a code reader, re-set the lights a few weeks ago and it passed it's MOT. Just waiting for my Christmas lights to come on again now, lol. I don't use the car regularly - just sunny days, so not that often at all!

Regards
Mark

 

[John Laidlaw]

Welcome, interesting project!