Serious Electrical Help

vnvet

Member
Fan motor didn't run this morning and in the process of troubleshooting fuses, I inadvertently
plugged #16 fuse in the the wrong slot identified as (unassigned #15) momentarily and it made a buzz/growl sound. I immediately pulled it out and plugged it back into #16 which is needed for the heater controls. As it turns out, it was just the fan motor stuck. I turned on the fan and smacked the fan housing with my hand and it started to blow. Very weird.

NOW the big problem. I have ABS,WHEEL, ANTI-SKID, TRIANGLE SYMBOL & BRAKE all lit up. No digital speedometer readout and no tranny shifting gears.

I have no idea what happened. I certainly can't drive it to the dealer.

Dennis or other technician, please help if you can.

Thanks.
 
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sailquik

Well-known member
Fan motor didn't run this morning and in the process of troubleshooting fuses, I inadvertently
plugged #16 fuse in the the wrong slot identified as (unassigned #15) momentarily and it made a buzz/growl sound. I immediately pulled it out and plugged it back into #16 which is needed for the heater controls. As it turns out, it was just the fan motor stuck. I turned on the fan and smacked the fan housing with my hand and it started to blow. Very weird.

NOW the big problem. I have ABS,WHEEL, ANTI-SKID, TRIANGLE SYMBOL & BRAKE all lit up. No digital speedometer readout and no tranny shifting gears.

I have no idea what happened. I certainly can't drive it to the dealer.

Dennis or other technician, please help if you can.

Thanks.


Have you tried disconnecting all your
batteries for a few minutes to allow all
your systems to reset/reboot?
Costs nothing but a few minutes and
may solve your issue.
Roger


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
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vnvet

Member
Have you tried disconnecting all your
batteries
for a few minutes to allow all
your systems to reset/reboot?
Costs nothing but a few minutes and
may solve your issue.
Roger


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Would that be any different than unplugging the connector by the throttle ? Which I did do.
I only have one battery under. If it is different I will do it now.

Thanks Roger
 

sailquik

Well-known member
vnvet,
If you have no "house" or auxiliary batteries, then the disconnect near the throttle pedal will completely
disconnect the OEM starting battery underneath the driver's side floor board just in front of the seat box.
Roger
 

vnvet

Member
vnvet,
If you have no "house" or auxiliary batteries, then the disconnect near the throttle pedal will completely
disconnect the OEM starting battery underneath the driver's side floor board just in front of the seat box.
Roger
Did that. Leaving off all night now.
I tend to think its a relay issue now or, hoping so. The short buzz/growl sound seemed to come from the same area as the fuses only slightly higher up where the relays are. I talked to a friend who has an 05 and is also fairly adept in repairing but certainly not an expert and he brought it up.

I'm hoping Dennis or someone else here may have some insight on the matter. Another individual I talked to said if there is an "unassigned" fuse slot it shouldn't have any contact points. Mine clearly does and without a wiring schematic to trace it, I have no idea what its for. Also, is this what Limp Mode is ?

Thanks again Roger.

As a side note. I'm at 9800 on the miles to service and have yet been able to zero it out manually. I would assume it has no bearing on my issue.
 

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Grizzly

New member
I am not a mechanic. I have not had an opportunity to consult a wiring diagram.
Just a stab in the dark .....
Brake light switch?
 

lindenengineering

Well-known member
Having read this I think you have took out a relay up in the top end of the fuse box.

My first suggestion would to mark each one with sharpie pen and noting its position; then pull them out and test each one with a DVOM and a 12v battery feed supply to check switching on the bench/kitchen table.
Dennis
 

98Firebird

Well-known member
what is your manufacturer date? It is on the black label on the side of the drivers seat. According to the diagram I have in front of me that fuse location is either a body manufacturer supply or ESP control unit power supply (some type of turn on signal) according to the diagram, depending on the manufacturer date, it either takes a 10 amp or 15 amp fuse and judging by the noise you described it sounds like when you installed the fuse there, the ESP control unit (abs pump) was able to turn on. After pulling the fuse out the pump won't switch on which will cause several issues. I would cut the key off and remove it, give the van a minute or so to go to 'sleep' and then install a 10 amp fuse there and switch the ignition back on, you may have to drive it a short distance for the abs faults to clear out (keep in mind you won't have abs) and the lights may or may not go out if they don't a scan tool will definitely be needed.
 

vnvet

Member
98Firebird;597607[B said:
]what is your manufacturer date? [/B]It is on the black label on the side of the drivers seat. According to the diagram I have in front of me that fuse location is either a body manufacturer supply or ESP control unit power supply (some type of turn on signal) according to the diagram, depending on the manufacturer date, it either takes a 10 amp or 15 amp fuse and judging by the noise you described it sounds like when you installed the fuse there, the ESP control unit (abs pump) was able to turn on. After pulling the fuse out the pump won't switch on which will cause several issues. I would cut the key off and remove it, give the van a minute or so to go to 'sleep' and then install a 10 amp fuse there and switch the ignition back on, you may have to drive it a short distance for the abs faults to clear out (keep in mind you won't have abs) and the lights may or may not go out if they don't a scan tool will definitely be needed.
FIREBIRB is OCT. 2012
So from reading your possible scenario if I understand you correctly, I should install a fuse in position #15 ? The fuse CHART 2013 attached was sent to me from Merc.Benz via my VIN yesterday.

Fuse Chart 2013 PAGE 242 from the OWNERS manual I downloaded via the web clearly shows #15 UNASSIGNED..




DENNIS:
If it is a relay, I'd eliminate R1 thru R5 as an issue since all those seem to be working.

No. Relays Description
R1 K40/9 Horn relay
R2 K40/9 Windshield wiper setting 1/2 relay
R3 K40/9 Starter relay, terminal 15
R4 K40/9 Windshield wipers on/off relay
R5 K40/9 Starter relay, terminal 50
R6 K40/9 Relay, terminal 15 R (normally open contact)
R7 K40/9 Engine control unit relay, terminal 87
R8 K40/9 Relay, terminal 15 (reinforced relay)
 

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98Firebird

Well-known member
I don't really pay any attention to owners manual fuse allocation supplements as I've often seen them be wrong. I am looking at our actual circuit diagrams from MB, and factoring in what I'm looking at (shows 01/12 up to 6/30/13 so this van 10/12 would fall into that), as well as the noise you described when installing a fuse in that location with the key on, I feel confident what you heard is the pump turning on. I would try what I mentioned as far as cutting the van off and installing the fuse then switching the key on. If it were indeed 'unassigned' I don't feel that anything would have happened inserting a fuse, also generally speaking when Mercedes has an unassigned fuse slot it will only have 1 contact in the fuse slot.
 

vnvet

Member
I don't really pay any attention to owners manual fuse allocation supplements as I've often seen them be wrong. I am looking at our actual circuit diagrams from MB, and factoring in what I'm looking at (shows 01/12 up to 6/30/13 so this van 10/12 would fall into that), as well as the noise you described when installing a fuse in that location with the key on, I feel confident what you heard is the pump turning on. I would try what I mentioned as far as cutting the van off and installing the fuse then switching the key on. If it were indeed 'unassigned' I don't feel that anything would have happened inserting a fuse, also generally speaking when Mercedes has an unassigned fuse slot it will only have 1 contact in the fuse slot.
OK.
I'll install a fuse and see what happens.

Thanks.
 

vnvet

Member
Firebird,

You were correct. I installed a 7.5 in #15 and its running. Why the manuals are conflicting is anyone's guess. And how I ended up not having observed #15 is also a mystery to me. I usually take good pics of things before I get into them but didn't on that one. And why would I, a simple fuse panel... I can only surmise, I was stressing out about no heat and being late to work and yet ANOTHER Sprinter issue....

Thanks all who chimed in.
:thumbup:
 

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