ABC ACTIVE BODY CONTROL DRIVE CAREFULLY??
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2015
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2002 cl500
Mercedes should have done a recal on the abc system! Terrible design flaw and safety fire hazard. Ive read countless horror stories about system bursting into flames being that hydraulic fluid is flammable. Should expect much more from a $100,000 car. Then mercedes charges almost double for materials like chf 11s fluid at auto zone 23$ at mercedes 40$! Profiting ridiculously to repair what was a crapy design by them in first place. It is a house on wheels and just like a house. When the slab foundation or something breaks, the builder is responsible for it and makes repairs. This system can and will leak at several different places, costing over $1000 a pop for each one. I had a hose leaking from the solder joint under the banjo fitting and mercedes told me the part cost almost $500 JUST FOR THE HOSE!!!! I took the hose to a hydraulic hose msnufacturing company and they custom made me one for 40$. That is ridiculous for mercedes to feel the need to profit at that level of increase from a repair resulting from a problem they caused in the firstplace. Very disapointed with mercedes for this unexpected problem from a 100,000 purchase!!!!!
Last edited by Detroit1; Aug 18, 2015 at 09:19 AM.
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Cars
They had an a
NTSB recall on those back many many years ago. They resolved those issues after 2005 and the 216's don't have any issues like the 215's had. If your having trouble 13 years later the fact, it's a used car and the original owner neglected the recall notice. Hoses don't last forever and your break hoses will soon follow. I try and tell everyone do not buy a pre
2005 CL.
NTSB recall on those back many many years ago. They resolved those issues after 2005 and the 216's don't have any issues like the 215's had. If your having trouble 13 years later the fact, it's a used car and the original owner neglected the recall notice. Hoses don't last forever and your break hoses will soon follow. I try and tell everyone do not buy a pre
2005 CL.
Last edited by 2014CL600; Aug 18, 2015 at 10:30 AM.
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Cars
The recall was for my 2000-2004 mid year VIN change ( for 2004). They resolved the issue on the 05-06 models. Also, there was a head cluster recall to fix the lighting issue. Those were the only recalls back at the time. There was one in 2008 that affected 2000-2008 CL with regard's to the front position sensors but other than that, those were the only recalls. They have now closed the recalls and if your car didn't make it to the dealer in time then you have to foot the bill. If he is having an issue on a 14 possibly 15 year old car. That is tough, an old used car is an old used car. Buyer beware, so they say. Any old car will have its issues. This is just one extra that cost more because the car cost more. 100K new is now a deal, they are in the 200k plus mark at this point.
Last edited by 2014CL600; Aug 18, 2015 at 11:48 AM.
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cl600
you are correct about the recalls. i got the updated hose under recall. but when i showed them the recall for the front position sensor they looked it up and said it didn't pertain to my car. the front strutt was replaced under my warranty anyway. i still think that other than those two recalls the 2003-2006 and possibly 2000-2006 system are identical. do you have any info on that?
thanks
thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2010
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Cars
No, I do know the 05-06 were excluded because they had already corrected the issue before the NTSA forced them to replace the hoses. I think they were hedging their bets. The poor guy with his older CL will now have to take the brunt of the original owners lack of mantainance or many owners before the original owner did. I hate it for anyone to buy a car and start to have to sink money into a new acquisition but hey it's an old used car, you can't expect not to have problems and he is just starting. The 00-04 were know for problems. They pretty much had them down pat by the 05-06 model run.
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Newbie
Joined: Dec 2024
Posts: 4
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03 CL600 /Twin Turbo Pantera
That is ridiculous. The car does not have a sensor that measures the amount of hydraulic fluid in the ABC reservoir, and your "ABC Drive Carefully" message comes on for a specific reason - the system pressure is dropping below acceptable range due to low amount of fluid, which in turn is murdering your ABC pump every second that you run it.
ABC is a closed system - you don't need to add additional fluid to it, unless there are leaks. If there are leaks you have to fix the leak, not keep adding fluid every few months...
ABC is a closed system - you don't need to add additional fluid to it, unless there are leaks. If there are leaks you have to fix the leak, not keep adding fluid every few months...
Last edited by TexasMarshall; Dec 29, 2024 at 09:57 AM.
