What Have You Done To Your Merc Today?

[harrye500]

Carport Shadows and Reflections

View attachment 97666

View attachment 97667

Nice effect. But a double star - very taboo subject haha

 

[PaulG]

£430 car tax paid. Our roads make it worth every penny.

 

[sl500amgsport]

£430 car tax paid. Our roads make it worth every penny.

Unfortunately your tax is less to do with road maintenance than funding illegal immigration these days:-

Total Highway Maintenance Budget (England & Wales 2024/25): Approximately £4.39 billion, less than required to keep pace with inflation.

Government Funding: Commitments include £4.8 billion for major roads in 2025-2026 and a multi-year settlement of over £2.7 billion (2022-2025) for local roads outside London/major cities.

Asylum Accommodation: A significant drain, with projections around £6.4bn for 2024-25, partly due to rising contract costs for hotels.

Home Office Enforcement: £482m budgeted for 2023-24 for detecting, preventing, and removing irregular migrants.

Hope this cheers you up !

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

 

[Mable]

Taken her for a little drive before the snow melts, tried the drone for airiel shots but test wind was too strong
Bitterly cold but the dogs enjoyed it

 

[ALFAitalia]

Unfortunately your tax is less to do with road maintenance than funding illegal immigration these days:-

Total Highway Maintenance Budget (England & Wales 2024/25): Approximately £4.39 billion, less than required to keep pace with inflation.

Government Funding: Commitments include £4.8 billion for major roads in 2025-2026 and a multi-year settlement of over £2.7 billion (2022-2025) for local roads outside London/major cities.

Asylum Accommodation: A significant drain, with projections around £6.4bn for 2024-25, partly due to rising contract costs for hotels.

Home Office Enforcement: £482m budgeted for 2023-24 for detecting, preventing, and removing irregular migrants.

Hope this cheers you up !

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

And collected VED is only about £7.5 billion per annum.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Fixed a puncture on the S204 and also found one of those roadside temporary emergency repair plugs when the tyre was off.
Had a good look underneath as something 4 legged went underneath last night, nothing noticeable. Unlike the damage done in a dark wet Sainsburys car park where some muppet had dropped an old section of paving slab that smashed the undertray.
Also looked to see what's rattling at the rear end, suspect the dampers currently but need to investigate the subframe mounts.
Still not looked into the headrest fault codes, both showing faulty and constantly on the dash at the moment, so glad l walk to work.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Your car is either VERY low....or that must have be the world's thickest paving slab to have damaged the undertray!

 

[Snake Charmer]

Your car is either VERY low....or that must have be the world's thickest paving slab to have damaged the undertray!

Factory ride height, flipped up and smashed the undertray. I went back and looked at the section of slab and struggled to find it in the darkness as it was black with soil staining. Might have had a better chance of seeing it in the first place if the headlamps wer not so poor. Need some TNB headlamp bilbs now!

 

[Richard Moakes]

[W164] - MOT passed

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

I must be up on brownie points today SWMBO has been out and cleared the snow off the cars lol

 

[V6Matty]

I must be up on brownie points today SWMBO has been out and cleared the snow off the cars lol

What has she damaged or broken and not told you about yet

 

[alexanderfoti]

Pulled the SLK55 out of storage after 3 months, to give it a run.



There is also no heating (poor timing!). Use it or loose it!!

 

[MissyD]

The old girl had been having a hissy fit and wasn't starting, so I gave her a bit of help today and used my new purchase the Noco sport boost thingy, thanks to @Cole@MBS for the recommendation. Amazing bit of kit. She's all sorted now and had a nice run out.

 

[Snake Charmer]

Had the S204 up on the ramp briefly for a nose at the rear suspension knock, suspect either the front subframe bushes or dampers.
Cured one annoying noise by fitting a pair of new wipers. I can almost guarantee they will not need be used in the next 3 weeks on Thursdays when l am being chauffeured to hospital and back.
Noticed the front is starting to knock now as l'm spending time in the passenger bored and listening.

 

[ttelracs]

So fun and games as I drove to my martial arts class this morning and I went to reverse the car into a space and I couldn't get the car out of D and into R. This had happened a couple of times in the week and I turned the car off and restarted and it was fine, but I knew there was an issue. This morning it did't work, the gear lever wouldn't budge and the car was half in and half out of the parking space.

After a couple of minutes, I sorted it and did a quick scan getting codes P1856 and C404 so I took a couple of photos of the codes, turned it off and then it wouldn't start as the key wouldn't turn and the gear lever was stuck again. I gave up, took my class and prayed it would start after. It did, but again the gear lever wouldn't move so again after about 15 mins of phaffing, meaning finding the release button at just below the gearshift to allow it to be moved. I got it going, drove home and parked it up in the garage.

After a strong black coffee and some research on t'interweb, I worked out exactly what the issue was and proceeded to remove the centre console, then the gear selector module, stripping it down to the circuit board, before giving it a good clean with electrical cleaner. I couldn't see any issues with dry solder joints but now I know what I'm doing, I'll have no issues with doing this again and whipping out the soldering iron if need be and resoldering any joints. To split the lower half of the gearshift console from the top half to access the circuit board, I used a hot air gun to heat the adhesive of the four joins before using a screwdriver

I also gave the whole unit a good clean as clearly something had been spilt in there at some point in the distant past, I suspect hot chocolate or similar judging by the colour and the staining in there. Whilst there I used a little silicone spray on the plastic parts that rotate in there as you could see some wear and 'plastic' dust as well as plenty of electrical contact cleaner to both sides of the circuit board and all the electrical connectors.

I then reassembled and used some WD40 sparingly on the arm that goes through the whole module and a dab of grease where the old grease has dried out, along with a smidge more of WD40. I checked everything moved freely then proceeded to give the carpet and plastic surrounds a damn good vacuuming with going over it with a general spray cleaner and microfibre cloth as it was filthy. Clearly in the past some or all of the previous owners had been smokers and had owned pets and this is now the third time I've tried vacuum the front of this car to remove the pet hair and residual odour which, although not overpowering or barely noticeable, both me and my wife have found ourselves slightly short of breath after spending more than an hour in the car driving.

Then as the day was starting to lose light and any residual warmth of the day evaporated as the sun quicky disappeared, I went back to the car to start the reassembly. It' not difficult at all, I'd say 5 maybe 6 out of 10 and just like most of these things, ensure you're methodical in your approach, take your time and don't force things unnecessarily as they will break. With it now dark I used a portable torch to ensure I had plenty of light and proceeded to reassemable. No real issues at all and I turned the car on again and ensured I could move the gearshift, even though all the electrical connectors were connected to ensure I could and cleared the codes each time after.

Once reassembled, I started the car, ensured the gearshift moved freely as well as the car moving both forwards and backwards several times. I then got out, locked it, opened it, restarted it and let it tickover until fully warm whilst I put my tools away. Onve done, I then took it for a drive, went to Lidl and did some shopping before coming back to the car and...

It started. Woohoo, I didn't have to walk back home.

It's shaken my confidence in getting into and it starting first time, do I need to replace the gearshift console? I don't know but I do know at the moment it starts and goes and it's far too cold to get out there and do it again in the near future, unless it refuses to start that is.

Tools used, long nosed pliers to remove the bolts, 10mm socket on a 1/4 inch drive, T20 torx to remove the screws from the lower dashboard, a flat bladed screwdriver and hot air gun to separate the console and I think a T30(?) to remove the screws to allow removal of the circuit board. Images attached for your perusal whilst I thaw out.

What would I do differently knowing what I know now?
Start earlier to allow plenty of daylight and maybe use a portable heater to help prevent me getting so cold, I think that's it.

Forgot to add, driving to Lidl and back, approximately 3 miles the car felt a lot smoother, I didn't need to push the accelerator anywhere near as hard to make progress and it appears to change gear a lot better. Unsure if this a placebo effect, I'll know for sure next time I drive it.

 

[Srdl]

So fun and games as I drove to my martial arts class this morning and I went to reverse the car into a space and I couldn't get the car out of D and into R. This had happened a couple of times in the week and I turned the car off and restarted and it was fine, but I knew there was an issue. This morning it did't work, the gear lever wouldn't budge and the car was half in and half out of the parking space.

After a couple of minutes, I sorted it and did a quick scan getting codes P1856 and C404 so I took a couple of photos of the codes, turned it off and then it wouldn't start as the key wouldn't turn and the gear lever was stuck again. I gave up, took my class and prayed it would start after. It did, but again the gear lever wouldn't move so again after about 15 mins of phaffing, meaning finding the release button at just below the gearshift to allow it to be moved. I got it going, drove home and parked it up in the garage.

After a strong black coffee and some research on t'interweb, I worked out exactly what the issue was and proceeded to remove the centre console, then the gear selector module, stripping it down to the circuit board, before giving it a good clean with electrical cleaner. I couldn't see any issues with dry solder joints but now I know what I'm doing, I'll have no issues with doing this again and whipping out the soldering iron if need be and resoldering any joints. To split the lower half of the gearshift console from the top half to access the circuit board, I used a hot air gun to heat the adhesive of the four joins before using a screwdriver

I also gave the whole unit a good clean as clearly something had been spilt in there at some point in the distant past, I suspect hot chocolate or similar judging by the colour and the staining in there. Whilst there I used a little silicone spray on the plastic parts that rotate in there as you could see some wear and 'plastic' dust as well as plenty of electrical contact cleaner to both sides of the circuit board and all the electrical connectors.

I then reassembled and used some WD40 sparingly on the arm that goes through the whole module and a dab of grease where the old grease has dried out, along with a smidge more of WD40. I checked everything moved freely then proceeded to give the carpet and plastic surrounds a damn good vacuuming with going over it with a general spray cleaner and microfibre cloth as it was filthy. Clearly in the past some or all of the previous owners had been smokers and had owned pets and this is now the third time I've tried vacuum the front of this car to remove the pet hair and residual odour which, although not overpowering or barely noticeable, both me and my wife have found ourselves slightly short of breath after spending more than an hour in the car driving.

Then as the day was starting to lose light and any residual warmth of the day evaporated as the sun quicky disappeared, I went back to the car to start the reassembly. It' not difficult at all, I'd say 5 maybe 6 out of 10 and just like most of these things, ensure you're methodical in your approach, take your time and don't force things unnecessarily as they will break. With it now dark I used a portable torch to ensure I had plenty of light and proceeded to reassemable. No real issues at all and I turned the car on again and ensured I could move the gearshift, even though all the electrical connectors were connected to ensure I could and cleared the codes each time after.

Once reassembled, I started the car, ensured the gearshift moved freely as well as the car moving both forwards and backwards several times. I then got out, locked it, opened it, restarted it and let it tickover until fully warm whilst I put my tools away. Onve done, I then took it for a drive, went to Lidl and did some shopping before coming back to the car and...

It started. Woohoo, I didn't have to walk back home.

It's shaken my confidence in getting into and it starting first time, do I need to replace the gearshift console? I don't know but I do know at the moment it starts and goes and it's far too cold to get out there and do it again in the near future, unless it refuses to start that is.

Tools used, long nosed pliers to remove the bolts, 10mm socket on a 1/4 inch drive, T20 torx to remove the screws from the lower dashboard, a flat bladed screwdriver and hot air gun to separate the console and I think a T30(?) to remove the screws to allow removal of the circuit board. Images attached for your perusal whilst I thaw out.

What would I do differently knowing what I know now?
Start earlier to allow plenty of daylight and maybe use a portable heater to help prevent me getting so cold, I think that's it.

Forgot to add, driving to Lidl and back, approximately 3 miles the car felt a lot smoother, I didn't need to push the accelerator anywhere near as hard to make progress and it appears to change gear a lot better. Unsure if this a placebo effect, I'll know for sure next time I drive it.

Great report - might be worth mods moving to a separate thread to make it easier for others to find?

 

[Blobcat]

Just driven it, it’s more grey than blue at the moment due to the amount of salt on the roads around here…

 

[ttelracs]

I did it again, yes the gearshift module as I experienced the 'gearshift' stuck again trying to get reverse a couple of times, although I got it moved quickly enough by sticking my finger down to the release spring. The good news, this time it took me under 90 mins AND once I removed the circuit board I did two things differently. Admittedly it helped massively not having to spend a good thirty or so minute splitting the gearshift module and probably another 45 mins knowing how to remove the centre console.

Firstly after giving it another good clean, I used a hot soldering iron to touch up the solder joints of the four diodes on the board which apparently allow the ECU to see what position the selector is in.

Secondly I used my scan tool in service mode which allowed me to check and teach the gearshift module to ensure that when in 'P' it's in Park, when in 'R' it's in reverse etc for all the gears. Once I had performed this I did another scan of ESM (Electronic Selector Module) and the Transmission too ensuring there were no lingering codes.

No photos this time and approximately 10 degrees warmer too, which I think definitely helped. And tomorrow I'll do the gearbox reset with the foot to the floor for 10-20 secs... just because I can and it should benefit it.

My recommendation is to try to do this in daylight as it makes it so much easier AND again take your time.

 

[AMGeed]

Looked at all the salt spray on the car in disgust.
Got to wash it tomorrow. I hate a dirty car.

 

[rexemper]

Ordered oil and filter for upcoming oil change...