Floobydust

I've been having a few odd electrical issues on my '08 ML550. The other day the climate control suddenly switched from "auto" to manual with a bunch of strange settings. I hit "auto" again and it went back into auto mode as before. Later, on a different day, the stereo system would not shut off. After a few re-starts, it was okay again. Then today, I got in the car and as soon as I touched the brake pedal with my foot, the car started all by itself! I have keyless-go and I definitely did not touch the start button (someone was in the car with me and saw it happen and saw that both of my hands were on the steering wheel when it started). Weird.

- FD

paulybagadonuts

Better get that to the dealer. Let them hook up the ghost buster machine. If they tell you everything is ok. Bring it to another dealer. Keep us posted. Good Luck

roadrutz

I have often wondered where the poltergeist went after we exorcised him from my old 328 BMW. He used to open windows at random, switch on the wipers, and occasionally just refuse to start the engine for ten minutes in the morning. I guess he took up residence in your ML. (Turned out to be static build-up in the tires that would arc across to the ABS sensors and cause the central computer to Ctrl-Alt-Del. When we grounded the ABS sensors, he was exorcised for ever.)

dgiturbo

I wonder if the static buildup is what is causing the issues with the Toyota's?
Of all my years tinkering with cars, I would have never tried a fix like that.

roadrutz

To their credit, BMW listened to my suggestion and ultimately issued a "fix": two 12-inch lengths of 12-gauge wire with terminals soldered to each end! Apparently only I and one other BMW owner (in the US) had the problem, but it was so similar that somebody at BMW twigged to ask our dealers what tires we were using. Turned out we had both switched to a new 'low rolling resistance' Michelin (non OEM for BMW) that used silicon instead of the traditional tire black. The lack of carbon in the tire meant that it no longer grounded properly, so static could build up -- but just in certain circumstances, such as only on a bone dry surface.

Many years before that I had a Saab that had exhibited similar problems that turned out to be caused by static. It was only because of this that I stuck to my guns and kept insisting to my BMW dealer that it was a static build-up that was causing the issue, even after nine months of random 'events' and frustration and swapping out computers and wires and fuses and who knows what, and getting to know all the SAs by first name. In fairness, I didn't know what was causing the static; credit for that goes to somebody at BMW.

I won't be surprised at all if you turn out to be correct about the cause of Toyota's (and Honda's and GM's and who knows who else's) problems with brakes vs throttle. None of us should be too smug; it could happen just as easily with Mercedes. Maybe it's what is causing Floobydust's problems.