Customer's Mercedes won't start

[dnoraker]

I can't get a hold of the owner of the Mercedes I'm detailing today so I'm taking a shot in the dark that someone has experienced this:

I'm working on an '02 SL500 convertible and it started okay last night and this morning when I pulled it out to wash it, but after I washed it (and never opened the hood, FYI) and won't turn over, and is acting like the battery is disconnected. Nothing works.

Does this thing have any funky security features I may have triggered, or could I have sprayed water into something through a vent that could have shorted it? I also use my leaf blower to blow water out of crevices, including the front grille and a little bit on the vents in front of the window (though not a direct blast down them).

Also, I can't find the hood latch to see if a battery cable is loose!

[FinalTouchAuto]

Well, first try and find where that hood latch is :P

Does the car try to crank at all and just never fires?
Just clicks like a dead battery?
Does it make a winding kind of sound like a dead starter?

I doubt water is the problem.

[S2K]

The hood release might be in the glove box, I'm not sure about that model but a lot of German cars have them there.

[dnoraker]

Not in the glove box. I have been Googling for answers and all I found was something about being under a floor panel, but I'm finding nothing of the sort.

The car does nothing. No locks or lights or dash or anything. It's like the battery came disconnected. I still can't get a hold of the customer. I have another car in the garage that is next in line, and I can't even pull it out to start on it because the Mercedes is in the way!

[dnoraker]

Found the hood release. It's about the biggest lever I've ever seen....but it was black and matched the carpet perfectly. Genius.

[RaskyR1]

Let us know what you find. Sounds like the battery though.

[dnoraker]

Now I can't get the trunk open to check the battery connection. I don't know how to open that either! I fiddled with the lock on it with no luck. googling for instruction isn't helping either. The owners manual isn't withe car, and the owner still isn't picking up his dang phone.

[RaskyR1]

Now I can't get the trunk open to check the battery connection. I don't know how to open that either! I fiddled with the lock on it with no luck. googling for instruction isn't helping either. The owners manual isn't withe car, and the owner still isn't picking up his dang phone.

Do the rear seats fold down?


Edit: never mind! :)

[RaskyR1]

I think the trunk release just requires you to push in the lock botton....providing you have it turned in the unlock position. Not 100% sure with this year though.

[dnoraker]

I tried every combination key movements and button pushing on it with no luck. I'm afraid it may be a powered latch. There is a position turned all the way clockwise, then another position 90 degrees counterclockwise from that, then you can also turn it about another 45 degrees counter, but it springs back to the previous position. It feels to me, intuitively, like that is what would activate a powered release. The position furthest clockwise must be the locked position. I don't understand what pushing the button does.

[RaskyR1]

I tried every combination key movements and button pushing on it with no luck. I'm afraid it may be a powered latch. There is a position turned all the way clockwise, then another position 90 degrees counterclockwise from that, then you can also turn it about another 45 degrees counter, but it springs back to the previous position. It feels to me, intuitively, like that is what would activate a powered release. The position furthest clockwise must be the locked position. I don't understand what pushing the button does.

I remember working on an older Benz where you had to push the lock button in to release the latch. Again it's been some time since I worked on one and this year may be different.

[dnoraker]

I GOT IT! I just walked back out there and pushed the button and it opened. WTHeck??? Anyway, The positive battery clamp was a little loose. I got it snugged down a little better and it fired right up. I still don't know if the battery clamp touched it just enouhg to engage the latch, or if it wasn't actually powered in the first place and I just didn't say the magic word to open it...but now I got it.

Geez.

[RaskyR1]

I GOT IT! I just walked back out there and pushed the button and it opened. WTHeck??? Anyway, The positive battery clamp was a little loose. I got it snugged down a little better and it fired right up. I still don't know if the battery clamp touched it just enouhg to engage the latch, or if it wasn't actually powered in the first place and I just didn't say the magic word to open it...but now I got it.

Geez.


LOL! Im the MAN


Now get to work! :D

[dnoraker]

After I get a double cheeseburger at Culvers a few blocks down the road, the customary meal during a 2-day detail job. :) Too bad I already clayed the Benz... However, I have a Charger SRT8 available that belongs to my sisters boyfriend. hehehe

[Flash Gordon]

Now I can't get the trunk open to check the battery connection. I don't know how to open that either! I fiddled with the lock on it with no luck. googling for instruction isn't helping either. The owners manual isn't withe car, and the owner still isn't picking up his dang phone.

If you run into this problem again, on the remote there is a release button, pull that button and out will pop a valet key that will allow you to unlock the door/trunk.