Is the W163 Auto supposed to roll on tick over?

[DexterML]

Hello all

As per title, if you take the foot off the brake from stop (automatic), is the car supposed to roll? Sounds silly to ask, but I want to know, as currently if I take my foot off, the car won't roll, so I am suspecting seized calipers.

Any answer will be greatly appreciated.

thanks

2001 ML270 93500 miles
coolant warning light (fixed it)
BAS ESP light on
Massive water leak, entire floor is soaking wet, even the glove box (!!?).
Driver's lock doesn't turn
Seat controls don't work
Brake switch maybe on the way out
FOBs don't lock/unlock (new batteries) (fixed, one works now)
Brake discs need replacing all around
Front calipers seized (not sure)
bonnet struts broken (ordered)
Boot struts broken (ordered)
running board only on one side
broken front bumper (AMG style ?)
Rust around tailgate handle
faded bonnet
rear bumper off its clips

 

[Ted]

Yes, all autos will creep. It’s a good feature.
Great for manoeuvring.

 

[Spider10]

I think it would be cheaper to buy another car with that list , but yes its meant to creep

 

[DexterML]

Yes, all autos will creep. It’s a good feature.
Great for manoeuvring.

Thank you very much !
I just wanted to make sure. If I drive the car, and take my foot of the accelerator, the car will come to a full stop! so I suspected seized calipers.
The thing is, I haven't driven the car since yesterday noon and now I grabbed it by the alloy wheel spoke and pushed it, and the wheel rolled like a quarter of an inch left / right. So it can't be a seized caliper, if the wheel moves a bit. ...so I don't know. Unless the caliper get's unstuck as it gets colder.

 

[DexterML]

I think it would be cheaper to buy another car with that list , but yes its meant to creep

Haha

I got it cheap, and it has low mileage, so I'll stick with it for a bit. But I am making progress I think... I got a couple of things fixed.

As per the previous answer : "
I just wanted to make sure. If I drive the car, and take my foot of the accelerator, the car will come to a full stop! so I suspected seized calipers.
The thing is, I haven't driven the car since yesterday noon and now I grabbed it by the alloy wheel spoke and pushed it, and the wheel rolled like a quarter of an inch left / right. So it can't be a seized caliper, if the wheel moves a bit. ...so I don't know. Unless the caliper get's unstuck as it gets colder."

 

[Stratman]

Feel the wheels after a drive. If a caliper is dragging, that wheel will be noticeably hotter than the other one on that axle.

 

[DexterML]

Feel the wheels after a drive. If a caliper is dragging, that wheel will be noticeably hotter than the other one on that axle.

Did that, the alloy was very hot. But as I said today, the wheel moved easily, so it must have gotten unstuck as it cooled down.... weird.

 

[E55BOF]

Does it now creep on tickover? If so, it has indeed unstuck itself - for the moment at least.

 

[m80]

Put it in neutral on a gentle slope,
if it rolls the brakes are free.

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
Sound all typical issues with an ML of that age
The list is almost exactly the same issues my friends 05 plate has had over the last three years or so.
Just a few comments on you're other issues.

BAS ESP light on -
Is the steering wheel straight? friends came on after a bad four wheel alignment left the wheel slightly crooked, cured taking it to a recommended 4 wheel alignment company, and fault wouldn't reset. A session on STAR resetting/re-calibration the clock spring/control module.
You will need to get the codes read on STAR, ICARSOFT or similiar.

Massive water leak, entire floor is soaking wet, even the glove box (!!?)-
Has the car got a Sunroof by any chance? As the rubber/plastic drain pipes can come off of their drain outlets on the sunroof.
Remove seal around the door aperture in the area of the A pillar, remove the roof handle and pull the headliner down in the area of the sunroof corner you should see a black pipe and it should be attached, to the sunroof frame.
If the pipe comes off, the water runs down inside the headliner and down inside the A pillar, behind the dash and eventually the floor carpet.

Seat controls don't work
Are both seats effected? A Friend has had both his electric seat fail at different times, both had the same fault, they weren't getting a 12V
feed, it turned out to be a dodgy plug connection, they both looked heat damaged from memory so the plug body wasnt holding the pins anymore, causing a bad connection.

Brake switch maybe on the way out
There was a Safety recall for this on the 163 if i remember correctly, it might not have had it carried out, this could also be the issue with the ESP system. Any doubt about it replace it, they are cheap and easy to replace, and cheaper than a diagnostic fee if it sorts it out.

FOBs don't lock/unlock (new batteries) (fixed, one works now)
Does the dead key fob actually start the car? If it does the key fob might just need to be re-synching, go on utube plenty of videos showing, failing that one of the micro switches possibly broken can be replaced I believe.
Brake discs need replacing all around
He has had his replaced and had an absolute nightmare on the rear squeaking tried 3 - 4 different make of aftermarket pads before replacing the discs and pads with genuine MB Items.

 

[DexterML]

WoW, thank you for taking the time to answer on all this, I do really appreciate it.
This is actually my 3rd Merc, I had a 1974 and 1975 W115s .

BAS ESP light on -
Is the steering wheel straight? friends came on after a bad four wheel alignment left the wheel slightly crooked, cured taking it to a recommended 4 wheel alignment company, and fault wouldn't reset. A session on STAR resetting/re-calibration the clock spring/control module.
You will need to get the codes read on STAR, ICARSOFT or similiar.

--->The steering appears straight. The only issue is either one or both front calipers are binding or something BAS ESP related causes the front left caliper to bite. Because I left the car parked for two days and the caliper is now free !!! I need to sort the caliper first before I drive to a diagnostics specialist as recommended by another member here.

Massive water leak, entire floor is soaking wet, even the glove box (!!?)-
Has the car got a Sunroof by any chance? As the rubber/plastic drain pipes can come off of their drain outlets on the sunroof.
Remove seal around the door aperture in the area of the A pillar, remove the roof handle and pull the headliner down in the area of the sunroof corner you should see a black pipe and it should be attached, to the sunroof frame.
If the pipe comes off, the water runs down inside the headliner and down inside the A pillar, behind the dash and eventually the floor carpet.

--> Yes it does, not only a sunroof, but the one that goes all the way to the back seats, with the soft foldable top.

Seat controls don't work
Are both seats effected? A Friend has had both his electric seat fail at different times, both had the same fault, they weren't getting a 12V
feed, it turned out to be a dodgy plug connection, they both looked heat damaged from memory so the plug body wasnt holding the pins anymore, causing a bad connection.

---> Yes, both. previous owner said because of the massive oil leak has disconnected "radio and other stuff" from the fuse boxes... That is what he said.

Brake switch maybe on the way out
There was a Safety recall for this on the 163 if i remember correctly, it might not have had it carried out, this could also be the issue with the ESP system. Any doubt about it replace it, they are cheap and easy to replace, and cheaper than a diagnostic fee if it sorts it out.

-----> I have been informed of this, I ordered one already.

FOBs don't lock/unlock (new batteries) (fixed, one works now)
Does the dead key fob actually start the car?
--->I am pretty sure it does. Although off the top of my head I can't remember which one it was. I changed batteries only on one.

If it does the key fob might just need to be re-synching,
--->I think I re-synched the one that now works. Position 2, click 5 five times etc.

Brake discs need replacing all around
He has had his replaced and had an absolute nightmare on the rear squeaking tried 3 - 4 different make of aftermarket pads before replacing the discs and pads with genuine MB Items.

This is not immediate, they have maybe 500-1000 miles left in them, but they do need replacing. More immediate is to sort out the binding caliper(s) as they prevent me from driving the damn thing.

I also discovered some rust on the door bottoms and the passenger side rear door lock is not locking remotely or with the key, so probably actuator.

I also think the coolant level has dropped in the coolant tank... also it is clear-ish, where I think it should be blue ?