Mercedes ML320 CDI poor cold start. Fault finding and repair.

[@sam21343]

Nice job. Same problem since one year. Mercedes changed one injector they tought to be the cause (800€...) without any result. Went to different mecanics, nobody able to find...when I see your video, I'm amazed by mecanics incompetency in my region. I will finally get the das/xentry tool and check it by myself following your steps. Would love to have a mecanic like you here... Also have issues with external temperature indicator (goes up to 60°c when wet), airconditionning, airmatic front suspension leaking...not the best reliable car but love it so much 😅

[@LMAutoRepairs]

The exterior temperature it is very important... as it might dictates if and for how long the glow plugs are activated... If it is showing too hot it might prevents the glow plugs from working... There is obviously other parameters that the ecu looks at, and without looking into functional descriptions I am not sure, but I would definitely fix that first... 👍👍👍

[@sam21343]

Absolutely, that's what I was thinking about when writing my comment, I will start investigation on that first 👍👍👍 Do you provide online assistance for DIY owners to help identify and solve misfunctions? Of course I'm willing to pay for it 😊

[@LMAutoRepairs]

I do what I can here... for more... www.patreon.com/LMAutoRepairs? 👍👍👍

[@beluxauto5968]

Nice video . You even showed the bus waveform which should be interesting for people to see . Like you said , pretty straight forward but you took the long way around . Much appreciated Luis .

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 Thanks! 👍👍👍

[@ma-li3935]

Hi, That module for glow plug, what happens is the circuit board delaminates on the underside, you pull it out of the aluminum container, scrape off the polyurethane sealant to expose the tinned copper board, you will see the faulty track, you then solder a piece of tinned copper wire overlay on the faulty track. problem solved. reassemble module. The issue is the copper track is undersize for the current that the glow plugs require, there are 2 tracks one for the first two you tested OK, the other is for the 4 that failed (it runs on the edge of the board) . It is very possible for a shorted plug to destroy this track also. Cheers. Just for info there are many repairs that are possible to the modules fitted to this Model Benz and its predecessor

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Thanks for the info! 👍👍

[@januszderen1253]

Another fantastic job and everything is proved, not just guessed as a lot of workshops do. Well done :)

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 Thanks! For watching and for your comment! 👍👍👍

[@trevormansfield6495]

good thorough diagnostics. I learnt afew things. Thanks as always

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 Thanks! 👍👍👍

[@mrgrumpy5116]

thanks for the videos, always something interesting, and far better to learn from someone else's experience as we don't have to spend time or money ..

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 A shame some people does not see it that way... Thanks... for watching and for your comment!

[@terencesibley6216]

Great vids. Do you have wiring diagram at all for this and is there anyway to force the module to work. Keep up the great work

[@SabretoothBarnacle]

Morning everyone👍🏻

[@LMAutoRepairs]

👍👍👍

[@neilmurphy845]

Morning

[@retractablehybrid6110]

I've been having the same issue for over a year... I have replaced the glow plugs twice and the relay but it still does the same thing. It's starting ok just now because the temperature is going up but I'm out of options for it? No codes either... I only have stored codes relating to the pedal position sensor.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Have you checked powers and grounds to the module? Have you checked LIN bus to the module? Have you checked that the glow plugs are being activated? Have you checked live data? I would resolve that pedal fault as well... as it might be influencing the starting of the car... 👍👍👍

[@nemanjadzombic6101]

Thank you for another great video!!! Can't believe you couldn't sort the old module :)

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Thanks!

[@Luka-ov1hu]

Hello Nemanja are you from Balkan

[@nemanjadzombic6101]

@@Luka-ov1hu Yes, from Serbia.

[@LZDEN]

splendid work as always.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 👍👍👍

[@ErshadBMW]

I like the way you diagnose 👍🏻

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 Thanks! 👍👍👍

[@duncanpoundcake]

Next level stuff. Awesome skills 🎉

[@LMAutoRepairs]

☺️ Thanks! 👍👍👍

[@jvdm9317]

Hi, thank you for an informative video. My ML350 CDi starts and then dies. Have you ever come across this problem? It runs for 1-3 seconds and then dies. It has new low and high pressure pumps, new fuel rail pressure sensor, new fuel rail pressure regulating valve, new fuel filter, 6 new injectors, new fuel pump relay, new cam shaft sensor, turbo refurbished. Because of the struggling I now have to replace the battery. Day 1 after coming from workshop it starts easily, day two it starts and runs but shudders a bit and then runs perfectly. The next day it starts for 1 second and dies. So basically every morning on first start. Then its dead.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Hi That's a weird, after all those parts replaced... Best option, is to scan the car, and check live data when the problem is occurring... Any advise from me, without a bit more info, would be pure guessing.... 👍👍👍

[@jvdm9317]

@@LMAutoRepairs Ok, I removed the Y air inlet and saw that it had a crack at the turbo inlet seal housing, I wrapped tape around it as a temp fix and the car actually started and ran for about a minute or so and then died, It showed two error messages, one is still the transmission oil cooler contact is open and the other one says exhaust back pressure too high. Now it doesn't want to start

[@LMAutoRepairs]

The exhaust back pressure could indeed prevent it from running... I am guessing, based on that code, the car has a DPF right?

[@jvdm9317]

I bought the car from someone else so I'm not sure. I assume it has the dpf because live data showed a pressure and said it did a successful Regen and that there is no ash in the system

[@LMAutoRepairs]

@jvdm9317 OK... what is the live reading on the exhaust back pressure?

[@mammutit]

since that was the only problem if the unit was very expensive this could have been fixed by using the signal of one of the working outputs to a relay and driving the 4 other outputs with the extra relay. Not sexy but would work for old crappy cars with expensive unit

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Yes... it would work... 👍👍👍

[@zzzzzzzzz865]

Hi, can we contact you for work if we have an issue with our car? I live close by.

[@alexanderfuria1403]

Sehr gutes Video, endlich kann ich das verstehen was auf dem Laptop steht, ist auf deutsch :-) auch auf dem Steuergerät steht Vorglühsteuergerät :-)

[@danhayes3546]

Great work did it stop it smoking on start up 👍

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Yep... That smoke was just the unburnt fuel from the few cranks without starting... After this was perfect! 👍👍👍

[@chrisdodge2429]

buen video. Disculpa en donde compraste tu osciloacopio.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

eBay at the time... Bought it years ago... Thank you for watching!

[@yuby985]

Always easy to beat big problems.........🥳🥳🥳

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 👍👍👍

[@millionaireslifestyle_]

Hi, ich habe das Glühkerzen Steuergerät getauscht habe trotzdem kaltstart probleme! was kann es sonst sein? mein mechaniker hat einen neuen injektor eingebaut und trotzdem startet er nicht. erst beim 2. mal

[@omareid8166]

Very good Keep doing this

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Thanks! 👍👍👍

[@Leo70780]

Is it easy to change the glow plugs , num 2 & 4 on my ml 320 are not good , should I replace all of them to be sure .?

[@LMAutoRepairs]

I would replace them all... Best practice. But you can leave the ones that still work... 👍👍👍

[@felipeblank5876]

Perfeito

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 Obrigado! 👍👍👍

[@gsolomos54]

I done all that replace the glog module and still have the same problem car takes a few seconds to start and blow out white smoke any idea what else is causing that thanks

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Hi Any codes stored? Have you checked, wiring from module to glow plugs? Main voltage supply to glow plug controller? Powers grounds and LIN bus to the glow plug controller? Glow plugs, have you also replaced them? 👍👍👍👍

[@florinsiladi9118]

And like always.. tkanks for sharing 🙃

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 👍👍👍

[@electronic7979]

Nice repair video 👍

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Thanks! 👍👍👍

[@r2sa]

Hi, How can I contact with you regarding ML ignition damage?

[@serolunarrosa]

Thanks 🙏

[@serolunarrosa]

Hi, could you please tell me where to buy this type of needle for pins, a link will help me very much, thank you 🙏

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Have you tried places like ebay? Search for "multimeter probes" 👍👍👍

[@serolunarrosa]

Thanks 🙏

[@Leo70780]

So the glow plug module was at fault & not the plugs am i right ?

[@LMAutoRepairs]

I thought the video was clear enough...🥺

[@mikimiki195]

Thanks

[@LMAutoRepairs]

👍👍👍

[@Nikosmykoniaths]

What's the name of the module? What to ask for at mercedes? Thanks

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Glow plug controller... 👍👍👍

[@neilmurphy845]

You can tell immediately that the glow plugs are either switched off or aren't working by the sound of the engine why do they have to have modules for everything why not just powers and ground like they used to have for glow plugs

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 They are used in other circumstances on newer cars... not just during cold start... I guess to probably make them to work more effectively during those times... 👍👍👍

[@neilmurphy845]

@@LMAutoRepairs that's kinda strange because they seem to run fine once started I'd say the real reason is so that people can't fix them that easy especially on diesel cars diesel pollut a lot

[@joeluang8695]

Having a separate module for the glow plugs is good engineering, otherwise a shorted glow plug will take-out a more expensive ECU $$$.

[@neilmurphy845]

@@joeluang8695 Oh that makes sense but why do they still use them once the engine is started

[@LMAutoRepairs]

I have a video coming on a BMW explaining that... I know this is a mercedes, not a BMW... but most likely the principle will be very similar if not the same... stay tuned... 👍

[@Autodiagnosistz]

Hi friend.may I know which software name in Panasonic laptop?

[@fuzzs8970]

Probably Star

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Correct... 👍👍👍

[@mewe2909]

how much is the module cost.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Was around £80 or so... Ring mercedes and ask... Ebay is a good place to look as well... 👍👍👍

[@mariomario3113]

What piercings using you, please

[@LMAutoRepairs]

What do you mean?

[@Infiniti25]

@@LMAutoRepairs think he is talking about the wires you were sticking into the connector maybe? And maybe the probe with the bulb in

[@neroosisy]

@@Infiniti25 maybe he’s asking where to get his ears pierced 😂

[@mariomario3113]

Good job🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Thanks! 😊

[@pk6336158]

Hey couldn't you not use a heat sensor, or thermal sensor to see who gets hot on a cold day ?

[@LMAutoRepairs]

What do you mean? 😊

[@pk6336158]

@@LMAutoRepairs the glow plugs, point the thermal camera at the side of the engine that has the glow plugs and it might of shown 3 glowing instead of 4, I never tried just a thought

[@LMAutoRepairs]

I guess it would... 👍

[@fuzzs8970]

Hi! I would have opened the box too. Just wondering if anyone managed to fix one with problems. What goes wrong in that circuit? Thank you for sharing your work

[@LMAutoRepairs]

I know the old ones have an internal independent fuse for each glow plug... if the plug shorts burns the fuse... and even though the old module are also not serviceable, you can open them and solder a new fuse... I know cause I have done them... This one, couldn't see any fuses... I still believe that the module disables the output to the glow plug... either my DAS was is not really setup to reset them, or there is something else that I not aware of... Thank you for watching and for your comment!

[@michaelmustang69]

@@LMAutoRepairs i managed to repair one of these on e220 cdi w211 facelift , i soldered those frog laps as you called ,thus saving a few quid.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Lucky you... As I mentioned on the video, this was all good... wish that was the issue with this one... unfortunately was not... Thank you for watching and for your comment! 👍👍👍

[@ADDAUTOMOBILESERVICES]

👍

[@LMAutoRepairs]

👍👍👍

[@neilmurphy845]

I think the module is dead especially from where it is placed on the engine

[@LMAutoRepairs]

For sure it doesn't help...

[@aymenmohamed1134]

👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🌷

[@LMAutoRepairs]

😊 👍👍👍

[@finnbismark]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/fYGtdIqOlK2Aj80 this video shows what the problem inside the glow plug control module and what wires needed to be replaced to fix it with buying a new part.

[@LMAutoRepairs]

Only if this was the issue in this case... If you watched the entire video, you have seen that the issue in this case was something different.... And just in case you wonder, even though I mentioned it in the video, I measured the glow plugs circuits with faults, from the pin to the pcb, checking ok, so the "frog" wires were all good... Actually, would have been an easy repair if these wires were the issue... 😋 Thank you for watching and for your comment!