ESP/BAS/ABS error (I'VE STFF)!!!!!!!!!
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Almost a Member!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 27
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From: Fresno, CA
2002 C320, 2006 E350
ESP/BAS/ABS error (I'VE STFF)!!!!!!!!!
I've been searching the forum like a mad man. I have a '02 C320 and for some reason or another i have the ESP/BAS/ABS error. I also have the tail light out error and the subst. light error. The tail light error has something to do with my aftermarket xenon head lights. Any ideas why that is happening? I had my friend that works @ the stealership do the xenon=present. But it still gives me the Tail light error when the lights come on @ night. As far as the ESP/BAS/ABS error i've seen similar symptoms that have happened to people but none that fit exactly.
Here's what my car does. . . .
You start the car and you don't see any errors. You drive and when you get to about 20-30MPH you hear like a grinding noise or winding noise and the car can't go any faster than that for about a second or two. Afterwards the ABS/ESP/BAS error show up. . .
I've been looking on this darn forum for sooooo long.
Please someone help me.
Keep in mind I've STFF. So please don't bombard me with irrelevant comments.
Thanks in advance
Here's what my car does. . . .
You start the car and you don't see any errors. You drive and when you get to about 20-30MPH you hear like a grinding noise or winding noise and the car can't go any faster than that for about a second or two. Afterwards the ABS/ESP/BAS error show up. . .
I've been looking on this darn forum for sooooo long. Please someone help me.
Keep in mind I've STFF. So please don't bombard me with irrelevant comments.
Thanks in advance
Almost a Member!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 49
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From: Chicago IL
02 C240 Black
While I haven’t experienced this problem on a MB on other cars I have. If you have a faulty wheel bearing i.e. loose/coming apart/grinding often times it also interferes with the tone wheel on the hub that the abs wheel speed sensors reference. So you will get a grinding noise and as soon as you drive a little bit the abs light will come on indicating there is a problem, plus it might start running the traction control because it thinks a wheel is slipping. So either get the abs codes pulled so you can see if you have an abs wheel speed sensor fault or take the wheels off and see if you have a cut abs sensor wire, loose or damaged sensor, or loose wheel bearing. If this is the problem you might be able to put the car in dyno mode and get up to speed because I believe it will disable esp and abs. So try that. There is also a possibility that your grinding noise is the abs/traction control working because you just have a faulty abs sensor. (wheel bearings ok)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,263
Likes: 169
From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
If you search on esp/bas/abs (not necessarily in that order) under my username you'll find a thread I started about a year ago.
I bought an aftermarket Xenon headlight kit.
Upon installation, I was able to turn on the lights as long as I did it with the ignition off. If I did with the ignition on I 1st got some minor erroneous errors.
Then the next day, boom, CEL, ESP/BAS/ABS AND SRS.
The dash lit up like a christmas tree.
The car went into limp mode and I was having a heart attack.
I pulled all the fuses one by one, looking for blown ones, and in the process
somehow I miraculously cleared all the errors except the SRS.
I went to my local guy, and I'm fortunate to have a good Mercedes guy down the street who has the SDS. I asked if he could just clear the errors, as he wanted to charge me a couple hundred.
His shop rate isn't too bad at 100 an hour, so he was cool and let me buy 1/2 hour of his time.
He cleared a buttload of errors like you wouldn't believe.
In the end I was lucky, no damage occurred.
The seller of the lights sent me a relay harness but those lights are still sitting on a shelf in my closet.
I never had any grinding noises though...just electrical gremlins of my own creation apparently.
BTW, I did a bad thing according to the people on the forum, I mounted the ballast on the ESP control unit, while no electrical connection would exist, it might have been inductance that caused problems.
I'll never know definitively, just glad I didn't end up with thousands in damage.
You need to get to a mechanic with SDS and get to the bottom of your mess. Thats the only thing you can do.
I recently aquired some used factory Bix so now me a happy guy.
I bought an aftermarket Xenon headlight kit.
Upon installation, I was able to turn on the lights as long as I did it with the ignition off. If I did with the ignition on I 1st got some minor erroneous errors.
Then the next day, boom, CEL, ESP/BAS/ABS AND SRS.
The dash lit up like a christmas tree.
The car went into limp mode and I was having a heart attack.
I pulled all the fuses one by one, looking for blown ones, and in the process
somehow I miraculously cleared all the errors except the SRS.
I went to my local guy, and I'm fortunate to have a good Mercedes guy down the street who has the SDS. I asked if he could just clear the errors, as he wanted to charge me a couple hundred.
His shop rate isn't too bad at 100 an hour, so he was cool and let me buy 1/2 hour of his time.
He cleared a buttload of errors like you wouldn't believe.
In the end I was lucky, no damage occurred.
The seller of the lights sent me a relay harness but those lights are still sitting on a shelf in my closet.
I never had any grinding noises though...just electrical gremlins of my own creation apparently.
BTW, I did a bad thing according to the people on the forum, I mounted the ballast on the ESP control unit, while no electrical connection would exist, it might have been inductance that caused problems.
I'll never know definitively, just glad I didn't end up with thousands in damage.
You need to get to a mechanic with SDS and get to the bottom of your mess. Thats the only thing you can do.
I recently aquired some used factory Bix so now me a happy guy.
I've been searching the forum like a mad man. I have a '02 C320 and for some reason or another i have the ESP/BAS/ABS error. I also have the tail light out error and the subst. light error. The tail light error has something to do with my aftermarket xenon head lights. Any ideas why that is happening? I had my friend that works @ the stealership do the xenon=present. But it still gives me the Tail light error when the lights come on @ night. As far as the ESP/BAS/ABS error i've seen similar symptoms that have happened to people but none that fit exactly.
Here's what my car does. . . .
You start the car and you don't see any errors. You drive and when you get to about 20-30MPH you hear like a grinding noise or winding noise and the car can't go any faster than that for about a second or two. Afterwards the ABS/ESP/BAS error show up. . . I've been looking on this darn forum for sooooo long.
Please someone help me.
Keep in mind I've STFF. So please don't bombard me with irrelevant comments.
Thanks in advance
Here's what my car does. . . .
You start the car and you don't see any errors. You drive and when you get to about 20-30MPH you hear like a grinding noise or winding noise and the car can't go any faster than that for about a second or two. Afterwards the ABS/ESP/BAS error show up. . .
I've been looking on this darn forum for sooooo long. Please someone help me.
Keep in mind I've STFF. So please don't bombard me with irrelevant comments.
Thanks in advance
Last edited by C230 Sport Coup; Jun 17, 2008 at 02:52 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 7,263
Likes: 169
From: So. Oregon Coast
C230 Sport Coup + 2006 W164 ML350 + 99 Ford Escort RIP
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 876
Likes: 81
From: Phoenix AZ & Cayucos CA
’27 AMG SL55(ordered), ‘23 EQS 580 SUV, ‘19 AMG E53 Cpe, ‘48 Willys Jeepster
+1 on getting the codes read. I just wish MB had something like the VW/Audi VAGCOM where you can do it in the privacy of your own home.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,221
Likes: 11
From: Sydney, Australia
W203 slightly modified
Start by putting everything back to stock standard. The problem seems to be that no person can tell if the mods are causing the problem or if you have some serious fault.
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Thread Starter
Almost a Member!
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: Fresno, CA
2002 C320, 2006 E350
Thanks for all the help
Magically i was driving the other day and the error disappeared. However for some reason i get a tail light out error. My rear lights and brake lights are working it's just that error pops up. It only pops up when my lights are on. I have a friend who works at the dealership so he performs all my repairs and he tried replacing the tail light assembly thing. This did not fix it. I'm still having the same problem.
Just wanted to let you all know that i have aftermarket headlamps. On the ballast i have a capacitor on it. Please let me know if this is the reason that i'm having this problem.
All your help is appreciated.
Just wanted to let you all know that i have aftermarket headlamps. On the ballast i have a capacitor on it. Please let me know if this is the reason that i'm having this problem.
All your help is appreciated.
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
02 C-Coupe
Took my 02 Ccoupe into the local Midas to get an estimate for a new catalytic converter. They sold me a bunch of repairs including catalytic converter, brakes and alignment. I get in to drive off and get the grinding noise when braking under 20. Once I hit 20 or so, the ABS/BAS/ESP lights and messages come on and the grinding stops. I also have a tail light out, the navigation shows off road and the cruise control does not work.
The shop sent me to the dealer to buy a right tail light circuit panel. I have to wait 2 days for the part to see if it fixes it.
I am just sick over this. I have spent $5300 in less than two months on repairs. I was just wanting to get all the maintenance done on it so I could give it to my niece. Now I do not feel I can trust it enough for a young girl to drive.
The shop sent me to the dealer to buy a right tail light circuit panel. I have to wait 2 days for the part to see if it fixes it.
I am just sick over this. I have spent $5300 in less than two months on repairs. I was just wanting to get all the maintenance done on it so I could give it to my niece. Now I do not feel I can trust it enough for a young girl to drive.
MBworld Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 22,058
Likes: 18
From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
Took my 02 Ccoupe into the local Midas to get an estimate for a new catalytic converter. They sold me a bunch of repairs including catalytic converter, brakes and alignment. I get in to drive off and get the grinding noise when braking under 20. Once I hit 20 or so, the ABS/BAS/ESP lights and messages come on and the grinding stops. I also have a tail light out, the navigation shows off road and the cruise control does not work.
The shop sent me to the dealer to buy a right tail light circuit panel. I have to wait 2 days for the part to see if it fixes it.
I am just sick over this. I have spent $5300 in less than two months on repairs. I was just wanting to get all the maintenance done on it so I could give it to my niece. Now I do not feel I can trust it enough for a young girl to drive.
The shop sent me to the dealer to buy a right tail light circuit panel. I have to wait 2 days for the part to see if it fixes it.
I am just sick over this. I have spent $5300 in less than two months on repairs. I was just wanting to get all the maintenance done on it so I could give it to my niece. Now I do not feel I can trust it enough for a young girl to drive.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,537
Likes: 8
2006 C350 Sport 6MT
Took my 02 Ccoupe into the local Midas to get an estimate for a new catalytic converter. They sold me a bunch of repairs including catalytic converter, brakes and alignment. I get in to drive off and get the grinding noise when braking under 20. Once I hit 20 or so, the ABS/BAS/ESP lights and messages come on and the grinding stops. I also have a tail light out, the navigation shows off road and the cruise control does not work.
The shop sent me to the dealer to buy a right tail light circuit panel. I have to wait 2 days for the part to see if it fixes it.
I am just sick over this. I have spent $5300 in less than two months on repairs. I was just wanting to get all the maintenance done on it so I could give it to my niece. Now I do not feel I can trust it enough for a young girl to drive.
The shop sent me to the dealer to buy a right tail light circuit panel. I have to wait 2 days for the part to see if it fixes it.
I am just sick over this. I have spent $5300 in less than two months on repairs. I was just wanting to get all the maintenance done on it so I could give it to my niece. Now I do not feel I can trust it enough for a young girl to drive.
+1 on what Frank said. F*** Midas
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
02 C-Coupe
Took my lil coupe into MB dealer and they said it was both front wheel speed sensor rings, they were messed up during wheel/brake/hub service. It cost me $189. Then I was back at Midas were they first tried to say it wasn't them. I showed them the paperwork from MB and they agreed to fix it. While fixing that problem they saw the new rocker arm they had just installed failed and has to be replaced. So they ordered parts. Friday it was back at the dealer for a campaign on a wiring harness and I just got it back and am waiting by Midas for them to replace the rocker arm.
Problem is now I am very concerned with my cars reliability. I really, really love this little hatch back. I just don't have the free time and energy to afford all these repairs and problems.
I looked at the new SLKs while at the dealer. They are beautiful cars. But they don't catch my eye like mine does (even after all these years).
Problem is now I am very concerned with my cars reliability. I really, really love this little hatch back. I just don't have the free time and energy to afford all these repairs and problems.
I looked at the new SLKs while at the dealer. They are beautiful cars. But they don't catch my eye like mine does (even after all these years).
