Traction Control Issue?
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Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2013
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GLK250
Traction Control Issue?
The other day my 2014 GLK250 suddenly enabled the traction control and I lost power to the drive train. It would cut in and out. I worried I might end up stranded.
Temperature was 8C and the road was dry and sunny. Vehicle has about 6000km.
I pressed the disable button and the light showing it disabled came on. The TC remained in force though. After I cycled the enable button a number of times the TC light went off. After that the problem went away.
Anyone seen anything like this.
Temperature was 8C and the road was dry and sunny. Vehicle has about 6000km.
I pressed the disable button and the light showing it disabled came on. The TC remained in force though. After I cycled the enable button a number of times the TC light went off. After that the problem went away.
Anyone seen anything like this.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
Was it snowing or icing? Traction control is enabled by sensors on each wheel reading pulses from a gear, with big teeth, rotating with the wheel. The spacing, sensor to gear is very important. If one sensor is reading faster or slower that the others, the computer applies the brake to that wheel ( faster) to direct power to the other wheel through the diff, or pulses the brake (slower) to eliminate skidding. Debris or ice pickup can affect the sensor and so can alignment of the sensor. The sensor can also go bad. This was more prevalent in the early days of anti-lock but still can happen. Get the dealer to check the position and output of each sensor.
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I had a similar situation. In the middle of making a left turn the traction control system went a bit haywire. It started pumping brakes to individual wheels and cutting power. This was after I had made the turn and was on a smooth, clean straightaway. Hasn't happened since. I did take it to the dealer and of course they said they couldn't find anything wrong.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
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GLK250
@bop11: It was 8 degrees C. That's like 46F. Dry road. Sunny day.
@iewoals: It was only the traction control light that went on, not the red line graphic suggesting I'd crossed over. That always causes a pull to the opposite direction.
This was traction control like I used to experience on my Saturn VUE on an icy driveway. Press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and the engine slows down and the wheels don't turn.
And again, what was really peculiar was when I disabled the traction control and the indicator light showed it disabled, the other indicator that shows when it's working still went on and off.
@iewoals: It was only the traction control light that went on, not the red line graphic suggesting I'd crossed over. That always causes a pull to the opposite direction.
This was traction control like I used to experience on my Saturn VUE on an icy driveway. Press the gas pedal all the way to the floor and the engine slows down and the wheels don't turn.
And again, what was really peculiar was when I disabled the traction control and the indicator light showed it disabled, the other indicator that shows when it's working still went on and off.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
Likes: 38
From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
Sounds like a sensor just on the fringe of adjustment, or a lose connection. The sensors plug in near each axle. A lose connection will cause intermittent action. Turning off the traction control may disable the response but the computer still senses the signal from the sensor.
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When you said you hit the disable button, was that the ESP button?
I am not too familiar with the GLK yet, but I think I read that you can deactivate ESP. But when you do that, Traction Control is not deactivated.
I would go to dealer, explain exactly what happened and try and speak to an actual MB trained technician , rather than a service supervisor. Even if they only explain how the system works, it might be worthwhile. Your post has alerted me to do same!
I am not too familiar with the GLK yet, but I think I read that you can deactivate ESP. But when you do that, Traction Control is not deactivated.
I would go to dealer, explain exactly what happened and try and speak to an actual MB trained technician , rather than a service supervisor. Even if they only explain how the system works, it might be worthwhile. Your post has alerted me to do same!
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2014 GLK350
Same issue
This has happened to me numerous times. There is nothing that seems to cause it. A few times while traveling on the highway, and a few other times while driving in town. The dealership is no help and refuse to fix since they can't recreate the problem! The fact that there are fault codes means nothing to them.
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No ABS light or other odd indication? Typically the same wheel sensors are also used for ABS signals and then one of them also for speedometer/odometer reading. Of course it could be unrelated to wheel rotation sensors....
The other day my 2014 GLK250 suddenly enabled the traction control and I lost power to the drive train. It would cut in and out. I worried I might end up stranded.
Temperature was 8C and the road was dry and sunny. Vehicle has about 6000km.
I pressed the disable button and the light showing it disabled came on. The TC remained in force though. After I cycled the enable button a number of times the TC light went off. After that the problem went away.
Anyone seen anything like this.
Temperature was 8C and the road was dry and sunny. Vehicle has about 6000km.
I pressed the disable button and the light showing it disabled came on. The TC remained in force though. After I cycled the enable button a number of times the TC light went off. After that the problem went away.
Anyone seen anything like this.
Last edited by MBKLUE; Feb 12, 2015 at 10:55 AM.
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2019
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04 sprinter 13 glk350
Insight needed : similar traction problem
Help . What was the fix ? 2013 glk350 0 codes show ,speed on all wheels same with scanner in lap and the around 35 it brakes with just the yellow traction light on only and then back to normal over and over? No other lights / bells and dry as a bone every time .
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 18
Likes: 1
GLK250
Next service they checked but no fault codes or problems reported. Very strange.
