Sooooo,

All of the sudden, error msg and warning lights in my car pop up like firework. I got BAS ETS failed, then ASR failed, cruise control fail to engage, can't turn off ESP any more. Car run almost like in limp mode (power get cut significantly, must be due to brake/ASR fail).

Bring it to dealer (Fletcher Jones), they ask to leave the car there for computer diagnostic, but the service advisor told me to expect some serious money.

Bring it to an independent Mercedes-only shop in Santa Ana (OC, CA), the shop owner told me that I need to replace Skid Control module (???), and that since he considers me as <i>"buddy"</i>, he would only charge me $400 for labor + whatever for part. Btw, I've helped the shop owner few times w/ setting up the computer network in his shop & software to run the shop/billing (all free !!!), so that explains the "buddiness".

Either way, serious money is to come out of my pocket. Go home, search this forum along with some other forums. Few people have had problems with the brake switch, which cause similar warning. Go to dealer, get a new brake switch for $14, take about 10 minutes to replace (sure the old one jamed !!!), and <b> EVERYTHING IS BACK TO NORMAL !!!</b>, car runs like a charm now, no msg, no warning light.

So I guess I'll toss that <i> "you're my buddy, I'll give you ultra-good deal" </i> from the shop owner to the trash bin. First, it was the window regulator (which he told me that the door need to be "openned up" and quote $200 for labor + part), and with a $15 rivet gun and $85 part, I fixed the problem. Now this.

So when you have problem w/ your car, read this forum, along w/ other. Even if you can't fix the problem, it help to detect when a shop or dealer try to BS or rip you off.

From now on, either I work on my car, or bring it to Best-Benz in Manhattan Beach. They're a bit far and have to wait sometime, but at leat they're honest & reasonable.

Amen! I'm all for self help. I love you MBWorld....

Surfing the archives indeed pays off

There is a lot of valuable information. It's just waiting to be tapped!

Amen to that brother.

These days, it seems that everyone thinks that just because you drive a Benz, you're made of money and can afford to throw plenty their way.

But not the people there in Manhattan Beach. That's why I'll drive all that way from Murrieta!

surfing the net works sometimes....

I've seen people come on forums with some problems, then others jump in and try to help them, they go out and listin to their advice and then get burned because there problem(s) doesn't get resolved........

bottom line, if you drive a expensive car leave it to the pro's to work on them unless you know what your doing...i've seen too many people try it and then end up paying more to someone else to fix there problems.........

PS, dealers will ever touch my car again.........

Not to discredit this thread but I agree, there is still some assumed knowledge when using forums for help, at least the ability to distinguish the BS from the real advice

what my man said^^^^^

Didn't you mean to say:

PS, dealers will never ever touch my car again .........

Notice how just the lack of one letter will change the meaning of the entire post.

What we all must do here and on any forum is to read anyone's post for content
and to guess what the writer is really trying to say.

I second the praise of these boards. I like how I can do the research on a problem so that if I can't fix it myself, at least when I take it into my mechanic I'm educated enough about the problem that I won't get taken to the cleaners...

Good Job ZAM,

I am sure most people would just take the word or the dealer and pay whatever they ask to fix it. But a little research can save you big time on simple things. The question is, what will your next mod be with all that money saved?

thanks Green E-300 DT, your the man :p

what are you, a english teacher????

hahaha

zam,
isthe switch control module the same thing as the brake switch.?
in the case the same thing happens to me in the future.

No, they're difference.

The brake switch is right on top of the brake pedal. It has two sensor in side: one to detect whether the brake is pressed (used for light, ASR, and BAS), the other detect the speed (urgency) at which the pedal is pressed (needed for BAS).

I don't know where the control sits, probably somewhere near the ECU ?

Integrate xm satellite radio into my head unit stereo is next (cheap mod anyway, I'll run a splitter w/ the cassete adaptor that I already had for the JukeBox).

Xm is currently have a live-traffic update via their service, and the new Acura RL is taking use of it (show traffic condition on GPS map), really cool. Once Non-OEM come up w/ it, it'll be in my list. However, that's more wishful thinking, since I'm no longer CFO of my bank account.

it can cost lots of money too if you follow thw wrong advice !!!! Besides lots of temptations to upgrade down here too

Yes iI was, but now retired, thank you. Still I cannot resist making corrections.

Here's another:

Your sentence should have read:

What are you, an English teacher?

Ha Ha

you guys wanna hear something funny.

i did search on brake switch...and guess what, it happened in 2002 . i saw my post but didnt even remember that i had similar problem with the ABS and ETS lights going on, and it was the brake switch that was the problem.

damn, my memory if failing me........

We had this same problem with our 2002 e55. The sensor is at the brake pedal and it gets stuck. So the car thinks you are constantly pressing the brake pedal and it messes up the esp, abs and such systems.

Funny thing, we also took it Fletcher Jones and they diagnosed and fixed it within 20 minutes. The difference is that it was under warranty so it was on FJ dime not ours. I wonder if we would have gotten a different diagnosis if the car wasn't under warranty?

Well Mr retired teacher get a load of this.....if you can't read it, you got to be :

I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg.

The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at

Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod

are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the

rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit

a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by

istlef, but the wrod as a wlhoe. Amzanig huh?

And we wree awlyas tghaut slpeling was ipmornatt!

Well Mr. Whitey, or whatever your handle is . .

Who invited you to this party anyhow?
I wasn't talking to you; Where do you get off saying anything about the subject at all?

You don't even live here in this country, and surely don't understand what we are talking about. Have you ever been to these dealers here that we are talking about?

Mind your own business and butt out.

Thank you.

Lighten up dude. I was merely sharing with the guys, including you, something that I find quite amazing and your comment had prompted me to do that.

For your information, I have friends and relatives in the US who own Benz's too and have been there many times myself. The truth is all dealers are the same almost everywhere and how many places have you been to btw? What you just said was just downright ignorant and for someone your age, that is so stupid!

Which country are you talking about btw? This is an internet forum where anyone, from anywhere, can contribute their comments. If you don't wish anyone to comment, START YOUR OWN BLOODY FORUM AND BAN WHOEVER YOU DON'T LIKE! And btw, if you had problems remembering this wasn't your thread and none of my comments here were about the dealers anyway.....it was OT that YOU started, fool!

Why all the hate? You've been starting arguments everywhere you go and in this case, I didn't even mean any offence! If that's what retirement does to someone, hell, I'm not looking forward to it. I'm also beginning to wonder whether you had retired voluntarily or whether you were fired for harassing your students or their parents even...........

what the hell is going on these days. I'm sorry but this forum is going to ****t with childish people that make bold statements like that. What the hell does it matter where he lives. Whitey has been around this forum for a very very long time and has added a lot of info for many many members out there and Green E-300 DT with your 200 posts who do you think you are coming in here and making a statement like that, maybe you should do back to teaching and leave this forum.

We don't need people like you on here. I guess your the kind that loves to go to the dealers and get butt raped, by all means go ahead.

SIDE NOTE: this forum helped me out a couple times with little things but by all means it doesn't make it right all the time.. just because your check engine comes on it doesn't mean it's one thing or another, you pay to drive a mercedes so then don't execpt to repair it like a honda.

Cheap labor Ain't Good, and Good Labor Ain't Cheap---saw this somewhere and thats so true.............

After the steering wheel started groaning for the third time after it was repaired, I brought a copy of a post that advised not to let the dealer get away with just a little lubrication, but to have them replace the steering rack with a newly designed unit. They put it in and it's riding great.

As stated above it's an interent forum...members, moderators, people in general will interpose their comments, experiences and even believes. It's really irrelvant where Whitey resides, more importantly the contributions he's made to this forum has been vast. I perceive him being the "voice of reason" at times to many of the post I've shared.