BAS / ABS woes with a very particular issue - help needed!

[jpbell]

Hello there, my first post and hoping someone can help. I'm now on my fourth E-Class estate (W210) and third E320CDi. Very fond of these cars but they can and do try my patience with quirks and system failures.

I've got an issue right now that I need advice on. My local independent claims to have not heard of this problem and it'll be ten days or so before I can get the car to the garage, meanwhile I need to drive it a couple of hundred miles.

So. The BAS / ABS warning lights are coming on infrequently. However, after a couple of days of this behaviour it suddenly dawned on me that these warning lights are only coming on the second I switch the headlights to full beam. All lights off, all ok; sidelights on, all ok; full beam (or flash headlights); ABS light and BAS light come on - as well as a sudden heavyness in the steering at low speeds (indicating a sensor failure),,a general sluggishness in the power delivery and other but consistent symptoms like the 'click' of the indicators not sounding and the front and rear park sensor arrows illuminating permanently.

My question is - what could this be? The steering behaviour implies that when the warning lights are on, the systems in question (BAS and ABS) are indeed switched off. All the brake lights and indicators work perfectly, front and rear, as do both headlights. It's a conundrum - any advice as to where to start looking would be hugely appreciated.

thanks

pj

 

[markjay]

EPS / BAS / ABS error messages often come-up when there's a voltage drop, presumably the car switches these circuits off for safery reasons because when the voltage is low the input data from the wheel sendors can not be relied on.

Check the condition of your battery (both batteries, if you have two) and charging system (alternator), especially the Ground connections.

 

[Dieselman]

Possible light switch failure allowing leakage of power to the brake lights.

 

[grober]

Definitely sounds like a voltage drop phenomenon. Steering heaviness might be due the alternator loading up and trying supply current and this might effect the power steering pump output via the polyV drive belt.

 

[jpbell]

Thanks for all these suggestions. Another issue cropped up this morning, after a couple of days of inactivity - tricky starting. The car turned over for 20 seconds or so before finally starting, which implies some kind of battery or alternator issue.

I know the car has a battery beneath the passenger seats but is there another? And where?

 

[Dieselman]

A long crank says the battery is OK, the problem is more likely an air leak into the fuel pipes.

 

[renault12ts]

Check the earth points behind the headlamps in the engine bay. Mine had similar problems when the earth went bad...and eventually broke off. The heavy steering is because your parameter steering is not working...due to the same cause.

The long crank is due to the weather getting colder...new plastic fuel pipes needed.

There is only one battery.

 

[Tinytots]

Hi all,
I'm new to the club and got my first w210 E300 TD. Unfortunately I had a diesel leak at the pressure valves, so I changed the o-rings and copper washers. I got it started after a time, but it is not running on the 2 cylinders next to the radiator. Please could someone tell me what I've done wrong? I took the copper washer assembly out with a magnet and the piston came with it. I put the the piston back in, but I've got a feeling this is my problem. Please help

 

[Dieselman]

Any issue with seating the delivery valve could cause a problem, but are you sure you connected the pipes up in the correct order?

 

[Tinytots]

Hi Dieselman,
Yes pipes are all in right order. I kept them in order during strip down. I found that the valve seats were sticking for those 2 cylinders. I was told that they should be easily remove and free to move up and down. Is there supposed to be a wood drift key holding them?