Gokul

Hi team,

I was driving in the snow today and I felt my ABS engage a couple of times - first snow in Toronto + unsalted streets & slushy snow.
Unfortunately, at the end of the trip, my BAS/ESP and ETS warning lights came on.
I remember I used to have these warning lights a few weeks ago, but my mechanic reset them saying they were pending or something after the car lost power once & so he reset them.
Now, given that the warning lights are back, I suspect it's a bigger issue.
But, I'm pretty sure the ABS does work and I felt it engage during the trip with the pulsating feeling.

Wondering what it could be really.

khomer2

Hello Gokul,

DID your mechanic provide you a printout or info on the saved codes before he reset the warning lights?

Have you done a search with the search button, on this forum?
There are several threads related to your issues. I would suggest reading thru them and tackling each one-by-one yourself to access.
I would also suggest you scan your suv to see what the codes are that are coming up.

Gokul

Hi Khomer,

Unfortunately, he didn't provide me a printout and I didn't enquire.
I read through similar posts on the forum about brake light switches causing the issue, but that doesn't seem to be my case as my mechanic said that work had been done on my car already as part of that recall.
There are similarities with other posts in the website, however, there are significant dissimilarities as well. For example, in most of those cases, the ABS warning light has come on as well. Whereas in my case, the ABS warning light has NOT come on, and I can confirm that my ABS does work properly with only the other 2 warning lights on.
And, when I restart the car, the warning lights disappear and appear again only randomly.

khomer2

Well, if work was done already as a part of a recall, that does not mean this issue of yours cannot come back. I've read many threads where members have replaced a simple brake switch only to have the same error code issue come up again after the first brake switch swap and then replace the new brake switch and have it solve the code error issue. (ie. a defective new part...). That could be the case here - to simply replace the brake switch. This part is not expensive either.
Read up here if you havent yet and go thru these steps first.

Maj. Dundee

Scan for codes in ABS/Traction Cont. Module. If code C1401 appears you must change the brushes in the ABS Pump Motor.

mihir_d

I just resolved that issue on my 2000 ML320..the brushes had completely worn out. A rebuilt ABS module (cost $450)...took care of the problem.
I had the code C1401 registered in my ABS computer.

Gokul

Thanks for the replies guys.
I've got a new brake light switch. Will install that and see what happens - will observe it for a week or 10 days.
Generally, the problem appears once every 3-4 days and then dissappears when I restart the car.

mihir_d

Maj. Dundee

Have you erased the codes after the replacement of the brushes?

mihir_d

Gokul

Thanks a tonne for the help Mihir & Major.
I've got the new brake light switch installed - since the warning comes up once every 5-10 days, I'll wait and watch to see if it illuminates again.
Today, I noticed the specific code during the clearing process (after brake switch swap) and it was C1200.

mihir_d

Gokul

Thanks again for all the help guys. It's been a week & over 700 kilometers driven since the brake light switch swap (both highway & city conditions) - no sign of the error so far.
Seems A-OK now.