ESP Warning Light On E550
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
ESP Warning Light On E550
2 weeks ago the ESP warning light started coming on sometimes when I started the car, other times not, and still other times while I was driving. Whenever that happens, I notice that the air suspension becomes rock hard and I can feel every ripple an dimple in the pavement. When the light is not lit, the suspension feels as good as it has felt for the past 8 years.
Does anybody know if the suspension intentionally firms up when the ESP fails? I am trading the car in on a 2015 ML350 when it has been built in about 3 weeks, so I'm not overly concerned other than to watch my driving in wet conditions so as not to need the ESP to help avoid a collision.
I'm not inclined to pay for an ESP repair, unless I have to... and I don't want the airbag shocks to pop either. Any advice?
Does anybody know if the suspension intentionally firms up when the ESP fails? I am trading the car in on a 2015 ML350 when it has been built in about 3 weeks, so I'm not overly concerned other than to watch my driving in wet conditions so as not to need the ESP to help avoid a collision.
I'm not inclined to pay for an ESP repair, unless I have to... and I don't want the airbag shocks to pop either. Any advice?
Last edited by Barry45RPM; Sep 24, 2014 at 06:52 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,184
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From: Highlands Ranch, Colorado
2014 BMW M235i
Barry, I had this EXACT same issue about a month ago. As soon as the light goes off the car has F1 suspension, not sure what causes that.
The issue itself is a steering angle sensor failure, hence why it comes on sometimes. If the steering wheel hits that failure point, your light will go off and then the suspension will become firm. I don't know if on mine it happened at certain set angles or just intermittently when the signal from the steering angle sensor was seen as bad.
It wasn't a very expensive repair, the only other thing that might cause it is a bad wheel speed sensor. I also have a 2007 E550 so my money is on the steering angle sensor. Just run a STAR scan and it will tell you right there. It's not as bad as it sounds, but super strange symptomatically.
The issue itself is a steering angle sensor failure, hence why it comes on sometimes. If the steering wheel hits that failure point, your light will go off and then the suspension will become firm. I don't know if on mine it happened at certain set angles or just intermittently when the signal from the steering angle sensor was seen as bad.
It wasn't a very expensive repair, the only other thing that might cause it is a bad wheel speed sensor. I also have a 2007 E550 so my money is on the steering angle sensor. Just run a STAR scan and it will tell you right there. It's not as bad as it sounds, but super strange symptomatically.
Last edited by AMGAffalterbach; Sep 24, 2014 at 09:03 PM.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,017
Likes: 16
From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Barry, I had this EXACT same issue about a month ago. As soon as the light goes off the car has F1 suspension, not sure what causes that.
The issue itself is a steering angle sensor failure, hence why it comes on sometimes. If the steering wheel hits that failure point, your light will go off and then the suspension will become firm. I don't know if on mine it happened at certain set angles or just intermittently when the signal from the steering angle sensor was seen as bad.
It wasn't a very expensive repair, the only other thing that might cause it is a bad wheel speed sensor. I also have a 2007 E550 so my money is on the steering angle sensor. Just run a STAR scan and it will tell you right there. It's not as bad as it sounds, but super strange symptomatically.
The issue itself is a steering angle sensor failure, hence why it comes on sometimes. If the steering wheel hits that failure point, your light will go off and then the suspension will become firm. I don't know if on mine it happened at certain set angles or just intermittently when the signal from the steering angle sensor was seen as bad.
It wasn't a very expensive repair, the only other thing that might cause it is a bad wheel speed sensor. I also have a 2007 E550 so my money is on the steering angle sensor. Just run a STAR scan and it will tell you right there. It's not as bad as it sounds, but super strange symptomatically.
