Calibration of the ABC vertical acceleration sensor?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 502
Likes: 145
From: Tampa Bay, FL
2014 E350 Wagon, 2009 SL550 no ABC
Calibration of the ABC vertical acceleration sensor?
Hello, I've been driving on a flat highway when the car started jumping like crazy (like doing a rodeo on the highway at 60 miles per hour), following which the right side dropped and the left raised itself so it felt like the right side of the car was driving in a foot deep ditch. Luckily I managed to control the car without causing an accident. (As I mentioned with my other experiences with the ABC, I believe it is the most dangerous suspension system of any car made in this century ).
After stopping and diagnosing the system, it turned out to be failed right front vertical acceleration sensor. As it was Sunday and 500 miles away from home, I simply disconnected the sensor, the car leveled nicely, and I drove home with "ABC Failure" message and without functioning ABC. Luckily the computers did not turn off the drive train power, just the ABC functions were turned off and the car was very stable - just a bit more stiff and bouncy.
So I bought a new sensor, put it in, the ABC Failure light is gone, I start to drive and the car goes into the rodeo by itself. So I stopped and disconnected the sensor again, not having time or desire to find out where it leads itself.
QUESTION: Has anyone replaced a vertical acceleration sensor and is the car self-calibrating itself with the rodeo after that? Or is the rodeo an indication of some problem? Or it should be manually calibrated with DAS? Any other thoughts?
Thanks!
After stopping and diagnosing the system, it turned out to be failed right front vertical acceleration sensor. As it was Sunday and 500 miles away from home, I simply disconnected the sensor, the car leveled nicely, and I drove home with "ABC Failure" message and without functioning ABC. Luckily the computers did not turn off the drive train power, just the ABC functions were turned off and the car was very stable - just a bit more stiff and bouncy.
So I bought a new sensor, put it in, the ABC Failure light is gone, I start to drive and the car goes into the rodeo by itself. So I stopped and disconnected the sensor again, not having time or desire to find out where it leads itself.
QUESTION: Has anyone replaced a vertical acceleration sensor and is the car self-calibrating itself with the rodeo after that? Or is the rodeo an indication of some problem? Or it should be manually calibrated with DAS? Any other thoughts?
Thanks!
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: Illinois
S560/SL550/LS460/Q70L 5.6 AWD
I would take the car to the dealer and let them calibrate it, rodeo is the right term for the procedure, that is what they do when dealing with the ABC system.
Just my.02
Just my.02
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 502
Likes: 145
From: Tampa Bay, FL
2014 E350 Wagon, 2009 SL550 no ABC
Thanks, it's just that I never take my cars to the dealers as I have had some less then perfect experiences in the past - I do all the work myself. I will probably just run the rodeo etc myself - I've just hoped that someone may have already gone through the calibration process one way or another and can post a quick answer (I will post it once I get around to fixing it). Thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2014
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S500
they do have issues..... the struts wear themselves out and can be rebuilt (if not destroyed) by the odd specialist
the other thing is these need a complete 30k mile or 2 year fluid and filter change if you want it to survive longer than 10 minutes.....
if this hasn't been done things will have worn and seals will have been damaged... requiring very large amounts of money
the other thing is these need a complete 30k mile or 2 year fluid and filter change if you want it to survive longer than 10 minutes.....
if this hasn't been done things will have worn and seals will have been damaged... requiring very large amounts of money
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Joined: Dec 2015
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2007 S600
Any luck? Did the same exact thing as you with same exact results. Did you use an OEM sensor?
I hooked it up to DAS. The voltage reading on the new sensor was way off compared to the others. I think it read 1V or so lower. From what I recall I don't remember seeing any calibration steps in there. About the only one is ride height.
I ended up throwing my old one back on. But yeah, it is crazy how they make the car react. With the new one on I drove about 100 feet and it was doing a full rodeo up front.
I hooked it up to DAS. The voltage reading on the new sensor was way off compared to the others. I think it read 1V or so lower. From what I recall I don't remember seeing any calibration steps in there. About the only one is ride height.
I ended up throwing my old one back on. But yeah, it is crazy how they make the car react. With the new one on I drove about 100 feet and it was doing a full rodeo up front.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 502
Likes: 145
From: Tampa Bay, FL
2014 E350 Wagon, 2009 SL550 no ABC
@kn51 - problem solved. There is no calibration required. I used another, this time OEM sensor, put it in (takes less than a minute - two bolts and very easy access), cleared the error manually just in case and the car drives like new. I've checked the sensor voltages - all 4 are the same.
So we have a problem when either a brand new or old sensor is bad - I have had both cases, and it gives a voltage different than expected. This causes the car to try to compensate and it keeps on bouncing "rodeo style" without a success. If it happens, the voltages should be checked and another sensor needs to be purchased to correct an out of range voltage.
So we have a problem when either a brand new or old sensor is bad - I have had both cases, and it gives a voltage different than expected. This causes the car to try to compensate and it keeps on bouncing "rodeo style" without a success. If it happens, the voltages should be checked and another sensor needs to be purchased to correct an out of range voltage.
