Car: 2006 E320 CDI with ~40,000 miles (yes, 40,000, and what a pain it has become).


I use an iCarsoft i980 code reader.


Last year it started throwing an 4D41 "Check component N49 (steering angle sensor) error code. I purchased a new (oem) steering angle sensor and installed it myself using some excellent YouTube instructions some kind soul provided. After the installation, I did the 5 turns full left and right that is supposed to calibrate the sensor after a new install. Nevertheless, I continue to get the same fault code.


If I go into the current status readings (before I clear the fault code, with ignition on and engine off and code reader on line) I get:


Rotational speed: -0.47 degrees/s (with minor variation, even though no one is turning the steering wheel)


Lateral acceleration: 0.41 m/s^2 (which is ridiculous as the steering wheel and car are stationary)


N49 (steering angle sensor) 0 degrees - and that changes if you turn the wheel, going to a ridiculous 6549.60 degrees if you turn the steering wheel slightly CCW off center!


N49 (steering angle sensor) OK - even though the 4D41 Check component N49 (steering angle sensor) fault code is registering


My power supply reading is (engine off) 12.48 v on the code reader


Today I noted the following in the Sensotronic brake control section on the code reader:


C225C Event ABD control
C25D5 Hydraulics fault
Malfunction in pressure supply


Anyone have any idea what might be wrong here. The car drives fine, except I get the take car to workshop error message soon after I start driving it and clearing the error code does not last.


I changed the steering sensor and the darned thing does not seem to care.


One thing, both batteries are new as of 1.5 years ago and both are CGM type.


Help?


Dealer wanted $1500 to replace the steering angle sensor ($150 part), and it took me about 4 yours to do the job as a novice (I could do it a second time in under 2 h), so even at $150 an hour, I don't see $1500 cost in their doing the repair so I wonder if they were not thinking something else was really wrong.


- nopcbs

 

I see you have several different issues and it never hurts with washing all involved plugs with good MAF or electronic cleaner.
Beside steering sensor error, you have yaw sensor error. Are you positive your scanner is erasing the codes? It is common that lower end scanners can erase pending code, but will not erase hard codes from permanent memory.
Can you read SBC push count? Just because car drives fine, it might not prevent the computer to force you for new SBC pump by putting it in limp mode.
Per reports - it take about 2 months.
Don't even get me started on dealer charges.
Good luck.

 

Not sure what you mean by cleaning "all involved plugs". I take it you mean electrical contacts for wiring harnesses...?

My i980 removes error codes from the memory that it reads from. As for a permanent history database, I don't know, but that should not cause any current operational problems as it is just a history database.

Not sure if I can access the SBC (pedal) push count with my reader. Is there another way to access the count?

In any case, I should have nothing near the 300,000 counts that people talk about. The car sits idle half of each year and only has about 40,000 miles on it, anyway.

Thanks!

- Geo

 

If your scanner can't read pedal count, that would indicate that codes clearing might be in question as well. It is >500,000 btw what doesn't mean you are not there already.
Yes, clean all the plugs you can think about, including those going into modules.

 

wiring harness from scm to body harness could have loose contacts.... cut and solder new pins.... time consuming af, tedious af but well worth it.


but your sbc will also cause these malfunctions..... i would chase sbc issue first as that is going to eliminate concern about esp.... if sbc is faulty esp as well will be faulty. considering you have new scm i find it hard to believe new one is bad.... possible but not likely...

your dealer is insane.... i think its like 2.5 hrs labor to replace scm with erasing dtcs and all that good stuff.

 

you most likely need new sbc pump..... pull out the cc hahaha

 

After clearing all the error codes, the only ones that come pack are having to do with the N49 steering angle sensor. The i980 gives two messages for it "change N49 steering angle sensor" and :Check N49 steering angle sensor". But if you go in and look at actual readings it says the steering angle sensor is fine (it should be, it's new).

The only really weird reading is the 6,xxx degrees steering angle reading when I turn the steering wheel a few degrees left of center. Turning it to the right of center gives correct angle readings. I also get very small/unsteady rotational speeds when standing still and small/unsteady lateral accelerations when standing still.

I also get errors on the auxiliary battery (defective or not installed) and auxiliary battery relay defective or signal wire not present. That battery is only less than 2-years old and mostly sits on a battery maintainer as I don't drive the car in summer. Actual auxiliary battery voltage is 12.21v, which should be fine. The average auxiliary battery voltage is 13.03v.

I drove the car all last winter with this goofiness going on and it drove normally. I thought the problem was just a bad steering angle sensor, so I replaced that and the ESP error still occurs.

I think the SBC error that I cleared and that did not come back was just leftover from before I replaced the batteries (both) last year.

I was starting to think that my problem is a bad yaw sensor, and maybe it is as those wobbling rotational speed and lateral acceleration readings when still make no sense. That HUGE steering angle when I turn the wheel left makes zero sense, unless the new steering angle sensor is bad.

Appreciate suggestions.

- geo

 

Something to consider, angle sensor & clock spring installed correctly, see attachments.

 

I followed the instructions from an illustrated step-by-step post by an individual who had just done the change. The "clock spring" position was already correctly set at the factory, but I double-checked it. It is not impossible that the new part is defective, but given that this is a very simple device that (maybe) millions have been made of, I doubt it.

- geo

 

It's not the turning of the wheel that resets the SAS, it's holding it at the lock for a couple seconds. Could it be that easy? Probably not, but that's all I've got.

 

That's a good idea. The sources I used just had you turning full CW and then full CCW through five cycles. Nothing about holding at full right or full left for a few seconds. So that's what I did. I will try as you suggest. How many seconds, would you say?

Thanks!

nopcbs

 

I think it's 2 seconds, I do 3 to make sure. Once each side and your done.

 

I did five cycles of full left and full right, holding 5 seconds at each full excusrion.

The ESC malfunction dash panel message came right back as soon as I drove the car.

I went looking with the i980 again and the only faults were for the N49 steering angle sensor. Plus, I am still getting that crazy 6,xxx degrees steering angle when I turn the wheel left of center. Right reads correct angle, as does on center.

I wonder if the steering angle sensor is just "bad:, even though it is new.

Car drives OK, by the way, other than showing the ESC malfunction message.

What a pain!

- Nopcbs

 

All the faults went away except to the N49 steering angle sensor one after I cleared them...and are staying away. I think the other codes were just carry-overs from when I replaced the two batteries. Hope they stay away. The one is a big enough headache.

I am learning that car reliability is the biggest luxury feature you can have and some "luxury" brands have it in spades, while others simply do not.

- nopcbs

 

It does sound like the new SAS is junk.

 

lock-to-lock is more like W210 stuff, and it happens after every time battery has been off... at least my W211 never needed it after battery change.

But I remember some issue required driving sequence to initialize sensors correctly, just can't say is it needed after new SAS installed. SDS would tell for sure, I doubt carsoft won't but you may see if there is any options for initialize sensor...

To be sure; is your steering wheel dead straight now? Even pole length offset may trigger sensor fault.

 

So you're saying that the whole "turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock to re-set" is not a W211 function at all?

I'm working on a 2006 E350 with 4CF1 (yaw sensor) and 4D41 (SAS) errors. Yaw sensor and brake switch have been replaced with no change. I'd like to have a better confidence level that replacing the SAS will actually solve the problem (no cruise control).

 

As it concerns replacement applicable to 211 up to MY04 see attachments.

 

So on MY05+ W211 it is not applicable. Is there a different procedure on the '05+ cars or is none required? I read somewhere in one place that a re-flash was required, but I didn't find any verification of that so I'm ruling it "suspect" at this point.

 

Concerning replacement see attachment.

 

My 06 CLS needs the lock to lock reset after battery disconnect. I've needed to do it on two separate occasions and it has worked. Not sure if that's relevant here.

 

So according to the pdf from the manual, on post-2004 W211 models you need access to a Star computer to initialize a newly installed N49 steering angle sensor and the full left and full right steering wheel procedure does not work? Can anyone confirm this from first hand experience?

Local shop wants $100 just to read codes!

 

What is DTR? MB Distronic is a radar based cruise control system and my 2006 E320 cdi certainly has no such feature.

 

DTR = distronic

 

SAS part # and was it purchased new or used. You can replace SAS again but SDS should provide definitive diagnose.

May be as simple as clearing stored fault codes with “SDS” but given unique readings may also need to initialize steering angle sensor: Information Communication/SCM – Steering Column Module/Initial Start Up.