CL600CK60V12

Hello again,

I browsed through this forum to find out more about the "ESP Malfunction" message and it seems that it is either part of the design or an issue which cannot be solved no matter what. It goes away after shutting off the engine and waiting about 10 seconds, then turning the engine back on.

Aside from a faulty ESP module, what are other potential root causes of this error (sensors?).

Thank you,

S.

tusabes

Have you recently changed the battery or had a dead battery ?

Have you reset the esp by turning the steering wheel lock to lock all the way in each direction?

awiner

Yes, it could be a while plethora of sensors going bad.....

Easiest way to diagnose is have the car scanned when the error is present or stored to find out where the root cause is.

CL600CK60V12

Hello tusabes,

I did that while I was waiting at the red light: turned the steering wheel all the way to the left, then to the right, then drove onto a parking lot, turned engine off, waited a bit, then turned it back on. Note that I recently had the ESP module replaced.

No more ESP error and "Check engine" cleared also.

Thank you for the suggestion - I wish everything was this easy with the CL ))

S.

tusabes

Glad to help

CL600CK60V12

Hello again,

I think that one of the speed sensors is throwing an error - I got an esp error again, then "check engine" but car runs fine. A day before, I also got check engine but it cleared itself after the ESP "reset."

Do you have the speed sensor part number at hand? Anything else that needs to be "rebooted" around the ESP?

Thank you

S.

graytalon2000

Guessing at what could be the problem can get expensive. I would do as Awiner suggested and get it scanned while it's acting up. Also, an ESP error will not set the check engine light. You may have more than one problem going on with your ride.

CL600CK60V12

I had the code read and it said "Buy a new car" ))

Jokes aside, this check engine is probably on me. Throttle body needs replaced (this is what was throwing off the ESP) and we also find out that coolant pump wasn't pumping properly - which explains why it was running hot but still not too hot because it has that big heat exchanger from Carlsson.

Funny how Mercedes has error codes for everything except for failures which can make you engulfed in flames. Don't just check your coolant - make sure you check your pump also.

I drive this car for the love of the V12. Mercedes car design around it is less impressive. I am kicking myself for not getting the Aston outright. It would have costed about the same (and probably given me James-Bond-style troubles)

CL600CK60V12

ESP Malfunction can set the check engine light, simply because it controls how the car drives and acts. I determined - after having the error code checked - that throttle body in this case was faulty and needs to be replaced. Check engine was always coming together with ESP Malfunction.

Mercedes as a car is a disappointment but I like the V12 and that's the only reason I put up with it.

I have two other cars (Shelby and Acura) and when I turn off ESP, it stays turned off (and does not disable the car in case of malfunction - car just drives without ESP then).

But Mercedes knows better, I suppose. It is better to make a driver stuck to prove a point - point being that you need a new 200K Mercedes whose value drops in half every year.

BlownV8

The V12 is awesome but the rest is .......... It's pretty bad when an English sports car is more reliable than a German one. I have no doubt the Aston will be cheaper to maintain.

CL600CK60V12

Cost of maintenance is also lost driving time. When a car is constantly in the shop, it is not driven. A car like this should never be stuck and disabled by its own electronics (let alone by the ESP whose primary purpose is to keep the car safe on the road).