Salvage auction purchase, 2010 Mercedes ML 350

[loneryder]

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.

Do you think a MB owner who takes it to the dealer would find his way into those wires? I don't think many even check the oil.

 

[Vil_Riker]

Do you think a MB owner who takes it to the dealer would find his way into those wires? I don't think many even check the oil.

What oil?

 

[CKN]

Do you think a MB owner who takes it to the dealer would find his way into those wires? I don't think many even check the oil.

I think if you want to make sure your car is totaled one could do a little research (it's the Internet- after all) and get creative.

 

[CKN]

It's supposed to be done every 37k miles. It's not flushed, just a pan drop and filter change. Some have converter drains and some don't.

I used "flush" in just a generic sense. I will take your word for it. On my Silverado it was all fluid exchange (with the term flush-sometimes used incorrectly) So the MB dealer isn't going to just exchange the fluid? Most domestics just exchange the fluid (through a line somewhere) unless one specifies a pan drop.

 

[JWC86]

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.

I had no idea they are using fiber optic wire in automotive applications now. Is this a widespread thing?

 

[twouvakind]

I had no idea they are using fiber optic wire in automotive applications now. Is this a widespread thing?

My '72 C-10 had a piece of fiber optic cable to illuminate the automatic gear selector on the steering column. The light source was a specially designed dashlight bulb socket.

 

[LazyDog]

I am truly amazed at what you are able to do w/ this auction cars. Where do you get the information for the wiring diagrams??

 

[JWC86]

My '72 C-10 had a piece of fiber optic cable to illuminate the automatic gear selector on the steering column. The light source was a specially designed dashlight bulb socket.

I’ve also seen it used for a light source but never to transfer data. Is it used to transfer data in automotive applications?

 

[PimTac]

I’ve also seen it used for a light source but never to transfer data. Is it used to transfer data in automotive applications?

I would think it’s not. The amount of data being transferred in automotive applications would make the use of fiber optic overkill.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I’ve also seen it used for a light source but never to transfer data. Is it used to transfer data in automotive applications?

My 2007 Audi has a fiber optic network for the multi media.

 

[Fla]

I would think it’s not. The amount of data being transferred in automotive applications would make the use of fiber optic overkill.

Yes, it's over kill but it's 100% immune from electrical interference, doesn't emit RF, is completely water proof and won't corrode and it can carry a vast amount of information so it can replace huge numbers of copper wires so it's often cheaper than using copper and takes up far less room. One tiny fiber optic cable could replace those big bundles of wires that GON is now dealing with. Even my home stereo now has a fiber optic link to my TV and it only carries two audio channels. I expect to see cars in the next few years that have nothing but a power and a ground cable to each unit (electric power steering, fuel pump control modules, engine controls, radio/stereo, the various lights, steering column, throttle, etc) and everything will be connected only by fiber optic cables. The touch panel control panels like Tesla is now using is probably a big step in that direction. Everything in the car could be controlled and their outputs read and interpreted via one such panel using a fiber optic link. All of your driver controls, except steering , brake and the throttle, could easy be replaced with one touch panel. With the completely autopiloting cars that are CLOSE to being allowed on the roads today; even those few manual controls could be removed and replaced by GPS, Radar, artificial vision, etc. ""Drivers"" may soon be religated to doing nothing but getting in the car and telling Alexa to close the door, turn the AC to a given temperature, to set the radio a certain station, to drive them to such and such address and to wake them up when they get there.

 

[Number_35]

My '72 C-10 had a piece of fiber optic cable to illuminate the automatic gear selector on the steering column. The light source was a specially designed dashlight bulb socket.

That was my thought too - I think Chevy used that as early as 1969.

 

[Number_35]

I would think it’s not. The amount of data being transferred in automotive applications would make the use of fiber optic overkill.

Agreed, the cost of the transducers (electrical to optical, and back again) would be prohibitive. The big advantage would be no electrical interference along the optical part of the circuit.

 

[twouvakind]

Yes, it's over kill but it's 100% immune from electrical interference, doesn't emit RF, is completely water proof and won't corrode and it can carry a vast amount of information so it can replace huge numbers of copper wires so it's often cheaper than using copper and takes up far less room. One tiny fiber optic cable could replace those big bundles of wires that GON is now dealing with.

Yeah but, a shade tree mechanic ain't splicing fiber!

 

[Number_35]

Yeah but, a shade tree mechanic ain't splicing fiber!

I was wondering whether they used replaceable connectorized fibre jumpers.

 

[loneryder]

I used "flush" in just a generic sense. I will take your word for it. On my Silverado it was all fluid exchange (with the term flush-sometimes used incorrectly) So the MB dealer isn't going to just exchange the fluid? Most domestics just exchange the fluid (through a line somewhere) unless one specifies a pan drop.

They just drop the pan and about half the fluid comes out. Also torque converter if it has a plug. The plug is a small bolt. Does not look like a drain plug.

 

[loneryder]

I had no idea they are using fiber optic wire in automotive applications now. Is this a widespread thing?

MB has been using fiber in their cars for years. I’m guessing it’s for weight and fewer wires running all over the place. Computers control everything on MB’s.

 

[loneryder]

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.

View attachment 158937View attachment 158938View attachment 158939

Where is that dose box located? Rear end?

 

[JHZR2]

Of note, almost all cars I am inspecting that had a prior accident, be it minimal to moderate- had poor quality body work repair. Not if just a coincidence, but I am not so confident in work being performed by body shops on the behalf of an insurance company. Please note, this may not be a holistic statement, but just a funky observation.

absolutely. An additional level of fraud on the public. It’s why insurance companies like their “direct referral” shops. They agree to a lower payment and to a poorer level of service, parts, etc.

Then, if you don’t use their direct shop, they use the agreed rate from their direct shop, and the inferior work scope, to set the payment maximum. I’m about to sue someone over that.

 

[GON]

A lot to post, but here is a hasty update. Continued to blow 7.5 amp fuse that provides 12vdc to the central gateway. Paid for the electrical diagrams, and discovered the obd port also gets its 12vdc from this lead.

I have a icarsoft plugged into the obd port. If it remove the icarsoft the fuse no longer blows. Plug the icarsoft in, the fuse blows.

Will be going through the obd wiring next.......