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ABS ESP BAS Visit Workshop on 2004 CLK320

4K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  dnpushkin 
#1 ·
About a week ago, my 2004 clk320 briefly showed a Visit Workshop red light with a picture of a battery and went away. Then the next day and by the third day also popped up ESP Not available and BAS not available and the steering had become twice as difficult to maneuver (its hard to turn the car). Along with the abs light.
I had brought it into the shop I work at and a mechanic there said it was the alternator.
We had replaced the alternator with a brand new one and put a new belt on and immediately after that the car drove fine with no lights. Then just last night the Visit Workshop light came one and this morning all the other lights came right back on and we are back at the same place we were a week ago.
The battery voltage was checked and is at the right volts but should we check that again? Could it be that the battery needs to be replaced.

One thing to know the passenger seat control module broke about 6 months ago and the SRS Light has been on, we unplugged the passenger seat to see if that may have been draining the battery.

The car will start fine the first time, but if you try to turn it off and start it a few times in a row by the third or fourth time wont start.

We will need to wait until monday to run a diagnosis on it and I could have some error codes.

I live 5 miles away and need to go back and forth to work everyday. Is it safe to do so for 2 days until Monday when we can get a diagnosis, or should I stay safe and avoid driving it?

Also, does anyone have any opinions on what else it could be. I have read and scanned the forums and have seen brake light switch problems, but the mechanics don't suspect it to be that.

Thanks
 
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#2 ·
A few things to check - first, battery voltage. It should be 12.6v at rest, no less than 11v while cranking and 14v at idle. Anything significantly less and you could have a bad battery. Even with a goods alternator, when these batteries die, the large plates in them can warp, short out, and act like giant resistors, thus dragging down overall vehicle voltage. One way to check that is to start the car, and check voltage at idle. If it's low, and you disconnect the battery's negative lead, and it returns to normal (about 14v) then you may have a bad battery.

Also check the idler and tensioner pulleys on the serpentine belt. The bearing in these can fail and cause the belt to drag and not run the alternator. Remove the belt (engine off, of course) and check the pulleys when rotating them by hand. They should be smooth and easily freeewheel.
 
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