W163 BAS/ESP Problem Solved

[DaveML270]

The internet is truly a wonderful thing and the iPhone is truly a wonderful device! My W163 took it upon itself to pack up on me yesterday while I was in a traffic queue in a busy central London thoroughfare. Had I known that it would lock the transmission I would never had put the selector into "Park." The BAS/ESP lights had come on when I was queueing at the lights. I put the selector into Neutral and then found it wouldn't move. "Odd! I thought" as I switched off, switched on and pushed it forward into "Park" - where it stayed.

So there I was in an immobile car just outside Pentonville Prison with no way of moving it. I called the AA but they said they had no vehicle that could recover my car if it couldn't be towed onto the back of the recovery truck. The local feds were a bit upset and had to direct traffic around me - even "Red" Ken's "Bendy Busses!" I was about as popluar as a fart in a phone box I can tell you!

What to do? What to do? I know ... get the iPhone out and search on my problem with Google. I found out how to reset the BAS/ESP sensor (Full left lock, full right lock, switch off, wait ten seconds and then back on again). This did indeed reset it but as soon as I touched the brake pedal to get into gear the light came on again.

More searching helped me discover that little flap just below the "D" position on the gear selector. I didn't even know it was flap! Anyway, a skinny biro shoved deep into the slot allowed me to get the car into gear and proceed home. This over-ride is really useful information missing from the owner's manual! If you were in a long queue in Caledonian Road late yesterday afternoon then I apologize!

More research today led me to believe that the foot brake switch was almost certainly the culprit. Proved when I enagaged cruise control whilst on my way to buy the switch. Touching the brake did not dis-enagage the cruise control. The brake lights not coming on is another, extremely obvious clue of course.

The part purchased for the princely sum of £9.60 including VAT and I was all set to go. A further search on the internet yielded a very cool set of instructions on how to change the little blighter (it is really easy once you start and took only about twenty minutes).

The instructions may be found here:

http://www.keysolutions.com/M-class...238e585256e830060747e?OpenDocument&AutoFramed

The part number in my copy of EPC is out-of-date and the latest one is A001 545 64 09.

So, all-in-all a sucessful outcome and all due to forums like this where people share their experience and knowledge.

My thanks to everyone involved both here and all the other fora!

Dave

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Great post.

 

[television]

One message in the Volvo forum helped me out and saved loads of time.

great places.

 

[Sean2962]

There was a recall done in Australia about 2/3 years ago to replace the faulty brake light switch as it was a safety issue, did this not happen over there?

 

[Howard]

They aren't faulty per se.

They just wear out through use , happens on all models , I've put BLS's into our A class , the CLK's and our ML too.

So cheap to change that it's the first port of call for any BAS ESP faults , even before a diagnostic some times.

 

[nigel cross]

They may not be faulty, it would seem to be to be either a bad design, or the components used are simply not up to scratch.
This is more than a simple on/off switch as its failure as more implications, and as so should be built as such, with a more fail proof design.

 

[mrsbeetlebum]

Hello everyone, had a bad day, got a new brake pedal switch online, they sent the wrong one did a 50 mile round trip to get another and it did not cure the problem
It's an ML320 1999. I know the ESP BAS light problem is common and of course searched for possible solutions.
Trouble is I need it fixed for the MOT next month and really don't have a lot of money to do it! Any help would be just great.

Thanks

 

[BlackC55]

Get it plugged in firstly.

 

[mrsbeetlebum]

Get it plugged in firstly.

We have its showing steering angle sensor get it is fully functional am at a loss now as a 99 model would need whole column and sensor Danes when it's working. Any ideas would be great.

 

[Stratman]

Reset the steering angle sensor, it sometimes does the trick.

As per the first post, with the engine running and transmission in N turn the steering from lock to lock a few times. Don't strain it at the ends of the travel but make sure you do reach the ends.

 

[mrsbeetlebum]

Reset the steering angle sensor, it sometimes does the trick.

As per the first post, with the engine running and transmission in N turn the steering from lock to lock a few times. Don't strain it at the ends of the travel but make sure you do reach the ends.

Didn't work I'm afraid don't know what to do MOT due in 15 days. Will try the reset again. Thank you

 

[mrsbeetlebum]

Didn't work I'm afraid don't know what to do MOT due in 15 days. Will try the reset again. Thank you

Nope didn't work, I am searching the Internet for the sensor as the guy at the garage said mercedes will only supply column and sensor together. I have found the right part I think
Just want to double check if any one knows the mercedes part number that would be great.

 

[BlackC55]

It only comes with the column. There is no way around it. A second hand one won't be any good as they are very sensitive to incorrect movement.

 

[bigandyd]

BAS/ESP Light stuck on

My ML350 2003 68k has the BAS/ESP light on. I have tried the steering wheel trick as mentioned in previous posts but it's still on!

History that may enlighten diagnosis.

Had to slam on the brakes a fortnight ago. Pedal feels a bit soft compared to my other car but doesn't sink and fluid level is okay. Is there a pad warning light? could pads be original and need changing? I've not had time yet to remove the wheels to check. Car was fine last weekend then had to move it a few 100yds on the Wednesday and today the light came on. Car drives fine and cruise control works without problems. Not had chance to check brake lights yet.

I plugged in my obdII hand scanner and no error codes displayed. I read somewhere about disconnecting the battery and managed to set the alarm off with no battery How does that work?

I have a copy of Carsoft 7.4 is this likely to show anything - if so I'll need to find my old XP computer to check. Otherwise I suppose it's a trip to a garage - any recommendations for the Torbay area?

Thanks

Andy

 

[Frodsham-Al]

So my ML 350 BAS/ESP light has been on since I bought the car last December from a dealer.. Car seemed to drive ok but as my first MB & ML I was not aware perhaps of some of the pitfalls..

Having taken the car to have the sensors readings and diagnostics checked the culprit was seen as being mis-alignment of the tracking as my steering wheel was slightly pointing to the 1o'clock position. This is apparently a common MB issue so I had not worried to much!

However after 4 visits to a Local Well known garage chain, to have the tracking and steering wheel adjusted and the same number of trips back to the Indy Merc mechanic. I was still left with an off center steering wheel and the dreaded BAS/ESP light brightly lit on the dashboard! I can confirm the brake switch is seemingly ok and the steering sensor is working correctly, according to the diagnostics check! So head scratch time!!

Until I was given the advice of taking my 4x4 to an "all wheel alignment" company, rather than a standard 2 wheel (ATS/quick fit etc.etc.) tracking service.

The first 5 minutes at the all wheel place, showed what I hope is the actual culprit... The REAR wheels are out of alignment and as the standard tracking method is to use them as a datum point for the front wheels, I subsequently had all 4 wheels out by a long way!! Steering sensor is actually correctly telling me the car is trying to perform a left hand spin (crabbing) while going "straight"!

So its back in to be re-aligned in 3 days and I will update the post further then with a positive outcome or more head scratching!! but wanted to get this possible cause onto the forums and perhaps stop some expensive and would be incorrect repairs done, that maybe down to the lack of 4x4 knowledge at your local day to day garages!

The kit they had is called Hunter alignment I think, pretty nifty tech and may have saved my sanity!!! And hopefully a few others who may read this over time!!!

Al.

 

[Frodsham-Al]

Update..... So the steering is now pretty much dead center and the actual issue was that the 4 wheel were not truly aligned.... My advice to anyone with the BAS/ESP light on is to get to an all wheel alignment center and pay £60 instead of £100's

As for my indie Merc garage and the well known high street tracking I won't be trusting either any more!!!


Hope this post will help a few people save their sanity and their wallets!!!