If your battery isn’t sealed, then it’s important to make sure that each cell is properly filled with electrolyte.
A poorly maintained or weak battery may not hold a charge very well. W220 battery drain Thread starter richjohn; Start date Jan 21, 2016; Tags battery drain w220; Jan 21, 2016 #1 R. richjohn New Member. Some meters also include an inductive clamp that can check for current flow without disconnecting anything. After using one of these tools, the battery terminals will look bright and clean, and you’ll get a much better electrical connection.
Sounds to me like some bigger issue, SAM failed or something like that. I do use the car daily.
An easy thing that you can check at home is the alternator belt, which should be relatively taut and free of cracks. Richard. If you don't see anything obvious, like headlights or a dome light left on, then the next thing to check is the battery itself. Doing otherwise runs the risk of blowing an expensive fuse inside your meter.
Battery corrosion can be cleaned with baking soda, water, and a stiff-bristled brush. A lot of battery problems can be headed off with basic maintenance, and a poorly maintained battery won't hold a charge like it did when it was new. I have fitted a second hand siren 12 months ago due to little recharable battery not holding charge (which caused the indicators to flash all the time) and it has been fine since then.
Joined Jan 21, 2016 Messages 16 Car S320 CDi Hi my S320 is having a problem where by the battery is slowly draining?
Make sure you have a fully charged battery. If your battery seems to die while you’re driving down the road, it’s more likely that you have some type of problem with the charging system (we’ll cover that situation as well). If any corrosion is present between your battery terminals and cable connectors, it will interfere with the ability of the starter motor to draw current from the battery and the ability of the charging system to top the battery off. If your alternator belt is loose, you may be able to tighten it. Battery cells should be topped off with distilled water, but going straight to the tap is usually fine depending on the quality of the water where you live. This is why it's so important to wear protective gear when working around a battery. Corroded battery connections can prevent the charging system from topping off your battery when you are driving. Headlights, or even a very dim dome light, will drain a battery dead overnight. In most cases, the only way to track down a parasitic drain is through a process of elimination. However, it is vitally important to avoid getting any baking soda inside the battery cells. Another way to check your battery is to use a more expensive tool called a load tester. If you do decide to pick up your own load tester, it's important to remember that batteries that are shorted internally can explode under the right conditions. It’s also extremely important for the battery connections to be tight. When everything is working correctly, you can walk away from a vehicle like this, and everything will shut off on a timer.
When you perform a visual inspection of your battery, you may notice corrosion around the battery terminals, cables, or connectors. Extremely hot or cold weather can also magnify other underlying issues. Ok cheers i will give it a go and let youm know. You can also test your battery with an inexpensive tool called a hydrometer, which allows you to check the specific gravity of the electrolyte in each cell. You can also check for a drain with a test light, which is less precise. These tools usually take the form of wire brushes that are very easy to use.
These and other interior lights are designed to shut off automatically, and if they fail to do so, they are fully capable of draining a battery dead overnight. i know this might be difficult but just by me asking a question any answers might start me thinking if you see what i mean? something that would cause this would be like a under the hood light, trunk light, interior light staying on. Even if you've already ruled out obvious things like the headlights and dome light, there may still be a drain in your system. A poorly maintained or weak battery may not hold a charge very well. You can save on the cost of the battery by purchasing it online. Corroded battery connections can prevent the charging system from topping off your battery when you are driving. The list of issues that can cause a car battery to die is so long as to approach neverending, but virtually every battery killer out there can be shoehorned into the three basic categories of battery problems, electrical system problems, and simple user error. Some newer vehicles are also designed to leave the headlights, dome lights, or even the radio on for a while after you shut the engine off and remove the keys. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. So if you're dealing with a battery that goes dead over and over again, it's worth checking it out at night when it's dark out when a faint or dimmed dome light will be easier to see. In most cases where an alternator isn’t charging and the engine actually dies, it’s simply a case of a bad alternator that needs to be rebuilt or replaced. it seems like it might be (i think) something to do with the overhead panel module? A battery tender can also help in the winter if it gets especially cold where you live, or if you don’t plan on driving your car for an extended period of time. If you’re dealing with a situation where your battery goes dead over and over, there’s a good chance that every time it dies like that, the ultimate lifespan of the battery is shortened. It’s important to note, however, that there is a difference between a simple test and an in-depth diagnostic that actually gets to the root of the problem. It may not display this or other websites correctly. What If Your Battery Keeps Dying When Driving? The BIGGEST and best independent MB forum in the UK, MB Club UK is A Mercedes Enthusiast club run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.
Loose or stretched belts and worn tensioners can prevent an alternator from working. You must log in or register to reply here. Some of the most common causes of a parasitic drain include the trunk, glove compartment, and other lights that are on due to some type of malfunction. By using Lifewire, you accept our, Checking Headlights, Dome Lights, and Other Accessories, Checking for Loose or Corroded Car Battery Connections, Removing Corrosion From Battery Connections and Cables, Dealing With Extreme Weather, Charging System Problems, and Weak Batteries. not sure? Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day, Lifewire uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience.
It’s also important to note that when most people talk about a battery dying repeatedly, they are talking about a situation where the vehicle won’t start after it has been parked for any length of time. Corroded or loose battery connections. Battery in weak or poor condition. JavaScript is disabled. The Trouble With Checking a Charging System at Home, How to Keep Your Battery From Repeatedly Dying. Some headlights are designed to remain on for a while, but a malfunctioning system may leave them on permanently. If you find that the battery cables are loose, there’s a good chance that you have located a big part of your problem. Common drains include glove box and trunk lights that come on, or remain on, when they shouldn't. 14 Answers. Extremely hot or cold weather can also spell trouble for your battery, but this will usually only be an issue if the battery is already weak.
Parasitic drains can be difficult to find, but they are fully capable of killing batteries dead. The easiest way to go about this type of diagnostic is to leave your multimeter or test light connected and remove individual fuses until the drain disappears. How to troubleshoot Mercedes-Benz battery drain Step 1. Cheers. If the belt seems loose, it may actually prevent the alternator from generating enough power to charge the battery in addition to running everything else. i have also noticed that the RF key remote stopped working (and after a car battery re-charge started working again?) Battery drain. The posted views of our members are in no way the views of MBClub.co.uk or its owners. Some parts stores and repair shops will test your alternator for free, and others will want to charge a diagnostic fee. If it seems like your battery keeps dying while you’re actually driving your car, the root problem probably isn't the battery. i will disconect siren and like you say and see what happens? Some of the most common reasons for a car battery to die repeatedly include loose or corroded battery connections, persistent electrical drains, charging problems, constantly demanding more power than the alternator can provide, and even extreme weather. as all these items work through this module i think? What Causes a Car's Electrical System to Suddenly Stop Working? Some of the symptoms you describe can be related to the alarm so always the first thing to test. Help so far has been brilliant thanks again. The problem with using a test light is that it can be very difficult to tell how much of a drain is present just from the brightness of the light.
However, there are actually several reasons that a car’s electrical system might cut out when driving, and even more reasons for an engine to simply die. If you are able to trace your ground and power battery cables to the frame, starter and junction block or fuse box, you will also want to make sure that these connections are tight and free from corrosion. The easiest way to check for a drain is to disconnect a battery cable and check for current flow.
For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Some of these can be dealt with at home, and others will probably require a visit to your mechanic, but there’s no way to know for sure until you roll up your sleeves and dig in.
visually check it.
Loose battery connections can also cause problems. Dont know much about mirrors, is there supposed to be a setting for the drivers side? You may also have a belt that uses an automatic tensioner, in which case that can also be the problem. (2001 Mercedes-Benz S430) My s430 battery would not stay charged. He is also a systems administrator for an IT firm in Texas serving small businesses. Hi, So far so good i have disconnected the alarm siren and this seems to have stopped the battery draining. Car batteries are designed to power headlights, dome lights, and various other accessories whenever the engine is off, but they have a very limited capacity to do so. Once the engine is running, the charging system takes over. Did disconnected the alarm siren fix ALL the faults in post #1? and if you don't find anything you might want to buy a fluke/ volt meter, to check for unwanted current draw when the …