Can Somebody Please HELP! 2003 s430
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2011
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2003 s430
Can Somebody Please HELP! 2003 s430
Hello guys i am new to the forum but i see that this is a very active and helpful forum therefore hopefully somebody can help me out. I have a 2003 s430 and all the sudden 1 day the car will not shift into second gear, also on the dash display it does not show park, drive etc. just shows the time, also im getting a BAS and EAS see workshop on the dash also it says pre safe inactive (what does that mean), i have a friend mechanic that took a look at it and saw something leaking into a harness and we thought that it was shorted out, he cleaned it up and dried it out and plugged it in, but he cannot find the TCM or the transsmission range switch location, he is thinking that he needs to reset the module. i am lost and confused and we really need the car fixed, anybody know what we should do ?
thanks
thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 310
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From: ON, CA
2003 S430
well i think you need a new tcm it located in the transmission its a dealer part i changed it last month and it costed me 700$ your seal is broken so you need to change the seal i forgot what's the seal exactly called but i dont think you can just clean it and your car went into limp mode thats why its into second gear.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5
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2003 s430
thanks
hey thanks, did you have the same problem i did? the car doesnt go into second gear at all and it says pre safe inactive and the other codes mentioned above, you think i should go ahead and order that part and have it installed? does anybody know how much the dealer would charge to fix this?
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 310
Likes: 0
From: ON, CA
2003 S430
the part it self is 500$ or so.. labour is 2 and half hour labour..
and my car didnt go into limp mode because my car was already at the dealership and they told me about it before anything. anyway to be honest i dont know why you have the bas and eas message.. but i would take it to the dealer because they have to order the tcm for you from texas and they have to program it .. thats what they told me and i read it here somewhere anyway if you let them check it out and you decide to go with them fixing it they wont charge you for diagnoses also there is on youtube a vid about replacing the tcm on w220
and my car didnt go into limp mode because my car was already at the dealership and they told me about it before anything. anyway to be honest i dont know why you have the bas and eas message.. but i would take it to the dealer because they have to order the tcm for you from texas and they have to program it .. thats what they told me and i read it here somewhere anyway if you let them check it out and you decide to go with them fixing it they wont charge you for diagnoses also there is on youtube a vid about replacing the tcm on w220
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2008
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Mercedes
you might just need a reflash. to reflash the adaptive transmission see
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...our-22-6x.html
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...nsmission.html
also see this threads
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ol-module.html
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...leakage-2.html
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...our-22-6x.html
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...nsmission.html
also see this threads
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ol-module.html
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w220...leakage-2.html
Last edited by tusabes; Mar 13, 2011 at 09:06 AM.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5
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2003 s430
reflash
i read those threads but i just cant seem to figure out how to reflash the tcm, i tried the whole bit with keeping the doors shut turning the key etc. but that did not seem to work. What do you guys think about this though, on my dash were i usually am able to see park, drive, neutral etc its blank only the time is present
Ps. Does anybody have some wiring diagrams for this model car? 2003 s430, want to try to find the tcm control module relay and transmission range switch location.
thanks
Ps. Does anybody have some wiring diagrams for this model car? 2003 s430, want to try to find the tcm control module relay and transmission range switch location.
thanks
Last edited by shoent; Mar 13, 2011 at 02:32 PM. Reason: addition
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300E a couple 1994 w124wagon E320 Wagon/,1971MGB Track/Rally, MG Midget Autocross ,2000 E320 wagon.
Resetting
the TCU is not going to help YOU.
Can the car be driven? If so and it won't shift and your speed is limited you are in limp mode 2nd gear.
Your friend while meaning well is not a Mercedes mechanic . The transmission range switch is in the shifter right below the console between the two seats.
Have you spilled any liquids like coffee or soda down into it?
When you say he found fluid what fluid and where? What did he try to dry out and with what?
Have you inspected for the common leak of trans fluid at the electrical connector? Tried to pull any codes with a scanner?
There are so many things lacking in what you have listed as symptoms it is hard to figure out anything other than you need to take it to somebody that knows what they are doing. Before you start throwing 500 buck shift modules or other parts at solutions that may or may not be the problem.
I.E. failed solenoid,failed conductor plate,shift module fried,leaking o ring connector, on and on and on................
where are you located? Find a good indie shop with an sds scanner. After you answer the above questions
Can the car be driven? If so and it won't shift and your speed is limited you are in limp mode 2nd gear.
Your friend while meaning well is not a Mercedes mechanic . The transmission range switch is in the shifter right below the console between the two seats.
Have you spilled any liquids like coffee or soda down into it?
When you say he found fluid what fluid and where? What did he try to dry out and with what?
Have you inspected for the common leak of trans fluid at the electrical connector? Tried to pull any codes with a scanner?
There are so many things lacking in what you have listed as symptoms it is hard to figure out anything other than you need to take it to somebody that knows what they are doing. Before you start throwing 500 buck shift modules or other parts at solutions that may or may not be the problem.
I.E. failed solenoid,failed conductor plate,shift module fried,leaking o ring connector, on and on and on................
where are you located? Find a good indie shop with an sds scanner. After you answer the above questions
Last edited by ohlord; Mar 13, 2011 at 04:46 PM.
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Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
2003 s430
k
yes the car can be driven but it seems like it wont go into second gear at all, so i cant go over like 10-15 mph. The mechanic removed a plug that was under the car near the transmission and it had some moisture in it so he took it out cleaned it out with brake cleaner and dried it with a small fan or something and put it back in. He said trans fluid leaked into it and could have shorted it out, i am not sure if any liquid was spilled in the cup holder but it is very much possible. The weird thing is the car had no symptons of anything and all the sudden one day the check engine light, abs light, pre safe inactive eas and bas started to show up on the dash. Before the mechanic even came over the area on the dash were it says the time and what gear your on in i.e P, D, N, etch was blank, now the time shows up but not what gear your in at all. He is thinking the range switch or relay may have shorted out.
