2000 W210 E280 Avantgarde- 2malfuntions- ESP and Display defective

[ontheball247]

Hi guys, i bought a 2000 E280 avantgarde almost 2weeks ago. Im new to mercs, and intend to giv bak to the forum more and more, as i learn more about these cars. Anyway, everything was fine for a few days, until last thursday. I turned the key in the ignition, and got no response. I took the key out, reinserted and the engine started fine this time. but then the display gave me
"ESP
Visit workshop"
and the ESP/BAS light came on on the dash, plus the ESP was obviously not working.

Anyway, i turned the car off and on again, and it all went away. Even the ESP was now working fine...

Until Tuesday, when it happened again...exept this time it was two errors....
1. EPS, visit workshop
2. Display defective, visit workshop
Plus with the new display malfunction, 3things would happen once every 10-15seconds or so, all simultaneously;
i) the engine check light would flash;
ii) the coolant temp gauge would dip from 80 down to 60, then back up to 80 again
iii) the revs would raise from 600 to about 900, then back to about 600 again.
now remember these three things happen simultaneouly, while stationary, an they happen every 10-15 seconds or so.

This time turning the car off n on again would not help. And the only odd thing i could find was that the brake fluid was full to the brim in the reservoir. so i lowered it to the max mark, started the car again, and it was fine...

until today (thursday- one week from when i first noticed the problems) where i got the two warnings again. Now turning the car off and on again would not work everytime. The malfuntions would come up on the display again, more often.
I then read up about resetting it by turning the steering full lock left, then right, then centering it. So i did this. But all it has achieved, is that now the malfunctions do not go away at all. They are back on the display within seconds of starting the engine.

Also, whenever i dont have the malfunctions displaying, everything works fine and runs smoothly.
But, when I do have the malfunctions displaying, I also get rough running, but only when slowing down. not when accelerating (this is while driving- i've already described the symptoms that occur while stationary).

 

[BlackC55]

That is an intersting fault. It neess to go on a Star firstly (A Star is the MB diag system)

It very much sounds like you have a fault with the instrument cluster. I think it has a lack of communication problem but without plugging it in is impossible to guess what it is.

 

[shorty]

+1 on getting the car hooked up to STAR .
Have you checked the battery ? could be a loose connection , or a bad earth ?

 

[ontheball247]

thanks guys. Sorry for changing the description (just re-worded it, to try and shorten the essay.lol)

Anyway, I know how to check the battery, with a multimeter (it should read 12v while engine is off, and it should rise a bit when engine is turned on).
But not sure where all the earths are, or how to check them (do i just make sure they're connected properly, or is there a way of checking their continuity?)

Will see what i can do about a diagnostic asap, and report back.
Really appreciate the help. as said before, i intend to giv back to this forum as i learn more. and had no repsonses on other forums, so thanks for the quick replies.

Baz.

 

[ontheball247]

Ok guys, checked the battery. With engine off, it's 12.5V. With engine on, its 14.08V. So that's fine, n shows the alternator's working.

Noticed another thing. Im getting a bit of a shove with a faint thud when gears change. It happens through all the gears, and i made sure by changing through the gears via the tiptronic method. But this never happened until today, which is when the malfunctions had become permanently there.
I know i still need to get diagnostics done, but could this be related to the ESP/gauge issue? Im really hoping it isnt gearbox, plus its started all of a sudden along with the 2malfunctions now being prominantly displayed, therefore there's a good chance it's all related. Other than the malfunctions appearing on the display, the car was fine until I did the reset thing. All that achieved was permanently lighting the mallfunctions, and rough gear changes.

I really apologise for the shower of questions, but quite a few problems arising all at the same time is the worst experience ive ever had with a car.lol. Its the reason i sold my BMW and got this.
Fingers crossed (and God willing) its all related to something not too complicated/expensive.

thanks again,
Baz.

 

[zeeshan]

Hi ontheball247, Did you get any solution to your problems, i.e. ESP, Display faults?