Clark Kent

Oops, Dallas got hit with a dusting of snow and I took the Benz instead of the Acura. I found out today the PSS's have about zero grip on snow. A slight incline defeated me, but along the way I got a message on my panel to the gist of "BRAKE NOW . . . ABS and ESC are non operational. Please consult your users manual". There was not any kind of message number associated or displayed.

I tried C mode, S+ (1st, 2nd, 3rd gear starts), ESC 'On', 'Sport', 'Off'. I tried to creep a start, I tried letting the tires spin. All kinds of combinations but I broke traction on the incline every time. During one of those attempts I got the warning 'ding' and that message appeared. Does anybody know why?

My main question is - (forgot my manual in the car as the cab picked me up) when I get back to the car might it be in some odd mode that I should be aware of? ECS was forced into Off, and the ABS warning light stayed on.

I ask because the car seemed slightly different after that. It seemed like throttle was highly restricted and power steering was gone and the brakes felt different.

In the end I had to roll it back down the hill to a flat spot where there was some parking. The car felt like it was in "don't touch me" mode as I maneuvered to a parking spot.

I am Jeff

Don't worry about it. Drive the car for a few miles and the message will go away. It's due to the fact that you lost all traction and slid. I had that happen to me last year. That's the main reason I don't even bother using my C63 in the winter. PSS is still a summer rated tire. Below 40 degrees and they become hockey pucks.

zibby43

I think you likely experienced an ESP glitch. I know someone (a relative) that received the same message as a result of really stressing the system by trying to go up a snowy driveway with the summer tires still on the car.

It's amazing how much of a difference proper tires can make in cold inclement weather conditions. I drove home from work recently in a snowstorm and there were already 2-3 inches of the white stuff clinging to the road surface.

I took it easy in C mode but the square Blizzak setup performed flawlessly.

Clark Kent

Thanks guys. And I forgot to mention that even after the odd event I turned the car off for about 30 seconds - hoping for a reset but that didn't change anything. Message was still there.

The local forecast called for a 'possible' light dusting. So I experimented by wanting to feel the PSS's in the cold and light snow. I have heard about summer tires in the cold but I wanted to check it out for myself just to get to know the car&tires better. Got what I asked for.

Tomorrow I drive to the office in my other car with the Pirelli All Season tires. Those have already proven to be superb. Now I know how the PSS's do. I could have skateboarded up that slight incline!

AMGangster

I had this happen to me last week. It was -40 with wind chill and my front right brake was completely locked up. Thankfully I work at Tire Rack and was able to drag the vehicle inside with one of our trucks to thaw it out. I think it is just the cold.

I am Jeff

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...tmas-tree.html


That's what happened to me. It'll reset itself after 2-3 miles of uneventful driving.

Clark Kent

Yup, your earlier thread is EXACTLY the same thing that happened to me today. I didn't want to mention EVERY detail but it did happen to me when one attempt to go forward left me sliding all 4 tires backwards downhill. I didn't want to gain momentum going straight down the hill so I start to steer towards the curb to let my passenger rear tire bump the curb to stop me.

Dang, the forecast for tomorrow is for more of the same like today. I am hoping to get my Benz home safe and sound.

jvanbrecht

It is not a glitch as someone previously stated. It is by design, and meant to prevent any permanent damage to the ABS and traction control systems, when you have absolutely 0 traction and are spinning for a period of time....

zibby43

I used general terminology but I explained correctly that the situation happens as a result of extreme stress to the ESP system, which of course utilizes the ABS.

roadtalontsi

ya amg's are pretty useless in these weather conditions without winter tires and with traction control on. Drove the smart to work today, did just fine. enjoyed a few hand brake turns... wish i could turn traction control off on it. I didnt think the roads were really THAT bad today. much worse the last ice days a month or so ago.

vastermind

same thing happened to me a few years ago in Boston during a snowstorm. Parked the car as soon as this message appeared and waited until road dried out then system resumed working.