[HealeyDoc]

2004 C230k (145,000 miles) with an intermittent EIS issue over the past 7 months.

Symptoms have been: Key fob intermittently "handshakes" with EIS (I can hear a motorized sound when it does). If it does, the fob turns. If it doesn't, the fob does not turn. When the fob turns to position 1 all gauges, etc.. turn on then drop out. When the fob turns to position 2, intermittently the car starts. Independent of whether the gauges drop out or not.

Took the car into an independent MB shop 2 weeks ago. Based on their recommendation, I agreed to have them replace the EIS. Waited for them to receive ordered switch. Today received a call and new EIS is in, but car is still behaving the same. Tech acknowledges the new EIS did not solve the problem. Says they are getting codes for Front SAM and Rear SAM and a bunch of others. Asked if I wanted him to continue diagnosing and that they were already at a total of $1200.00. I mentioned they should put my old EIS back in since it wasn't the problem and that we are now starting at $0. He said he would "work with me" and would adjust the billing, if I decided to keep the new EIS. Says he can't ship the EIS back to MB since it is programmed to my key fob and VIN.

Told him to leave it in and to continue diagnosing.

Any ideas? Thoughts? What else could it be if not the EIS?

Jeff

 

[rudeney]

I would assume the mechanic ruled voltage issues. Maybe a wiring harness issue where the EIS connects? Also, a new EIS would need to be coded with SDS. It does not come pre-coded from MBZ, since it has to be "married" to the instrument cluster to copy over the odometer reading.

 

[HealeyDoc]

Rodney,

Tech says he checked voltages at rest, during crank and at idle and the numbers looked good. I purchased a new battery less than 10 months ago, so I would hope so, but hey, you never know. So I'm glad he checked. Says they programmed the EIS with SDS once received from MB, so it is "married" to the cluster/odometer. Used a Battery Charger to maintain constant voltage. Says he is going to check out a relay and the Front SAM next.

Jeff

 

[rudeney]

Good! If he has access to SDS, then he likely knows what he is doing here. Did he give you a list of the codes?

 

[HealeyDoc]

Rodney,

He didn't give me a list of codes. Keeps saying it looks like something SAM or CAN. Here is a synopsis of my experience so far:

Hi Guys,

Here's an update. I am going on 4 weeks now (this Thursday) that the shop has had my car. The info I've received is as follows:

Ordered an EIS from MB in Texas (?)
Said they programmed it when it arrived.
Checked Voltage levels of Battery at Rest, during start and while running. All voltages looked fine.
Said they would need to check the codes they were getting for Front and Rear SAM.
Said they needed to order a "Breakout Box" (?) in order to read codes in CAN, etc. Said they had to order it. Sounds like a diagnostic device to me.
Said they "worked" (?) on codes again with EIS and since then the car starts every time.
Said the SRS indicator is still on and asked if that was something I had seen before. I said yes. It occurred when i had the battery replaced a few months ago and was hoping he could reset it, since he was going to be working on the EIS. Said each time he has tried, it comes back on again. He said when he hooks the car to "Auto Logic", he clears the code and it comes back.
I asked if he has the STAR system and he said no. He said Auto Logic is what they use because it has diagnostic features for MB, BMW and Audi "all in one".

This is the extent of my experience. Some or all of this seems sketchy to me.

Jeff

 

[Vortecpwr]

I had a 203 do this about 3 weeks ago. this car had multiple can communication faults within all modules also.

cust only had 1 key. gave cust the choice. I could order EIS with no guarantee it would fix car or order a new key. she took cheapest route which was key and it fixed her issue. her only key looked like hell anyway. lens broke off end, all 3 buttons cracked and would not work. basically looked like it had been run off by a truck.

ordered new car for car. kept car 2 more days starting is multiple times thru out the day and car cranked every time. car has not returned, SO I guess I fixed it.

try another key. keys do strange things at times.

 

[rudeney]

Jeff,

My "official" technical knowledge on this is now over 10 years old, so maybe things have changed since then, but I am not aware of the ability to order a pre-programmed EIS. My prior experience and even what I see documented in my 2010 version of WIS/SDS indicates that to replace the EIS, you order a new, virgin part for the car, then code it with SDS which will copy the current odometer reading from the cluster and set all of the car's options. Again, it's possible that there are new ways of doing this, so I don't want to give your mechanic the benefit of the doubt.

The "breakout box" is indeed a special tool. SDS also uses a special interface to be able to monitor CAN bus signals. This is definitely something that should help diagnose these problems assuming it can read the CAN bus signals and the tech can interpret them.

If clearing codes from the SRS system does not clear its malfunction indicator, it means the problem persists and needs a proper diagnosis for the repair. His AutoLogic tool is a scanner capable of handling this. It can read, code and reset all the system (it claims to do "everything" SDS can). So, your mechanic should be able to tell what codes he pulled and, with the SRS error, what code is not clearing.

I really don't like to say bad things about someone I don't know. It does sound to me like this mechanic may have all the right tools, but may not know how to use them. Today's cares, especially MBZs, are very complex. It's no longer just enough to know how to turn a wrench. Today's successful technicians needs to be diagnosticians and have some computer tech experience, too. It is possible that this guy might be in over his head, but then again, I'm just a guy sitting in his armchair chatting on The Internet!

 

[HealeyDoc]

Agreed Rodney! I am wondering as well. The EIS they purchased was not already programmed. They bought a switch and then programmed it at their shop. I may have typed something that created that confusion. Sorry if I did. So I just got off the phone with the shop. Last I spoke with them was on Tuesday of this week, they did "some reprogramming of the EIS" and they've not had any problem with the car starting, but they wanted to run it through a car wash (get things wet), let it sit out in the cold overnight (get things cold) and see if anything would change. So this morning I called and they said the car still starts up just fine. They've not mentioned anything else about the SAM codes or other codes they were getting, or what the "breakout box" (adapter?) allowed them to see. Maybe it helped them eliminate some items. I'll have to ask.

So the front desk gal is going to have the technician call me in an hour and a half because he is under a car. I've yet to find out if the SRS light issue is resolved, etc..

I have a nagging thought in the back of my mind that they have stumbled across something, wiggled something, farted around with the coding again, etc... or that the car is now for whatever reason not demonstrating the intermittent failure to start any longer and they are hesitant to say the issue is fixed, yet if I believe it is, that they are then going to exclaim "it is fixed" and now charge me for all of the diagnostic time they spent "practicing" on my car. How do I walk away with the thought that they really didn't fix my car and that in a couple of weeks the same issue isn't going to arise and taking it back to them for any warranty on their work is going to rectify the problem? I feel like several questions need to be answered for sure. I'm not keen on paying them for all of their "learning". How do I get around that? I will update in an hour or so once I've spoken with the Tech.

Jeff

 

[rudeney]

I would negotiate with the shop. Pay the a fair amount for their effort, but don't pay for their on-job-job training.