I hate to join a quality group with a plea but I've learned so much from this board I know someone will have a good idea. I'm stuck.

A whole series of problems that I've resolved has lead me to this point, I purchased a 2010 S550 2 years ago with a bad suspension, I replaced it with the Arnott springs right away. Then last week, an idiot light for the ESP system came on. I took it into my garage and they confirmed it was the ESP module. Without thinking to hard about I told them to order me a new one. They did and it arrived ytd. The garage called today and told me they can't program the module because I don't have the factory suspension anymore. The first step of programming the module is to set the ride height. Because I didn't think this thru, I should of just turned the ESP off and lived without it. But I didn't. So now what is my next step? The garage says they can't return the ESP module ($1800) and they can't program it to put it in. The MB garage won't program it either, they claim the same reason, no way to set the ride height.

 

the esp fault was probably just an ABS sensor they die all the time

 

The air suspension springs are just that, air springs. The car's computer system cannot possibly know what kind of an air spring is installed in the car. More air in the bag raises it up and less lowers it down, This is controlled by the signal from the level sensors at each axle, two in front and one in rear (in my car). I don't even see a need for level calibration if no level sensors were replaced as those are the only connection between the air in the springs and the distance to the ground.

ESP is the Electronic Stability Program that controls the wheel spin on slippery surfaces you drive with the power you apply. Should have nothing to do with the suspension in the car.

But, if the garage you use is able to program the ESP module (if the level is calibrated) they surely should be able to calibrate the level too.

Sounds to me you have been hosed pretty good by your garage.,

 

I encountered many W221 with ESP module faulty, It also happened the same on my car and I just do the repair services and it working fine (they just remove ESP module fro the car, open it and do something inside for less than 15min).

The main symptom of ESP faulty is error messages on the dash board, power steering also is deactivated and N47-5 internal error displayed when we check with the scanner tools.

Alternative way for you it that you ask garage to find another car similar like your car, you just remove central gateway and the new ESP module then plug it in other care for programing ESP...

 

That was my thought Arrie, why does the suspension level needed to control wheel spin? The MB garage is telling me that it does, they charged me $175 for that piece of information. I agree this garage is a piece of work, MB of Chandler, Az if anyone is in the neighborhood.

 

Minh that is a really good idea, to program the module in a similar car. I need to find a garage/person who could do this in the Phoenix area. Any ideas?

The garage is now telling me that my brake lights are always on because the ESP module is broke. They have no idea how to get the brakes back working. So this brings up all new problems, how do I get the brake lights working without the ESP module programmed?

I found this article about turning the ESP off for track use, I'm going to try it once I get the car back. Any idea if this will work on a S-class?https://www.mbworld.org/how-tos/a/me...-it-off-387310
My power steering was fine, actually I didn't notice anything different with the car I drove it for over a month with the "error message" on.

Thank you for the suggestions and ideas, I've had my CLS for 14 years and never had a single thing go wrong this S hasn't been so good.

 

Of course suspension level needs to control wheel spin because when you ride your car with high speed then airmatic is automatically lower your car. It’s logical for me that SCN coding get error because airmatic controls module is disabled.

I’m from Hanoi Vietnam therefore I don’t know who can help you. If you are here then I can bring your esp to repair services for less than 150$. In your case, I don’t know what is the error code but you should try to repair your module or try to find a similar car for SCN coding (just take central gateway from your car, install it in other car then do scan coding off new esp module.

another way is you can try second hand ESP and I believe it should works, you just need to do road test to teach the second hand esp on your car. (I never try to replace W221 ESP with second hand one because I just send it to the shop for repair and it works. For W211 I success to change the ESP from another car and it working fine)

 

that is the same message you get if an ABS sensor has or is failing
if you get a beep you didn't expect and the park brake also appears to be off when you were fairly confident you had used it, and or fails to release (meaning you have to operate the switch manually)

its the ABS sensors

 

BOTUS just so I understand, the ABS sensors could be bad -> which leads to the ESP module reporting error codes -> causing the brake lights to stay on? This whole experience was understandable until I found out the brake lights are always on. My garage is telling me the ESP module controls the brake lights - that is where I get confused.

 

the brake light bit is interesting.... was another post where the guy couldn't find a brake light switch on the pedal assembly (odd when the parts drawings show it). I haven't seen your car or seen the full low down. but certainly the brake lights on might be driven by a different fault. What I was saying was that same driver error message comes up with faulty wheel speed sensors, and is very common on this model.

ESP relies on the data from the ABS sensors, the engine ecu, and the steering wheel to inform a module what's happening with the way its being driven.... if driver input for the speed and steering angle are greater than a preset limit it will attempt to control the cars trajectory by independently braking individual wheels

 

that guy drove F1 once up on a time - there's another in the snow, which is less childish this is the sensible version

 

just scanning over the whole post - on a car of this size and weight disabling ESP is thoroughly irresponsible. In Europe if you drive on public roads with a car that had ABS or ESP at build and its now defective and have a crash that injures others you go to jail. Max sentence was 10 years, I think it went up.

even a minor scuff on a bumper (fender) will cost more to fix than repairing the car properly. One needs to remember all main dealers are now full of ignorant fools with no idea what they are doing, but they have a very clever diagnostic system with paint by number repairs lessons and a criminal at the payment booth. They with not know what's wrong and will never understand why is was playing up even after they repaired it. And if the step by step ideas by a german writing the fix it steps (trying to make money for Mercedes parts suppliers) wrote replace x the cost gets nasty quickly.

as virtually all faults on modern cars are the same across every car made (because the faults are all designed in during the development of the car) experience is what counts in a cheap fix. So with an S class turning up at main dealers only inside the first 3 years once a month... the tech fresh out of kindergarten today will never have sat in one before.

Whereas as independent expert will see 10 a week, probably know what's wrong when you mention the fault and has a labour rate 40% of the main dealer fees. And if he's honest the parts should be more competitive, as he gets parts at 30% of the cost they will sell them to you at the parts counter of a main dealership

if you have a faulty module try ebay, its littered with S class parts as no one can afford to repair them.... and one for $85 might have 18 months to 3 years of life left before the built in die date is reached

 

incase you think the presenter chap can't drive and you could save it..... (did 2 F1 races in an uncompetitive car in 1980 and came 3rd in le mans in 1990) the guy in the passenger seat wins touring car championships....