Mercedes A-Class Forum banner

4matic Inoperative message

32K views 46 replies 16 participants last post by  zeagan  
#1 ·
Earlier I had a message when driving. I think it said 4matic unavailable
I removed it from the screen as was not concentrating as my son was whinging in back
Anyone no what it means
 
#2 ·
Earlier I had a message when driving. I think it said 4matic unavailable
I removed it from the screen as was not concentrating as my son was whinging in back
Anyone no what it means
Typically after reading this on the forum last night I’ve just been out in my a35 and the message: 4matic inoperative has come up on the screen in my car too.....
 
#4 ·
No, just had rac out and they can’t connect with the 4matic ecu. Having a look online it could be a software update. My cars only a month old from new. So not best impressed. But mine is the same as yours: a message on the dash when you first start the car, but no warning lights etc otherwise on the dash....
 
#5 ·
I just had my car Remapped a week ago, so thought it was that but if yours is basically new it can’t be, I seen on other sites saying it’s a software issue,some say tyres, changed then last week too to Michelin,let me no the outcome to it, and I’ll do same
 
#7 ·
Totally different (but similar in a way): I had a couple of starts that brought up the Engine Warning light on the dash. Pressed the Merc 'me' button - they told me clearly; don't worry unless is stays on long term. Over the next couple of days it cleared, never came back up and not thought about it since. I do wonder if sensors get a bit sensitive with changing temp? Not sure if it could be the same thing with the 4matic. Sorry I can't help, but Merc seemed less than bothered about the engine warning light..!
 
#10 ·
My A35 has fuel pressure faults, dealer has replaced the sensor, twice, last time I got the car back the engine management light was on within a mile of the dealership so I turned around and gave them the car straight back, that was 11 days ago and I haven’t heard anything back from them yet, so it’s looking like the car has a major problem somewhere, the car was new in October 2019 and hasn’t done 10k miles yet and I think the dealer has had it for at least 3 months in my ownership, so far it’s the worst car I’ve ever had.
 
#8 ·
CEL's have various criteria for clearing.

eg:

If it's emissions related, and the fault hasn't cleared, the light will stay on permanently until the fault is fixed, and has to be manually cleared.

If it's non emissions related, and the fault is a one-off, the CEL will clear after n ignition cycles, but the fault will have been logged in the ECU.
 
#12 ·
Just update on the 4matic problem
Gone to get new exhaust n garage rung me up saying it’s the diff at back the pumps had it
Absolutely stinks of oil bloke was saying
So be careful if it does come up saying it
I was lucky they found it
Thanks for the info. My 4 matic light only ever came on the once and has never been on again after that day. Was advised by Mercedes dealer to cancel the booking as the fault was sporadic....
 
#14 ·
So my car last Wednesday went to VRS Northampton for a new exhaust, and on the dash it kept saying 4matic inoperable, so I had a Phone call from garage doing exhausts n they said the diff pump had gone n car was stinking of oil etc
So changed that
Then they said it’s not uploading the new software to car, so I need a new control panel for the diff pump
So changed that
Another week has past
Rung today n they saying I need a whole new diff at a cost of ÂŁ2000
Are they messing me over do u think or does this sound legit
 
#17 ·
So my car last Wednesday went to VRS Northampton for a new exhaust, and on the dash it kept saying 4matic inoperable, so I had a Phone call from garage doing exhausts n they said the diff pump had gone n car was stinking of oil etc
So changed that
Then they said it’s not uploading the new software to car, so I need a new control panel for the diff pump
So changed that
Another week has past
Rung today n they saying I need a whole new diff at a cost of ÂŁ2000
Are they messing me over do u think or does this sound legit
You went for a change of exhaust and they have wrecked your car. Jeese. Have you got legal cover on your home insurance. If so sue them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Macgd016
#20 ·
You went for a change of exhaust and they have wrecked your car. Jeese. Have you
In post #1 you say you went for a new exhaust, why in a 2019 car, was it damaged? if so how?
In post #3 you say it has been lowered, could this have damaged the drive system?
Going back to the exhaust, did you damage it going over speed bumps, the car having been lowered?

On the little evidence I see you Might have a case to take it back to whoever lowered it but cowboys don't tend to give warrantees.
This is the place that lowered it, got a great reputation, and I changed exhaust because I think the one from Mercedes stock is pretty poor, no grunt to it
 
#18 ·
I'm not sure if they are messing you about but they don't seem to be very capable, the problem these days is that many technicians are in name only and have very limited diagnostic skills, or indeed common sense.

I don't have enough knowledge of 4matic systems to say but changing a pump then a control panel and now suggesting a diff replacement almost looks like shooting in the dark rather than diagnostics but I could be wrong.

As to a way forward it might depend on how much you have spent already but I would suggest you have 3 options.

If you trust the garage (and I wouldn't) carry on with their recommendations. If not either:

Cut your losses and find a very good independent Mercedes garage, speak to them first and see what they recommend, many will try and diagnose for you and most will look to find the most economical solution for you.

Or hire a forensic engineer (or at least threaten the garage that you are going to) to write a report on how the diagnostics have been done and recommend a way forward, this is not that expensive. These guys will be on your side and garages listen to them. If the report shows that their diagnostic steps are wrong you will have the option to take them to the small claims court and would be quite likely to win which is why garages often listen to the engineer and reach a settlement before it reaches that point.

Best of luck
 
#19 ·
In post #1 you say you went for a new exhaust, why in a 2019 car, was it damaged? if so how?
In post #3 you say it has been lowered, could this have damaged the drive system?
Going back to the exhaust, did you damage it going over speed bumps, the car having been lowered?

On the little evidence I see you Might have a case to take it back to whoever lowered it but cowboys don't tend to give warrantees.
 
#21 ·
VRS have a decent rep - certainly not a place that will wreck a car then bill the customer for it. It is probably a genuine issue which could normally be solved through a warranty claim, but due to being lowered they will probably tell you to do one. You could stick the original suspension and exhaust on, then ask Mercedes to look at it.
 
#22 ·
Yes I have since also found out that VRS have a good reputation. It was probably some of the mods other than the exhaust which are the problem.
 
#24 ·
It's hard to know. I would be inclined to do what @antnee suggests. Restore everything and take to MB. The diff alone must be painfully expensive to sort out from a labour cost point of even more than any parts.
 
#27 ·
Good folks, if anyone else is getting this warning message on their dash, weirdly I think it may have something to do with worn out tyres and the slip that is being detected by the cars sensors. My fronts are currently around 4mm and my rears have just gone under 3mm and due to the amount of power the A35 puts down, I've noticed due to the tyre wear present, when the wheels struggle for grip, with my application of gas, I get this illumination. I've had my vehicle at the dealers before and also some technical guidance from Mercedes Me, who advised me that if there was any fault on the car, it would not just go away after pinging on the instruement cluster display. This is fairly evident, as a year ago I kept on getting a "front right window bag fault" and this remained on my display until it was fixed at the dealers.

To be quite fair, with the staggering amount of tech these cars have, I would expect a whole lot more faults than I've come to find in my 20 months of ownership thus far.
 
#31 ·
So in a tight turn while accelarating strongly, I got the error message: 4MATIC INOPERATIVE.

At the next stoplight, from a standstill, I accelerated and the front wheel briefly spinned, as if 4MATIC was inoperative and I felt I also lost traction control.

Also, the traction control on/off button did not work.

I powered off the car and upon re-start, the 4MATIC error message was gone and the traction control on/off button was working.

Anyone had this issue on an AMG A35 and should I consider it an isolated case ?
 
#33 ·
Will take the car in the MB dealer for service.

But before, I just wanted to verify if the 4matic error would come back.

So I did what i rarely do, I used race start and as soon as the car was launched, it lost the rear wheel traction and the 4maqtic error message appeared.

I then went into the performance menu which confirmed only front wheels were operating.

The traction control on/off button also no longer worked.

Powered off the car and upon start-up, everything went back to normal....