Well, with the long distance advice from MB Elite and Tony J who sold me the ASR/CC/ETA control unit, I thought the problem of the car going into Limp Home Mode on initial start up was going to be solved. Unfortunately, that was not to be. I can get a normal throttle response after 10-15 starts and letting it run in the fast, over rich idle LHM for 10 mins. Once I get it going the car runs normal, the CEL light goes off, and I can restart without any problems until the next morning when the whole issue starts anew. I am approaching 200K miles and the car still looks good and runs perfect when it does eventually start.
I've been avoiding the sole dealership here in Spokane based on earlier experiences and figure that if my Indy couldn't find the cure after replacing the $800 ETA, the dealer is going to be very costly.

I am hoping that someone here maybe can think of something that might have been overlooked.

 

The dealer had the car for 5 days and couldn't find anything wrong with the wiring harness, or the alternator. Found multiple codes for low voltage. P1580 for Throttle Actuator. The mechanic tried to normalize throttle and found that throttle would not normalize. Actual values for actuator change without pedal input. Problem maybe Throttle Actuator which has been replaced twice already with rebuilt Beckmans, or in the ME due to CAN communication faults. I am hoping that it is the latter and that I can find a used one. Since the problem can be "cleared" by multiple starts and seems to have a "memory" in that once it is working OK it stays that way until a cold start, I am thinking that it must be a "brain" problem like a computer as opposed to the more mechanical Throttle Actuator.
Hope this never happens to anyone else as I am very close to ditching this car which I have owned since new, and now just 389 miles short of 200K!

 

Wow. Good luck my friend. That sounds like the Audi Nightmare I just got rid of. I couldn't get the ABS/Trac light to go off no matter what I did. I finally just had to let it go. 3k later that is.... :-(

 

Looks hopeful that a member here has a salvage ME module, so if this is the culprit it may save the car from the wrecking yard.

 

Well don't send it to a wrecking yard. Part that sucker out and buy another low mileage w210. You could get some good money for the parts off that car.

 

There have been numerous posts on these forums with all kinds of weird 'undefinable' electronic problems, where in the end it turned out to be the car's BATTERY. While there are no apparant crank- or other issues! I've experienced this with the dreaded ABS/BAS/ASR light myself. After turning the car upside down and even been at the dealer with all kinds of low voltage codes, it was the freaking battery!!! Your low Voltage codes are a signal. Try a brand MB approved 100Ah battery; OEM or Bosch Silver5 or 6 or Varta!

 

I wish it were just a friggin annoying light going off, but it doesn't get much worse than being stuck in limp home mode. Must be a control module because I have already gone through two actuators. First try was the ASR module but it didn't solve the problem hoping the ME one does.

 

One of the codes my car had was low-voltage and a communication problem with the ASR module. I already replaced the brakelight switch, headlightswitch was changed out etc. etc. It was the battery. It won't hurt to try it. Have a friend or relative around with a 100Ah battery that you can test maybe?

 

I spoke with Steve Rorer from MB Elite today, He stills thinks that it is the E-GAS module or the ICS/CC/ETA control unit that is shorting out. My indie unfortunately misidentified the module as the ASR one which I replaced without any improvement. Only problem now is how to identify the correct part. The parts guy at the dealer could offer no help. Tony J. here on the board has a salvage car so if I can id the module there may still be hope. BTW the dealer had the car for a week and found no problems with the harnesses, battery, etc. So it comes down to the dealer mech who thinks it is either the EA(again) or the ME versus Steve's belief that it is the E-GAS. He says that this is a common problem with the M119 engine and not easy to diagnose for those that don't work on this motor routinely.

 

If you do find the problem, please keep us updated... I hope you get it and before you spend too much money to give up. Good luck.