ABS and ASR lights

[550Maranello]

Chaps
Both the ABS and ASR lights come on every time I start the engine. Sometimes they stay on no matter how many times I turn the engine off and on Sometimes I have to drive quite a few miles to turn them off. What causes this problem and how much would it cost to fix it?
Please advise.
Happy Belated Thanksgiving

Orazio

 

[gsxr]

Hi Orazio,

Unfortunately, we can't really diagnose this accurately without pulling codes, clearning them, and seeing which ones return. You can build or buy a simple blink code reader which will be a big help. Click here to see the one available on eBay. If it comes with any sheets with codes (either printed or PDF), toss them in the trash and use this document instead which is directly from the factory WIS for the 500E.

 

[Per]

It can be the brake-light switch. A new one solved the problem for me!

 

[550Maranello]

Sorry to be so late in posting a reply but we were out of town and now I got the FLU, always at the beginning of the FLU season, darn! Hope that next winter we'll be living in Miami.

On Novmber 19 I took my car to HBL of Tysons, the local MB dealer, for a check up. We plan to dirve to Miami for the holidays and wanted to be sure that everything was OK. I left the car in the hands of the service manager, a friend of mine, and picked the car up later in the day. Everything was fine, no problems. Neverteheless, two days later the ABS and ASR lights went on and it is hard to put the blame on them.

Dave, per your suggestion I bought the code reader on eBay, hope it comes with instructions, thanks.

Per, what brake light switch, do you have the part number just in case?

Thanks guys for all you help.

Orazio

 

[500ESpain]

I had ASR and ABS lights too but not continously. They suddenly came on along with limp mode. Code reader said it was a faulty speed sensor at the rear. About 200 euro to fix.

 

[550Maranello]

ABS ASR: Trouble finding the 38-pin connector

Hi Dave,

Finally, after a month, I was able to get together with my friend late last night to change the car's oil and filter and try to clean the car's codes.

I bought a diagnostic code reader from Porscheapriliafans and, per your suggestion, tossed away the printed instructions that came with it and downloaded the W124 Diagnostic Trouble Codes [with M119 engine only] that you posted.

We expected to find a 38-pin connector [fig 3-14] but found a connector [x11/4?] marked with numbers 1 to 8 and a red LED, we could not find anything else.

Where did we go wrong?

Kind regards,

Orazio

 

[gerryvz]

The 38-pin connector located underneath the round cover that is on top of the CAN box (the underhood passenger-side box with the black lid that contains all of the car's computers, where the battery is on all other non-V-8 W124 cars). You just twist this cap off and you'll see the 38-pin connector underneath.

Another way to identify the CAN box on most cars is via the yellow "BATTERY IN TRUNK" sticker on top of the lid.

Cheers,
Gerry

 

[550Maranello]

Thanks a lot Gerry,

We "(I) should have known better" [Beatles' song] that the battery was in the trunk.

We should be put on time out for the rest of the day alongside Dennis the menace.

Kind regards and have a nice weekend.

Orazio

 

[azmurciev12]

i have both the ASR and ABS lights constantly on. the car runs perfectly well. never goes to limp mode or anything. i took the car to 2 mechanics and both their diagnosis is i have a faulty "tilt" sensor which is found under the rear seat. is there any relation with this part to the ABS/ ASR warning lights being on at the same time?

 

[gsxr]

Yes - that is part of the late 124.036 brake system, only used on European models. If you clear the code and it returns immediately, the sensor/module could be faulty, which would cause the ABS/ASR lights.

 

[azmurciev12]

thanks. yes my car is euro version. do you guys know the part number or what it's actually called? the 2 shops i went to seem to have a hard time sourcing this part and it's quite irritating to be driving with the ABS/ASR warning light on all the time.

 

[samiam44]

I thought Euro cars you could order the part through parts.com or MBclassic center. You maybe asked to fax them a copy of the title so they can verify it's a euro car. Euro part will come from overseas, so expect a few weeks delivery.

If it's easy to get to- you might want to get the part number off original part or someone here can probably provide it.

 

[gsxr]

Michael, he's located in the Phillipines... little different story there vs USA.

It looks like the sensor MIGHT be part number 011-542-46-17, but at $1240 USD list price (or $885 EUR excluding VAT), I'd triple-check before ordering. It was used on many R129/W140 models so it could be available used for a lot less. Like this one on eBay for $50 USD, good photos too... ships worldwide...

 

[azmurciev12]

thanks for the info. WOW! that's an expensive part. my god! thanks to this post, i think i'll just settle for a used part.

 

[azmurciev12]

i cannot thank this forum enough for the part above mentioned to clear my ABS/ASR warning light. i bought the $50 ebay sensor, installed it yesterday, and voila! the warning lights are gone. i'm so happy. good thing the workshop hasn't ordered the part otherwise it would have been a $1K expense... ouch! many many thanks =)

 

[Christian_K]

Incredible i have overlooked this topic!

I have the following symptoms on my 500E:
Remove Battery for a long time, reinstall it, start engine and no warning lights remain on. As soon as the car rolls the first meter, ASR and ABS light came on.
Strangely, this does only happen after i replaced the idle-switch behind the gas-pedal as i've had a LH-mode with that shot switch part. The time before i replaced the idle-switch, i could drive with Limp-Home mode engaged and "only" ASR-light would stay on - but not ABS.

I think i have no Tilt-Sensor in my 1992 Europe 500E, right?

In my case maybe a shot abs-sensor?

 

[gsxr]

You are correct - the sensor shown in the photo above is only on late 124.036 models, chassis #927761 and later, Europe only (not US or Japan models).

Your 1992 500E would be well before that VIN break, so you do not have the dual-mode braking system, Christian...

 

[gerryvz]

Sounds to me like it could be a shot wheel sensor.

What are the codes telling you ? If they're not giving you the problem outright, at least they should provide quite a good directional guide.

 

[gsxr]

What are the codes telling you ? If they're not giving you the problem outright, at least they should provide quite a good directional guide.

+1. NEEEEEEED to check the codes! Then clear them, and see which one(s) return quickly.

 

[Christian_K]

Yes need to do that... I have a star diagnosis system, can it also communicate with the ABS/ASR module? Or do i need a blink-reader? I remember the MT2500 digital scanner can't connect with ABS/ASR module...
I have had the SDS only a short time connected to my 500E with broken engine back in december and just checked if i can read the same live-data with HHTWIN emulation from LH/EZL as with the MT2500 and to compare the amount of live-data to the M104 HFM.
Can't check currently as car is stored some distance away and has no battery in it...

 

[gerryvz]

Blink reader will suffice....

 

[gsxr]

As GVZ said... for ABS/ASR codes, the blinker box will suffice. There is live data available from the ABS/ASR module but it's stuff like individual wheel speeds, snow chain switch on/off, etc.

 

[Christian_K]

Ok thanks for the answer, yes i'm aware that a blinker box can read-out the ABS-ASR codes, but that isn't the answer to my question.
What i would like to know is, if the Stardiagnosis can connect to the ABS/ASR Module and read-out just the fault-codes?

There is live data available from the ABS/ASR module but it's stuff like individual wheel speeds, snow chain switch on/off, etc.

Thats highly interesting to know, so why can't the digital MT2500 scanner connect to the ABS/ASR Module and read those "digital" live-datas?

 

[gerryvz]

Of course it can, that's a very basic ability of the SDS or the HHT. Absolutely !!

 

[gsxr]

SDS/HHT, yes, of course, as GVZ said.

MT2500, no, because Snap-On didn't bother creating the software to allow this. Why? No idea.