S-Class (W221) 2007-2013: S 320 CDI, S 350, S 450, S 500, S 550, S 420 CDI, S 600

PRE-SAFE Functions limited

Old Dec 21, 2021 | 12:13 PM
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Angry PRE-SAFE Functions limited

Hello!

I drive a 2009 S550 W221 (WDDNG8GB4AA303663) and as soon as the weather has gotten colder I keep getting PRE-SAFE Functions limited See Owner's Manual on my dash. This happens every morning as soon as I touch the brake pedal and disappears when I release it (when stationary). IE when switching from P to D. Same happens while I drive the car and don't touch the pedal for a while. After three times of arriving and disappearing the error gets permanent and completely disables the pre-safe system until I restart the car. I've already checked all the SAM boxes, CAN wiring, changed that nasty battery charging level cord, checked all 4 radar sensors (2 in front and 2 in the back), switched to a new battery (both of them, actually), installed a new generator, and even changed to SGR ECU (RDU_212 A0375453432). Nothing did help me and that leaves me really frustrated since I've run out of car services in my city I haven't visited yet. The situation gets even worse while driving the freeway since even with pre-safe deactivated the system throws an error (Distronic plus inactive) when using the Distronic plus once it detects the car in front and tries to apply brakes.

I keep getting errors 726600, 550400, 530400, 520400, 560400. But all of them are "stored".
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Old Dec 21, 2021 | 03:33 PM
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ABS sensors.... ???

clear all faults its just a list of useless crap - anything that matters comes straight back - mind you those codes aren't real so what junk are you playing with ?
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Old Dec 21, 2021 | 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by BOTUS
ABS sensors.... ???

clear all faults its just a list of useless crap - anything that matters comes straight back - mind you those codes aren't real so what junk are you playing with ?
Well, I did clear them a dozen of times. But yet they are still there after every time the error shows up on the dash.
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Old Dec 21, 2021 | 06:21 PM
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Originally Posted by alien2k1
Well, I did clear them a dozen of times. But yet they are still there after every time the error shows up on the dash.
I had a similar issue. All systems went out because the front left wheel speed sensor failed. I use iCarsoff scanner and it told me that the left front wheel speed sensor is bad.

I don’t know what scanner you use but when you have so many failed systems it must be something simple. Wheel speed sensor is one of these simple things.

In my car even steering became stiff and CEL also was lit.
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Old Dec 22, 2021 | 03:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Arrie
I had a similar issue. All systems went out because the front left wheel speed sensor failed. I use the iCarsoff scanner and it told me that the left front wheel speed sensor is bad.

I don’t know what scanner you use but when you have so many failed systems it must be something simple. Wheel speed sensor is one of these simple things.

In my car even steering became stiff and CEL also was lit.
I get no other but this one on the dash. Even in P.
No ABS sensor errors stored in any ECU either.
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Old Dec 22, 2021 | 05:14 AM
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amber is usually something isn't helping
red is a serious fault

mind you that said ABS sensors go amber - maybe it means you can keep using the car but something doesn't do what it usually does

pre safe is a, I notice you're heading towards something that's going to get in a tight situation (or worse) so I'm getting ready for the smash, when activated (on my earlier car) it snatches the seat belts tight, closes the windows, optimises the seats for a crash and puts ABS full on. So the ABS sensors are part of the issues and a common bit of fun on the w221.
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Old Dec 22, 2021 | 08:58 AM
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Do those sensors leave any errors in the ecu memory? I find nothing regarding any wheel/abs sensors.

Last edited by alien2k1; Dec 22, 2021 at 10:42 AM.
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 06:59 AM
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abs sensors progressively fail on this model - have you noticed the park brake do strange things (off when u put it on, doesn't want to come off automatically ?) - I forget i don't think ABS senors left errors for the first few months

you haven't told us what kit u r diagnosing with the codes in your first post are not merc fault codes
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 07:25 AM
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Originally Posted by BOTUS
abs sensors progressively fail on this model - have you noticed the park brake do strange things (off when u put it on, doesn't want to come off automatically ?) - I forget i don't think ABS senors left errors for the first few months

you haven't told us what kit u r diagnosing with the codes in your first post are not merc fault codes
nope, the park brake works flawlessly regardless of weather conditions.
I did use both Xentry and Launch. Unfortunately, I did not save Xentry error codes. The abovementioned codes are from Launch Xdiag.
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 07:27 AM
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Can you please help me with the abs sensor part numbers and how many of them I need! I'll try replacing them though U don't have any errors associated with them sensors :-(
thank you.
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 08:54 AM
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 09:31 AM
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Thank you!!

Last edited by alien2k1; Dec 23, 2021 at 12:22 PM.
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 12:07 PM
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ABS sensors on this model die to time - its like clockwork- yours is the exact age hitting a pre determined failure mode - so it would be a good idea to fit them regardless - who deleted the post saying this earlier ?

there was important other info on the symptoms re park brake functionality related to ABS sensor failure and pre safe bongs too
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Old Dec 23, 2021 | 12:20 PM
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I have no errors saying 'ABS sensors are as good as dead' or 'incorrect signal received from that abs piece of junk' in any of ECU memory and Pre-Safe amber error occurs even when the car is in P and not moving at all, but you are saying it still could be one of those sensors?
Just double-checking before I spend another couple hundred dollars on finding the root of pre-safe evil.
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Old Dec 24, 2021 | 04:59 AM
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I'm saying the SENSORS will die - they made them like that and the age is right to fail

And its possible its related the the fault you have
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Old Dec 25, 2021 | 12:58 PM
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Just changed both front sensors. Nothing changed so far. Still waiting on the rear pair to arrive.
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Old Dec 25, 2021 | 01:06 PM
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you could try the old fronts at the back and see if the fault goes away

its only a lump of collied copper wire, its just that Mercedes invented special dissolve to time wire for this model - so I'd be quite happy to swap them anyway
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Old Dec 25, 2021 | 05:31 PM
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Originally Posted by alien2k1
Just changed both front sensors. Nothing changed so far. Still waiting on the rear pair to arrive.
I don’t see in the posts if your car has Distronic. I assume it does as it has several radar sensors.

I get the malfunction of the safety features in rain and sometimes when going thru car wash. Just a few days ago when this happened in a wash I opened the hood and saw the wire connector to the front radar sensor all wet. I think this is my problem in rain and now in car wash too. I have not done anything to it yet but will install some sort of a shield in the back side of the grille to protect this connector from getting wet.

in my E550 this connector is way better protected from rain etc. I was very surprised to see this connector in “open” in my S550.
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 01:20 AM
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Unfortunately, that is not my case. It's not raining every day, both the radar and the car itself are clean and all the wirings and connectors were checked several times.
I'll have to try switching the ESP unit, after all, I suppose. Still, gotta try installing front/new abs sensors on the rear axel.
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Old Dec 26, 2021 | 08:11 AM
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not sure why - merc literature says to always replace both sensors on a given axel at the same time. I just did all 4 on mine, and when playing with the old ones struggled to get good readings - but one I think a rear, was different - both the park brake strange behaviour and the later ESP error message went straight off
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