W209 Need some help in Manchester

[CLKSam]

Hi all,

My Mrs took my CLK up to Manchester to spend Christmas with her family, with the cold weather on Christmas Eve the battery seems to have died. They managed to get it started, but the car was very sluggish. It started up ok the next day, but after calling me, she took it halfords to replace the (18 year old) batter. With the battery changed, it started like a champ, however on the way back she noticed the turn signals were not working, later more and more electrical issues started to appear, wing mirrors stop working, heated seats, rear window defrosters, and a few warning messages appeared on the dashboard. She took the car back to Halfords garage today, but they said they got 50 errors on their scan and couldn't help.

My guess, they blew out a or all of the SAM module when the battery was changed.

I'm down in Watford, so can't really do much, can anyone recommend an indy specialist in North Manchester?
MercAid (https://mercedesrepairsmanchester.co.uk) is near her father's, but when I called no one picked up, they may be closed, or even out of business for all I know.

 

[Botus]

it does sound bad...

maybe your alternator had given up and the new battery has been going low voltage
if that checks out I can imagine some one touched something they shouldn't have

 

[CLKSam]

it does sound bad...

maybe your alternator had given up and the new battery has been going low voltage
if that checks out I can imagine some one touched something they shouldn't have

Possibly, but I had replaced the alternator about 3-4 months ago, so I would hope it isn't an alternator issue.

 

[bembo449]

Certainly reads like a SAM issue , scan tool should confirm

 

[Blobcat]

Did hellfrauds connect a power source to the OBD port when changing the battery to keep the memory settings?

If they did there’s a good chance they blew something up - @Chrishazle had it happen

 

[EmilysDad]

I use John ... http://jbmbury.co.uk/contact/
No idea when he's open over Christmas/New Year though .... I need to see home myself soon-ish as my car is now asking for a service

 

[CLKSam]

Did hellfrauds connect a power source to the OBD port when changing the battery to keep the memory settings?

Of they did there’s a good chance they blew something up - @Chrishazle had it happen

I don't think so. I was not there but I will ask.

 

[CLKSam]

Certainly reads like a SAM issue , scan tool should confirm

I usually have the iCarsoft scanner in the car, this time of course it is down here with me and not with the other half.

 

[CLKSam]

I use John ... http://jbmbury.co.uk/contact/
No idea when he's open over Christmas/New Year though .... I need to see home myself soon-ish as my car is now asking for a service

Thanks, I'll try and give him a ring in the morning and see.
Halfords did suggest "Dronsfields Independent Mercedes Specialist" I thought Dronsfields was a breakers yard

 

[Chrishazle]

It does sound suspiciously like what happened to me when Halfords connected a 12v battery to the OBD port on my S204 (despite me standing there saying "is that necessary???) before changing the battery, car would start but gearchange would not work, after the manager buggering around for an hour (including replacing the battery with another new one!) used the emergancy gearstick release to get mobile, took my indie a good while (and a bill for £173 which Halfords quickly re-imbursed) as the supply to the OBD port was buggered so scanner would not work, had to go back to basics - fuse 18 for starters - and IIRC the gear selector module. Keep your bill from Halfords and copies of correspondance in order to get a refund, local store manager only has authority to £100 so it has to go to head office!

 

[Botus]

its very easy to connect a battery back to front and that will blow the brains out of the diode pack on the alternator...

we need to work out why it had the issue on the trip up...

if still on an old original AGM battery, one a very long run can dry out what's left of the moisture on the tissue paper between plates till its stops working, (top it up and wait and they work again). If that happened and we buy a battery, connect the battery back to front pop the diode = issues you have

alternatively the new alternator gave up (was I OEM fitted by an expert) or a cheapy ?

we should remember the expert children Halfords employ did their apprenticeship on a PS4 with grand turimso, the crooks and there's more scammers than tech's, learn on grand theft auto.

Can't blame the kids we all (to various levels) built the society that's failed them....

 

[CLKSam]

It does sound suspiciously like what happened to me when Halfords connected a 12v battery to the OBD port on my S204 (despite me standing there saying "is that necessary???) before changing the battery, car would start but gearchange would not work, after the manager buggering around for an hour (including replacing the battery with another new one!) used the emergancy gearstick release to get mobile, took my indie a good while (and a bill for £173 which Halfords quickly re-imbursed) as the supply to the OBD port was buggered so scanner would not work, had to go back to basics - fuse 18 for starters - and IIRC the gear selector module. Keep your bill from Halfords and copies of correspondance in order to get a refund, local store manager only has authority to £100 so it has to go to head office!

its very easy to connect a battery back to front and that will blow the brains out of the diode pack on the alternator...

we need to work out why it had the issue on the trip up...

if still on an old original AGM battery, one a very long run can dry out what's left of the moisture on the tissue paper between plates till its stops working, (top it up and wait and they work again). If that happened and we buy a battery, connect the battery back to front pop the diode = issues you have

alternatively the new alternator gave up (was I OEM fitted by an expert) or a cheapy ?

we should remember the expert children Halfords employ did their apprenticeship on a PS4 with grand turimso, the crooks and there's more scammers than tech's, learn on grand theft auto.

Can't blame the kids we all (to various levels) built the society that's failed them....

It was indeed the original AGM battery, so that explanation does make sense when you put it that way.
The alternator was an OEM one replaced by Richard Hollings a Mercedes Specialist in York earlier this summer.

 

[EmilysDad]

its very easy to connect a battery back to front and ........

On all the batteries I've ever changed, I'd say it's quite difficult to fit a battery ar5e about face .... as the terminals are not central, if the battery is the wrong way round, the leads won't now be long enough reach .....

 

[M80]

Have you taken voltage readings?

Battery no key in ignition.
Battery key in position 2.
System on tickover,
and with a few revs.

If they blew the SAM I would have expected an instant failure of systems rather than a progression of faults, although some may not have been noticed initially.

Early SAM's were more prone to voltage spikes, from a freshly charged battery being connected for instance.

Not on a 209 but I have replaced a few SAM's with 2nd hand (up to year 2009), and they've been plug and play. An identical number replacement is needed though, so SAM removal to obtain that would be needed.

 

[bembo449]

Thanks, I'll try and give him a ring in the morning and see.
Halfords did suggest "Dronsfields Independent Mercedes Specialist" I thought Dronsfields was a breakers yard

I wouldn't let Halfords work on a wheel barrow , they couldn't even fit a new bulb to a friends E class even after letting another branch have a go at it too , they had the cheek to suggest he buy a complete headlamp ! took me 10 minutes to sort , they are proper useless F******

 

[Botus]

no idea where it is in a CLK, I think my father's 211 could be done wrong quite easily

 

[ajlsl600]

Hi all,

My Mrs took my CLK up to Manchester to spend Christmas with her family, with the cold weather on Christmas Eve the battery seems to have died. They managed to get it started, but the car was very sluggish. It started up ok the next day, but after calling me, she took it halfords to replace the (18 year old) batter. With the battery changed, it started like a champ, however on the way back she noticed the turn signals were not working, later more and more electrical issues started to appear, wing mirrors stop working, heated seats, rear window defrosters, and a few warning messages appeared on the dashboard. She took the car back to Halfords garage today, but they said they got 50 errors on their scan and couldn't help.

My guess, they blew out a or all of the SAM module when the battery was changed.

I'm down in Watford, so can't really do much, can anyone recommend an indy specialist in North Manchester?
MercAid (https://mercedesrepairsmanchester.co.uk) is near her father's, but when I called no one picked up, they may be closed, or even out of business for all I know.

I hav experience like this.I put a new non benz batt on my w208clk it was full full charged.maybe over ?? Anyway 5min after my alt light came on .visit workshops and climate control packed up. Cost me ,MAF, alt reg and used climate control unit.
Research showed this is not unusual and avoided by turning. plenty load on before cranking on a new well charged batt I suspect idiots of halfrauds have caused same kind of thing . Frankly they should know better
Get codes read ,noted cleared,see what comes up again ,go from there
NEVER visit hafrauds for car repairs again.

 

[CLKSam]

Have you taken voltage readings?

Battery no key in ignition.
Battery key in position 2.
System on tickover,
and with a few revs.

If they blew the SAM I would have expected an instant failure of systems rather than a progression of faults, although some may not have been noticed initially.

Early SAM's were more prone to voltage spikes, from a freshly charged battery being connected for instance.

Not on a 209 but I have replaced a few SAM's with 2nd hand (up to year 2009), and they've been plug and play. An identical number replacement is needed though, so SAM removal to obtain that would be needed.

I would if I was up there, but both me and my voltmeter are about 200 miles away and the Mrs isn't so keen on electrical stuff.
I thought the SAM would need to be reprogrammed? Glad it hear it is just a straight swap. Having heard what others are saying, the alternator does seem to be quite a likely culprit as well.

 

[M80]

A ciggy lighter plug in voltmeter might have limited purpose, it can't see voltage with keys out, and they aren't all very accurate. They also might see lower voltage than is actual.
That would be my 1st route to diagnosis.

Otherwise maybe a local auto sparky might check as needed.
Or, M/cr being a big place us knowing where you might get a local volunteer to take a look.

 

[CLKSam]

A ciggy lighter plug in voltmeter might have limited purpose, it can't see voltage with keys out, and they aren't all very accurate. They also might see lower voltage than is actual.
That would be my 1st route to diagnosis.

Otherwise maybe a local auto sparky might check as needed.
Or, M/cr being a big place us knowing where you might get a local volunteer to take a look.

Hi Martin,
Thanks. I don't own and have never used a plug in volt meter, just the old fashioned two prong kind.
The car is currently at my Mrs' parents place in Moston. I tried a few specialists in the area, but dronsfields.com where the only ones open. She has booked it in for next week. I don't really know them, but I'm not from up there so am not familiar with them or any of the other specialists in the area.