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that looks like a difficult spot to get to. do i need to remove the seat?
i have been reading that code C1401 (on some other models anyway) indicates that the actual abs pump is bad. they are reporting it can be fixed by ordering and soldering some new brushes inside the pump. LINK
do i need to get to the relay or can i just test voltage/resistance at the abs pump connector? I might take a few more days and see if I can somehow diagnose it further with the computer, but these guys seem to think c1401 means a bad abs pump LINK
From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
Originally Posted by mickey13
that looks like a difficult spot to get to. do i need to remove the seat?
i have been reading that code C1401 (on some other models anyway) indicates that the actual abs pump is bad. they are reporting it can be fixed by ordering and soldering some new brushes inside the pump. LINK
do i need to get to the relay or can i just test voltage/resistance at the abs pump connector? I might take a few more days and see if I can somehow diagnose it further with the computer, but these guys seem to think c1401 means a bad abs pump LINK
You can get to that spot without removing the passenger seat. You do need to remove the side trim on both sides of the tunnel, before getting to remove the carpet at the bottom. The carpet has a plastic foam frame which is formed to the contours of the chassis panel. Be careful and watch out for clips and screws when removing the trimmings. Start by removing the panel (has plenty of holes) just under the dash. This one is held on by three star headed screws. Remove the door sill kick plat (held on by plugs). Remove the door frame surround trimming up about a foot or so. Remove the side plastic trimming (it has a star screw in the middle behind a plastic cap). Remove the floor vent on the tunnel side (one star screw which turns a 1/4 turn). Now you can remove the lower floor carpet and then, bingo you can see the metal plate at the back of the foot well. Remove the three nuts and gently pull out. Behind you'll find everything seen on the photo I posted above
Just checked my code list and the C1401 reads: C1401 High Pressure Return Pump Circuit Open/Shorted; Will Not Shut Off
Last edited by DRBC43AMG; Dec 6, 2016 at 12:32 PM.
I finally get around to this. 60 degrees outside. hopefully this wont take more than 2 or 3 hours. i am going to pull out the old pump, splice in the pump from the wrong abs unit i bought (pumps the same but casting a bit different) this will allow me to keep the original module (hopefully it is not the module that failed).
i have also bought all the parts to build my own brake bleeder (parts ran me about $25-$30, would have been less if i could have found a cheap brake cap somewhere but i had to buy at the dealership)
finally i went with the motul 600 thanks to eFifty5AMG for recommending. hard to find and paid a bit of a premium to buy it local but so is life.
i'll swap the pump first, drive a bit to see if that cures the abs/esp light error code (as long as it isnt dangerous) if all goes well i will flush the brakes as it has been over two years now. if the error isnt cleared then i need a new module
list of toys:
1 gallon multi purpose pump from home depot
various sizes and lengths of tubing
1 MB brake fluid cap
2 o rings
2 washers
2 fittings to connect cap to pump
1 turkey flavor injector from the 99 cent store
1 chrome tubeless tire valve stem
2 .5L motul 600 brake fluid
wrong abs pump i bought
see it doesnt say "ESP" on it.
Last edited by mickey13; Mar 29, 2017 at 04:31 PM.
so i didnt finish because i couldnt find my torx set or a few of my open end wrenches. i made due with an adjustable wrench and picked up a new torx set.
opened the entire pump and sprayed it clean with brake cleaner. i reassembled using the original module and the substitute pump. while the modules looked identical the serial numbers did not match and there didnt seem to be a bosch part number on them although there was something stamped on the plastic that did match, but it really didnt look like a part number. Anyway, my reasoning for jumping directly to the pump and not the relay or module is because i can hear clicking when my car starts. i am guessing that is the module clicking, meaning the relay must be working and the pump is the issue. these are just assumptions.
i can also tell you that probably half the brake fluid came out when i removed the pump so there is no way of getting around a big brake bleed on this job. my brakes havent been bled in at least 3 years so im not upset about it at all. just sort of upset that i didnt get it all done today.
some more pictures.
this is the one off the c43
i actually sodered the wires together and bound with friction tape and then covered with vinyl tape.
all cleaned up and ready to go
Last edited by mickey13; Mar 29, 2017 at 10:27 PM.
From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
That sounds right at just over 2bar pressure. Not too much more though as I have heard of fluid reservoir flying off due to excess pressure and spraying brake fluid everywhere. Nice for the paint work
Just checked my code list and the C1401 reads: C1401 High Pressure Return Pump Circuit Open/Shorted; Will Not Shut Off
think you guys were right. open heart surgery was a failure. i had to bleed the brakes anyway. hopefully the problem is the relay
Originally Posted by PJMac
I got a spare abs pump and possibly a relay too. Let me know if you want I can ship for a good deal.
check your email
so thoughts on the homemade bleeder...
the cap is the weak point. i had leaks and couldnt pressurize... thats what took me the longest.. after 3 failed attempts of adding rubber washer to cap, moving o-rings, adding o-rings... i finally grabbed some teflon tape and wrapped everything up. the cap leak stopped, well sort of. it was still leaking just a bit but i was able to get the job done. needless to say after 3 failed attempts and pumping that gallon jug to 30 PSI... i was tired and upset and angry, so i grabbed my small compressor and set it to about 35 PSI and using the tire valve stem i installed on the homemade bleeder worked like a thing of beauty!!! christ is was sooo good. i would just pressurize the system, head to the bleed valve and turn it. go back to the bleeder and repressurize it with the tank. i was done in no time at all. what took me the longest was removing the tires and putting them back on.
This was the culprit that gave me the most trouble. I ended up wrapping it in lots and lots of teflon tape. also used a rubber gasket on the bottom of the cap. also wrapped the threads of the brake reservoir with teflon, and added a o-ring to the bottom side as well.
here is the tire valve that i used with the compressor to keep it pressurized. worked sooo good!! so at first i was hand pumping and then using a tire gauge to test psi. then i just set my compressor to 35 psi, hit it until i could hear it was full. tested it with the tire gauge and it was 35psi perfect, no more pumping.
Last edited by mickey13; Mar 30, 2017 at 04:30 PM.
From: Land of mountains, cheese, chocolate and watches
12' W204 C63 AMG coupe "T-Rex", 12' W451 Smart Fortwo Pulse (99' W202 C43 AMG + Ultima Can-Am sold)
Originally Posted by mickey13
think you guys were right. open heart surgery was a failure. i had to bleed the brakes anyway. hopefully the problem is the relaycheck your email
so thoughts on the homemade bleeder...
the cap is the weak point. i had leaks and couldnt pressurize... thats what took me the longest.. after 3 failed attempts of adding rubber washer to cap, moving o-rings, adding o-rings... i finally grabbed some teflon tape and wrapped everything up. the cap leak stopped, well sort of. it was still leaking just a bit but i was able to get the job done. needless to say after 3 failed attempts and pumping that gallon jug to 30 PSI... i was tired and upset and angry, so i grabbed my small compressor and set it to about 35 PSI and using the tire valve stem i installed on the homemade bleeder worked like a thing of beauty!!! christ is was sooo good. i would just pressurize the system, head to the bleed valve and turn it. go back to the bleeder and repressurize it with the tank. i was done in no time at all. what took me the longest was removing the tires and putting them back on.
This was the culprit that gave me the most trouble. I ended up wrapping it in lots and lots of teflon tape. also used a rubber gasket on the bottom of the cap. also wrapped the threads of the brake reservoir with teflon, and added a o-ring to the bottom side as well.
here is the tire valve that i used with the compressor to keep it pressurized. worked sooo good!! so at first i was hand pumping and then using a tire gauge to test psi. then i just set my compressor to 35 psi, hit it until i could hear it was full. tested it with the tire gauge and it was 35psi perfect, no more pumping.
No, hands have been tied. Going to check the prices and message PJ today. I did manage to get my clear corners and new headlight bulbs in yesterday though.
it wasnt the relay. looks like someone was in here before... relay was attached to metal board with a piece of black electrical tape. the screw to attach the relay was just laying there on the floorboard. everything reassembled correctly, but abs/esp light still on.
lots of wires in this area, closely inspected everything looking for my short (separate problem from the abs/esp -- suspect short is in the trunk area)
last guy did not reinstall the relay correctly, found these parts just on the floor-pan
i guess he thought using electrical tape was better LOL
It is very easy to just test and diagnose this system properly. A resistance check and voltage check and you could have the whole thing diagnosed effectively and properly.
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