Triple malfunction related to second SBC recall?
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'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Triple malfunction related to second SBC recall?
On Tuesday 12/20 our '03 went in for SBC Recall II (The Sequel). Today, while my wife was driving, the car celebrated the one-week anniversary of the recall service with a dazzling triple-malfunction message display: "ESP Malfunction", "ABS Malfunction", and "BAS Malfunction". The three messages didn't go away; they played in constant heavy rotation while she drove the car to the local Mercedes "workshop" as instructed and left it there.
The service writer thought that maybe the car just needed to be rebooted, or reset, or burped, or whatever they do to resolve an electronic conniption. I wonder, though - since all three malfunction messages involve the brakes directly or indirectly, could SBC Recall II (The Sequel) be the cause of the MFD light show? I thought that SBC Recall II was a just a mechanical fix, involving a grounding strap, but might they also have applied some halber Esel software/firmware patch as part of the recall?
The service writer thought that maybe the car just needed to be rebooted, or reset, or burped, or whatever they do to resolve an electronic conniption. I wonder, though - since all three malfunction messages involve the brakes directly or indirectly, could SBC Recall II (The Sequel) be the cause of the MFD light show? I thought that SBC Recall II was a just a mechanical fix, involving a grounding strap, but might they also have applied some halber Esel software/firmware patch as part of the recall?
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Originally Posted by DWP
I thought that SBC Recall II was a just a mechanical fix, involving a grounding strap, but might they also have applied some halber Esel software/firmware patch as part of the recall?
Last edited by konigstiger; 12-27-2005 at 11:12 PM.
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'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
I wish. The service tech left a message today, two days after my wife took the car in, that something called a "rear wheel-speed sensor" needed to be replaced. The replacement part isn't in Sacramento. It also isn't in Northern California, the western US, or New Jersey. It's in Germany. ETA, three to five "business days."
I've been pretty smug so far about the many reliability complaints posted in this forum because my car has been more-or-less reliable (conveniently overlooking the fact that it only has 19,000 miles on it). The honeymoon may be ending. It's one thing for a an essential ABS and ESP component to go bad at low mileage - stuff happens - and it's another thing entirely for the nearest replacement part to be in Europe. I've got 20 months left on my warranty. I'm wondering if I'm setting off on a road that makes multiple detours to the Mercedes service department and ends, 20 months later, at a Japanese car dealership. We shall see.
I've been pretty smug so far about the many reliability complaints posted in this forum because my car has been more-or-less reliable (conveniently overlooking the fact that it only has 19,000 miles on it). The honeymoon may be ending. It's one thing for a an essential ABS and ESP component to go bad at low mileage - stuff happens - and it's another thing entirely for the nearest replacement part to be in Europe. I've got 20 months left on my warranty. I'm wondering if I'm setting off on a road that makes multiple detours to the Mercedes service department and ends, 20 months later, at a Japanese car dealership. We shall see.
Last edited by DWP; 12-30-2005 at 01:35 AM.
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Build date 2-04 E500
Originally Posted by DWP
It's one thing for a an essential ABS and ESP component to go bad at low mileage - stuff happens - and it's another thing entirely for the nearest replacement part to be in Europe..
Hope this little inconvienence don't steer you to the dark side.
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'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Not any time soon. Another thing I conveniently tend to forget is that our deceased '97 BMW 528i, which I fondly recall as the best car we ever had, also had lots of warranty service items. Some of them were safety-related, too, and that car wasn't nearly as complex as our E500. So, I'm not going to draw any hasty conclusions about long-term reliability.
Anyway, the dealership gave us an '05 C230K schport sedan loaner to drive around in while the "business days" roll by. Not a bad car at all, if you overlook the tiny four-banger. Kinda cute, really, with mag-type wheels, a body kit and oversize exhaust pipe.
Anyway, the dealership gave us an '05 C230K schport sedan loaner to drive around in while the "business days" roll by. Not a bad car at all, if you overlook the tiny four-banger. Kinda cute, really, with mag-type wheels, a body kit and oversize exhaust pipe.
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**SOLD***2003 E500
Originally Posted by HELL ONA HARLEY
Actually 3-5 business days to receive a part from within the U.S is excellent time, let alone Germany.
Hope this little inconvienence don't steer you to the dark side.
Hope this little inconvienence don't steer you to the dark side.
This has worked well for me over the years. Perhaps again, it's because we have pixie dust down here, who knows....
Randy
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2003 E55 & 2014 GL550
New brakes on the way from Benz soon.....someday we'll all look back at SBC and laugh.......the ones that haven't died yet. This is actually pretty cool for me. It's like being wild during your mid-life crisis...."Look at me, I'm driving a 2 ton car and there's a better chance than not that my skydivers chute won't open....waaaa whoooooo" Hey, it's works....
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2011 E550, 2013 GLK
Just so people don't get carried away, this was NOT an SBC failure. It could happen on my 300E if I didn't keep the ABS sensors free of dust. The only difference is that the W211 has better self testing.
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Build date 2-04 E500
Originally Posted by Jakpro1
"Look at me, I'm driving a 2 ton car and there's a better chance than not that my skydivers chute won't open....waaaa whoooooo" Hey, it's works....
Last edited by HELL ONA HARLEY; 12-30-2005 at 11:48 AM.
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'03 E500
this just happen to me last night! the 3 banger error code that will not go away. HOw much was the replacement or was it covered under warranty? Does anyone know if the starmarked warranty will cover this? Thanks.
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2005 Carlsson CD32 E320 CDI Inline-6
DWP is the steering "heavy" at park and low speeds?
My car displayed all three messages.
Steering wheel required much more effort at parking and low speeds.
Diagnosis and fix was wheel speed sensor.
My part took about 2 days to arrive, was around Nov of last year.
Ken
Steering wheel required much more effort at parking and low speeds.
Diagnosis and fix was wheel speed sensor.
My part took about 2 days to arrive, was around Nov of last year.
Ken
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2003 e 320 sport RWD
i got the 3 light combo also after getting new bearings.. then i brought it back and got a lower control arm i wonder if its related? lights went away when i turned it on in the morning but i haven't tested it on the highway.. im sure they will be back once i hit 65 because that's when they popped up last time and my car decided to slow down by itself while i was accelerating.....??