Electronic or battery Oddity?

[GoofyTimL]

Got in our 300C yesterday after my wife had driven it. Pressed the Memory 2 button and nothing happened. I thought that was strange, but guessed that my wife somehow had hit the set button and then slipped down hitting the 2nd position button and reset the thing to her seat and pedal configuration. So I simply redid my configuration and mirrors and reset Position 2 again.

Later in the evening, I went to our local community theatre and when I shut off the car and got out, I noticed that the auto-headlight went out immediately. I restarted the car and turn it off again... same thing. They are supposed to remain on for 50 sec. When I got home after the show I checked the setting in the EVIC and it was enabled and set to 30 sec. Lights went off immediately upon turning the engine off.

I reset the timer setting to 60 sec., and the lights remained on. I then reset again back to 30 sec., and the remained on and went off at the correct interval. Problem solved? Didn't know.

Today my wife went out in the morning, returning about noon. The wife failed to mention to me that she had trouble with the lights again that morning. We had a football party that started about 4:00. One of the ladies who came (Redskin fan) wanted bottled water, and our supply was out in the garage. Apparently the wife sent her out there to get a couple bottles (nice of her), and she came back saying that the headlights still were ON. Huh? That's when my wife mentioned she had had trouble this morning. Thanks!

So I go out to the garage, and turn the key... click. Nothing. RATS! What is going on. Open the trunk and check the spare and battery compartment. No sign of water (it's been raining last night and snowing today). Tried to start again... click. Same as before.

I put the charger on, and after the Wash. v. Seattle game, I went back out and no problem starting. No problem with seat and pedal memory. And no problem with the auto-lights coming on, or going off after 30 sec. So I set the charger on the low, dribble charge setting for overnight.

Just wondering if I've got a gremlin hiding someplace. Any suggestions of something else to check... or do?

[fnkychkn]

these might help

TSB 08-027-05
This bulletin involves reprogramming the Memory Seat Module (MSMD) with new
software.
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Driver's seat and steering column do not return to their memory driving positions and/or
erroneous seat, pedal and steering column motor control circuit performance DTCs occur.

TSB 08-017-05
This bulletin involves flash updating the Front Control Module (FCM) with new software.
SYMPTOM/CONDITION:
Dead or weak battery due to headlamps remaining on. Vehicles equipped with auto
headlamps may enter into a headlamp delay (lighted departure) mode in which the
headlamps do not turn off after the customer programed time limit (0, 30 sec., 60 sec., 90
sec.) This condition only occurs when the headlamp switch is changed from ON to AUTO
after the ignition is turned off.

[GoofyTimL]

Thanks fnky... I have had TSB 08-027-05 done because the seat was not going to the back for exit when my wife's position was selected. Mine is so close to down and back that I think it must be beyond where that feature kicks in. I thought that also was supposed to key the positioning to our two keys... but even after the flash... that aspect has never worked. Not a big deal, however, as far as we're concerned.

With respect to the second TSB, it might be that my wife did the light switch thing after turning off the ignition. I'll have to ask her about that. She did say something about having trouble with the lights coming ON and that she had turned the switch... but she didn't relate when she had turned it.

[fnkychkn]

pretty sure you can link the RKE transmitters to memory using EVIC. if not, it can be done with starscan.

[GoofyTimL]

Well, asked the wife this morning if she had turned the lights to automatic after turning off the ignition and she said that is what she did... at least after coming home. Might also have happened in the morning when she got to where she was going. So... by the time I was told that the lights were "on" in the garage... it had been a min. of 4 hours and a max. total of maybe 7 hours with only a 7 mile ride home inbetween.

This morning car started without problem and ran as expected.

Therefore, the not-starting probably was battery drainage caused by the left ON headlights with not enough juice left to turn the starter over. Still don't have an explanation for the loss of the #2 seat position, or the immediate off of the headlights when the settings were for 30 sec delay.

pretty sure you can link the RKE transmitters to memory using EVIC. if not, it can be done with starscan.

Well, if you can link via the EVIC, I haven't found the way to do so... and apparently, although requested during a Nov. dealer visit, they didn't get it done either. No a big deal, but I'm going to ask again one of these days.