18
The below are very easy checks you can do while buying a used car.(from anywhere for that matter of fact)
Engine
This is the most complicated/expensive part to maintain/replace.
Head Gasket check: Open the oil filler cap or the dip stick for any milky white substance, like mayonnaise, if it is present then stay away, it means the head gasket is broken and ...
10
That is your diagnostic connector. You will need a Mercedes-specific tool to read trouble codes stored by the computer.
10
The symbol is for "Speed limit assist" and is based of a forward facing camera that allows detection of the speed limit and then possibly displays this on the multifunctional display.
Information can be found at this site, under the "Steering Wheel( 12 button multifunction...)" > "Assistance menu" and subsequent links from within page.
8
There are advantages, but also disadvantages to using a smaller turbocharged engine with a higher power output.
The pro's of smaller, turbocharged engines:
When not on boost (below e.g. 3000RPM) the engine uses much less fuel.
turbocharged engines have a flatter torque curve, meaning they're working closer to optimal level throughout a larger portion of ...
7
Tyre depth gauges look something like this (amazon link) - you can buy them in any automotive store. You press the green bit against the tyre and push the middle bit into the tread groove. The slidy bit at the top will then tell you the depth. Buy one and have a play, it's easier to see than to explain!
You should be able to see the 'wear bars' - raised ...
7
It means "at least". You will not cause any damage by using the higher octane fuel. The reason for the RON 95 rating in the first place, this is the lowest octane rating you can run before you might start hearing pinging or pre-ignition.
6
If the bolt is so obscured that vise grips and welding are not feasible, and so stripped that impact doesn't make sense (I am guessing it is too stripped), I usually do the following. If it's very stripped, you might want to skip ahead to step 8.
(Look ahead to step four; you'll probably want to take one of your bolts to the auto parts store before starting ...
6
Drop the fuel tank and inspect the contents, looking for jellyfish, fluff, water, dirt, and the bones of lizards...
Paulster2's initial comment was spot on. Although I doubt it is a single "obstruction", on a vehicle of this age (especially diesel fuel that can be inconsistent), you can collect quite the library of muckity stuff in the fuel tank.
A long ...
5
There are several things that can cause this - the simplest being the road itself! If you are on a cambered road, the car will want to pull towards the edge of the road...
Presuming it's a stronger pull than that, your next suspect is the tracking (wheel alignment) - if this is out it will cause it to pull. Most decent tyre fitters will be able to check ...
5
I would like to add two valid points to this discussion as well:
1) When producing engines like this which produce more power with lower CC's, they won't be as smooth as their bigger naturally aspirated predecessors. They will have to rev higher just to produce the same power. So lets say you are driving at 70 MPH with a 5.0 V8, you could comfortably ...
5
After hours of tracing cables, removing panels and taking apart more of the car than I'd like to admit, I figured the issue out. Apparently there's a cable for control current (or something like that). The control current had gone out. The car still kept thinking the lights were on, as the LED control circuitry was apparently using the power the car was ...
4
We had the same problem on a late 2005 W169. Note you do not need to remove the door card if you just want to remove the door lock cylinder and exterior handle.
Once you've loosened the bolt holding the cylinder accessed from the side of the door (On ours it was a T20 - T15 would work but there's a chance of rounding off the head) there is a catch above the ...
4
I would think you should be able to if there is a terminal for the wire to attach to. If the terminal has broke off at the base of the sensor, then it probably won't work. I would use a soldering iron, versus open flame type of iron to ensure the heat is more localized. If you are worried about the sensor not working due to the heat, I don't think I would ...
4
I just repaired the identical car, the ignition does not come on and the wheels are locked and it sets steering column mechanical fault codes.
This means the solenoid that locks the column to stop the wheel turning is faulty, after it receives the unlock command from the electronic ignition switch it tells the ignition switch it is unlocked and then the ...
4
It very well could be the thermostat. However, did you check the obvious things, like coolant levels and make sure you don't have any air pockets? I had an overheating issue that would manifest after 20 to 40 minutes of running the car, which was due to an air pocket.
Usually if it overheats at idle you check the radiator fans, radiator fins bent or ...
4
A car battery's power will drop with temperature. It would be my first port of call.
Since the car ran fine when you had it jumpstarted with the help of your friend, I would have the battery tested to make sure that it can deliver sufficient juice to the starter.
4
Can you use them? Yes.
Should you use them? Depends on what you are looking for. Most of the times (not always) these special tires are just a modified version of a regular tire.
What makes them special? Here is a list of common modifications:
A softer compound. This typically increases grip at the expense of longevity.
A special size. Sometimes car ...
4
There's a lot of good answers and discussion about electrical issues and other complicated things, but to me it sounds like the steering lock is under tension and not allowing the key to turn all the way and start.
You can sit in almost any car, turn it off, remove the key, and then turn the steering wheel until it clicks into the locked state. The rubber ...
4
Ok, so the ESP is the "Electronic Stability Program".
There's a bit of explanation and backstory here from Mercedes. (Which I found quite interesting.)
There are a couple things you can check before resorting to a trip the the shop. I'd do them like so:
Tire Pressure - Get an accurate gauge and check to make sure all tires are close (probably within +/- 2-...
4
There are a few ethical options available to you.
Leave a note/poster nearby stating that you have found a lost key
Post on social media that you have found a lost key so word gets around
Hand in the key to your local Police Station or Lost property
It might also be worth having a look around where you found it to see if there are any possible cars that ...
4
I cannot post a comment so in addidion to Terry:
go to facebook, join a local community (from where you found the key) - something like: buy and sell Philadelphia (no idea if it exists) - post that you found a car key (no too precise description) and ask people to share it in the surrounding area. Hand it to the Lost property or police and include that ...
4
can I switch that electronic ignition starting with an old-school key?
No. At least, not anywhere near 'easily'.
That ignition switch, from what I can see, has about 13 low-current wires.
At least a few of them are data lines (CAN bus!). It also directly controls the steering wheel lock (ESA lines).
And another snippet:
That's very different from an old-...
3
Depending on the class/model, there should be somewhere between 1.5-2.1 USG (~6-8 litres) left in the tank when the light comes on. Here is some interesting reading on this very subject. It seems MB has had a lot of problems with their fuel level indicators. Seems the "best defense" against this is to never let it get below a 1/4 tank on the gauge. Either ...
3
I'm a little concerned by the proposed fixes. While I don't know the specifics of your Merc, I find it odd that the timing chain would be responsible for fuel trim codes. The ECU swap seems to be a concerted attempt at what I like to call 'parts roulette': possible, but not probable.
If you have codes for fuel trims and misfires, the principal components ...
3
I've checked a number of sources and they all state that the engines in these are Interference Engines so there is a good chance of contact between the valves and the piston crowns. A compression test once the timing has been re-set would be a simple way to check if this has happened without taking the engine to pieces.
3
Check to ensure you have enough fluid in the brake master cylinder. A lot of vehicles have the sensor which detects the level of the fluid in on the same circuit as the parking brake. If you find this low, you may want to check the condition of your brake pads. If the brake pads are thin, there is more fluid residing in your calipers which would in turn give ...
3
There are several advantages to a lower displacement engine over a larger one.
Firstly is weight, an engine of 2,000cc will weigh significantly less than a 3,000cc engine because it will have a smaller block, this in turn decreases inertia of moving parts (such as the cylinder head and cam shaft).
Secondly we can factor in fuel economy, if an engine has ...
3
In addition to size, weight and fuel economy, a small, highly tuned engine is going to be much more ecologically friendly. This is because a large engine producing 350 bhp can do it without being highly tuned - fuel is unlikely to be fully burned, emissions will be higher than with a smaller engine which can burn fuel more fully.
3
This would not be a motor mount issue. What you are describing seems to be an issue with the transmission. IIRC, the C230 is a rear wheel drive vehicle. Only a front wheel drive vehicle would produce anything like what you are talking about with bad motor mounts, but then it will be far less noticeable. A motor mount problem will not create the jolt like ...
3
This sounds to me like the engine/ECU might have a "limp mode" that the ECU uses to keep the engine running, but with reduced power output, when it detects a lack of control over the engine's operating parameters – for example if the ECU detects and over boost condition from the turbocharger.
A mechanical problem, such as a clogged fuel filter, seems ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible