Owners manual can be downloaded from mbusa.com, under Owners Section, for 2002 E-Class.

Fuse box in engine compartment, and fuse box underneath rear seat should both have diagrams inside of them.

Frankly do a google for W210 fuse chart under images and should pull up - put the diagrams inside the fuse box most accurate guide.

On your sticky/intermittent radio knob - knob will pull off - get can of MAF spray (non-ammonia, non-residue cleaner at good price) - put rag around to protect from excess spray - spray the sh*t out of it while turning and pull/push the shaft to work the cleaner back into the control - often helps.

I would "suspect" battery issue - a couple of days/nights in Wyoming can be a dying battery regardless of age any battery can be subject to failing - clean terminals, check grounding strap, etc - when doing this key MUST be out ignition for battery disconnect and battery reconnect - after reconnect follow instructions in Owners Manual for proper reset of car systems including steering angle, and proper reset for accesory systems including windows/sunroof/radio-code

 

On your sticky/intermittent radio knob......

I would "suspect" battery issue - a couple of days/nights in Wyoming .......

The problem is not in the radio knob. When the radio wouldn't turn off, I meant it would stay on after the car was shut off and the key removed. It would never shut off. Then after it drained the battery - after recharging it would never turn on. Then the battery went dead again and after charging the radio worked fine.

The battery and charging system was checked out by my Indie prior to giving it to my son to take to Wyoming. He also checked for a parasitic drain and didn't find one. So off to Wyoming.

Now - after sitting for 4 or 5 days the battery was dead...again. I strongly suspect the radio is still not completly shutting off sometimes and will intermittently drain the battery. FYI - The car is in Laramie and they have only been down in the 40s at night.

I'll look for the online manual.

 

Well... gee

I have let you know when you can download a manual, and let you know where to find both fuse groups and their respective diagrams.

I believe you might have a contact/corrosion issue with either/or/both fuses engine compartment (should/could be labeled 11) rear seat (should/could be 5).. pull/clean both and reinstall..

You haven't mentioned in this sage when/how-many-times radio has had to be rest/code - better have the code handy..

All stays same on battery terminals and grounding strap..... clean and reset...

 

I have let you know when you can download a manual, and let you know where to find both fuse groups and their respective diagrams.

I believe you might have a contact/corrosion issue with either/or/both fuses engine compartment (should/could be labeled 11) rear seat (should/could be 5).. pull/clean both and reinstall..

You haven't mentioned in this sage when/how-many-times radio has had to be rest/code - better have the code handy..

All stays same on battery terminals and grounding strap..... clean and reset...

Thanks - got the manual and it says the same thing that the diagrams are on the lid of the fuse box(s).
I'll have my son pull the fuses and live without the radio until he returns to Chicago over Christmas. Yikes, thinking about Christmas already....
I've never had to reset the radio codes. However, the battery has been drawn down about 4 times.

Thanks

 

Battery still draining

OK - Fully charged the battery using a 15amp automatic charger.
Had the battery and charging system checked and had the parasitic draw tested again.
Battery is fine, charging system is fine, and draw is 0.1amps.
Pulled #5 fuse (Radio) and let the car sit for 4 days (unlocked).
Battery is dead. Don't have a volt meter but no response to key, locks, and lights don't light at all.
Any thoughts?

 

Overall... .1 amp is not that much and most would consider "normal"... just so you know...

Television fron down under is a expert here ... you would put a meter on the battery circuit and pull/replace fuses in turn to identify which circuit..

Personally I consider .1 amp "normal" and suspect bad battery which doesn't hold a charge... but that's me..

 

I agree that 0.1amps is probably normal just to keep the systems energized. I'll have my son look for the fuse for the seat control module and have him pull that. That will be our next test.

I have moderate skills but my son (1,000 miles away) is not at all inclined toward working on cars. I think turning him loose with any kind of diagnostic tool eg. volt meter is tempting fate. Plus, frankly, he needs to spend his time on studies if you know what I mean. He has been going to the local Auto parts store for his tests.....

I'm tempted to have him replace the battery and keep the old one for jump starting..... I guess that will be the move after pulling the seat fuse.

If that fails...... I'll be back.

 

0.1 amps is not normal at all - the idle amperage should be about 20mA which is 0.02 amps and the battery should last at least 3 weeks.

Problem areas are radios, CD players in the trunk, built in telephones, seat modules, power locking pump and alarm systems.

The only way to test is with an ammeter installed on the battery positive lead and once at rest then pull each fuse and observe if there is a change in amperage.

 

I'm declaring a pyrrhic victory on this. Never could isolate the problem but per rorypff I did get a reading of 20mA and didn't see .1amp again. However, the battery kept getting drained after 3-4 days.

On a hunch, I took the car to a shop and had them properly disconnect the built in telephone and SOS/Tele-Aid.
Finally the battery voltage is holding. The only thing I can figure is that something was happening with the phone or tele-aid that was intermittent and not detected by a periodic check of battery draw. Or the act of connecting a meter caused the problem to go away so it wasn't being measured.... (aka the Observer Effect).

Anyway, the car has been sitting for a week and the battery shows 12.5 volts, down from 12.6 a week ago. Don't know exactly what was causing the problem or what fixed it, but it appears to be solved.

 

Mine is a 2000 E320 wagon basic, battery drain problem. I pulled fuse #5 under seat and the drain stopped, but I lost radio and door locks. I will disconnect the CD player after reading this post, seems like something in that arena is the problem. I just bought the car and know very little about the previous owner. I wonder if there is another fuse for the radio alone? as the fuse #5 under seat is labled Command SE, that seems to encompass the cars systems at turn off key state.

 

Fuse#5 (hot all the time) powers the radio, and the radio powers the CD player. The radio wakes the CD player up with the Wake-up signal lead sleeve (over D2B).

Fuse#11 under the hood at the driver's side powers the radio when the key is in position 1 (circuit 15R).

Fuse #5 also powers the PSE, and that is why the door locks will not work when this fuse is pulled out.

 

This helps very much, and gives me clearer direction as to how to precede, thank you! If when I disconnect the CD player and the drain stops, I will want to replace the audio system since my wife listens to cd's exclusively. May be time to update anyway. is there a recommended thread that would detail the placement of aftermarket system I have done this on my W126 and W124 but these are a bit different.

 

I've given the E430 to our son who is off to college in Wyoming. I'm trying to diagnose a current drain by eliminating possible sources and I'm thinking that the radio might be the culprit because it has been acting up lately. For example - several months ago it wouldn't turn off, then it wouldn't turn on, and now it appears to be working normally.....except now the battery is drained after sitting for a few days.

So I'm looking for the easiest way to cut the power to the radio? I'm in DC, the car manual is in Chicago, and the car is in Wyoming..... so I need some help. My son is not mechanically inclined so anything more complicated then pulling a fuse is probably not in the cards.
Do you know the fuse number and the location of the fuse? Also, if the fuse is removed, what else will have the power cut off.
Thanks,

Radio

I've given the E430 to our son who is off to college in Wyoming. I'm trying to diagnose a current drain by eliminating possible sources and I'm thinking that the radio might be the culprit because it has been acting up lately. For example - several months ago it wouldn't turn off, then it wouldn't turn on, and now it appears to be working normally.....except now the battery is drained after sitting for a few days.

So I'm looking for the easiest way to cut the power to the radio? I'm in DC, the car manual is in Chicago, and the car is in Wyoming..... so I need some help. My son is not mechanically inclined so anything more complicated then pulling a fuse is probably not in the cards.
Do you know the fuse number and the location of the fuse? Also, if the fuse is removed, what else will have the power cut off.
Thanks,

find an auto elec shop-
remove batt power Wire from computer - hook to on only when enginE running - On fuse block - spent thousands w mb dealers and no help from MB before I figured this out - Cost $200 to elec shop - never trusted Again - like a cheating woman - sold - buyer never had any more probs This works

 

I've given the E430 to our son who is off to college in Wyoming. I'm trying to diagnose a current drain by eliminating possible sources and I'm thinking that the radio might be the culprit because it has been acting up lately. For example - several months ago it wouldn't turn off, then it wouldn't turn on, and now it appears to be working normally.....except now the battery is drained after sitting for a few days.

So I'm looking for the easiest way to cut the power to the radio? I'm in DC, the car manual is in Chicago, and the car is in Wyoming..... so I need some help. My son is not mechanically inclined so anything more complicated then pulling a fuse is probably not in the cards.
Do you know the fuse number and the location of the fuse? Also, if the fuse is removed, what else will have the power cut off.
Thanks,

2000 S430 radio spontaneous on running batt down - I spent thousands - radio came on spontaneously while parked and ran the batt down - mb would not talk to me - two mb dealers charged me thousands without success - non mb garage unhooked stuff so I could drive it home - one mb dealer wanted to sell me a 5000 bose radio - put a marine batt cutoff but had to get in trunk to flip the switch = THIS IS THE FIX - WORKED FOR ME - find an auto electric shop to pull the power wire from the computer to the radio - hook the loose end you disconnected from the computer to the fuse block to a hot only when motor running fuze - no radio can run a batt down while the alternator is throwing electrons to the battery - never had any more troubles or messages, trouble lights - anything - cost me $200 - had to pay the auto elec directly - mb took car to them but would not collect money from me because they would get in trouble with mb - car is still running without problems - I'm buddyhawkins41@gmail.com if you need to talk -

 

2000 S430 radio spontaneous on running batt down - I spent thousands - radio came on spontaneously while parked and ran the batt down - mb would not talk to me - two mb dealers charged me thousands without success - non mb garage unhooked stuff so I could drive it home - one mb dealer wanted to sell me a 5000 bose radio - put a marine batt cutoff but had to get in trunk to flip the switch = THIS IS THE FIX - WORKED FOR ME - find an auto electric shop to pull the power wire from the computer to the radio - hook the loose end you disconnected from the computer to the fuse block to a hot only when motor running fuze - no radio can run a batt down while the alternator is throwing electrons to the battery - never had any more troubles or messages, trouble lights - anything - cost me $200 - had to pay the auto elec directly - mb took car to them but would not collect money from me because they would get in trouble with mb - car is still running without problems - I'm buddyhawkins41@gmail.com if you need to talk -

What computer are you talking about ? No computer supplies any power to the radio. Are you sure it is the radio and not the amplifier ?