mcypert

Dear All:

Relatively new here, and have learned a lot from searching. But, thought I’d share.

I got my S600 (2007) almost a year ago…. Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) didn’t work (Shows a flat tire on the dash)… Fixed in one day with a trip to Discount Tire… They have stuff to see if the TPMS is transmitting… One of my transmitters (the transmitters are mounted inside the rim and have batteries that last about 7 years) was dead… another was missing… 2 new ones installed cost about $170… Discount Tire can do this and the car recognizes the new sensors, so no reason to go to the dealer…

The other problem was a “Park Assist Inoperable” warning on the dash when placed in “R”. It usually (the warning) takes about 5 seconds to come on, and on occasion even worked if I shifted out of “R” quickly.

Next, one of my Active Body Control (ABC) hydraulic hoses blew… That totally immobilizes the car…. (search my posts if you have that problem to see how I fixed it… Or, at least I give you the bolt sizes.)…

So, I kind of put the Park Assist problem on hold and after several months finally got back to Park Assist…The car performed perfectly and Park Assist Inoperable wasn’t exactly at the top of my priority list….

So, after searching this forum, I guessed an ultrasonic sensor was bad…. WRONG…

Some more searching and figured out Park Assist and Parktronic are totally different systems, and mutually exclusive…

Park Assist is RADAR controlled. Parktronic is SONAR… If you have Distronic (Radar controlled cruse-control), you have Park Assist, I think. The sensors for Parktronic can be found for about $15 each and you have spots for them in the bumper…. The Radar sensors (smooth bumper, no holes)…Try….$500+USD…each…

So, with Parktronic, just buy some sensors and swap til it works… Right… Not so, the $500 radar units….

Next step… Dealer… A 3 hour round-trip drive for me… OR, STAR DIAGNOSTIC…

Went for the Chinese STAR…. This is not for the faint-hearted….

Long-story short… I ordered from Hong Kong, got it, I couldn’t get it to work with a desktop or an HP laptop, ordered a Dell D630 laptop, ordered new harddrive with software from China, spent maybe 40 hours communicating with Hong Kong, usually after 1:00 am CT, and after a month, I finally had Xentry and DAS…. So, I have STAR, with Developer Mode, (which scares the crap out of me, as even the dealers don’t have Developer Mode… You can either knock 1 sec off your 0-60 time or make your car never run again!!!!)…

I’m sure MB techs go to school for a long time to learn this *****… but I gave Xentry a shot… not the Developer Mode, but just the Diagnostic…. (You can still mess up big-time with just the Diagnostic… there’s simulator’s for both Xentry and DAS…I suspect so “green” tech’s can’t destroy a $180,000 MB)…

So, after clearing multiple faults and events present in the system, here's the Park Assist fault I found:

"A44/3 PTS warning indicator (rear dome lamp)"

What the Hell… What does that mean??? How can a dome light affect Park Assist???

So, I went to Star Finder, which shows you a pic of the location by the code A44/3… (Star Finder is included in the software… Except the W221 isn’t included in the 2008 Star Finder….Luckily, A44/3 is shown for the W211 which IS in the 2008 Starfinder…And, is in the same place as the W221… DOES ANYONE HAVE A COPY OF STAR FINDER THAT COVERS THE W221? Or, know where to get it?)

Anyway, A44/3 is in the rear headliner…. STAR has some tests you are supposed to carry out. I did the first test, but the second test was a lot harder, so I just looked for a new part…

FYI, The offending part was an LED display and beeper in the back seat headliner (Part # A 171 542 01 23). It never worked since I bought the car, so I didn't even know it was there... $200+ from the dealer.... $24.50 on Ebay... bought a used part and Park Assist now works... Just glad it wasn't one of the 6 radar sensors which are $500+ each....

Leave it to MB to shut down the whole system when a warning light fails... You still have the dash display for Park Assist, even if the backseat display goes out…. Overly safety conscious I think. At least it doesn't shut down the Distronic....

So, I guess I'm now even... About $400 for the STAR and part to fix Park Assist... At $200+ for the part and probably another $200 for diagnosis and labor, I'm sure the dealer bill would have been $400+...

One final question… The S600 still beeps about 10 times on start-up. Is there a way to shut that off? Also the stupid warning on the NAV display….Like anyone needs to be told to watch the road and not the TV!!! Well, I suppose some folks do…

Regards to all… Mark on South Padre Island. TX

JDowney

Hi,


I believe that you have to get into the "Engineering Menu". It is really not that hard, and the menus are then self explanatory. I forget the combination of Steering Wheel and key pad buttons you press at the same time, but if you check this forum the key sequence will be there...


Jeff

DaveW68

I know that if you don't want all of that beeping when you start your car, put your seat belt on prior to starting.

Nuru

I think MB shut off the button shortcut to the Engineering Menu in the newer S cars. That sequence lets you into a sub menu that gives you some additional information about your cars status but does not let you configure things like the Engineering Menu access I was able to access in my former C300.

mcypert

Thanks All:

I was wondering if I could change it (the startup warning beeps) with STAR? Anybody have an idea what DAS menu to look at?

Regards...Mark

PS... Still looking for Star Finder for W221

kn51

Does it have the annoying door chime for 5 minutes as well with door open?

Don't let DAS scare you.

As for being trained, you'd be surprised. There are simple things that trip up techs. Such as setting the lumbar setting flag in DAS for seats so the lumbar function works.

Simple stuff but it takes time to dig through all the options. Helps if you have the build option sheet so you know exactly which options you have. DAS will sort of warn you (If you have option 432 pick Dynamic, if 419 pick Adaptive) etc.

Can also do offline programming type stuff, do adaptive programming (basically means doing a firmware type flash to modules), etc.

Disclaimer, can still bork stuff easily.

As for the Star Finder stuff...not sure. Module you listed from DAS is basically nomenclature in WIS. B52, N51B, N51A, etc. So probably a 100% chance you have WIS, find the right area (tricky part) and it will have a picture with that same exact naming convention in a picture of components.

mcypert

Thanks...

Yes, I need to dig through it as you say...I just run the Star OBDII cord through the window to avoid the door open warning...

I think the S600 has all options, except it has Park Assist instead of Parktronic....and funny you should mention it... I think I'm getting some seat fault codes, but everything seems to work fine...

Finally, I think Xentry took me to WIS one or more times, but it wasn't much help.... As stated, I need to do a little experimenting to figure out what's available...

One comment: Through the years, I've fixed my Porsche, Jag and Ferrari, mainly with the help of various forums.... Myself and another MB enthusiast are surprised by the lack of info sharing on the MB sites... you mainly get discussions of what the dealer did... which is helpful, but other sites are filled with pic's and detailed instructions???

Are MB owners less inclined to fix their cars???

I'll post anything I think is helpful... but hopefully the 600 won't have too many problems... so, don't be surprised if I don't post too often...

I DO particularly like that the forum sends you an email when someone replies to a post... so, I'll be paying attention, even if not checking the forum regularly...

Thanks again....Mark

mercedesbenzs55

When I used to be on the Acura website, they have a fix with instructions fro Everything for my car. I wish people filled the "DIY Wiki page" on mbworld.org so people can DIY.

xpl0sive

you'll find that most MB owners simply take their car to the dealer to get fixed. especially newer S class/E class crowd. Guys with older W211's and W210's, etc do their own work. So, the reason why there's not much info for repairs on the W221 is because no one really does it themselves.

DaveW68

There are actually lots of DIY's on this board. You just have to do a thorough search. They are not all organized in one spot like on other forums, so the search may be a bit cumbersome.

mcypert

All True... And, Dave, you and your posts certainly helped me out with my ABC hose replacement....Thanks again...

One more observation... These certainly are quirky beasts... Today on a 100 mile round-trip, the lumbar and most other driver's seat settings didn't work and after a restart went back to normal. Then after another start, the Park Assist went inoperable while at speed (maybe another radar interfered???) Then another restart and everything was fine...Must drive the Tech's nuts...

Regards... Mark

kn51

Quirky is kind.

I love the weekly Distronic not operating warning while driving. The dang noise it makes scares the crap out of me.

DaveW68

Pretty much daily for me. And always at stoplights.

mcypert

After about a year, never a problem with Distronic....has always worked perfect...

But, had another "Park Assist Inoperable" today.... Personal opinion, but I find Park Assist pretty useless, but don't like it not working (or, at least it telling me so)...

I'll see what STAR tells me.... when I get around to it...

Regards... Mark

kn51

I would be curious if you can communicate to that module in DAS. I can't remember if it is sort of wrapped into something else or is somewhat untouchable.

If you can, you can always attempt to see if you can do an offline update with new flash code.

mcypert

Yes.... It's part of the Distronic system. I haven't checked it yet, so don't know if another component failed or if anything is wrong. As stated at the beginning of the thread, just replaced the LED/beeper in the headliner which had failed. I got a used one... Anybody had multiple failures of Part # A 171 542 01 23, the LED display in the rear headliner?

Finally, I'm unfamiliar with updating flash codes....Any input would be appreciated.

Regards... Mark

kn51

For an offline flash of Distronic I think that DAS will complain there is no Vedoc in its database.

Basically boils down to you need a #FDOK directory in the PKFlash drive holding that information.

I think that was a fairly short update. Most modules are done within a few minutes.

Longest one was the instrument cluster. That took around an hour.

mcypert

Wow...

I have no idea what #FDOK directory, PKFlash drive or Vedoc is....

Please treat me like the novice that I am... How would you tell your girlfriend?

I managed to get STAR up and running... So, I'm not the dullest knife in the drawer....But I've only used the diagnostics of generic OBDII before....

This is warp drive vs liquid propellants for me....

Thanks & Regards.... Mark

mcypert

To follow up...

I still haven't run a diagnostic on the Park Assist, but I'm fairly convinced the A44/3 (LED/beeper in the rear headliner) failed again. Curious, in that it worked maybe 20 times without incident... IIRC, both lights went red in the rear headliner when I got the first warning that it was not working.... It seemed to work once on restart, but is not working now....

I installed a used part, but find it odd it would work fine and then suddenly failed...Also, per Xentry, I checked the voltage before installing and it was within spec, about 13V...

Maybe I should update the flash code, but don't have a clue on how to do...

Thoughts???

Regards....Mark

mcypert

Another follow up....

I'm getting a "Park Assist Inoperable" warning shortly after putting the car in R. See above...

I'm guessing this isn't a known problem (That is, what other's have experienced).... but thought I'd continue....

The A44/3, LED/Beeper in the rear headliner for the Park Assist/ Parktronic has failed again, according to STAR...

Close examination of the old part and the new/used part shows very trivial, but observable, corrosion on the circuit board... very hard to see, but discernible...IMHO, not enough to cause a failure...

I would think something is frying this circuit board... But How?

Best I can tell, it's powered by battery voltage. Voltage measures about 13V, so it's not too high....

Could it be my rear Park Assist LED just fried and the new/used one did too? Or, is something else frying them????

I think the ebay vendor is going to send me another replacement, based on the quick failure of the one they sent me...(I wouldn't ask for a replacement if I thought the car was damaging the part...)

Any thoughts???

Correction... I said the Park Assist menu was in Distronic in DAS... It's in Radar Sensors, ....IIRC....Anyway, it's right below the Distronic menu in DAS...Sorry, if you don't have STAR Diagnostic or don't know what I'm talking about.... I get a lot of this by speaking just enough of a foreign language to make people think I understand, when I don't....

Regards....Mark

Polar Bear

I would not recommend that you disable the seat belt reminder, as it can potentially save your life; not to mention it is the law in the US. But to answer your questions, for educational purposes, the option is under Control Units, Information and Communication, IC - Instrument Cluster, Special Functions.

It is difficult if you do not know your way around the control modules, software, and terminology to turn this back on once it has been disabled.

Polar Bear

This is caused by vehicles in front of you that have Parktronic. Look at the vehicles directly in front, or to the sides of the front, and it will almost always be a vehicle with the Parktronic sonar sensors in the rear bumper. Generally I get it when I am behind a Lincoln or Ford vehicle, although many other brands do it as well.

marthyh

Quick thought: is this msg occurring only on one certain location, like in you garage or does it appear 'in the field' as well ?
As PB stated : your issue may caused by an interfering signal from elsewhere ?

mcypert

Thanks Polar Bear:

I don't think this is a seat belt warning.... That's another sound. This is a series of loud beeps every time the car is started. There's no display associated with it and no stored message.... Perhaps it's just the car showing that the warning beeper is working.

When I get around to it, I'll look at the Special Functions.... Thanks...Mark

mcypert

Thanks... Just to clarify, mine is not an interference problem. My 2007 has the radar Park Assist. With STAR, you can activate the sensors and actually see the cm distance to objects. The sensors are fine...

My problem is the rear headliner display/beeper (pic below). I replaced it with a used one and, after working fine for a few times, the new/used one failed too.... I have another on the way...

Anybody else replace this?

Regards.... Mark