STARTUNED

Information for the Independent Mercedes-Benz Service Professional

® December 2016
U.S. $6.00 | M5.36
Volume 16 | Number 4

Inside:
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage
The Intelligent Servo Module
Wiring & Function Diagrams & Descriptions
Careful Adjustments Keep Special Tops Working Great
 The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

Who’s Your Partner in Success?

Mercedes-Benz’s
You’ve chosen your career as an ISP (Independent Service Provider) There’s far more to PartsPro than just customer-service training.
because you enjoy maintaining, diagnosing, and repairing motor The dealership must make specific commitments to provide
vehicles. One of the most challenging pieces of your business is “Best in Class” service in areas such as logistics, which includes
parts procurement. ISP-focused parts availability, regular delivery service, outside
sales people to provide you personalized service, as well as a
Finding the right parts at the right price and being certain they will
dedicated phone line and “will call” pick up area.
arrive when promised can be a challenge.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a way to get the parts you need Then there’s technical help
without the hassle and uncertainty, so you can get back to the On occasion we all need a helping hand. Your PartsPro dealer is
important business of actually fixing cars and taking care of there to assist. Whether it means providing diagnostic assistance,
your customers? information on supplies or special tools, or anything else you may
need, your PartsPro dealer is there to assist you in repairing your
With the Mercedes-Benz PartsPro wholesale certification customers’ Mercedes-Benz vehicles and getting them back on
program, now there is! the road as fast as possible.

PartsPro is a rigorous program intended to train Mercedes-Benz Only those dealerships that meet the stringent certification
dealership parts department personnel on how to better take requirements earn the right to display the “PartsPro” logo.
care of you and ultimately your customers. PartsPro certified Additionally, they receive ongoing consultation and training to
dealers have elevated their commitment to supporting the ensure that they are consistently providing the very best support
independent repair channel, and will provide you with the highest to you, the ISP customer.
level of customer service. They focus on the things that matter
We hope you are already receiving industry leading service from
most to you!
your Mercedes-Benz dealer; however, once your dealer is PartsPro
Certified, we believe you’ll be thrilled with the new “Best in Class”
Convenience…Accuracy… parts-procurement experience!
Profitability…Delivery
A PartsPro dealer has the tools in place to better meet the needs Of course, you’ll continue to have the
of their esteemed wholesale customers. peace of mind that installing only Genuine
Mercedes-Benz parts can provide. |
For a dealership to achieve PartsPro Certification, parts
department personnel must first undergo intensive “customer-
centric” training which teaches personnel how to better help YOU.
 STARTUNED
®

December 2016
Welcome to StarTuned®, the magazine for independent service In This Issue
technicians working on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Your Mercedes-Benz
dealer sponsors StarTuned® and provides the information coming your 4 Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage
way in each issue.
Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is rarely a concern
Mercedes-Benz wants to present the information you need to know
to diagnose and repair Mercedes-Benz vehicles accurately, quickly in most shops, but it should be.
and the first time; text, graphics, on-line and other technical sources
combine to make this possible.
Feature articles, derived from approved company sources, focus on
being useful and interesting.
Our digest of technical information can help you solve unanticipated
problems quickly and expertly.
10 The Intelligent Servo Module
We want StarTuned® to be both helpful and informative, so please let
us know just what kinds of features and other diagnostic services you’d The 722.9 New Automatic Gearbox 2 (NAG2)
like to see in it. We’ll continue to bring you selected service bulletins
automatic transmission replaced the shifting
from Mercedes-Benz and articles covering the different systems on
these vehicles.
linkage in some versions with an Intelligent
Servo Module, or ISM.
Send your suggestions, questions or comments to us at:
StarTuned®
303 Perimeter Center North, Suite 202, Atlanta, GA 30346
Phone: +1.770.705.2069
E-mail: [email protected]
20 Wiring & Function Diagrams & Descriptions
MBUSA Technical Content Advisor Editorial Director This focused tour of the Wiring and Function
Donald Rotolo Bob Freudenberger Diagrams, and Function Descriptions found
[email protected] [email protected]
in STAR Wiring and WIS will help you use this
Collision Content Advisor Contributing Editors
Benito Cid Tim Amun, Dave Facciuto, resource more effectively.
[email protected] Wayne Riley, Frank Walker

MBUSA Project Manager Automotive Data Media Project Mgr.

Stefanie Schweigler Tamra Ayers Banz
[email protected] [email protected]

Group Publisher Art Director

Christopher M. Ayers, Jr.
[email protected]
Christopher M. Ayers III
[email protected]
28 Careful Adjustments Keep Special Tops
Working Great
In many instances, reinstalling a component
Visit us at our w
­ eb site MBWholesaleParts.com to view this will keep the top on an even keel, while other
issue and past issues of StarTuned®, along with a wealth of situations require testing, rerouting, or the
information on Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts. installation of new parts.
Visit mbusa.com to locate a Mercedes-Benz dealer near you.

StarTuned® is a publication of Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (“MBUSA”). No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the express written permission of MBUSA. Editorial and Circulation
Offices: 134B River Road, Montague, NJ 07827.
CAUTION: Vehicle servicing performed by untrained persons could result in serious injury to those persons or others. Information contained in this magazine is intended for use by trained,
professional auto repair technicians ONLY. This information is provided to inform these technicians of conditions which may occur in some vehicles or to provide information which could assist
them in proper servicing of these vehicles. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to perform repairs correctly and safely. If a condition is
described, DO NOT assume that a topic covered in these pages automatically applies to your vehicle or that your vehicle has that condition. StarTuned® is a registered trademark of MBUSA.
Feature

Zap!
Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage
You’ve seen the big sparks rubbing your feet on a carpet
can cause. All that voltage can perforate delicate – and
expensive! – electronics. How to ground it out.
 December 2016

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) is of volts, even at a microampere of nanometers (0.00000055 inches), or

rarely a concern in most shops, current, is cause for alarm since about the width of 90 Silicon atoms.
but it should be. Even as recently damage is almost guaranteed. Parts with features this small – and
as 20 years ago, most car parts even those many times larger – are
weren’t sensitive to ESD, but that’s Those of us in the northern regions extremely sensitive to high voltages.
dramatically different today. It’s of the country, particularly during So, letting these voltages come into
actually very easy (and cheap!) to cold, dry winter weather, know all contact with the electronic control
prevent ESD problems, while the about static electricity — that little units we so commonly see in cars
consequences of not doing so can sting is an annoyance. But let’s today is a recipe for disaster.
cost you thousands in damaged face it, the folks in Florida, Texas,
parts and even more in lost trust Louisiana and other southern states In some cases, when we let a spark
with your customers. with heavy humidity, particularly in jump from our finger onto a control
the summer, have absolutely nothing unit, we kill the control unit instantly.
So what is ESD anyway? Well, the to fear from static electricity since You plug it in, but it either doesn’t
human body is a big capacitor, and, the moisture in the air shorts out our work at all, or many of the functions
as we know from basic electronics internal capacitor, rendering us ESD- are simply dead. It’s hard to tell
classes, a capacitor stores voltage safe. Unless, of course, we remove why, but you just know that it’s not
in an electrical field. When we the humidity with air conditioning working. But even ESD you can’t see
knock electrons off of a surface, (something few shops have). or feel — just a few hundred volts —
they can build up on us, and when still causes problems.
we come into contact with an We all know what static electricity is,
electrical conductor, we short out and that the spark created when we Walking wounded
our “capacitance” and discharge all touch a conductor is what we mean In most cases of ESD damage, we
those electrons literally in a flash. when we say Electrostatic Discharge. create what is known in the industry
Ever walk across a carpet in winter But why is this a problem for auto as the “walking wounded.” This is
when the air is dry and get zapped repair shops? The simple answer is where the component has been
by a “static electricity” spark when that auto makers – Mercedes-Benz damaged, but not enough (yet) to
you touched, say, a door knob, or included – have used ever more prevent something from working.
some other metal object? That’s ESD powerful electronics in their cars What happens is that, over a short
in action. in recent years. Semiconductor time, the damage gets stressed and
manufacturers, in their efforts to becomes worse and worse until the
Thousands of volts make faster and more powerful, yet part finally fails completely. These
These harmless sparks are just a less expensive, components, have faults are the most challenging for
small nuisance to us because even made the microscopic features of repair shops because we not only
though they comprise thousands (!) their parts smaller than ever before. don’t know why the part failed,
of volts, the amount of electrical but we can expect a hit on our
In the semiconductor industry,
current (which is the part that’s reputation as “the part we just
smaller means more efficient
deadly to humans) is very, very small. replaced” fails. And, as we all know,
and faster, and the state of the
But get down to the tiny scale of a without a good reputation, you’re out
semiconductor art has us seeing
semiconductor used in a transistor or of business.
features on a scale of about 14
integrated circuit and those thousands
Electrostatic Discharge Damage

Take a look at the image of the damaged

semiconductor: The damage doesn’t go
completely through the chip’s “wiring,”
but with a chunk like that taken out we
can easily understand that it won’t be long
before the whole thing fails. The folks at
NASA and JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
take this stuff seriously since retrieving
a $500 million satellite for repairs isn’t
practical. For us as ISPs (Independent
Service Providers), it’s not quite as serious,
but thankfully it’s easy to make sure
we’re handling the expensive, high-tech
components of our customers’ cars safely.

Studious avoidance These images show the damage to an integrated circuit caused by Electrostatic Discharge
If it’s humid, say above 50% relative (ESD). At a magnification of 4,300 times, the “crater” in the silicon is plainly visible. ESD
damage can let the circuit keep working for a while, but it will eventually fail. A simple wrist
humidity, we generally won’t see or feel strap can easily prevent this. (Courtesy JPL.)
ESD sparks. But nobody should rely on
high humidity to prevent ESD damage
because even then it is possible to build up
enough of a charge to cause trouble if the
conditions are just wrong. So that means you
techs down on the gulf coast, say, need to
heed these precautions just as much as those
up in the cold, dry north.

Okay, so we know what ESD is and how it

causes damage. What can we do about it?
There are few things you can do, and the
good news is that none of them is expensive,
inconvenient, or difficult.

The first step towards eliminating ESD damage

is to handle electronics properly. Never touch
the connector pins, even on the wiring harness
Whether labeled or not, treat any components that arrive in ESD-safe packaging the
side since that wire might lead to a pin on same: Only open the packaging on an ESD-safe mat after you’ve donned your ESD
another control unit. After disconnecting wrist strap.
a connector, only touch the outside of the
One step that does NOT work against ESD is a metal
control unit’s housing.
work surface: Covering the top of a workbench with
A second step is to discharge yourself any time you’re aluminum or galvanized sheet metal is not “ESD-safe.”
working near electronics that might be sensitive. To Instead of safely bleeding off the charge gradually, it
do this, simply touch a larger piece of metal (but not instead conducts the ESD voltage more efficiently to the
metallized plastic!). The inherent conductance of the sensitive component, just making the danger zone for
metal will equalize your body’s voltage and remove the ESD larger. The same effect comes from wrapping a part
residual charge. By “larger” we’re not talking about your in aluminum foil — that’s worse than nothing. That’s why
keys, but something a little more substantial, like the car you see some parts arrive in special ESD packaging: That
body or even just the door handle. special grid or coating on those silvery or pink bags has

6 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned December 2016

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ICONIC TO THE FINISH
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and easy as applying them. Visit basfrefinish.com/glasurit to learn more.
Electrostatic Discharge Damage

some resistance, which bleeds off the voltage instead of Mercedes-Benz offers a complete ESD Kit under Part
conducting it right to where you don’t want it. Number W000 589 52 98 00, which you can get from
your local dealer. The kit includes not only a high-quality
Ground strap wrist strap, but an ESD mat for your workbench and
These two steps can get you though 98% of a typical day, some convenient grounding options. Similar kits are also
mostly because you’re not often working directly on ESD- available commercially, since ESD safety is not limited to
sensitive parts. For the other 2% of the time, there’s one the automobile industry.
more step you should take: an ESD strap. That is, a small
“bracelet” made of stretchy (and electrically-conductive) As we work on newer and newer cars, we automotive
cloth, with a means of attachinb a wire. The wire goes to technicians must take action to prevent Electrostatic
either the building ground (through a grounded electrical Discharge from causing damage. The damage isn’t visible
outlet or cold water pipe, for example), or the vehicle since it’s hidden inside the semiconductors, and it also
ground, depending on which is more convenient for you. isn’t always obvious right away. If we don’t do anything
You attach an alligator clip to your ground point, and the about it, we can expect customer complaints and
extensible cord keeps things comfortable. You should comebacks, with the inevitable dent in our reputation,
be reminded to use it any time you get a spare part that along with the costs for fixing what we broke. Yet, it is
has ESD packaging around it — put on the strap before easy and inexpensive to be 100% protected against ESD
opening the package. damage with a wrist strap, along with some common
sense. So, there’s no excuse not to add ESD protection
The strap does conduct electricity, but not very well. to your toolbox today. |
ESD straps generally have a built-in resistance of several
thousand Ohms. Wearing a home-made metal strap, for
example, is a very bad idea because this sets you up for
a dangerous electrocution risk. Even if the electricity
conducted by an all-metal strap doesn’t kill you (and it
can!), the metal can get very hot and cause serious burns
if enough current passes through it. The bottom line: Use
only a purchased dedicated ESD strap, and never one Don’t ignore these labels: They are there for your own protection.
that does not have built-in resistance. No sense installing a pre-damaged part. Protect your customer’s
car and your reputation by following the simple and inexpensive
We work with our hands, so a strap might get in the ESD safety procedures.
way. No problem, just wear it on
your ankle! It works just as well,
and we’ve found that it stays out
of the way.

A good ESD strap can be had for

less than the cost of a Starbucks
coffee, and if you shop carefully
you can get one for less than the
cost of a newspaper. So price is
no excuse for not purchasing this
essential piece of gear. Sure, when
you were working on 124s nobody
needed an ESD wrist strap, but
let’s face it: A new 222 S-Class has
more computing capacity than the
The Mercedes-Benz ESD protection kit includes a high-quality ESD wrist strap, a durable ESD
space shuttle (!), so it should be mat for the top of your workbench, and cables to easily connect these elements together and to
clear that times have changed. a source of earth ground. Using this kit helps minimize the risk of damage from ESD to sensitive
electronic components.

8 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned
Now comes the best part.
Along with a total commitment to customer satisfaction, a PartsPro dealership can offer:

• Access to over 300,000 readily available Genuine Mercedes-Benz Parts

• A dedicated, factory-certified wholesale team
• Multiple daily deliveries and hot-shot deliveries where available
• Technical resources and repair assistance

Plus, a complimentary consultation to help streamline ordering and avoid costly delays.

Find your certified PartsPro dealership at www.mbwholesaleparts.com/PartsPro

December 2016 9
Feature

The Intelligent Servo Module

The 722.9 New Automatic Gearbox 2 (NAG2)

automatic transmission replaced the shifting
linkage in some versions with an Intelligent
Servo Module, or ISM.
 December 2016

Back in the day, selecting the auto mechanical systems, they were also From a few feet away, the task of the
trans gear was a mostly mechanical fairly easy to troubleshoot, repair, ISM is remarkably simple: It moves a
affair: a gear shift lever attached to a and replace. lever on the side of the transmission
linkage, moving an arm on the side of in response to the driver’s gear
the transmission. Just after the turn But the stylists were just itching to selection. Although it sounds like
of the century, Mercedes-Benz came get rid of that gear shift level taking they just replaced the mechanical
out with its 722.9 New Automatic up valuable real estate in the center linkage rod with a small motor,
Gearbox 2 (NAG2) automatic console, and the engineers were there’s more to it that that. If we
transmission, and replaced the looking for something that not only dissect the name Intelligent Servo
shifting linkage in some versions used fewer mechanical parts, but Module, we can better understand
with an Intelligent Servo Module, or increased vehicle security as well. what it’s doing. Module just means
ISM. In a future edition of StarTuned, Thus the ISM was born, in support of that it’s a control unit that is self-
we plan to talk about the care and the DIRECT SELECT system. contained. Servo is the function of
feeding of the 722.9 transmission, moving the transmission’s shift lever,
but for today we’re going to focus
Little lever tip-off and keeping track of the position.
You can spot a car equipped with
on the ISM. These cars are most Intelligent means that this isn’t just a
DIRECT SELECT by the shift lever
certainly showing up at your shop, so motor and sensor, but an integrated
mounted to the side of the steering
here’s what you need to know about system for selecting a gear range.
column. Unlike the column-shift
this new technology.
levers of the past, this is an electrical The primary piece of intelligence is
Even in models from just a few switch: Tap once down for Drive, and the theft protection system. As a
years ago, the shift lever and linkage once up for Reverse, and press the component of the Drive Authorization
arrangement served us well. Sure, push-button on the end to put the System (DAS), the ISM needs to be
you sometimes had to replace those trans into Park. (Some models have unlocked by an encrypted message
plastic bushings on the linkage, and a conventional-looking shift lever — if from the vehicle’s SmartKey. With
the shift-lock adjustment could get there’s a button for Park, you know it DAS, the key (A8/1) first confirms
a bit fiddly, but for the most part uses DIRECT SELECT as well). with the Electronic Ignition Switch
things were good. As almost purely (N73) that it is the correct key for
the vehicle. If it passes this test, the
Electronic Ignition Switch sends out
Before the ISM was introduced, auto trans gear selection
encrypted messages to each of the
used mechanical linkages. Those days are gone.
other DAS components: The ME-SFI
engine control module (N3/10),
the ISM (A80), and the Electronic
Transmission Control module
(Y3/8). All of these need to respond
correctly with their own encrypted
response before they’ll function.

Stuck in Park
While this makes it really difficult to
steal a Mercedes-Benz if you don’t
Intelligent Servo Module

have a key, it can also bring a few headaches for the triggering the system, so simply restoring system voltage
Independent Service Provider – you. The typical situation usually brings the ISM out of Emergency-P mode. There
you might encounter is that the car comes in on the hook is also a way to use XENTRY to bring the car out of Park
(hopefully a flatbed), with the transmission stuck in Park. and into Neutral, which might be handy for moving the
In an emergency situation – say, an under-voltage in the car into a service bay.
electrical system, or communication with the ISM is faulty
Any car with a
– a small motor in the ISM puts the transmission into
shift stalk like this
Park, and you cannot shift out of park until the problem one has DIRECT
is fixed. SELECT, which
means it uses
In normal operation, the main motor is controlled by the the Intelligent
ISM’s internal electronics in response to data signals Servo Module
(ISM) to shift the
from the DIRECT SELECT lever. The motor drives a screw
transmission’s
shaft through a toothed belt and pulley system (earlier gear. ranges.
versions used gears). A slide nut, driven by the screw
shaft, physically moves the transmission shifter level to
the desired position, and a sensor tells the system where
the lever actually is. Easy enough, right?

If there’s a problem, the ISM needs to guarantee that

it can put the trans into Park, so when a problem is
detected, the Electronic Ignition Switch (EIS) can trigger
the so-called Emergency-P Function. The EIS verifies
that it is safe to put the transmission into Park, and then
supplies power directly to the ISM on the Emergency-P
pin, which drives the emergency motor in the ISM. The
emergency motor slowly rotates an eccentric shaft, which
pushes down on a button on the top of the sliding nut.
When the eccentric pushes this button all the way down,
the sliding nut de-couples from the screw shaft and the Inside an ISM. In normal use, the main motor (1) drives the screw shaft
nut with the shifting lever are pushed by a spring into the (4) via a timing belt (9) to move the shift lever (6) into the various gear
ranges. If Emergency-P mode is required, emergency motor (2) drives
Park position. There is no way to reverse the emergency
the eccentric shaft (5) to push down the release (11) on the shuttle nut
motor from outside the ISM (and opening it is a disaster (3). Spring pressure then forces the shuttle nut and shift lever down the
in the making), so the only way to make everything screw shaft into Park.
right again is to find and fix whatever sent the ISM into
emergency-P mode in the first place.

Mini-batt
More recently produced cars can set the Emergency-P
mode using the vehicle’s main battery, even if it is partly
discharged. Earlier models had a separate emergency
battery, about the size of two packs of cigarettes,
mounted somewhere in the car. In models with ECO
Start/Stop, the somewhat larger secondary battery used
for that system serves as the emergency battery.

So, if we have a car stuck in Park, we need to figure

This tiny 1.2 Ah battery
out if whatever triggered Emergency-P can be reversed. installed in some models is used
Almost every time, it’s been a dead (or nearly so) battery exclusively to ensure the ISM can put the transmission
in Park if the main vehicle electrical system has low voltage.

12 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned
 between the two CAN Bus
wires. We expect to see a
DC voltage (measured to
ground) of about 2.4 or 2.6V
in a normally-functioning
Bus. If we see 0V, that wire
of the bus is shorted to
ground, while about 12V
means that it is shorted
to power. If both wires
read exactly the same, we
can suspect the wires are
shorted together, while
Undervoltage can put the ISM into Emergency-P mode. If restoring power doesn’t reset the ISM, it may be both reading 0 is probably
possible to use XENTRY to put the trans into Neutral so the vehicle can be moved more easily. an unplugged connector
somewhere. Once you know
what problem you’re looking for, it becomes
a matter of separating the CAN Bus at the
voltage distributor (check the wiring diagram
for each particular model) and measuring each
wire separately.

It is rare, but if the CAN communications

problem isn’t related to the physical layer –
wiring, connectors, and such – then it may be
that some other control unit has gone crazy
and is taking down the communications. We’ve
seen this, but always connected to a bunch of
other symptoms, the transmission staying in
Park being the least of them.

XENTRY also has some tests for control

module power supply, so check at the ISM
This shows the CAN Bus networks involved in a typical Drive Authorization System electrical connector to see if there’s battery
(DAS4). CAN C is the engine CAN, through which the ISM (A80) gets all its data.
Measure the DC voltage across the CAN wires for a quick check of the Bus.
voltage, and even if there is, be sure to repeat
the test under load by measuring the supply
Every so often we see codes in the XENTRY Diagnostics voltage with the ISM connected. To do this,
system for faulty communication to or from the ISM use the Mercedes-Benz electrical connector and test kit.
(A80) and one or more of the other control units. Whatever you do, don’t compromise the water-tightness
These need to be followed through and checked. Wiring of the wires or connector.
concerns are at the top of the check list, but we use
both the wiring and function diagrams from WIS or Star Theft-Relevant
Wiring to develop a list of “players” (possible causes) for In the worst case – and to be honest, we’ve never
our diagnosis. had this happen – the ISM needs to be replaced. That
opens up a whole new can of worms, because the ISM
CAN-C is a Theft-Relevant Part, or TRP, and that means the
After supply voltage, our biggest player when it comes to dealer is not allowed to sell the part to you unless you
ISM communications problems is the Engine CAN Bus are enrolled in the NASTF Vehicle Security Professional
(CAN-C), so we start by taking a voltmeter measurement (VSP) Registry. If you’re not already enrolled, and your

December 2016 13
Intelligent Servo Module

customer’s car definitely needs an ISM (or any other TRP, generated by the VSP registry). Once the part comes
for that matter), best send them off to the dealer right in, your dealer will want the old part so he or she can
away, since enrollment takes some time, more than a few prove it has been destroyed, or at least your customer’s
days in any case. signature that the part has been kept by him or her.

Way back in 2008, Mercedes-Benz updated its Theft- Putting in the ISM isn’t as easy as bolting it on, though.
Relevant Parts policy to combat the rising trend of vehicle You absolutely must have a XENTRY system and a valid
thefts using keys ordered from a dealer. For customers, XENTRY Flash account. The sale of the Theft-Relevant
the policy represents a bullet-proof assurance that Part has been recorded by Daimler, and you need to log
nobody but they is going to get a key or other theft- in to XENTRY Flash to activate and program the new part,
relevant part for their car – after all, the value of a key is as well as “marry” it to the specific vehicle. Unless you’re
not what was paid, but the value of the car it can start. fully equipped for this task, you may better serve yourself
See the sidebar for a summary of the Mercedes-Benz and your customer by letting the dealer handle it.
TRP policy.
Oh, and the bolts: They’re made of aluminum, and must
Just a short comment about the VSP Registry: If you be replaced each time they are loosened. Don’t try to
are serious about servicing modern cars, you need to
consider joining the VSP Registry. Originally intended
to support locksmiths in getting vehicle key codes from
manufacturers, the Registry has evolved into a general
“circle of trust” between vehicle manufacturers and
ISPs. Applicants to the Registry undergo a background
check and agree to the terms and conditions, pay a fee
for the initial two-year license, and, once accepted, can
buy virtually all Theft-Relevant Parts from their dealer.
Aside from Mercedes-Benz, many other manufacturers
accept VSP Registry credentials for the purchase of
restricted parts.

Specific VIN
Okay, let’s say you have been on the VSP Registry
The NASTF home page. This is where you go to get on the Vehicle
since forever, and you have concluded you need a new
Security Professional (VSP) Registry, which allows you to buy Theft-
ISM to fix your customer’s car. Don’t bother buying a Relevant Parts from the dealer. Anyone seriously engaged in automotive
used ISM: They are programmed to a specific VIN, and service should enroll, since this is an industry-wide organization.
that programming can’t
be erased or changed.
Instead, you need to
complete the TRP form
the dealer can provide
(or download one from
the STARTekInfo web site
— no need to log in, just
select the “Theft-Relevant
Parts Info” link) and give
them the proof they need:
Proof of ownership, proof
of identity (from the
After installing a new ISM, you first need to perform the “initial startup” procedure, followed by the
customer), and proof of
“calibration” procedure. It’s a good idea to check whether the control unit has the latest software update
your own identity (the form installed too.

14 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned
 Mercedes-Benz Theft-Relevant
re-use them as you’ll only end up breaking them and
having to drill them out – after dropping the trans
Parts Purchasing Policy
completely. Trust us, just buy the new bolts, and don’t It’s not a secret that Mercedes-Benz USA instituted a new
ask how we know. Replace the vent hose as well, Theft-Relevant Parts (TRP) policy about 8 years ago. But many
because it will leak if re-used. Small cost for a high- independent workshops (just like yours) have decided to leave
quality repair. Both these requirements, and a complete the game entirely, admitting that theft-relevant parts are
procedure, are found in WIS under Group 27.19. simply not available to them.

Process Completely untrue. Virtually any part is available to you, with

Since so many ISPs are indeed equipped to handle a ‘catch’: You need to be a registered VSP (Vehicle Security
this task, let’s take a quick look at the process. If you Professional). Let’s take a closer look at MBUSA’s current TRP
are completely unable to communicate with the old policy and at the VSP Registry.
ISM, you need to complete all of the tests in XENTRY
MBUSA’s TRP policy is available for anyone to see and download
to verify beyond all doubt that the ISM is indeed
at startekinfo.com, on the “Theft-Relevant Parts Info” link – you
faulty and needs to be replaced. It’s worth spending
don’t need to log in to access it. There, you’ll find the MBUSA
some time on this simply because replacing the ISM
Policy (at the time of this writing it was dated March 2015) along
can be challenging (particularly if you are not in the
with a handy guide for independent workshops.
VSP Registry) and expensive. Once we conclude the
ISM needs to be replaced, we install the new part MBUSA’s policy states that “TRPs are parts that may be
and, using XENTRY, complete the routine for “Initial required to steal a vehicle and/or to give it a new identity”. Of
start-up of already installed control unit,” the first item course, the vehicle owner has a specific interest in avoiding
on the Adaptations tab for A80. This is a multi-step getting their car stolen, as does MBUSA and, indeed Daimler
procedure, but completely guided by XENTRY, so just AG in Germany. For that reason, the sale of any TRP requires
follow the instructions on-screen. In this process, you’ll some documentation, generally from the vehicle owner, but
release the anti-theft transport protection of the new this requirement is somewhat different if the vehicle is being
part, then personalize, activate, and enable the module serviced by a dealer as opposed to the parts being sold over
for the specific VIN. the counter to an outsider, since authorized Mercedes-Benz
dealers have a higher level of accountability as compared to
The next step is to calibrate the ISM, again using the
someone walking in off the street.
procedure defined in XENTRY. This is how the ISM
learns the correct positions for each shifter setting. Here’s a list of typical TRPs:
Finally, you should use your XENTRY Flash account • Vehicle keys (electronic and mechanical)
to verify that the control unit has the latest version • Electronic steering locks
of software installed. If it’s already up-to-date, the • Electronic ignition switches (and workshop key where
system will tell you, but if an update is needed, be needed for programming)
sure you can guarantee the car’s battery voltage • Electronic selector levers
by using an approved battery maintainer, and the • Transmission control unit (722.6 and later)
XENTYRY system’s power supply by making sure the • Integrated shift modules
batteries of both the Tab and the Connect are fully- • Engine control units
charged. Although rare, it is possible to “brick” (render • Integrated starter-alternator used with DAS4
completely inoperative) a new control unit if the update • High-voltage control units (Hybrid/electric vehicles)
process is interrupted at the wrong spot. • Complete mechanical lock sets
• VIN plates and related labels and components
We’re hoping it never gets that far, but perhaps with
this bit of advice you’ll get through the process with Of these parts, the only ones not available except to an
a successful repair and a happy customer. As we Authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealer are the last four. The
mentioned, the ISM is rarely faulty, so be sure to starter-alternator and High Voltage components are restricted
follow up on all other possibilities before heading for safety reasons, complete mechanical lock sets for security
down this trail. | reasons (although individual locks can be ordered keyed to the
car), and VIN plates are simply not available to anyone (not
even a dealer).
December 2016 15
Mercedes-Benz Theft-Relevant Parts Purchasing Policy

A comment on the High Voltage parts: Unless you have the independent workshop. If you’re not a member, you
high-voltage training, just stay away. It’s no longer a should consider joining (it’s free).
matter of profit and loss, but of life and death. Without the
If you want to become a Registered Vehicle Security
proper training and equipment for automotive high-voltage
Professional, which enables you to buy security-relevant
work, don’t risk it. All HV parts are clearly identified, and
parts from nearly every manufacturer, follow the link for
we dare say it’s worth your while to pay attention.
“Locksmith/Vehicle Security” on the NASTF website.
Anyway, we can see the majority of TRP are available to You’ll need to complete a form (and get it notarized)
you, as long as you follow some common-sense rules: with your personal details, agree to a background check,
• First, you must have the (written) agreement of the provide info on your business, insurance and bonding,
vehicle owner (kind of obvious). and an application fee (currently $75). If you are granted
• Second, you must be a registered VSP. More on that a license, the cost is $300 for two years, hardly a burden
in a minute. if this is how you make your living.
• Third, complete the on-line form at www.startekinfo.
The form can seem a little intimidating, so NASTF
com under the Theft-Relevant Parts Info link. The
has quite a lot of information on both the application
form asks for information such as the VIN and
and parts ordering process. If you are even remotely
customer info, which part you need, your VSP Registry
interested, go visit their site and read up. They also have
credentials, and at which dealer you’d like to pick up
phone and e-mail contact info in case you have any
the part. Remember, this is a transaction between
questions their publications don’t answer, but we found
you and the dealer you select: the form is just so the
what they had pretty comprehensive. |
dealer can independently verify your VSP Registry info.
(The dealer doesn’t see your password: Instead, the
VSP Registry sends them information to verify your
credentials). You’ll get a copy of the form by e-mail,
which you bring to the dealer. You also hand over a
so-called “D-1 form” (from NASTF) which the dealer
completes and hands back to you for your records.
• Finally, you’ll need to bring copies of the vehicle
proof of ownership (registration or title) and your own
personal identification (driver’s license or passport),
along with your shop’s repair order.

These requirements are fairly solid at preventing theft,

but not so difficult to comply with. Not to mention you’re
protected if your customer’s car shows up stolen some
time in the future. Plus, you have all this available to you
already, except perhaps the VSP Registration. Let’s see
how to get it.

The National Automotive Service Task Force (NASTF),

according to their website nastf.org is “...a not-for-profit
organization established to facilitate the identification
and correction of gaps in the availability and accessibility
of automotive service information, service training,
diagnostic tools and equipment, and communications for
the benefit of automotive service professionals. NASTF
is a cooperative effort among the automotive service
industry, the equipment and tool industry and automotive For every TRP order you need to complete a D-1 form from NASTF and hand
manufacturers.” This means it is a group of auto-industry it to the dealer. The dealer completes their part of the form, and you (the
LSID holder) keeps the form securely on file as specified by the NASTF. The
suppliers and manufacturers dedicated to supporting you,
NASTF audits these randomly, so be sure to keep your records straight.

16 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned December 2016 16

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Feature

Wiring & Function Diagrams & Descriptions

 December 2016

This focused tour of the Wiring and use the ones found in STAR TekInfo, If we look closely at the connections
Function Diagrams, and Function but the diagrams in WIS are nearly to a component (including a wiring
Descriptions found in STAR Wiring identical, the main difference being connector such as X220), we can
and WIS will help you use this the way we can navigate inside these see that one side of the connection
resource more effectively. diagrams: In STAR TekInfo, we can is shown as a pin (usually on the
use the mouse to drag the diagram component side) and the other side
Unless you’ve been hiding under to what we want to see, while in WIS is shown as a socket. This tells you
a rock, or you never see electrical we have to use the scroll bars at the whether the electrical contact is
problems in your shop (ha!), you’re edge of the window. male or female, helpful when you’re
already familiar with the electrical not sure which side of a connector
wiring diagrams found on STAR A wiring diagram is a two-dimensional
you’re looking at. Of course, you can
TekInfo and in WIS. What might still representation of the physical wiring.
also see the component designation
be a mystery are those Function We see the components and the
for each component (such as
Diagrams found in the same place, wires that connect them, along with
N10/1), along with the connector
which are just as important to a information about those wires and
number (B3 on N10/1) and pin
solid electrical diagnosis as the connections. For example, we might
number (Pin 47 on N10/1 for the
wiring diagrams. Today, we’ll show see a wire labeled as 0.75 GNBU,
control signal to K120) for each
you how these, along with the which means it has a cross-section of
individual wire connection.
Function Description documents in 0.75 mm2 (about 18 AWG) and has
WIS (the so-called GF documents) green insulation with a blue marking These symbols and features should
can help you perform a focused and stripe. Note that this doesn’t mean be familiar, but some newer features
professional electrical diagnosis. it is 0.75 mm in diameter – in fact, in WIS and STAR Wiring are worth
the copper wire is just over one mm mentioning. In WIS, if you have a
Let’s start by taking a quick look at in diameter – it is the cross sectional computer mouse with a wheel, you
wiring diagrams. As examples we’ll area of the wire. can use the wheel to scroll up and
down in a document, zoom in or out
by moving the wheel while holding the
<Ctrl> key, or scroll horizontally by
moving the wheel while holding the
<Shift> key. This is especially handy in
wiring diagrams. Also in WIS, if you’re
not sure which Service Group contains
the wiring diagram for a particular
system, you can now search by Option
Code. So if you need the diagram for
PARKTRONIC (Code 220), you can
search by SA Code (one of the options
in “additional” Search Mode).
This section of the wiring diagram for the ECO Start system in a new Metris van (Model type 447) In STAR Wiring, you’ll find Signal
shows the auxiliary battery (G1/12) that powers the vehicle for the brief moment that the main
battery is running the starter. Relay K120 switches the auxiliary battery on-line for that instant.
Flow arrows. These don’t show
Only a small part of the wiring diagram is shown here. the direction that current goes,
Wiriing & Function Diagrams & Descriptions

but the direction that the signal came networking, where a single having no way to see or measure
goes. In other words, whether it wire could carry a multitude of what exactly was on that wire. Oh
is an input or an output (or both!). information, with the technician sure, we can measure the voltage
Additionally, you can now find the
General Function documents (we’ll
get to those in just a moment) on the
System Information tab. These same
documents can be found in WIS as
document type “GF.”

Back to our topic. We can clearly see

that the wiring diagram is showing
the physical wiring layout in the
vehicle. It doesn’t show how long
the wires are, or where they are
located (although STAR Finder shows
component locations), so it is not
a perfect physical representation
of the wiring, but it is close. If we
wanted to check a wire, we should
have little trouble finding each end
for testing.
The use of data networks such as CAN Bus in vehicles has definitely simplified wiring and reduced
weight, but it made diagnosis using only a wiring diagram nearly impossible. This shows the CAN
Until the early 1990s, wiring
networking used in the new Metris van, a relatively simple vehicle. To understand how a signal
diagrams were all there was, and, gets from here to there, you need to use the Function Diagrams found right next to the wiring
really, all we needed. But then diagrams in STAR Wiring and WIS.

22 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned
to see if the CAN Bus is working signal flow between and among We already know about wiring
normally, but without some kind of components, particularly the signals diagrams, so let’s take a closer look at
specialized test equipment, we could on the CAN Buses (and other a Function Diagram. For this example,
not, for example, tell what outside networks). If we want to understand we’ll use the ECO Start function from
temperature value the A/C module where a particular signal starts from, the new Metris mid-size van, chassis
was getting off the CAN Bus. Indeed, or which signals are being received type 447, and follow two signals from
we couldn’t even know where the off the CAN Bus, we can turn to the their origin to their destination.
outside temperature signal was electrical Function Diagram.
coming from. The first signal is the coolant
Taking this one step further, if we temperature sensor, B11/21. Looking
After Mercedes-Benz introduced the want to understand what a system at the far left of the diagram, we see
CAN Bus for its products in the mid- is doing with these signals – in other that B11/21 sends Signal #9 (Coolant
1990s, technicians quickly identified words, information on how a system temperature sensor, signal) on a
the need to understand all the CAN operates – we can then use the directly-connected wire to the ME-SFI
messages that were being sent Function Diagram together with the control unit (N3/34). We could also
and received by the various control General Function (“GF”) document. have seen this on the wiring diagram
modules. Mercedes-Benz responded In WIS, we need to search for the GF for N3/34, which would include
by introducing the so-called Function document as a separate document physical details such as the wire size,
Diagrams. Instead of a pure physical type, but in STAR Wiring there is a color, and the specific connector and
layout, these diagrams show the direct link to this function description. pin numbers, but would not tell us

Diagram below: This Function Diagram shows 1 Vehicle speed, signal CAN B Interior CAN
the components involved in the ECO Start 2 Instrument cluster, message CAN C Drive train CAN
3 Fuel pump, specified pressure CAN E Chassis CAN
system in a Metris van and how the many signals request
get from their origin to their destination. In this 4 Fuel pressure, status Code, EZ7Active Parking Assist
age of networking, a wiring diagram cannot show 5 Starter circuit 50 relay, actuation Code, FZ5ATA I, anti-theft alarm system
6 Starter, actuation Code, G427G-TRONIC PLUS automatic transmission
the information being delivered by the network. 7 Electronic Stability Program Code, HH4THERMOTRONIC automatic air
This diagram shows exactly that. (ESP) control unit, status conditioning
8 Wheel speed, signal Code,HH9 TEMPMATIC semi-automatic air
confditioning
9 Coolant temperature sensor, Code ZU7 Canada version
signal
10 Engine start, request Code ZU8 USA version
11 Engine stop enable, status G1 On-board electrical system battery
12 Crash, signal K40/10 Engine compartment fuse and relay
module
13 Fuel temperature, signal K40/10kM Starter circuit 50 relay
14 Circuit 30, status K40/10kN Circuit 87M relay
15 ECO start/stop function button, L6/1 Left front rpm sensor
status
16 Engine stop prohibited, request L6/2 Right front rpm sensor
17 Braking torque, signal L6/3 Left rear rpm sensor
18 Door rotary tumbler switch, L6/4 Right rear rpm sensor
status
19 Accelerator pedal module, signal LIN B15 Battery sensor LIN
20 Engine speed, signal M1 Starter
21 Fuel pump with fill level sensor, M3/6 Fuel pump with fill level sensor
actuation
22 Seat belt buckle restraint system N10/1 SAM control unit
switch, status
23 Engine running, signal N118 Fuel system control unit (FSCU)
24 Automatic air conditioning (AAC) N15/11 Fully integrated transmission control
control and operating unit, status (VGS) electric controller unit
25 Engine hood contact switch, N2/ 18 Supplemental restraint system (SRS)
status control unit
26 Circuit 87, status N3/ 34 ME-SFI [ME] control unit
27 Gear range, request N30/ 4 Electronic Stability Program (ESP) control
unit
28 Gear range, status N69/ 3 Left front door control unit
A1/1 Instrument cluster (KI) control N72/ 1 Upper control panel (UCP [OBF]) control
unit unit
A8/1 Transmitter key N72/ 1s5 ECO start/stop function button
B11/21 Coolant temperature sensor N73 Electronic ignition lock (EZS) control unit
B37/4 Accelerator pedal module S62/ 41 Engine hood switch
B4/21 Fuel tank pressure and S98 Air conditioning control and operating
temperature sensor unit
B70/2 Crankshaft Hall sensor

December 2016 23
Wiriing & Function Diagrams & Descriptions

The ECO Start system is found in nearly

every new model. Seeing the symbol
(the “A” with the arrow around it) in
the instrument cluster display or on
a switch on the dash should alert you
that the system is installed. If you read
This “bi-stable” relay is used to switch off power to some consumers when the vehicle is parked through the GF document carefully, you’ll
to help reduce parasitic battery current draw. A momentary pulse to the coil switches the relay find that you should take extra safety
from on to off and vice-versa without drawing any current continuously. At left, the contacts are precautions to ensure the engine doesn’t
open, and at right they are closed. You’d never have known this relay existed if you didn’t look start by itself while you’re working on it.
at the General Function (GF) document that describes the energy management system, just one
simple example of the value of this information.
So now we can see just how the
what the signal was. Of course, in this “Bus” lines show signals carried signals needed by the ECO Start
case the signal is obvious (the coolant over the CAN Bus. Dashed boxes tell system get around, and we have an
temperature!), but the point is that the us that the information only relates almost fighting chance to understand
wiring diagram does not tell us that. to vehicles with the option code or how the system works: If we start
codes shown. And, as we saw, the with Signal #1 and work our way
The second signal is from the engine numbers in circles are signals, and down the list, we (almost) have
hood switch, S62/41. If we look at we can see where these signals go a bunch of clues as to what the
the far right of the diagram, we see by following the numbers. These system is looking at to decide if the
that S62/41 sends signal #25 (Engine signals sometimes go to more engine can be shut down or not.
hood contact switch, status) on a than one place: Signal 23 (Engine For example, we can see that the
directly-connected wire to the SAM running, signal) is sent by the ME- A/C system (S98) has something
control unit (N10/1). If we look just to SFI control unit (N3/34) to both to do with it, as does the left front
the left of N10/1, we see Signal #25 N118 (Fuel system, control unit) and door control unit (N69/3) and the
is sent over CAN B (the Interior CAN) N15/11 (Transmission control unit). SRS control unit (N2/18). But what,
to N73 (Electronic Ignition Switch). Sometimes it takes a sharp eye to find exactly, are these signals used for in
N73 then sends Signal #25 over CAN all these, but the information is there ECO Start?
E to N3/34. If we look closely at the for those who look.
function diagram, we cannot find Signal From our knowledge of professional
#25 anywhere else, so we can be Getting back to the basic idea for diagnosis, we know that in order
certain that no other control unit also these: If we were trying to diagnose a to diagnose all but the simplest
receives Signal #25 for this particular problem with the ECO Start system, of problems, we need two things:
vehicle function. From experience (and no matter how hard we looked at one is an accurate idea of the
from the hint “Code FZ5” at S62/41), the wiring diagram for the ME-SFI symptoms, and the other a thorough
we can tell you that the hood switch control unit, we’d never figure out understanding of the system and
signal is also used by the anti-theft that the engine hood switch was how it is supposed to operate
alarm, but since ATA has nothing to do being considered in the operation — exactly how it does what it is
with ECO Start, that information is not of this system. It would be just as supposed to do (its Function). We
shown on this diagram. hard to figure out exactly how the get the symptoms from customers
engine control unit was even getting (why would they be in your shop
As a side note: Thin lines on a that information. But a quick look at otherwise?) and from our own
function diagram show a direct the function diagram, and Viola!, the attempts to duplicate the complaint,
wired connection, while the wide mystery is solved in plain sight. while using our knowledge of how

24 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned December 2016

 there must not be any Crash Signal
received from the SRS control unit.

As you’ll remember, we saw all four

of those signals – engine coolant,
hood switch, A/C unit, and SRS unit
– on the function diagram, but didn’t
have any real information on what,
exactly, they had to do with ECO
Start. Now, using the GF document,
together with the function diagram,
we know what they do, and can
consider what might happen (what
symptoms we might see) if these
were not working properly.
This General Function document explains in detail how the system does what it does. See the
text for details on how this document, when combined with the Function diagram, can help you
better understand the system so you can perform a more professional diagnosis.
Which is the whole point: We want
to fix the customer’s car (or van) as
Even the best of the best can’t quickly as possible, and we want
remember everything. But all you to be certain that we really fixed
need to remember is how to find the the problem. This makes for happy
General Function document in WIS customers, and we all know that
or STAR Wiring, and you have all the happy customers come back when
details right there in writing. If you use they need us again. So if we make
this document, along with the function the investment in Mercedes-Benz
diagram and the wiring diagram, information systems, we know we’re
and spend a few minutes studying able to get the detailed information
the system, you will have all the we need to really understand
information you need to thoroughly the system’s function, make a
understand its function in great detail. professional diagnosis, and perform
a permanent repair. For sure, we
We’ve reprinted a portion of the
can get wiring diagrams from other
General Function document GF07.10-
sources, but Function Diagrams
S-1042TRC, which describes part of
and General Function documents,
the ECO Start function as it applies to
The new Mobile TekInfo website is ready for
especially from The Source, can
the M274 engine installed in USA-
you and your smartphone or tablet. Access to prove more valuable than we realize.
bulletins, WebETM, manuals, WIS and much
version Metris vans. Here, we can
more are available on most any mobile device. see that the engine is switched off Mercedes-Benz USA offers this
Log in with your regular STAR TekInfo user ID by the ME-SFI control unit if all of the information, which is exactly the
and password. listed function requirements are met. same as what Authorized Mercedes-
the system is supposed to operate One of these requirements is that Benz Dealers get, to independent
(gleaned from the operator’s the coolant temperature is between workshops like yours because the
manual). But understanding how 60 and 115 degrees Celsius, and company recognizes that your
the system functions is a little another is that the hood is closed. customers are also its customers.
more complicated. Even if training Looking closer, we can also see No matter who services the vehicles,
is available, who could possibly that the interior temperature must every Mercedes-Benz customer
remember the tiny, intricate details be in regulating phase – the A/C or deserves only the very best, and, with
of how each system functions in heat has the temperature at or near the right tools, parts and information,
every car ever made since forever? where it’s supposed to be – and that you can deliver on that promise. |

December 2016 25
Information Station
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog

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26 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned
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Product Name Part Number Quantity Product Description Recommended Consumer App.
Mercedes-Benz SPEC.

BQ 1 09 002464 Bulk - No Equipment Formulated from quality base stocks combined

Recommended for gasoline fueled
BQ 1 09 0171 12/1 Quart Cases with modern performance additives to give the
Mobil Special 5W-30 automobiles and light duty trucks requiring
engine the expected protection and performance
BQ 1 09 003064 55 Gallon Drum an API SN/SM/SL/SJ
under a wide variety of operating conditions
BQ 1 09 003164 Bulk - No Equipment Formulated from quality base stocks
BQ 1 09 0172 12/1 Quart Cases combined with modern performance Recommended for gasoline fueled
Mobil Special 10W-30 additives to give the engine the expected automobiles and light duty trucks requiring
BQ 1 09 003764 55 Gallon Drum protection and performance under a wide an API SN/SM/SL/SJ
variety of operating conditions
BQ 1 09 003864 Bulk - No Equipment Formulated from quality base stocks
Recommended for gasoline fueled
BQ 1 09 0173 12/1 Quart Cases combined with modern performance
automobiles and light duty trucks where
Mobil Special 10W-40 additives to give the engine the expected
a higher viscosity API SN/SMSL/SJ oil is
BQ 1 09 004464 55 Gallon Drum protection and performance under a wide
preferred or recommended
variety of operating conditions
BQ 1 09 012464 Bulk - No Equipment Formulated from quality base stocks
BQ 1 09 0170 12/1 Quart Cases combined with modern performance Recommended for gasoline fueled
Mobil Special 5W-20 additives to give the engine the expected automobiles and light duty trucks requiring
BQ 1 09 013264 55 Gallon Drum protection and performance under a wide an API SN/SM/SL/SJ
variety of operating conditions
Formulated from quality base stocks
Recommended for gasoline fueled
combined with modern performance
automobiles and light duty trucks where
Mobil Special 20W-50 BQ 1 09 004664 55 Gallon Drum additives to give the engine the expected
a higher viscosity API SN/SMSL/SJ oil is
protection and performance under a wide
preferred or recommended
variety of operating conditions
BQ 1 09 0053 Bulk - No Equipment Extra high performance diesel engine oils that
BQ 1 09 0058 12/1 Quart Cases help extend engine life in the most severe on Specifically recommended for the latest
Mobil Delvac 1300 and off-highway applications while delivering low-emissions, high performance diesel
BQ 1 09 0059 4/1 Gallon Cases
Super 15W40 outstanding performance in modern, high- applications equipped with aftertreatment
BQ 1 09 0060 55 Gallon Drum output, low-emission engines including those systems using Diesel Particulate Filter
BQ 1 09 0179 6/1 Quart Cases with Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) and After- (DPF) and Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC)
Mobil Delvac 1300 treatment Systems with Diesel Particulate Filters technologies
BQ 1 09 0086 Bulk - No Equipment (DPFs) and Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs)
Super 10W30
BQ 1 09 0051 4/1 Gallon Cases Fully synthetic supreme performance heavy
Recommended for use in all super high
duty diesel engine oil that helps extend engine
performance diesel applications, including
Mobil Delvac 1 5W40 life while providing long drain capability and
BQ 1 09 0052 55 Gallon Drum modern low emission engine designs with
fuel economy for modern diesel engines
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR)
operating in severe applications
BQ 1 09 0078 60/14 oz Cartridge
Formulated to provide excellent high
BQ 1 09 0079 120 lb Keg Recommended for industrial and marine
Mobil Grease temperature performance with superb
applications, chassis components and farm
XHP 222 BQ 1 09 0080 400 lb Drum adhesion, structural stability and resistance
equipment
to water contamination
BQ 1 09 0098 40/14 oz Cartridge
BQ 1 09 0096 120 lb Keg Extra high performance, automotive
Recommended for use in limited-slip
Mobil Lube HD lubricant formulated from select base
differentials, axles, and final drives requiring
Plus 80W90 BQ 1 09 0097 400 lb Drum oils and an advanced additive system
API GL-5 level performance
specifically for limited-slip differentials

December 2016 27
Feature

Careful Adjustments Keep

Special Tops Working Great
Applying appropriate TLC to special tops on Mercedes-Benz
vehicles can involve a few simple tweaks, or some real elbow
grease, depending on any problems that may be present. In
many instances, reinstalling a component will keep the top on
an even keel, while other situations require testing, rerouting,
or the installation of new parts. The time and effort will have
been well spent to ensure driving satisfaction in a superior
motor car equipped with extra pizazz.
 December 2016

What could be more rewarding hydraulic or electric power units, or Soft Tops:
than dropping the top and cruising in the top itself.
Reattach Tension Cable
some scenic route on a beautiful
afternoon? Special roof treatments – Historically, a retractable roof consists to Soft Top Canvas
of an articulated frame covered The tension cable seam can become
soft tops, sun roofs, hard, panoramic,
with a folding textile-based fabric detached at the soft top canvas. Use
or Vario tops – are icing on the cake
similar to that on an open carriage. A this procedure to reattach:
of driving a Mercedes-Benz, but every
detachable hardtop provides a more • Remove the rear window. Refer
now and then they need adjustment
weatherproof and secure alternative, to WIS document AR67.20-P-
or repair to function as they should
and as technology improved a 5145QA.
and continue contributing to the
retractable hardtop that can be • Expose the soft top at C-pillar by
pleasure of driving a fine car. The
removed and stowed in its own rigid removing rivet and bolt from the
most visible culprits in the need for
roof in the trunk became available. retaining rail.
TLC are soft convertible tops or Vario
A semi-convertible (also known as • Fold the plastic rail of the soft
tops with their “drawbridge” opening
a Vario vehicle) has a retractable top canvas forward and remove
and closing mechanism.
metallic top, which retains fully-framed the bolt and rivet, then guide
A convertible or cabriolet is an windows on its doors and side glass. the strap of the soft top canvas
automobile body style that can together with the narrow strap
convert between an open-air mode The following sections are highlights around the soft top bow and rivet
and an enclosed one, varying in of vehicle types Mercedes-Benz’s it to the water pocket together
degree and means by model. While Collision Center News identified with the wide strap.
convertible tops normally operate that occasionally need adjustment • Unclip the guide with the tension
flawlessly for many years, glitches or repair in soft top, sun roof, Vario cable, and slide the tension cable
can arise in the mechanical linkage, roof, and panoramic roof models. through the water pocket. Thread
the guide together and lock it into
position in the soft top bow.
• Repair/bond the fold seam using
adhesive tape to mask off the
area that is not to be bonded.
Mix the adhesive from the repair
kit, then remove the black plastic
slide, spread the adhesive on the

An acoustic fabric soft top

reduces wind noise and
includes a spoiler that rises
from the windshield frame
when the top is down,
reducing turbulence and
wind rush noise.

This modern SLK gives you open-air delight

Opposite page: Mercedes-Benz is certainly no newcomer to the convertible concept. This when you want it, snug security when you
majestic 1930 Maybach proves it. need it.
Special Tops

surfaces to be bonded, and allow not in a confirmed end position — on, which it will definitely not do.
a flash-off time of five minutes. fully closed or open — the hydraulic Make sure the SmartKey is in
• Clamp the adhesive seam using system is depressurized after seven position in the ignition lock before
spring clamps and a straight minutes, permitting the soft top to exploring other functioning options.
edge; after bonding, the adhesive be manually lowered to the rear, and • If the trunk lid is open, close the
seam must harden for at least allowing accessibility to the soft top trunk lid, and if the trunk partition
five hours, then reassemble the lock. is not closed, close it.
soft top C- Pillar and install the • If the soft top has been opened
rear window. Cure Electrically- and closed several times in a
• If this condition occurs, the soft Powered Cabriolet Top row the soft-top drive has been
top canvas must be repaired by Not Opening deactivated automatically for
bonding the fold seam. Do not With thick sound insulation, an safety reasons, and the soft top
replace the soft top canvas if the acoustic fabric soft top reduces cannot be opened or closed
fold seam has become detached. wind noise and includes a spoiler again until after ten minutes.
that rises from the windshield frame • To check, switch the ignition off,
Allow Soft Top to be when the top is down, reducing turn it back on, and repeat the
Opened Hydraulically turbulence and noise. The fabric opening or closing procedure. If
If the soft top cannot be opened is so tough it is said to be almost none of this works and the top
hydraulically after being released impossible to cut through with a still will not open, the soft-top
manually and after the header bow knife, and occasionally customers mechanism or control system is
is pressed over the dead center will complain the top will not open or at fault.
position, this may be the result close without the ignition switched
of the soft top switch in the rear
soft top lock not being actuated
by the operating lever due to
excessive mechanical friction. The
soft top control module detects
an implausible status, causing a
malfunction the next time the soft
top is opened, and may show or
store one of these codes: 996D (soft
Move the lever several times in the lock or
top position is implausible); 996E
unlock direction and apply lubricant to the
(status of the rear soft top lock is latch/operating lever. Apply lubricant (A000 989 36 60) to the lever.
implausible);
996F (status of
the front soft
top locks is
implausible).

To resolve, move
the lever several
times in the
lock or unlock
direction and
apply lubricant
(A000 989 36
60) to the latch/
Guide the tension cable through the water
operating lever. pocket, thread the guide together and lock it Detach the soft top from the soft top bow and fold it upward, then
If the soft top is into position in the soft top bow. anchor the sponge rubber hose in place using a cable tie.

30 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned December 2016

December 2016 31
Special Tops

Fix Soft Top Canvas lower unexpectedly and may

Pulling Out of Soft Top cause the technician or others
Bow Retaining Groove to be trapped. Always open or
If the soft top canvas pulls out of close the soft top completely.
the retaining groove of the soft top
bow, detach the soft top canvas from Sun Roofs:
the soft top bow and fold it upward, Adjust the Gap between
Loosen the screws and adjust the gap by
move the sponge rubber hose to its the Roof and the moving the locking pin toward the rear to
intended position, anchor the sponge Windshield Trim Strip decrease the gap, or toward the front to
rubber hose in place using a cable The gap between the roof and the increase the gap.
tie, and cut off the excess tightened windshield trim strip should be 5
located accurately in the center of
cable tie. to 6 mm, and not less than 5 mm.
the cutout.
Otherwise, closing forces for the
• The sun roof frame has
Replace the Hydraulic front catches will be too high. If
tolerances with regard to its total
Pump if Supply Pressure high closing forces negatively affect
width, and lateral clearance must
is Less than Specified locking and release operations, install
be checked at several points.
Check supply pressure in vehicles spacers below the locking pins, then
Unscrew the control cable on the
equipped with a soft top hydraulic perform a rain test. If a replacement
sliding carrier and move the sun
pump if the hydraulic system appears sun roof is installed, perform following
roof top panel manually.
to be functioning sporadically — use work after adjustment:
• Open the sun roof and loosen the
the test and adjustment values for • Unlock the roof, lift it at the front,
fastening screws on the slide rails.
soft top hydraulics. Assemble the support it with rubber mallet, and
• Adjust the height adjusting screw at
testing unit, including the pressure mark the position of the locking
left and right so that the front edge
gauge, adapter and test line with pins with a felt-tip pen.
of the closed sun roof is 0-1 mm
connection M10x1 on both sides, • Loosen the screws and adjust
deeper than the roof outer skin.
and insert the rod-side hydraulic line the gap by moving the locking
• Tighten the fastening screws of
into the adapter, making sure that pin toward the rear to decrease
the sliding rails.
the sealing ring is seated correctly. the gap, or toward the front to
• Lock the latch, fasten with a bolt, increase the gap. Adjust the
Adjust Rear Height,
and actuate the soft top hydraulic locking pins by moving them
Remove Headliner
pump with the diagnostic system. parallel to the side so that there
Create two centering pins and remove
• Remove the test equipment is no gap between the covering
the sun roof headliner, then close the
after testing, disassemble and on the front pillars and the roof at
sliding roof and loosen the screws on
read the supply pressure on the left and right sides.
the left and right retaining brackets.
the gauge — if it is less than the • Tighten the screws and lock the
• Plug the centering pin into the
minimum acceptable supply roof with the top switch, then
left and right centering bore.
pressure, replace the soft top check the opening and locking
• Adjust the sun roof top panel so
hydraulic pump. operations several times.
it is flush with the roof, or up to 1
• Bleeding the hydraulic system
mm deeper. Starting from the slide
as well as the soft top hydraulic Adjust Tilting/Sliding position at the rear in the curved
pump is not required after Sun Roof Top Panel area, tighten the screws on the
pressure testing. To adjust the sun roof top panel,
left and right retaining brackets.
remove the sun roof headliner and
WARNING: If the soft top is • Pull out the centering pin and
loosen the fastening screws on the
not fully opened or closed, install the sun roof headliner.
sliding angle pieces front left and
the soft-top hydraulics de- right; push the sliding angle pieces
pressurize after a short time. Unique Vario Roofs:
inward until the sliding shoes are
This causes the soft top to The hydraulically operated, three-part
abutting laterally and the sun roof is
folding Vario roof turns roadsters into

32 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned December 2016

cars for all seasons, taking up a third • Tighten the bolts on the main mount. in relation to the crossmember
of the available luggage compartment • Hook in the return spring, close the above the windshield so that it is
space when open and offering Vario roof, and check the contour flush with the A-pillar.
everyday practicality and quiet with the template — position the • Open and close the roof — the
running as if the vehicle were a coupé template on the rails, ensuring that rotary catch should engage in
or sedan. Three moving elements when hooking in the return spring the center of the mount and not
interconnected by a sophisticated the sleeve for the control cable is touch the mount at top or bottom
pivoting mechanism make the Vario located in the bracket. when closing.
roof work, and include a magnesium/ • Open and close the roof. When • Check the adjustment of the catch
plastic/glass hybrid modular roof, locking, avoid excessive downward on the C-pillar and roof contour.
two magnesium and plastic C-pillars, pressure around the separation • Tighten the screws and install
and a magnesium frame and single- joint between the front and rear the paneling at the top of the
pane safety glass pivoting rear roof sections while the rear side windshield.
window. Six electrically-operated window is not yet in contact with
hydraulic cylinders and one hydraulic the roof seal, and check the stop Adjust the Catch on
pump actuate the folding system, buffer adjustment, the catch on the C-Pillar
opening or closing the Vario roof in the C-pillar, crank the windows, • Remove the C-pillar paneling on
about 16 seconds. and the rear side windows. the Vario roof and close the roof.
• Install the cover above the B-pillar • Push the slide up (the interval
Adjust the Contour of and C-pillar paneling of the Vario between the pin and the oblong
a Vario Roof roof mechanical system. hole release in the slide is 2 to 3
(Use template P77.50-0327-06 mm), and loosen the screw
for checking and adjusting the Adjust the Vario • Adjust the cam by turning it
roof contour.) Roof Gap to the left or right to obtain
• Remove the C-pillar cover on the Adjust the gap between the Vario an interval of 2 to 3 mm after
Vario roof and the cover above roof and the crossmember above the releasing the slide.
the B-pillar. windshield, checking the gap with a • Open and close the roof several
• Unhook the return spring and feeler gauge. A V-shaped gap of 1 mm times. If the roof is subjected to
push the slide up. is normal over the roof width: excessive pressure downward
• Loosen the bolts on the main • Remove the paneling at the top in the area of the separation
mount and move; when moving of the windshield, loosen the joint between the front section
the main mount, do not lock the two screws, and remove the and the rear section of the roof
slide main mount toward the rear intermediate, then tighten the when locking, adjust the stop
or front. screws slightly. roof buffer.
• Close the roof and • Install the C-pillar paneling on
align it laterally, the roof.
adjusting the roof

Adjust the gap between the Vario roof and cross member above the Loosen the bolts on the main mount and move it; when moving the main
windshield, checking the gap with a feeler gauge. mount, do not lock the slide main mount toward the rear or front.

December 2016 33
Special Tops

Cure Noise from • Clean the rear fixed glass section be recorded on the repair order
Panoramic Roof and install the vacuum lifter, and kept with the vehicle’s file.
Loose or missing bolts could cause attaching a cable tie to the • Use special adhesive for this
noise from the panoramic roof suction lifter handle. operation and ensure that the
area. To check and cure, if that is • Hook theforce gauge onto the temperature of the special
the problem: cable tie and pull it upwards with adhesive is >70 deg. F. to avoid
• Remove the headliner (refer 25 kg or 50 lbs. of tractive force. difficulty in application, and use
to WIS document AR68.30-P- The Panoramic glass sunroof the dual caulking gun to apply
4300SX). must not detach from the vehicle. the adhesive. |
• Check for loose or missing bolts Do not lean you head over the
at the body cross bracing, replace roof when applying upward
any missing bolts, and tighten all force to prevent the roof from
nine bolts to 7 Nm ±1 Nm. separating from the vehicle when
• Check for loose or missing bolts force is applied, and do not reuse
at the panoramic roof frame. the same cable tie on subsequent
vehicles — use one new cable tie
On vehicles with panoramic roof trim per vehicle.
(R&R 68-1611): • Repeat measurements and if
• In addition to the headliner the fixed glass section has not
on vehicles equipped with the detached from the vehicle the
Hook a force gauge onto the cable tie and pull
Parktronic system, replace checking procedure is complete
upwards with 25 kg or 50 lbs. of tractive force.
(68-1698) with night vision assist and the glass is correctly
(68-1714). attached.
• Replace or adjust the panoramic • If needed, replace
roof frame hardware. the rear fixed
glass section for
Correct Bonding of the Panoramic
Rear, Fixed Part of the sliding sunroof
Panoramic Glass Roof using Roll-Out
Bonding on certain Model 205 2004 glass
vehicles may be incorrect, and the removal tool
rear fixed part of the glass roof (SSEP Article
could separate from the vehicle. If # 521-900 589
it does, the glass panel may need 046700). If the Replace any missing bolts, tightening all nine bolts to 5 Nm ±1 N.
replacement. This is Recall fixed glass
#RC-2016020006, affecting only a section
few vehicles, but check the bonding for the
of the rear glass panel to be sure, Panoramic
replacing the glass panel if needed sliding
after performing a recall campaign sunroof
VMI check to determine if the vehicle detaches
is involved in the campaign and if it from the
has been previously repaired. Recall vehicle,
Campaigns do not expire and may the results
also be performed on a vehicle with of the
a vehicle status indicator. Here are check/
the repair procedures: test must Thoroughly clean the rear glass before any other operations are performed.

34 Mercedes-Benz StarTuned
 www.mbwholesaleparts.com

Enjoy easy access to

Model Indicator technical information
Index provides the and resources.
ability to find chassis, At STAR TekInfo you’ll StarTuned magazine
model year and engine find all the technical section with archive
detail from the VIN documentation you need search functionality and
which assures proper on servicing and repairing downloadable articles
catalog identification of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
the vehicle when using
the EPC.

December 2016 35
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