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Did you order it with the software on the HDD? And do you have a laptop to install the hard drive on?
i do have a laptop that i use for tuning my other rides with this: (https://www.ecmtuning.com) but it's not enough to drive the Mb Star C3 Multiplexer and not until i started reading the system requirements i realized this is a professional tool for a commercial garage and an overkill for the job i am trying to do... even though i am the type of guy who would like to have a nice toy like that but i cannot really justify it since this is the first time in 20 years owning and fixing this vehicle that i actually needed a scanner... (see more on this topic in my reply to @CaliBenzDriver above)
i am evaluating and price shopping for the scanners you recommended and i am leaning towards getting the icarsoft mb v3.0 ... most diy mechanics appear to be using some type of scanner from icarsoft, just different versions and get the job done, like this guy below... he fixed ESP fault caused by his B34 issue with cleaning contacts and then verifying the pressure readings... so for now, while i am waiting for the scanner, i'll use 90% isopropyl alcohol instead of the lubricating cleaner i used and re-spray contacts at the b34 as well as sensors at each wheel and see if it makes any diff...
i have read quite a few post and i am not finding any which would properly diagnose the B34 sensor as faulty but tons of diy mechanics just go and replace the b34 sensor regardless just because the scanner flagged it... but of course the b34 issue persists bc the fault is elsewhere, i.e. dirty contact, faulty ABS sensor etc.
i must admit i do have a hard time understanding why it is so difficult to erase dtc's in this ecu and this is the reason:
i am used to deleting/erasing/modifying ECU data like a boss for a very very long time tuning the 4g63 platform... using this interface ( https://www.ecmtuning.com ) i can access and manipulate any address on the EPROM chip which stores i/o data that control the 4g63 platform; in fact, using an assembler debugger, i can also read the bootstrap data on the ROM chip which is pre-programmed by mitsubishi, hence, if this can be done on the mitsubishi ecu, why can this not be done on the benz ecu?
i am not sure what the distinction between "hard" and "soft?" dtc's is ... to me, if a fault code is stored on the ecu EPROM chip, they can all be safely deleted... it's the codes/data stored on the internal ROM chip that cannot be deleted, am i wrong?
it's only now that i am learning what all the diagnostics components for the benz are... i have been owning and fixing the ml320 for the past 20 years without a scanner and i have not gone to a mechanic yet to have anything fixed unless it required a torch, welding machine or hoist.. i have purchased my first OBD scanner, the innova 3100rs, a few weeks ago just for this job and since it did not do what innova advertised, i took it back and got a refund already...
i believe you totally misunderstood what is the goal i am trying to accomplish by deleting ALL codes.
i am dealing with 14 dtc's which flagged various components as faulty (see my first post in this thread):
1/ B34 sensor
2/ all 4 speed sensors
3/ stop lamp switch/brake switch
4/ fault in CAN communication (whatever that is)
5/ unknown fault
6/ steering angle sensor
i do believe one sensor/component failed and everything else is a cascading effect flagging one sensor after another as issue
my goal is to:
a/ park the car and erase ALL codes
b/ start the engine and watch which error code pops up first
c/ if no code pops up, move the car and watch which fault pops up as first and then
d/ begin with fixing sensor/component which the ecu flagged as the primary issue
unless you can look at the 14 dtc's i listed in the original/first post and you can tell exactly and with confidence what the problem is, how am i wrong in my logic to delete all codes first (or reset the ecu to its original state) and start tracking the problem by focusing on the very first issue the ecu flags??? would that not be a logical approach? if not, what is then the logical approach if i am dealing with 14 codes flagging 6 different areas as faults?
You know I extend free self-help not start a contest with unrelated topics. I provide pointers to help focus efforts.
I don't believe you can fix your hardware problem by running a debugger on ECU module bootloader.
You can not remove E2PROM entries to get this fixed.
Diesel ppl do that for "DPF component delete".
I think your best interest is not to screw with your ABS firmware.... work with the Bosch stack not against it.
> Funnel Process:
Step back to assess
read the faults
consider the systems on-hand
use your knowledge
come up with a plan
test the plan
focus on outcome
reiterate as needed
Again I am not here to drive around circles without progress... your problem is a marginal GND. Reread your thread when your ready.
I don't know half of what you do... so please when you're done with this basic fix, take the time to enlighten us with some of your ECU enhancements. I am very interested in electronics, firmware and software hackings for enhancements.
I am sure we'll all benefit from your return contribution.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; 12-05-2023 at 05:39 PM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
I also am not here to get into a peeing contest, but am I correct to understand that ECMtuning is for cars 20-30 years old? Today's ECUs and software are NOT the same, mainly because cars are much more sophisticated electronically, but also because manufacturers wanted to stop exactly what you are trying to do now. If you have been able to maintain your ML320 without a correct scanner for 20 years, good for you. But you are now faced with a problem where you do need a scanner. While XENTRY is a shop-level tool, it will provide the DIYer with probably the critical information that other consumer-level scanners will not. (Remember Innova told you your problem was the Steering Angle Sensor when it really wasn't?) The iCarsoft MB V3.0 will probable tell you what you already know, but you will be able to clear stored (not current) codes. Those that remain are your problems.
1. Get a Mercedes-specific scan tool (e.g., iCarsoft MB V3.0, LAUNCH Creader Elite BENZ, etc.) and clear your codes. Generic OBD readers are crap for Mercedes.
2. The iCarsoft has a SAS (Steering Angle Sensor) function that I assume is intended to recalibrate your SAS, though I have not used it.
3. Search YouTube for how to reset/recalibrate the SAS.
It's likely all those codes are because of the SAS needing recalibration.
and the winner is... wait for it... LAUNCH Creader Elite BENZ x431
i acted on your recommendation and contacted icarsoft as well as cnlaunch directly, told them what i was looking for in a scanner and sent them the link to this thread so there are no misunderstandings...
icarsoft replied with something like this: "the product will work with all obd2 compatible vehicles"... nothing more; however, cnlaunch sent me a reply i was looking for and that sealed the deal.. see below:
personally, after a careful comparison analysis of various features, i preferred the icarsoft scanner because it allowed to test the brake B34 brake pressure sensor as well as to calibrate the steering angle sensor interactively... perhaps there's a way to do the same on the x431 but i am not finding it in the manual and i have not gotten the chance to explore everything because i just got the scanner... it's the bridge i will have to cross once i resolve the main problem.. which is the ABS
i totally agree that i needed a tool which clears all the codes and i think the mission was accomplished by getting the x431 scanner; hence, my goal to reset/reboot the ecu has been largely accomplished and here are the uploaded reports for examination:
A/ the very first diagnostic report was logged at 15:40 on dec 19th and it's a bloodbath:
one thing i noticed in the report was that the description of the dtc is not matching the 3100rs or the oem dtc description... take a look and decide which description is more accurate.
B/ the second report was logged at 16:35 on the same day after spending time reading the manual and exploring various sections of the ecu and manually deleting codes which the unit identified and i found in the sections which are listed in the report.. apart from some codes which i missed, the ml320 looks like it just rolled off the assembly line with a clean ecu:
i am not sure how long the above links will last but they are active as of writing this post...
tomorrow comes the day when i will learn how to activate the "live" feature and wait which dtc pops up first after i move the vehicle...
things are looking up...
Last edited by sarcophagus; 12-20-2023 at 12:37 AM.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
You have 3 Current DTCs and the rest are Stored. The LAUNCH tool should clear all of the Stored codes. And I suspect 2 of the 3 are related to wheel speed sensors or that circuit. Let us know which come back.
Do you have an external CD changer where you load a cassette of CDs (not an in-dash unit)? If so, hold down the eject button and smack the top of the changer sharply with a hunk of wood, like the handle of a hammer, but not hard enough to break the plastic. The cassette should pop right out.
You have 3 Current DTCs and the rest are Stored. The LAUNCH tool should clear all of the Stored codes. And I suspect 2 of the 3 are related to wheel speed sensors or that circuit. Let us know which come back.
Do you have an external CD changer where you load a cassette of CDs (not an in-dash unit)? If so, hold down the eject button and smack the top of the changer sharply with a hunk of wood, like the handle of a hammer, but not hard enough to break the plastic. The cassette should pop right out.
so i did some more screwing around with the x431 and i figured out how to turn all the MIL's off and delete the rest of the codes manually except one (N1150) in the audio section... and it wasnt until i proceeded with other tests when i realized that after all that messing around with disconnecting battery etc. i did not input the security code which activates the radio... so on my next report that error, i am certain, will be gone; hence, the ultimate mission ( to reset the ecu) on which i set myself on in this thread has been accomplished...
1/ here' s the evidence that the ecu can be cleared even when one gets an avalanche of dtc's such as in my first report which i posted on here yesterday and none of the problems was fixed:
2/ next i proceeded with connecting the x431 and invoking the 'live' function while the engine was running and recorded activity on all sensors under the ecu section 'ESP'... unfortunately i cannot upload the live recordings because there is no web-based player for playback.. so i am posting a snap-shot report showing the status of the 15 sensors that i monitored.. the first report shows 12 sensors and the second report shows the remaining 3 sensors (brake pressure).. the values can be seen in the pull-down menus:
3/ for the next test, i had the engine running while in 'park' and pressing the brake pedal to monitor break pressure sensor... as soon as i started pressing the brake, the three orange lights (bas, esp,..) PLUS the red 'brake' light came on and stayed on.. i turned off the engine and ran another diagnostics test hoping to see error codes... nope... the ecu was clear except the disconnected radio:
4/ after performing the above tests, i took the car with the three orange and one red (brake) MIL for a spin around the block... as soon as the car started moving, i hear this loud beeping that would not stop and i think the tranny went into something like a limp mode... this has never happened before... the car was very sluggish so to get around that i started shifting gears manually and while the beeping did not go away, i was able to drive it by watching the rpm and shifting gears accordingly... i stopped, turned the engine off twice and eventually the beeping stopped, the red brake MIL went off and the tranny started shifting properly again and all i was left with were the three orange musketeers... needless to say, looking at the report, i think i got the dtc i was looking for and which is very likely the actual problem... the dtc is C1101 - rpm sensor FR L6/2; which looks like something on the front right side corner and i am not sure what the L6/2 is as i am writing this log...
i am going to go on the record here and say that the problem is a tone ring on the front passenger side of the vehicle... it's kinda odd that my very first post on this forum was tracking down exactly the same problem, except it was on the driver side and using only my trusty multimeter, no code scanner... here's the post and i think the same work will have to be done on the passenger side.
what do you think? would you agree it's the passenger side and very likely the tone ring? unfortunately i will have to drill the ABS sensor out because it's rusted in to look at the tone ring..
Last edited by sarcophagus; 12-20-2023 at 03:58 PM.
Reason: spelling, syntax
i am going to go on the record here and say that the problem is a tone ring on the front passenger side of the vehicle...
well, it turns out after-all that it was the tone ring on the passenger side which was the core cause of the 14 dtc's stored in the ecu and no doubt the ABS sensor was just fine; however, even after soaking the ABS sensor for days with wd40, the rust was so embedded in the plastic body of the sensor that it was simply impossible to dislodge the sensor from the housing without damaging it... no matter how delicate i was in my effort to remove the sensor undamaged, the plastic was too weak to withstand the prying attempts and the sensor eventually split in half.. see pic below and observe how tight the rust swelled up and grew around the sensor:
in fact, even trying to drill the sensor out was not as easy as it might sound... drilling thru the plastic and copper wiring was easy but drilling thru the magnets was tricky because the clearance between the sensor and the tone ring is less than 1mm so i had to be extra careful not to damage the tone ring should the tone ring not be the problem... once i dislodged the remains of the ABS sensor, the tone ring looked fine but as soon as i checked with a screw driver if the tone ring is firmly attached to the shaft, the tone ring was quite loose and at that point it was clear the ring was the problem and then it was confirmed once i started rotating the tone ring until i found the spot where the tone ring was split into two parts... the photo below shows where the tone ring split:
unfortunately the broken tone ring cannot be replaced... the entire CV axle has to be replaced instead... i have not bothered calling mercedes dealership to inquire about the price for the passenger side CV axle because the mercedes dealership quoted me outrages $1700 cdn + tax 5 years ago for driver side CV axle so i bought a new honda CV axle instead because it was 100% compatible with the OEM benz cv axle and 10x cheaper... the new honda cv axle from NAPA cost me $170 plus tax...
needless to say, this time i found a passenger side CV axle on rockauto.com and bought one for $66 cdn:
looking at the condition of the bolts that need to be broken loose and given i dont have a torch to heat up the surrounding material, i will be taking the car, new cv axle and abs sensor to a garage and let them deal with it...
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Glad you found the problem. However, WD-40 is probably the worse lubricant to use, unless it's one of their Specialist series. That stuff is pretty good. But straight WD-40 is not.
Glad you found the problem. However, WD-40 is probably the worse lubricant to use, unless it's one of their Specialist series. That stuff is pretty good. But straight WD-40 is not.
you're correct... and you have also reminded me of video on penetrating oils that i saw and bookmarked several years ago when i was changing ball joints.. i had a pretty good success with the ATF/acetone mix but i foolishly put it into a plastic spray bottle and the damn thing ate its way through the plastic container and made a big mess... and since i did not get a chance to use the atf/acetone mix more often, i quickly forgot about it and fell back to my old way of mindlessly grabbing wd40 when i saw it on sale... the atf/acetone worked well but it wasnt as convenient as spraying wd40 thru a long straw...
quick update:
here are pics of the old mb axle which i replaced with a new axle from rockauto... as can be seen, the tone ring is missing on the old axle because the rust under the tone ring swelled up and cracked the alloy ring:
You have 3 Current DTCs and the rest are Stored. The LAUNCH tool should clear all of the Stored codes. And I suspect 2 of the 3 are related to wheel speed sensors or that circuit. Let us know which come back.
i took the following ecu scan right after i replaced the ABS sensor and right before i took the car for a test ride:
and then another ecu scan (below) right after my test drive... the test drive was short and a bit chaotic in the beginning: the car would beep and beep and beep, the red brake/warning light went on, the yellow triangle in the middle of the tach would blink on and off, the abs/bsa/.. would be flashing on and off and the tranny went into a limp mode... i ignored it all and kept on speeding up and then quickly slamming on the brakes... the abs engaged immediately and after about 5 min drive i turned the engine off at the first stop sign, restarted the engine and all the dashboard lights were OFF, no more beeping, flashing, blinking or limp mode... the car was back purring just fine... i took another scan and to my surprise, the 'before scan' appears to be identical to the 'after scan'... the ecu turned all the dashboard warning lights off but it did not change any variables in the scan report.. i find that odd:
Do you have an external CD changer where you load a cassette of CDs (not an in-dash unit)? If so, hold down the eject button and smack the top of the changer sharply with a hunk of wood, like the handle of a hammer, but not hard enough to break the plastic. The cassette should pop right out.
the MCS CD error code was due to my disconnecting the battery and not activating the radio with a security code... so the ecu erased the error code as soon as the radio was activated with the security code...
12-05-2023, 04:20 PM
