OUCH. Pricy tires! But like most things in life, the true cost of owning a vehicle can be a lot more than just the ‘purchase price’. $1100 for a set of tires, $1300 for a set of decent (not great) wheels, $400 for sport shocks… $200 for spark plugs (takes 16 multi-tip Platinum).
In the end, a tire I was not really comfortable driving on with kids in my car, has been replaced and I can move on with life.
Still.. $518 unplanned dollars…. (+ tax) was a bit hard to swallow!
It all started at 5:00AM this morning when the mail server at work died. One of our few single-power supply systems still in use (we have a nice 4 SAS dual-power RAID 10 system to replace it scheduled for deployment Aug 21). At any rate, the CRAPPY Ablecom SP302-1S power supply gave up (2nd one in 6 months, and it looks like a 3rd one just started to show signs of dying an hour ago) and one of our most critical systems was down!
After getting one of my engineers in route, I knew I’d have some time to look at the ripped up car in my garage. With time on my hands, I flipped through some axillary tools sets, locating a pair of flat radio removal tools (designed for Alpine head units). Pondering the possibilities of possibly manufacturing my old keys, I set about cutting up the metal. At least it was something to keep me busy.
It took a few attempts to find the right angles, but I did finally managed to get he head unit (aka Command Unit) removed!!
And, as I suspected, there it was yet ANOTHER fuse. I’d recalled this morning from projects past, that most of the head units in MBZ had a fuse on the back of them. And so does this one:
I always have an ample supply of fuses (from careers past). With hope alive in my heart, and my cell phone by my side waiting to hear from my team, what the prognosis was for our mail server.. I re-attached the mass of plugs (3 analog, one fiber optic CAN, and the antenna);
slipped it into the dash and:
CODE! I have the code prompt. Expensive disaster averted! Being the fastidious keeper of information that I am, I had the code at hand, and within a few seconds…. was rewarded with the sounds of my favorite local FM station.
At least the day did not start out as a TOTAL loss!
My guys called me back shortly after this, and let me know that the server was dead, totally dead, no power. I instructed them to pull the system from our rack and bring it home for recovery. I hastely re-assembled my car, got dressed, stopped by Krispy-Kreme to buy them coffee and doughnuts, then rocketed into the office to direct the recovery effort (which is still underway).
At least I could listen to the music for a little while. 🙂
After a couple hours of net searching, it’s off to the dealer to buy the special tools for removing the stock head unit. $8.00 for a thin piece of metal. Porsche is the only manufacture ahead of Mercedes for the requirement of ‘special tools’ to do anything of measure on these cars. I’ll be sure to post photos of these amazing tools once I get them. Assuming they have them in stock, the local MBZ dealer in Fife is a real loser.
UPDATED: As I suspected, the dealer did not have tools in stock. I’ll be waiting a week for them to arrive. I don’t know why they don’t have them. These tools are not very big (small stamped steel keys) they are not very expensive ($9.65 with tax). They are also used for many model years audio units. I should have driven to Seattle where they likely gave them away on the counter as nicknacks!
Arg. Instead of plowing into the tail-end of the jerk that cut me off yesterday, I am rewarded with the stereo system in my car, dying.
Why and what happened? I’m still trying to sort that out. But I do know that whatever DID happen to my car’s audio system, it happened when I had to get deep into the brakes to avoid a rather ‘rude’ driver. Right then the radio cut. I thought maybe a bad commercial break or something. Looked down at the radio a few seconds later and… NOBODY HOME.
I finished my errands yesterday, with only the sound of the 24 valve 4.3L V8 to serenade me. Now.. there is nothing wrong with the nice sound of a powerful V8 engine (OK.. 285 HP powerful… not too bad for a motor that 262 CID motor that idles like glass at 400 RPM, try that with your S***block Chevy! hahaha) . At any rate.. BOSE dead.
I parked it in the garage this morning and took the ML to work. It needed some gas (it ALWAYS needs some gas, powered by the same V8 engine, but pushing AWD and a brick of a body, it’s pretty harsh on the Premium fuel), but I didn’t want to spend the 1 hour commute to work listening to hushed sounds of wind and the expansion joints of the highway.
Upon returning home, I enlisted the assistance of my helper (aka son) and we took the rear end of the car’s interior apart. The majority of the audio system is located back there so it seemed a good place to start.
Sadly, after checking both fuse blocks, and the fuse on the main audio amp (all good), I’m out of ideas for the quick-fix on the system. Looks like I’ll have to get the special tools to remove the factory head unit and see if maybe the plug on the back of that came loose during braking. I hope so… sad if it happend, happy for me if I can fix it without spending $2500 for all new audio. These factory systems are all CAN-BUS fiber optic networked. Can’t just ‘toss in’ a new head unit.
Happy happy, joy joy.