[FalconFour]

mercedes software it is easy to download on MHH auto vci it is easy to buy on aliexpress I believe that in America there are thousands of independent workshops with this

What about the hardware? Doesn't it use a special OBD interface, dongle, customized PC, etc? I have the Mercedes service info software (WIS/ASRA, EPC), but it's just info, not tools.

(photo from web results - custom PC, and what looks to be a Bosch OBD kit)

I did just search Aliexpress and found a ton of stuff related to Xentry and "Openport 2.0" etc... indeed I start to wonder why shops don't seem to offer it. Surely it's not "authorized"... maybe they don't want to get in trouble. I just posted on Facebook to hopefully get some info.

Meanwhile, I put my car up on ramps today to get under it and investigate the battery pump. Sure enough, the cooling system is a lot more complex than I expected. It even has a heat exchanger with the AC system, and indeed a branch/merge for the battery pack.

Under the front, behind the big cover...

... rests all the magic ...

... and in the center of the photo is a tightly-packed cluster of cooling bits ...

... packed up on top of that bracket, out of sight, completely inaccessible ...

... is that godforsaken battery cooling pump.

Frustratingly obscured by everything, in a way that seems like you have to drop the whole front bracket, on which everything is mounted, to get access to it. Not even remotely an easy task. You can't even directly see it without an angle I just couldn't capture on camera under the tight space of the car.

I could barely even access the electrical connector for the pump, and just like the powertrain pump, couldn't find a way to get it off. Yet another different style of connector from everything else, this one seems to have a retaining shroud around it that, even after I got it loose, couldn't get the leverage to unplug the connector itself.

I could also confirm that, now knowing where it is and able to feel it directly, it certainly isn't running when the car is on. So, it's quite possible that indeed, it isn't functional - but that doesn't say for sure that the pump itself is bad.

I'm going to pursue the independent shop a bit further before I give up and take it to Mercedes. I live in a really populated area, so there are certainly more shops to try.

 

[pmaf.iphone]

Xentry passthru can work with many passthru vci
The Mercedes VCI is like C4 or C5
If you find a shop with xentry i can tell you how to check if the ecu is good or not

 

[pmaf.iphone]

The VCI on your photo is a Mercedes C6
Google Mercedes C6 VCI

 

[FalconFour]

Mercedes pirate software cannot flash an ECU. Again, I keep going to different places and getting the same info. Pirate software and a passthru may be able to run diagnostics and read codes, but it can't flash software because apparently that needs a live subscription to the overlord Mercedes mothership to be able to download the software and config for that VIN, or whatever.

Ended up taking it to Mercedes of SF. After a week in service, I prodded them for an update. Sure enough, they tested the pump and the pump is OK. The ECU is bad. The ECU I just paid $200 for on eBay. Is bad.

And the estimate I got from Mercedes is

$883

They want $850 to get me my car back in working order (or $200 diagnostic if I don't). $850 for telling them the problem, and telling them what I wanted to have checked and done (replace the ECU).

I don't have a formal estimate yet and I have expressed how upset I am with this absurd price tag and the monopoly Mercedes has on ECU flashing.

They want $208 for the part and $425 -- four hundred and twenty five dollars - to pull back the cover, unbolt 3 bolts, slap the new ECU in, and connect the computer and press "GO".

I'm pissed. Livid. Irate, flabbergasted, and so very sick of this forum software hijacking my text cursor and de-focusing text input as I'm typing, whenever a new round of ads is loaded on screen.

I just f*cking want this to be over already. I will never buy a Mercedes for sure, but now I'm pretty "over" owning a Smart, too.

 

[FalconFour]

A whole month (and several headaches - mostly around being unresponsive to texts, leaving it sitting at 100% SOC, letting the 12v battery go dead, always being told my advisor "isn't in today", etc)... and I finally got the car back.

Indeed, it was the ECU. They replaced the ECU, the fault went away, and in fact... some of my DDT4All customizations that I thought just "didn't work" (related to the cluster config) actually picked up after I got the car back! Cruise is also working again too.

I'm glad to have the saga concluded, but the thread now has a final conclusion: like most others reporting here, it was the ECU. Just, if you're in the US, expect to open your wallet and let Mercedes screw-you-over raw for their ritualistic dances around the "go" button, all because the US hasn't federally passed a right-to-repair law that prevents these shenanigans. With a Tesla, it would have been $200 at most (buy ECU from a service center, install it myself, tell car to reinstall software, drive happy). With Right to Repair, I could at least take it to an independent shop and just pay $200 for the ECU and $100-200 for the service of pressing the Go button on their ultra-expensive software.

Great to be driving the Smart again, but damn I am not looking forward to any future issues with this thing that force me to the dealer instead of being able to handle it myself.

 

[brunomarkman]

Hi, I am from Vancouver, CA. I got the same issue after Mercedez checked my car. They are asking for CA$2,270 to change the coolant pump. After checking your pictures, I am not thinking of paying too much for a small device like this. I have a panel light showing an issue with the battery, in this case, the coolant pump, but Mercedez told me the battery was probably affected, and I am in a bad situation to find a solution for my car. I would like to hear from you and others in this forum, what they think about this situation, and if they know a car shop around Seattle WA to help me. Where can I find second-hand parts, It is possible to purchase a used battery?
Do you have a diagram, and the coolant pump part#?
Thanks.

 

[FalconFour]

I doubt it's actually a battery problem. If it really is just the fault code described here, multiple experiences (including past experiences the dealer informed me of) confirm it's just an ECU issue.

The coolant pump itself is likely not faulty. That pump is also buried in there, under the car, tangled in a mess of hoses, valves, and splitters. Not terribly easy to replace.

Don't let them make the mistake of replacing the pump (or touching the battery). The battery does not produce a lot of heat and the lack of pump is not critically harmful to it. It becomes a Nissan Leaf while the pump isn't running.

My car has worked perfectly fine after I pressured the dealer to "just replace the ECU". No issues, no battery degradation (in fact I think I have more range now, but I know it's just summer bias, haha). The biggest issue was that I bought a used ECU on eBay that turned out to have the same exact fault, and it threw off my diagnostic efforts.

 

[DealMeIn]

Bruno,

Zoey512 is parting out his 2015. He's listed it the the Classifieds Forum - Smart Parts Marketplace

A link to the listing - Listing

 

[brunomarkman]

Sorry guys, ECU is a Safety Control Module? Do you have the part number? Thanks

 

[brunomarkman]

Is the ECU one of those parts? Thanks

 

[KG2019453EV]

Brunomarkman, Did you end up buying the ECU and replacing it yourself? If so, did it work?

FalconFour, How did you go about convincing the dealer that it is only the ECU?

 

[Ricardo Penalva]

the module is the rear luggage compartment on the right side, it is very easy to replace but must be program online
"PTCU - Control Unit Powertrain (N127)" here cost 160€ plus vat part number A493 900 76 03 it is a Renault part
See the prices on MB and on Renault
The pumps are Renault too (are much cheaper at renault)
To put conector out push the green part with a screwdriver at the same time pull the conector

Hey pmaf.iphone A493 900 76 03 this module is not located on on the back it is located under the stearing colum, are you sure this is the part number?

Thank you for helping us in this matter.

 

[lashad]

FalconFour and SMC, I’m sorry to hear that you changed the EVC control unit. It’s unfortunate that Mercedes decided to replace (it a shame). The hardware is not faulty at all, it just needs an update to its configuration parameters. Therefore, this is definitely a software issue.

 

[FalconFour]

FalconFour and SMC, I’m sorry to hear that you changed the EVC control unit. It’s unfortunate that Mercedes decided to replace (it a shame). The hardware is not faulty at all, it just needs an update to its configuration parameters. Therefore, this is definitely a software issue.

At least a few theories have floated around here, but people in-the-know have kept their secrets (while also giving no way to pay them to release them), and cost people lots of undue money as a result. If you know something, in some way that could tell Mercedes how to fix it (since only they have the ability to adjust these things), then it would be beneficial to all to share those details of configuration you're aware of! Otherwise, it's really just rubbing salt in the wounds :/

 

[FalconFour]

FalconFour, How did you go about convincing the dealer that it is only the ECU?

I brought it in, telling them "it's probably this ECU" (while also having the original one with me - since I bought a replacement on eBay), told them "replace this ECU".
They "diagnosed" it, said "it's probably this ECU" (referencing past reports of the same fault seen on other cars), while I also said "yeah, I know, that's kinda what I said to begin with".
They said "that'll be $400 to diagnose it", to which I said "you can shove it straight up your rear", and they said "but, policy, but, okay sure"
They replaced the ECU. And then proceeded to steal my wallet, in a manner of speaking.
It's been fine ever since.

 

[lashad]

My car had the exact same issue, and no one will or can fix it for me. Even the MB center asked me for $1.5k to replace the EVC control unit. However, I was pretty sure this is a software issue and not an electrical fault.

And yes, I know how to fix it. I have read and investigated a lot around this issue.

Basically, you need DDT4ALL along with the database (DB). In the EVC control unit, you just need to reset one parameter called V_Timer_DrivWEP_ON from the “Request Parameter” menu using the DataWrite operation.
And that’s it!

Download this xml ECU file and add under DDT4ALL/ecus folder:

EVC_3180_RH4_5D0_7D0_8D0_960_AC0_D00_V1.0_20201123T174655.xml

 

[FalconFour]

Both my hero and (to a small extent) my headache! I have used DDT4ALL to tweak a few settings in the car, and also in pursuit of trying to access that specific ECU, but to no avail - it was always the one ECU that COULD NOT be detected by whatever database I tried using. A weird, grey-market world of data files and confusing sources & file formats. But you just got right to it!

However, the "headache" part is that Dropbox tries previewing/displaying that entire XML file in what may be the most painfully inefficient, CPU-bloated viewer ever seen... clicking that link instantly hangs the browser, and if you click too fast or move too much, it crashes the page (not unlike this forum, with its auto-refreshing ads causing your text cursor to get hijacked and lose focus while typing). So I had to fight with it for a few minutes to actually access the "Download" button, and then pray to the gods that "Continue to download without logging in" also didn't crash the page. Finally, I got it downloaded.

To make a backup, and potentially an easier download, I'm also mirroring it on my own file server: EVC_3180_RH4_5D0_7D0_8D0_960_AC0_D00_V1.0_20201123T174655.xml.zip - hopefully that's accessible by all, forever.

Can't wait to try it out. If feeling especially daring, I might even put the old ECU back in there and try fixing it with this as well.

Thank you, endlessly, on behalf of all the silent people that'll be coming through this forum by Googling this issue, and finding this information... you have likely helped untold hundreds of people fix this without having to give-in to Mercedes' extortionate dealer lock-in service pricing. 🫶

 

[lashad]

I struggled for weeks trying to diagnose what was wrong with the ECU. The system includes a pump with four pins: 12V, GND, CAN-H, and CAN-L. The EVC unit is responsible for sending commands to activate both pumps. Logically speaking, if there were a hardware fault in the ECU, it would not be able to send any messages on the CAN bus at all. However, in this case, the ECU is transmitting commands, meaning it is still capable of communication.

To illustrate this with an analogy imagine you have a phone and are trying to send an SMS. If your phone has a hardware failure affecting its messaging functionality, it would prevent you from sending messages altogether. However, if you can send a message to one recipient but not another, the issue is unlikely to be hardware related. Instead, it would indicate a configuration, network, or software issue.

Similarly, since the ECU can still communicate over the CAN bus, the problem is most likely a software or configuration issue, not a hardware failure. This issue can occur at any time, even with a brand new ECU. So, be sure to keep an eye on it.

I will do my best to assist anyone who needs help with this.

 

[FalconFour]

Well, hold up a minute. That explanation doesn't quite check out. There are MANY different ECUs in the car. The one in question here is the heart of the EV drive train - it's probably known as the "VCU" in other contexts. It mediates all sorts of different inputs and outputs, including thermals and pumps.

The fault in question isn't "can't talk to the ECU", but simply: "pump fault", generically. If the pump can speak over CAN, that's... well, honestly, that's a bit surprisingly complex (a CAN controller in every pump? Jeez, many points of failure... CAN isn't exactly a very forgiving system, being a chain as it is). But it would mean the pump would be able to report its status.

Nobody here is saying the ECU is completely "dead", just that the ECU was faulty in some way. Now... indeed, it can be a software thing, and maybe we're seeing the same thing (but explaining it differently). I don't see anyone saying that the ECU was completely dead, thus explaining that the ECU "couldn't be hardware-faulty because it wasn't completely dead" is kind of a non-sequitir. It's very much not uncommon to have a fried MOSFET that fails open or fails closed, or otherwise fails a self-test, and thus... a fault. Caused by hardware.

Anyway, as for DDT4all, I've had nothing but a headache tonight. I can't make heads or tails of interacting with individual XML files independent of an "ecu.zip" file... the "ecu.zip" file seems to override the system's whole "ecu" folder database, and the idea of a "database" itself seems to be a discrete "thing" that I can't make sense of, either (it's just a folder of xml files - or is it json's? One thing has json's and one has xml's! Gah!).

The closest I have been able to get is here:

(It defaults to the "CAN Sniffer" page which is always blank... but the "Screen" tab is just as completely blank, because there's no "screens" in the panel below!)
(It's also interesting to note... the file THAT IS IN my "ecus" folder is date-coded "_20201123T174655" but the log output is showing it finding an XML file "20190905T153041.xml" which obviously doesn't exist! It's finding and using an XML file that simultaneously doesn't exist, while ignoring the one that IS there? I am so completely lost with where this software is getting its information and files...)

I scan for ECUs, and unlike past attempts, this time it actually detects the "EVC_3180" ECU. But it's completely impotent - clicking it provides no controls, no "screens" available to interact with it. Maybe I have a different variation of DDT4All here. Maybe not set up right? Much of this user interface seems clunky, broken, incomplete, dead-ending. I could swear I'm staring at the wrong tool, but it looks the same as other views of DDR4All I've seen.

If there's a "request parameter" page, I'd love to find it...

 

[lashad]

Will sent you my all EVC files. maybe I miss something important file. Let me upload.