speedo bounces then stops working - then limp mode! HELP!!!!

[jmbetker002]

Hey guys. First post, been a guest reader for about a year.

I have a 2001 mercedes c 320 with a problem. It runs great but it has between 6 and 9 faults on the dash the past few weeks. Faults are as follows; srs, check engine light (sometimes),abs, brake wear, esp, bas (I think) and maybe a couple more, the car is not here or I would go take a look. Prolem is its been going into limp mode recently. When it does it going down the highway the speedometer will bounce around really fast until I stop then it quits working all together and the transmission goes into limp mode. Turning the car on and off a few times will bring it out of limp mode and get me home. The car sits outside, I live in minute and we get snow, and rain quite often. I don't know what to do. I love the car but can't afford to take it to MB and pay them to fix it. I have some mechanical abilities and friends with tons of experience with cars, just now mercedes. I can answer questions quickly from my blackberry! So please give me your input!


Thanks, josh

 

[brandwooddixon]

Do any of these faults show if the vehicle is stationary?
Do any of the lights stay on after you have started the car but not moved off?

What is the battery voltage when starting the car and once it is running?

 

[television]

You are loosing the speed signal so the gearbox just locks up as it does not know what to do, are there no ABS lamps on ?

 

[Mercedes-2010]

You are loosing the speed signal so the gearbox just locks up as it does not know what to do, are there no ABS lamps on ?

Are you thinking electro plate?

 

[jmbetker002]

You are loosing the speed signal so the gearbox just locks up as it does not know what to do, are there no ABS lamps on ?

The ABS light is on. On the top of a few "faults" it says "faulty display!" This problem is frustrating.

 

[jmbetker002]

Do any of these faults show if the vehicle is stationary?
Do any of the lights stay on after you have started the car but not moved off?

What is the battery voltage when starting the car and once it is running?

The "srs" fault comes on a couple seconds after turning the key to the furthest position to the right without cranking it over. Once the car is started there is now 6 faults... They are; brake lining wear, srs, esp (with faulty display), bas, abs (with faulty display), bas (with faulty display) brake lining wear, and visit fuel station. After sitting with the car running while typing this it went to 9 faults...

I do not know what the voltage is because I can't find the volt meter in it...lol.

 

[jmbetker002]

After I sent that last message I decided to see if the car was working... It was working just fine. All the faults were still there, but speedo worked and the car shifted just fine.

Side note: the check engine light is on as well as the abs and srs light on the dash. These are the only lamps on outside of the message display that shouldn't be on.

I noticed when the speedo is bouncing the cars power kind of surges as well with the speedo. It does not always bounce... Only sometimes! Sometimes it does not work at all (speedo). But when the speedo is acting up the car is in limp mode. If the speedo is working, so is the car, but the faults stay on the display reguardless.

Thanks again for helping, josh

 

[jasonyw]

you wont find a voltmeter in the car, get a cheap one from walmart/motor factor and measure it against the battery. if it flat replace it.

if it not flat get a star diagnostic to rectify the faults

 

[jmbetker002]

Ok... I have one of those... Just too cold and dark outside right now to do that test. I was looking for one on the dash of the car... Lol! The battery seems good. It starts all the time and it has been cold the past few mornings.

 

[jmbetker002]

you wont find a voltmeter in the car, get a cheap one from walmart/motor factor and measure it against the battery. if it flat replace it.

if it not flat get a star diagnostic to rectify the faults

What is said "star diagnostic" I am not familiar with this term.

 

[television]

OK now that you have said that the ABS lamp is on it will or could be a front wheel sensor that has failed.

You need to get the car plugged into STAR to see the exact fault, a good indie can do this cheaper than MB, then you can fix the problem