This is, in all likelihood, a failure with your air pump. This is part of your pollution control system that, on a cold start, pumps extra air into your exhaust stream to reduce the extra pollution associated with the rich fuel mixture on a cold start. The pump will run for about 30-60 seconds on a cold start only. After that, it doesn't do anything.

I have been driving my C280 with a P0410 for three and a half years now. I have my own hand-held code scanner, so I can clear the codes any time I wish. This is a good idea because you want to make sure you don't have another code "hiding" behind the code you know about. I'm not replacing my air pump because the part will cost about $700 and I'm just not interested in spending that kind of money for a pollution control device that runs for 45 seconds on a cold start. However, if you have to get your car smog checked periodically it might be a problem for you. Depending on where you live, checking for codes could be part of the smog check, which means they could discover that you've cleared the codes just before bringing them the car for your smog test if the scanner's test sequence is showing "pending" on a number of the test subjects. They'll fail you for the "pending" reading and tell you to come back when the car has gone through its full diagnostic cycle.

 

Thanks Jolomon, I agree 100% re the air pump and there's no smog testing where I live. I just bought an Innova OBD scanner that will allow me to read live data when I figure it out and I can see what shape the O2 sensors are in, although a fault there would produce a different code? Anyway, as the car runs just fine I wont panic ! The other possible problems associated with the PO410 code seem minor in comparison to the pump. Thanks for the info. All the best, Chato

 

Just check the secondary system for any leaks - hoses, loose jubilee clips etc There is also a small breather valve at the back of the engine that if blocked I believe can bring on the engine light with a P0410 code

Let us know if you find anything definitive.

Cheers

MFK

 

Also

pull the engine cover and listen for thr pump to operate when you turn the key on in the morning.you can also jump power to the pump.brown wire is ground.
ohlord

 

You are lucky re the lack of smog check requirements...

Here in California that code would fail the smog check... Also, the air pump can be a minor issue compared to having to have the heads removed to clean the air passages to the exhaust ports... These passages can sometimes become blocked with carbon and the only way to clear them is sand blasting, which requires removal and complete disassembly of the heads. Expensive way to get new valve stem seals...

JR

 

If the pump is gone will it put out a code immediately. I have this same problem but after clearing the code it could take two weeks for the engine light to come back on again

Thanks MFK

 

This is for two different reasons, both of which depend upon your driving habits.

1) Your OBD2 system looks at fault codes in two categories, basically "major" and "minor". When you clear any code, the next time you start your car the OBD2 system will scan the "major" systems immediately. However, for the "minor" systems, you have to go through an "OBD2 drive cycle", which basically means the car has to be driven to produce a number of different conditions required for your computer to see if the systems are measuring properly. Until you complete that drive cycle, you wont get a reading for the P0414.

2) Your check engine light will illuminate for a minor fault after it is detected on two consecutive cold starts. The first failure goes into the computer memory but does not trigger the CEL.

So the time it takes to get the CEL to turn back on depends on how long it takes you to complete the OBD2 drive cycle and then get that second consecutive cold start.

 

I have the same code problem and have been trying to pinpoint the source. Chances are that it is a common failure and we all can benefit when someone locates the source. Mine was not the air pump. I connect 12v across the leads and it fired up without problem. I cleaned the contacts on the connectors and occasionally used a volt meter to test for output during the cold start cycle. I would get 12v sometimes and other times nothing. I isolated back to the control module and am thinking it might be a relay but dropped the issue since emissions testing isn't an issue in the Big Easy. Next move is to see how much one costs from the dealer or how much to test and rebuild the existing one. If someone has gone down this path, I sure would like to know.

 

This site is amazing - Thank you everyone. I live in Florida and recently brought my car back home to NJ. It was there when I got the same PO410 "Secondary air injection system" warning. I'm assuming it was because the car started on an extremely cold day where it was used to warm weather. I had the code cleared but it recently came back on. If I was correct in my assumption, the light should have stayed off, but now it needs this new air pump?

 

Maybe not. Test the air pump first. Back up to ohlords post on this thread and see how to put 12 volts across it to check it. It makes enough noise when running to know if it's good.

 

Hi All, my air pump runs strong, not eratic or iregular in the least from the 30 seconds or so I listened to it. I can't remember who said "a screwdriver makes a good stethoscope" but it worked loud and clear for me ! I've checked all the connections I could see and they all seem in order. I now suspect the EGR Valve is at fault. Can it be cleaned or is it a replacement job? Cheers, Chato

 

So the pump (if working) will run on every cold start? It does not matter what the temp is outside?

 

Heres what I did. I have a 97 E420 too. At the time mine had about 148,000 miles on it. Now its got 163,000 miles. My "secondary air pump" code would come on too. I took it to a small MB shop to save money and they bypassed the computer and said the pump worked fine. It did cause it made a whinning sound at cold start-up and cycled once after that. They suggested it was the computer. So, like an idiot I searched everywhere and found a used one on Ebay out of a wrecked car. I bought it. Wont tell you how much I paid for it. I put it in but the car wouldnt start. Had something to do with communications with the instrument cluster. So I took it to the MB dealership and asked them to install it. They suggested doing a diagnosis first, cost $240.00. OK, fine. The pump was good and so was the computer already in my car. They said that the injection ports, as mentioned above, were clogged and the only way they could fix it "properly" was to disassemble the engine and clean it. Estimate, $3,500.00.

Hhhhmmm? What was I to do. Seeing that the quoted estimate caused me to hit the floor the service advisor suggested I take the car to get the engine flushed as a cheaper first option, like a BG shop. I did some research and discovered that a product called SeaFoam was highly recommended by alot of shops instead of BG products. I bought two can at a cost of less than $12.00. Put one in the gas tank, about 1/4 full, and the other in the crankcase. Then I drove the crap out of the car for about 30 minutes on the highway at high RPM's and flooring it into passing gear over and over to clean out the carbon. Low and behold the engine code never came back on. No bull......... It never came on again. That was over a year ago.

Now every time I change the oil I put a can of SeaFoam in the crankcase and about every third month put one in the gas tank as a carbon build-up preventative program. I tell ya its magic in a can. Saved me from the engine tear down I know.............. :bowdown:

You can say what you want but it worked for me. More recently it has even stopped my lifters from tapping with a failed oil feed tube for a time. I have since replaced those tubes so that problem is fixed. But the air pump code is gone for good.

Good luck with yours and give the SeaFoam a try. :thumbsup:

Jeff

 

Wow! thanks a million! or should I say thanks a 3500! I will try this SeaFoam. Where can I get it?

If I read your post correctly the only thing you wound up doing was adding SeaFoam? This sounds too good to be true!

 

NAPA, O'Reilly, PepBoys, to name a few. Going to check it out this evening.

 

Found the SeaFoam product at Advanced Auto Parts close to the house and on the way home. I've got great hopes that it will quiet a slight lifter noise but am doubtful that it will cure the P0410 code. Reason is that the air handling system is just that. It has no communication with either the fuel handling system or the crankcase. The air pump brings outside air to the exhaust system through ports drilled in the cylinder heads. These might get plugged but the SeaFoam will not unplug them. There is a filter on the air pump so I doubt that is the problem. I'm driving a '98 E430 so there may be some differences from year to year but the reason for the air pump will be the same. To supply extra air to burn the extra carbon monoxides and hydrocarbons in the exhaust that come with a cold start. There are some shutoff valves between the pump and the exhaust ports that prevent exhaust gases from flowing back through the pump and are activated by the control unit. I'm still betting on a bad relay that throws the 35 amps to the air pump.

 

I dont know what the difference is between the engine designs, ie the 420 and 430. But in my case, 420, the SeaFoam worked. In fact the dealership is where I got the idea to do this flush thing. They said a flush might help. There must be some connection in that system if carbon gets into it. Outside air doesnt have carbon in it. There are ports in the heads that get plugged up in the case of the 420. Running a cleaning/flush product through the fuel system, to clean out injectors and delivery system, can only help. And in the crankcase it removes sludge and varnish build-up on the internal components. The crankcase has pressure and that excess pressure is sucked back into the injection system and ported into the exhaust system to be burned. Thats part of the emissions control system. Maybe thats how it works.

When I removed my valve covers recently to fix my oil feed tubes on the 4.2 liter 420, the engine was extremely clean for having over 160K on it. So I guess running it in the crankcase really does help keep the motor clean inside. And running it in the gas cant hurt either.

I am sold on SeaFoam and will continue to use it. I take a cholesteral med everyday too. That keeps my veins clean from sludge build-up. I guess it works just like that!!

Jeff

 

Thanks for the great information! I'm definately going to try it and let everyone know if it works in my 420 as well

 

On

a 420 before the FSS system started it would be okay to put in seafoam into the oil.On a 98 and later with fss only add it about a week or two before your oil change interval comes up.then change oil and fleece filter with the proper mb spec 0w40 ie mobil 1.Addto the tank once a year is enough to keep the injectors clean.
Plugged egr would throw a different code than the sec air injection.
:bowdown:

 

I added the Seafoam to the crankcase and cleared the P0410 code. The lifters are running quiet now but the code reappeared. Next nice Saturday and I'm servicing the cut-off valves to see if maybe one is sticking shut. Anything to keep from going into the relay circuits.

 

p0410 on 2002 C230 Kompressor Coupe


Hi,
Since about a week ago, I also have the honor of a p0410 engine light. I have been reading frantically all relevant posts in this forum (with the big MB dealership looming over my shoulder, devilishly laughing " boohua-hua-haah"). But based on the info here, I believe the pump is not the problem as I can hear it "whining" at cold start. So to me it looks like I need to move on to checking the cut-off valves. But I would really be grateful if someone could show photographs of how these valves usually look (I mean if you could take a pic of how they look on a 2002 C230 Kompressor Coupe I'd be going into my knees right there!) - anything pictorial would be highly appreciated.

Thanks for any and all your help!

 

OK, I added seafoam to the crankcase as well as the fuel tank. I had no luck with the light going off. I'm still getting the same code.

Just so I'm educated going to the shop: what are the possible problems again?

Please keep in mind right before this code started popping up I had a rebuilt trans put in. I had ZERO problems with this prior to the new trans. Does one thing have anything to do with the other?

Thanks!

 

To recap...

the information that is already in the thread:

The usual fault is the air pump... If you are very lucky this may be your problem.

Otherwise, it is the passages in the cylinder heads and the heads have to be removed, stripped and "sandblasted" to get the hardened carbon out. Cost? Over $3K.

Soo, as Clint Eastwood says: "Do ya feel lucky? Do ya?"...

Good luck...

JR

 

Ok Thanks. I hear the air pump working off and on so I might be in for another big bill.
I just did the trans, and now this...

 

P0410 - Potential Fix

This may be of some help - I found it on another forum. There seems to be some link betweek P0410 and P2036.

2000 Mercedes-Benz C200 KOMPRES

Engine: 2.0 L / 4 cyl
Fuel: Fuel Injection
Ignition: Distributorless
Trans: Automatic
Mileage: 80,000 mi
Emissions: OBD-II Compliant
VIN: 2030452R00

Misc Data: SEDAN
Symptoms: POOR PERFORMANCE
Occurs: Intermittently
More Info: Test results included below

_____________________ ORIGINAL MESSAGE _____________________

Fellow Techs,

This one is driving us crazy.This car is going into limp mode
once every 2-3 weeks.we have replace the lambda sensor.It
keeps returning with a code P2036 secondary air injection:air
flow too low.As soon as we clear the code the vehicle's power
is restored and drive fine for a couple of weeks.has any seen
this before?Any help would be much appreciated.

Regards

___________________ TEST AND REPAIR DATA ___________________

COMPUTER CODES AND DESCRIPTIONS

P2036- SECONDARY AIR INJECTION.AIR FLOW IS TOO LOW(P0410)

____________________________ FIX ___________________________

Fellow Techs,

Not alot of replies to this though the ones that i did get
were very helpful.Hugh from New Jersey hit it on the head the
air valve at the rear of engine was rotted. we replaced it a
week ago and have not heard any thing from client so far.

 

Where

are you located?Most of us are more familiar with the w210 models so no pics on your engine.However is the pump operating?Have you pulled it to see if it is full of water thus impeding it's proper function.The cut off valve is a maint. interval item on the kompressor engines and heat and rust will freeze it up
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r170-slk-class/1348145-check-engine-light-code-p0410-3.html
I know some of the guys over on the amg forums with the sc engines have sec pump issues and mercedes has TSB issued with solutions.So maybe search around the
MBWorld.org Forums - Powered by vBulletin c or amg forums or post a shout out:thumbsup:
ohlord:bowdown:

 

located in White Plains, NY.
I realized I posted to W210 section (got here via search) - sorry about that!
Thanks a lot for the pointers ohlord!