Device malfunction

Tiny
MERCEDESS500
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 MERCEDES BENZ S500
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 185,900 MILES
Hi, so a mechanic had moved my headlights and stripped a wire that was connected to my head light and left the bare wire showing. He put headlight back and the wire touched metal and shorted a fuse out and when that happened my headlights stopped working and the dash says device malfunction with a picture of a car with an arrow pointing up in the middle of the car. Then the mechanic went to a fuse on the passenger side under the hood fuse box and he replaced the 40 fuse and when that happened my headlights started to work, but it still said device malfunction. Then I was driving went over a speed bump and headlights went out again. It did this 3 to 4 times until I looked at the wires to my headlights and they were stripped showing copper wire exposed. So it kept shorting out that fuse, but if i'm correct the headlights don't have an actual fuse it has a electronic fuse and it consists of different wires and relays. Well I fixed the bare wiring from touching so the fuse never blew after that. But still said device malfunction so I changed the air compressor relay and still doesn't work but it sounds like the compressor kicks on but doesn't raise the car up or lower it when parked. When I changed one relay when I press the button to raise car it sounds like it is kicking on then stops and before I changed the relay it was really bouncy and now its not but still says device malfunction. Please help. I know there are two relays for the air suspension compressor. I only replaced one. Maybe if I replace the other one it will work?
Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 AT 10:24 AM

5 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,414 POSTS
That message should also have a code stored in the ECM telling you what device it is and at least give an idea of what may have failed.

Here is a guide to help you gather the codes and a video for a CAN scan which is the future of car repair:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

https://youtu.be/InIlnsjOVFA

Please run down these guides and report back.

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Tuesday, July 7th, 2020 AT 3:56 PM
Tiny
MERCEDESS500
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I did a scan and it didn't show anything about the device malfunction with an arrow up. What can I do now?
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Monday, July 13th, 2020 AT 4:15 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,414 POSTS
What scan tool did you use? Mercedes can be finicky about them and may not show codes on many of the lower end tools. Even one of my pro tools has issues with them, though strangely the low end Launch that I have seems to work okay.
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Monday, July 13th, 2020 AT 8:06 PM
Tiny
MERCEDESS500
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I have a launch touch pro x431.
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Monday, July 20th, 2020 AT 5:03 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,414 POSTS
That should read the codes at least. It may be that the module showing the malfunction has failed from the short and is simply not responding to the scan tool. The issue there is that the tool wouldn't tell you that unless you knew how many modules should be responding in the first place. So say you have 15 modules on the CAN system, but only 14 of them are working, unless you know there are 15 you wouldn't see the problem without the OEM scan tool that can show the topography of the system.
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Wednesday, July 22nd, 2020 AT 7:20 AM

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