I'm new to the forum, but not to Crossfire. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced a TOTAL loss of power on the highway. I have a 2004 coupe (5-spd automatic) and am the original owner (108K mi). Two weeks ago while in rush hour traffic which had just brought me to a stop, the car totally lost all power as I took my foot off the brake to resume inching forward in traffic. I had no electrical at all...couldn't even put on my emergency flashers (bad because it was dark and I and my dark red car were sitting in the left lane of traffic); the engine did not turn over at all...not even a click when I turned the key. Amazingly, after about 15 minutes and having tried the ignition several times and the tow truck was on it's way, I turned the key one more time and the car started up! I still had it towed in to an ASE certified Chrysler service dept where they spent several hours in diagnostics and tests and couldn't find a thing wrong; no codes, nothing. Anyone have a similar experience? I have now driven the car around town and had no problem but have a low confidence level in driving it to and from work again until I can find an explanation.

 

I wish people would quit taking cars to dealers. Especially THESE cars.

1) Never take a Mercedes to a Chrysler dealer. Sure, this is a problem ANY shop SHOULD be able to fix, but still....

Anyway....

Battery and battery connections - check the tightness of the clamps on the battery (yes, I know the dealer should have done this. Maybe they did.) Follow the ground cable from the battery to it's end - is that lug clean and tight?

See - in the old world, if the battery became disconnected, the alternator would most likely run the car. But with these cars (and not just the Crossfire), the absence of the battery in the circuit causes the electronics to get confused/pissy/etc. The engine then dies. Now, since the battery is disconnected, the car won't start. I would suspect that it is a 90% chance your battery "became disconnnected".

Of course, you said "all power was lost". If this is true, it almost has to be the battery / battery cables / etc. It COULD be simply a bad battery - and it may test OK. IF the problem is a bad weld/connection from one of the posts to the plate at that end, it would be like a battery cable coming loose.

PERHAPS you have an open ground in that little black box ahead of the battery. Or, perhaps you have a bad connection in the ECM/PTCM/RCB box. But I REALLY thing it's more fundamental than that.

Here's a test (and this happened to me about 25 years ago): With the car not running, turn the lights on. Now, wiggle both battery terminals AS HARD AS YOU CAN. First, they should not move. SECOND, if the lights flicker, look for loose battery cable clamps or corrosion under the clamps, between the posts and clamps. If you find none, but the lights flicker, you have a bad connection/weld from the post to the plate in the battery... replace the battery.

 

Do a search for RCM module issues.

 

Will an RCM solder problem kill ALL power? (Or at least "all power" as perceived by the driver.) I mean, to nix the FOUR WAY flashers?

I'd have to get the service manual out and start going thru those AWFUL auto-industry diagrams to say for sure, don't wanna do that.
I really didn't/don't think that all that much goes thru the RCM.






(You know I'm gonna go get the service manual out now......)

 

Rarely have I heard when Pizza pulls out the manual, that a fix was not found. Hell, I actually never have heard a problem that Pizza got involved in was not successfully fixed down the road. This is the guy who makes things happen! You have a meticulous troubleshooter on the case!

 

Thanks...I'll check using your methods. The service folks did check the battery, cable and terminals (battery/cables were replaced earlier this year, so maybe there is a faulty connection). My next call was going to be to the european motors service company in town...maybe a better bet if your test yields no result. Again...thanks!

 

Very cool...thanks! I'll read up on the RCM as well.

 

Thanks to Mr. MoPar, too. Will check.

 

If you have this happen again, do this - hit the horn when the car is key on. The horn draws lots of power, you dont have to get out to see the lights and its another piece of information for you to work with. A weak system will show its self instantly and your pisssed anyway so blow the horn for that reason too, let us know whats up so we can add you findings to the collective info. WDY

 

Thanks...I really didn't have to get out to see the lights to know the power was gone. Everything stopped, no dash lights, no radio, no heat, no engine, no lights, flasher button depressed but nothing happened. It was truly bizarre. I will definitely stay with the thread, try all tests and let everyone know what I find out. Happy Holidays!

 

check, double check, triple check the battery ground and terminal connections.

 

"1) Never take a Mercedes to a Chrysler dealer. Sure, this is a problem ANY shop SHOULD be able to fix, but still...."


If we don't go to the Chrysler dealer, who do you recommend we go to? The Chrysler dealer was the only one in town with the correct turn signal bulbs.

Do you recommend a Mercedes dealer?

A good independent mechanic?

Obviously, I have only had my Crossfire for a short time.

 

Mark said : There are NO grounds in that box, it is all B+

 

B+ wow I have not heard that for a while. What about A+ or C+ . That is old radio talk if I ever heard of it.

Interesting choice of words, had to comment. Woody

 

B+ was the best grade I ever made in high school, hard to forget.

In truth, I was an electronics ( large systems ) tech for NCR in the field for 20 years, that was a commonly used term when related to batteries and power supplies.

 

I have only had one occasion when a car lost all power and that was when a cable clamp to the battery was not tight. It was OK for a while after the battery had been out but the lead of the clamp and post got corroded and finally failed to make a good ground connection.
The OP says the cables were replaced, I assume both as some cables have corroded inside the insulation and failed to carry the current.

 

If not battery or connections. Especially connections then RCM would be my next look.

 

It's not OLD radio talk. I had questions on A, B and C supplies and terminology on my FCC exam in 1979 and I'm not OLD.





(My best grade in high school was an A .......... in something we called "typing".)

 

Glad you asked. It's not a quick answer, but here we go.

Parts can come from AutoHaus, JoeTLC, German Auto Supply, etc. But sure, buying bulbs from a dealer is fine (I'm just surprised they had them in stock!!!!!!!!!) And I DID go to my dealer to get my storage bin that replaced my cupholder.

But for service on a Mercedes engine or chassis? Since we are mostly out of warranty, NOTHING is to be gained going to a Chrysler dealer (unless you can find one with one or two guys who attended "Crossfire" training). These cars are NOT a typical Mopar product. In fact, they are not a Mopar product at all.

Depending on what I need, I go to:

1) A performance shop that specializes in BMW/Mercedes/Audi/Jags/Porshes. (Found them thru Nick/Steve/other members on this forum.)

2) A local, five-man garage (all brothers and sons) where one of the guys' wife owns a Mercedes SLK320, which is what our car is developed from. (Found them by noticing a Lambo leaving the driveway and stopped in to ask if they'd do brake pads. It was then that I found out about just how familiar two of the guys were with this chassis/engine.)

3) Another performance shop that does ONLY alignments and frame mods ONLY on sports/track cars. (Found THEM on advice of the guy at NTB, who said he could not align my car unless I first had the front end modified by the other company. Which was true.)

But in general, you can just find a local business that seems to have a good reputation as one that has MERCEDES experience. You are driving a Mercedes engine and chassis with a Karmann body on it. (A Karmann body I believe was designed by Mercedes/Daimler.)

Anyone else wanna correct that last part? I've never understood how Karmann got involved in our cars, or if they did anything other than assemble them.

Anyway, glad you asked and glad I saw your post. Welcome to the group!

 

Karmann got the contract to build the car for Daimler/Chrysler. I think Valk just visited the factory which went out of business and I think VW bought it. Europeans don't do business like we do here. They farm a Lot of work out. I think we are going back in that direction with smaller factories making car parts again. Anyway you need to do your research here print it out and take it with you if you must take it to a dealer. My dealer appreciated the help but some won't.