W124 E220 1995 Saloon - Electrical Issues - Help

[W124131]

Hello everyone,

After a bit of help please.

The above car, last night in heavy rain, my wipers stopped working. I pulled over, discovered the wash/wipe wasn't working also, none of the 3 settings for the wiper worked either. Also, the main beam ( flasher ) wasn't working but the fixed main beam was ( pushing the stalk back so main beam stays on ) - possibly suggesting something amiss with the indicator stalk/wiper control mechanism???

On top of that, the electric windows had stopped too.

The indicators were working fine and the hazard lights too. All lights were ok.

Checked the fuse box under the bonnet and all of them seem good.

Interestingly, when I parked up at home, then locking the car and then unlocking the car I was able to close the window.

This morning, windows were still working till I drove off a few miles then they stopped working - then after locking/unlocking the car, I can use them again.

I'm totally stumped, the motors etc are obviously good because they are working intermittently.

Wiper & wash/wipe/main beam flashing are all not working still.

Has anyone got any pointers here to help? I might go back to the fuse box and double check the fuses, I changed them all around 1 month ago and they've been good with no issues and I haven't opened it up since.

I'm fairly competent at DIY on these 124's, had quite a few but this is the first time I've had an electrical gremlin with one.

Thank you

 

[js190d]

Hi w124, have you checked the relays. Water ingress seems logical. OVP relay has a fuse in it to check.

 

[W124131]

Hi w124, have you checked the relays. Water ingress seems logical. OVP relay has a fuse in it to check.

Well it's a strange one but I've sorted it out.

Last month I swapped the fuses under the bonnet, all new and I checked all the seats they fit into and everything was clean and good contacts.

I again checked the No 2 fuse which is the one for the wipers, wash wipe etc, fuse all good, refitted one of the old fuses just to check and hey presto everything worked again. Baffling really. No damp in the fuse box or the relay box. There is a bit of damp under the front passenger seat carpet which I knew about but it's only a tiny bit so I doubt that will have any impact.

Interestingly, the electric windows stopped working when the door was closed and driving, the moment I opened the door, they worked again. There's a small switch on the door mount which pushes in and out, when I push that in, windows don't work, when it's opened up, they do so I took that off and cleaned it and now works but possibly the circuit is connected via that No 2 fuse.

Anyway, all good and I checked the stalk and put cleaner in that just to be sure.

 

[js190d]

Glad you sorted it, cars like w124's are such user friendly cars to work on.

Nice fleet btw some nice diesels you have there.

 

[W124131]

Glad you sorted it, cars like w124's are such user friendly cars to work on.

Nice fleet btw some nice diesels you have there.

Thanks JS, this 220 is one I bought not that long ago for peanuts with no history evidence and a very good MOT history and it drove very well surprisingly and the whole underneath is decent especially the subframe and suspension but it's very good mechanically and I just use it for pottering about locally rather than the diesels. It's pretty tatty really being honest bodywork wise, crap front wings and rsut bubbles on NSR panel, damp inside passenger side coming through the NSR door seal, and the boot through the boot seal.. It just passed MOT beginning of last month with no advisories, rear inner arches are solid because they were welded about a year ago for the last MOT, I can hammer it for a year and throw it away and it will have cost me fuel, tax, insurance and £250 to buy it lol.

I've only changed the filters, oil and coolant. I think the fuel tank might be leaking though all of a sudden, very strong smell of fuel in the boot and if I fill it up more than a third of tank, it reeks. It's chronic on fuel now so i reckon it's pi**ing out somewhere although I can't find a fuel leak so I'll probably have to brave going underneath it. Maybe fuel lines? I'll take the tank out tomorrow now the fuel light has come on and see what the score is there.

Very easy to work on I must say and that's why I love old mercs.

Got a couple of extra additions on top of what you can see. A 140 500 SEL and a cheapo E55 210 thats needs the gearbox sorting out which will be done next month hopefully.

 

[LostKiwi]

Thanks JS, this 220 is one I bought not that long ago for peanuts with no history evidence and a very good MOT history and it drove very well surprisingly and the whole underneath is decent especially the subframe and suspension but it's very good mechanically and I just use it for pottering about locally rather than the diesels. It's pretty tatty really being honest bodywork wise, crap front wings and rsut bubbles on NSR panel, damp inside passenger side coming through the NSR door seal, and the boot through the boot seal.. It just passed MOT beginning of last month with no advisories, rear inner arches are solid because they were welded about a year ago for the last MOT, I can hammer it for a year and throw it away and it will have cost me fuel, tax, insurance and £250 to buy it lol.

I've only changed the filters, oil and coolant. I think the fuel tank might be leaking though all of a sudden, very strong smell of fuel in the boot and if I fill it up more than a third of tank, it reeks. It's chronic on fuel now so i reckon it's pi**ing out somewhere although I can't find a fuel leak so I'll probably have to brave going underneath it. Maybe fuel lines? I'll take the tank out tomorrow now the fuel light has come on and see what the score is there.

Very easy to work on I must say and that's why I love old mercs.

Got a couple of extra additions on top of what you can see. A 140 500 SEL and a cheapo E55 210 thats needs the gearbox sorting out which will be done next month hopefully.

Nothing like a nice 5+ Litre V8 (or two)....

 

[Wearsafoxhat]

Glad you have fixed it. I was going to suggest the ignition switch as had similar oddities on our 129 until I replaced it. Random bits working then not and what appeared to be small power cuts. Switch something on and something turned off.


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[DREAMER NO2]

Yes old type fuses are the first port of call . If plastic, and white metal bin them for ceramic and copper