Fickle electrics on 1992 Merc CE230 - any thoughts?

[philcray]

Hi

I have had my CE230 for 4 pretty much trouble free years now and done over 40,000 miles (car has done 96,000).

The other day the wiper stalk stopped working, no wipers or main beam flash but can still select main beam and the indicaters still work. At the same time the heated rear window packed in and, this morning, none of the electric window switches worked.

I have taken the car to the garage but wondered if anyone had any similar problems or thoughts? As far as I know, these functions are not all on the same fuse so seems unlikely that 3 seperate fuses would blow, but you never know on a 17 year old car, I guess.....

Cheers

Phil

[TwistingMyMelon]

Wiring loom issues? Worth checking with a auto electrician rather than garage?

[74merc]

I'd say relay problem. Chances are that all these are fed from the same one.

[Pentoman]

philcray said:

Hi

I have had my CE230 for 4 pretty much trouble free years now and done over 40,000 miles (car has done 96,000).

The other day the wiper stalk stopped working, no wipers or main beam flash but can still select main beam and the indicaters still work. At the same time the heated rear window packed in and, this morning, none of the electric window switches worked.

I have taken the car to the garage but wondered if anyone had any similar problems or thoughts? As far as I know, these functions are not all on the same fuse so seems unlikely that 3 seperate fuses would blow, but you never know on a 17 year old car, I guess.....

Cheers

Phil

I bet you a pint it's the fuse(s). Look on the fuse box and you might find the heated window and the wiper share a fuse - that will be a good clue. Not sure about the windows but could be fuse based too. The fuse won't have blown - the connections corrode. It's crap really and one of the few things that remind you these are cars and fallible just like any other. Best to fit new fuses and clean the terminals for peace of mind.
Otherwise yep could be a relay... Never figured out which relays do what.

[ClassicMercs]

The 'all in one stalk' may have given up the ghost. Answer may be a replacement stalk as happened on my 190E. Not too expensive (in the wider scale of things).

[philcray]

Thanks for all the feedback and suggestions which all seem likely to be correct, I hope to hear today what the diagnosis is.

I am hoping it is something relatively simple like a fuse or a relay - perhaps rusting up as this might explain the stalk & HRW failing and the 2 days later the windows also packing up. The mechanic did also mention that the all in one stalks can fail so it could also be this and the other failures just happening at the same time....

These are the first problems after 4 years so I guess I shouldn't lose faith in the "bullet proof" Merc just yet!

[philcray]

Just heard it was a couple of fuses which had gone at the same time, presumably due to a bit of corrosion in the fuse box. All cleaned up and back on the road again!