Total loss of turn signal function
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 32
Likes: 13
From: Canada
03 G55 - 13' CLS550 - 90' 560SEC
Total loss of turn signal function
Hi there, I am a long-time lurker of the forum but rarely post. I own a 2013 CLS550 4Matic (C218) and am having issues with various electronics on board.
I was wondering if anyone had some experience with having a "Blind Spot Assist Inoperative" and "Active Lane Keep Assist Inoperative" coming up, and then shortly disappearing after engaging the turn signal. These inoperative messages will then come back anywhere from 10 seconds to 10 minutes later and usually go away if I engage the turn signal. After 2 or 3 cycles of these messages coming and going, the messages stay on and my turn signals will completely fail to work. There is no response whatsoever to any input on the stalk, besides manual high-beam control. My mechanic discovered that there were no stored codes and that the rear sensors located on the back bumper are not corroded. I've included a pretty basic video of what happens. For background, the car has 102,000km and is from Alberta, Canada, where we have very terrible winters.
Any ideas or experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Video is uploaded here:
Thanks!
I was wondering if anyone had some experience with having a "Blind Spot Assist Inoperative" and "Active Lane Keep Assist Inoperative" coming up, and then shortly disappearing after engaging the turn signal. These inoperative messages will then come back anywhere from 10 seconds to 10 minutes later and usually go away if I engage the turn signal. After 2 or 3 cycles of these messages coming and going, the messages stay on and my turn signals will completely fail to work. There is no response whatsoever to any input on the stalk, besides manual high-beam control. My mechanic discovered that there were no stored codes and that the rear sensors located on the back bumper are not corroded. I've included a pretty basic video of what happens. For background, the car has 102,000km and is from Alberta, Canada, where we have very terrible winters.
Any ideas or experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Video is uploaded here:
Thanks!
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 443
Likes: 91
CLS400 4Matic EC Tuned
I've gotten the "Blind Spot Assist Inoperative" and "Active Lane Keep Assist Inoperative" when it was POURING rain. I'm from Vancouver, so that explains the rain. What I did was test to see if a car was beside me on the highway and then activate the signal to see if I would get the beeping, and I didn't. I was going to a store, so in the parking lot I turned the car off/on and it fixed itself. It hasn't happened to me since, but my wild guess is that terrible driving conditions (weather) has to play a role in the system not being able to function properly?
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 335
Likes: 103
From: Saddlebrooke, AZ 85739
2013 CLS550 4Matic OE Tuned
Delbert,
How old are your starting and backup batteries? I've read where owners have resolved electrical issues by changing the backup battery (located under the dash on the driver side). It's a size 14 sealed motorcycle battery. No particular knowledge on your faults, but it might be worth a try. Marv
How old are your starting and backup batteries? I've read where owners have resolved electrical issues by changing the backup battery (located under the dash on the driver side). It's a size 14 sealed motorcycle battery. No particular knowledge on your faults, but it might be worth a try. Marv
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 32
Likes: 13
From: Canada
03 G55 - 13' CLS550 - 90' 560SEC
So just an update, I ended up buying a used steering column module part #2129000016 off eBay and installing that, which has resolved the turn signal issue. The blind-spot monitoring inoperative remains, so now I will replace the rear sensors.
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 31
Likes: 6
CLS 550
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,141
Likes: 1,293
From: Southern US
2010 E550, 273 Engine: 2012 S550, 278 Engine
Those sensors are expensive, excluding the labor cost, so it may be worth the time to replace the battery first. I know when I owned a Jaguar, there were a number of electrical gremlins that made an appearance from time to time and they all were traced back to an insufficiently charged battery if the car sat unused for even short periods of time. It may not be the case with you, but certainly worth considering before you spend a bit of money of the sensors. You don't even have to replace your battery. Just put a battery tender on it over night to see if the issues go away.
After AUX battery change no issues at all.
I don't know where and what size the AUX battery in your car is as MB has changed this a couple of times in the past years. Mine is very small about 2" x 3" x 1" and it is located in the driver side end of the dash board.
Using a battery tender must be used right at the AUX battery as I don't think the two batteries are connected when the car is not running, i.e. charging the main battery does not charge the AUX battery.
Last edited by Arrie; Dec 24, 2019 at 02:32 PM.
