Just purchased an S320 - Japanese origin (I am cuurently in the UAE, and these are very common here)..it is LHD regular/normal car by the way
This is a 1999/2000 model, with 50,000kms only and is in great condition for a car of this age....
Problems: the usual S-class problems of course as documented in the encyclopedia -thanks!- but nothing serious....well except for the damn command system being in Japanese and not picking up local FM stations
Questions/ problems:
1- I have not seen this much on the forum ( and is the reason i am posting) but the driver's window sometimes stops midway while going up. It is strange because if you try a couple of times it eventually works. The window does not look loose in the track or anything, and does not feel like it is struggling to go up or down, it just suddenly stops. The driver's side controls are all working correctly, and properly lit-up so i am assuming their is no error with the door module...
2-Is this car supposed to have the door close assist features ( i think i got the name wrong)? the doors don't close themselves so to speak. was this standard on the S320 ?
Glad you checked the Encyclopedia - but you missed some things. Check the "How to reset windows, etc." portion of post #5. The entry is in bold print. The links also discuss why the windows may need to be reset occasionally.
If the reset procedure does not work, then you most likely have a problem with the Door Control Module. The only "fix" is to replace it, if that is the problem. The Encyclopedia has links and videos on how to do that in the link titled "Body Panel Removal Videos," but you will need a DCM for your car. They are not always interchangeable among model years. There is also a link identifying problems with the Door Control Module.
I don't know if the early Japanese specification S320 had the "soft close" feature (the one you termed "door close assist" - possibly a better description than the one Mercedes uses). The Encyclopedia has a section on soft close; you can check to see if you have a PSE pump in the trunk (one of the links has photos of PSE pumps so you can identify it); and also points out the fuse location for the PSE pump in North American and European specification models. The PSE pump powers the soft close feature as well as the lumbar support in the seats. If you don't have a PSE pump, you won't have soft close. If you do have a PSE pump with a LOT of pneumatic leads extending from it, you MAY have soft close. I don't know if the fuse for your car is the same one; you will have to check your fuse diagram (usually wrapped around a tool in the spare tire well, if it is still there). Also - check both sides of the trunk for the PSE pump. It is usually behind the trunk lining, above a rear wheel well. In North American models it is on the left side (facing forward from the rear of the car).
Post #15 at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...ft-self-2.html has a superb treatment of the PSE pump in the pdf file attached. One caution: If you disconnect any pneumatic lines, be sure you mark their location for re-connecting, or you will invite many problems getting things to work again. While the author's car did not have soft close (and his car is a Japanese-built model exported to Australia), the charts he provides discusses the proper connections if one has that system.
__________________
Warren
2005 S500 4-Matic
with Gateway 500 iPod integration
1978 450SL restoration project
Formerly: 2000 S500
with Ice>Link iPod integration
Moto V710 phone with MikBox
Upgraded Voice Control
Glad you checked the Encyclopedia - but you missed some things. Check the "How to reset windows, etc." portion of post #5. The entry is in bold print. The links also discuss why the windows may need to be reset occasionally.
If the reset procedure does not work, then you most likely have a problem with the Door Control Module. The only "fix" is to replace it, if that is the problem. The Encyclopedia has links and videos on how to do that in the link titled "Body Panel Removal Videos," but you will need a DCM for your car. They are not always interchangeable among model years. There is also a link identifying problems with the Door Control Module.
I don't know if the early Japanese specification S320 had the "soft close" feature (the one you termed "door close assist" - possibly a better description than the one Mercedes uses). The Encyclopedia has a section on soft close; you can check to see if you have a PSE pump in the trunk (one of the links has photos of PSE pumps so you can identify it); and also points out the fuse location for the PSE pump in North American and European specification models. The PSE pump powers the soft close feature as well as the lumbar support in the seats. If you don't have a PSE pump, you won't have soft close. If you do have a PSE pump with a LOT of pneumatic leads extending from it, you MAY have soft close. I don't know if the fuse for your car is the same one; you will have to check your fuse diagram (usually wrapped around a tool in the spare tire well, if it is still there). Also - check both sides of the trunk for the PSE pump. It is usually behind the trunk lining, above a rear wheel well. In North American models it is on the left side (facing forward from the rear of the car).
Post #15 at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...ft-self-2.html has a superb treatment of the PSE pump in the pdf file attached. One caution: If you disconnect any pneumatic lines, be sure you mark their location for re-connecting, or you will invite many problems getting things to work again. While the author's car did not have soft close (and his car is a Japanese-built model exported to Australia), the charts he provides discusses the proper connections if one has that system.
Thank you sir for the response...i will read more.by the way, the trunk has this soft close AKA trunk close assist feature and is working perfectly. So I think this feature for the doors was probably an option. honestly, i hope it does not have it - the less things to go wrong- i like my cars simple and dependable ....that is a lesson i learned from my old w124....i loved working on that thing.....
James: in response to your question, there are hundreds if not thousands of these all over the region. they are definitely Japanese because all menus, clusters, manuals, body stickers and the command center are in Japanese.
I was wondering about the RHD vs LHD issue and read on some forums that these are usually special orders in japan for business men, embassies and so on - i noticed that a lot of these imports have small flag poles on the front bumper ...maybe there is some truth in this. the car has definitely not been converted from RHD to LHD as i think that will cost too much and is too much of a hassle . i could be wrong though.....
James: in response to your question, there are hundreds if not thousands of these all over the region. they are definitely Japanese because all menus, clusters, manuals, body stickers and the command center are in Japanese.
I was wondering about the RHD vs LHD issue and read on some forums that these are usually special orders in japan for business men, embassies and so on - i noticed that a lot of these imports have small flag poles on the front bumper ...maybe there is some truth in this. the car has definitely not been converted from RHD to LHD as i think that will cost too much and is too much of a hassle . i could be wrong though.....
Thats not the first time I've heard of something like that. I've also got a 1973 RHD VW beetle in orange, and I've been asked if its a German import before. As I'm in the UK we're all RHD, the guy was saying that back in the 60/70's the German post office used to order RHD cars, so the postman could pull up at the post box and not have to walk all around the car to get in or out after emptying the postbox. Orange was apparently the colour used by the German post office. No idea if its true but the guy seemed pretty convinced of it, German efficiency etc.
i would bet that if you have soft close trunk you have soft close doors as well.
So I took it to a Mercedes shop today for some service. I asked about the soft close thingy, and he found out that the driver side door lock has a problem. he thinks that is preventing the soft-close feature from working.....
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feature and is working perfectly. So I think this feature for the doors was probably an option. honestly, i hope it does not have it - the less things to go wrong- i like my cars simple and dependable ....that is a lesson i learned from my old w124....i loved working on that thing.....
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