Salvage auction purchase, 2010 Mercedes ML 350
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
There's no telling what bizarre things a thief on meth will do. Probably cut the wires to keep aliens from outer space from abducting him.
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GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
My wild speculation. The vehicle was hit in the right rear quarter panel. When the repairs were done the wires were not properly protected and put safely back in place. This is the reason the SUV was traded in, yet was greatly maintained. Nobody could figure out the weird issues associated with unfirm electric connections.
The latest owner could not get the price blem fixed, and arranged to have the vehicle stolen. One can't steal this model without the keys. The tools were left in place to make the theft look proper. The crack pipes were staged.
I am now tracking down which I think most likely are a shorted wire to ground.
The latest owner could not get the price blem fixed, and arranged to have the vehicle stolen. One can't steal this model without the keys. The tools were left in place to make the theft look proper. The crack pipes were staged.
I am now tracking down which I think most likely are a shorted wire to ground.
By my count, I see 8 cut wires (orange, white) (yellow, black, gray, pink) (red, green) at 3 different locations of the wire bundle. Only the pink and gray wires show any signs of frayed plastic insulation while the others are cleanly sliced. These clues lead me to believe they were intentionally cut with a knife (i.e., not wire cutters or chewed by rodents). It does not seem reasonable that a meth/crack head would take time or have the knowledge to disable the MB in this manner. If I was a betting person, I'd say that someone sabotaged this vehicle to ensure it would be a total loss claim.
So-is it possible the owner of the MB SUV saw the vehicle after it was recovered? Saw the drug stuff in it and decided he didn't want it back and cut the wires. That actually sounds plausible.
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Picture #2 in post 64; is that two burnt red wires that I see on the RH side of the photo? ( 4th and 6th red wires from the bottom and just below the cut off green wire)
I think I see them again in picture #3.
The damage is strange. it looks like the wires were pinched through and not cut, but there is damage in two locations. I wonder if somebody cut out that quarter panel with an air chisel and cut into the wiring harness in two places? FWIW I have seen wiring damage like this in a few cars that came from the factory that way. It might be good to get the service history for this car and see what kinds of complaints the original owner(s) made on it. That why I asked in post 47 if the battery/electrical inspection that you mentioned in a post 46 was part of a NORMAL inspection? Basically I was implying that it sounds to me like it was something that the Stealership did for a specific reason.
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Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
That is very odd.
My ‘00 Camry the brake lights quit working years ago. My mechanic found deep in the left quarter panel the wires were basically cut clean where you can’t really get to. They were working before. The only coincidence was that corner was smashed in an accident shortly before that but never fixed. Never understood that one. He spliced the wires back together and the lights work.
My ‘00 Camry the brake lights quit working years ago. My mechanic found deep in the left quarter panel the wires were basically cut clean where you can’t really get to. They were working before. The only coincidence was that corner was smashed in an accident shortly before that but never fixed. Never understood that one. He spliced the wires back together and the lights work.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
No longer having the 7.5amp fuse to the central gateway blowing. Issue is a 12v input to the gateway from the rear SAM fusebox is shorting to ground. I cut the wire at the fusebox, and at the gateway, and ran a temporary wire and that solved the blown fuse issue.
The replacement central gateway I bought from the MB dealer yesterday is not working. I will try to see if they will exchange it tomorrow. Their policy is no returns on electronics. This double hurts as I paid the above retail for the part. The dealers in this area markup parts well above MSRP.
I did clean up all the broke wires I could find. I have one set of wires cut with no ends. I think (at least hope) these wires are for the tailgate. Pretty concerned how the central gateway positive lead is shorting to ground somewhere. it makes me fearful of a mess of wires mangled somewhere that I have yet to see.
Biggest issue of all of this, is the 4matic SUV is still on a rental trailer. I really would like to get this SUV to power up so I can get it into neutral and off the trailer.
The replacement central gateway I bought from the MB dealer yesterday is not working. I will try to see if they will exchange it tomorrow. Their policy is no returns on electronics. This double hurts as I paid the above retail for the part. The dealers in this area markup parts well above MSRP.
I did clean up all the broke wires I could find. I have one set of wires cut with no ends. I think (at least hope) these wires are for the tailgate. Pretty concerned how the central gateway positive lead is shorting to ground somewhere. it makes me fearful of a mess of wires mangled somewhere that I have yet to see.
Biggest issue of all of this, is the 4matic SUV is still on a rental trailer. I really would like to get this SUV to power up so I can get it into neutral and off the trailer.
GON
$100 Site Donor 2024
I have triple a and have the monster package, that will tow a rv many miles. But I didn't think it was a match to call them to solve this issue .
Sitting outside the Mb dealer parking lot, waiting for parts to open at 0730, in hopes they will exchange the dead $300 electric part. He told me the part was not returnable, but I am wanting an exchange.
That would be a good thing.
That battery location is a pain in the butt. Plus the fact that they take a very heavy battery. I had that model with the diesel engine. It was really comfortable and solid. The only big weakness with those MLs is weak steering racks. Word was they used a car steering rack in that heavier vehicle. Rebuilt ones are better than originals. If you can get it running, you will have a very good vehicle.
Yes and no. Many times a service advisor will recommended a flush when a customer comes with a transmission concern. Having two flushes close together is a red flag.
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These vehicles have a lot of fiber optic cable in them. If the battery has a small hiccup, the car will do all kinds of goofy things and throw codes totally unrelated. I've had to learn this the hard way. That could be a reason the owner took it in. Batteries will demonstrate proper voltage and amps and still cause all these things. New AGM battery solves everything. I had a 2000 CLK that had all kinds of crazy things and codes going on. Sometimes the dealer computers won't pick things up if they are intermittent. It takes a real experienced MB mechanic to find these things. Turned out my CLK needed a new headlight switch. Behind that round headlight switch is a fusebox full of fuses. It seems MB runs a whole lot of electronics thru that switch. The ABS BAS system runs through that switch. Crazy. This is why most people trade them in. All most dealer techs know is to hook it up to the computer and do what it says.
