Today I took my car for MA state inspection. Enissions passed fine, but my backup lights don't work so the safety inspection failed. I'm going to look at the neutral safety switch under the car tomorrow. Drove home (2 mi) and my ASR and ABS lights came on. I turned engine on/ off a few times, and that didn't fix anything. I drove the car 75 miles and the lights stayed illuminated, but there was no other signs of anything wrong. When I got home the pump from the ABS hydraulic unit was running for at least 4 minutes and wouldn't shut off. I pulled the negative battery cable to stop it.

I just finished replacing the steering lock, ign. cylinder, due to a locked tumbler in '0' position. What should I start to look at/test and in what order. I would appreciate any help.

__________________
1995 E320 wagon - 175,000 mi.
1981 BMW R100RS - 43,000 mi.

I have the same car, and experienced the same ABS pump behavior today, but it corrected itself.

After restarting the car at a gas station, the ABS and ASR lights suddenly illuminated. Drove 30 miles, turned car off, restarted, and lights came on again. Turned car off and planned to do some research on MercedesShop, when I heard humming from the engine bay. Opened the hood, and the ABS was running -- with the car turned off.

I drove to my mechanic and, of course, when I got there the car behaved normally -- no lights, no humming pump, and ABS/ASR behaving normally.

Only notable difference when the problem occurred was the A/C and radio switches were in the "on" position, which is something I rarely do. Could starting the car with a heavier than normal electrical load cause a hiccup (i.e. in the the OVP) which caused this odd behavior? Or is it an early warning that a relay, or perhaps even the ABS pump, will soon fail?

__________________
2008 E350 4matic / Black/Anthracite

------------------------------------
Gone but not Forgotten:
2001 E430 4matic, 206,xxx miles, Black/Charcoal
1995 E320, 252,xxx miles, Black/Grey
1989 260E, 223,00 miles, Black/Black

Run a search for "stop light switch" or "brake light switch." It's an $18 part that you can install yourself in about half an hour, and is the frequent culprit of the ASR/BAS light coming on. That repair was the first thing that this forum helped me fix on my '98 E-class. There's a ton of info, and even the most novice DIY'er can change out the switch himself. If that's your problem, as it so often is on the W210, you'll be fine in no time.

Cheers, John

__________________
'98 E300TD (W210) | Sold 6/09 with 205k and counting
'04 VW Touareg V10TDI

E320 16 PIN DTC Charts inc. pin 8, pin 14

Read this, build tool and get codes from pin #14.

duke -- thanks for the info. As yet, the issue has not returned, but I will check out the switch if the lights appear again.

arthur -- my mechanic read the codes and all we saw was my persistent #5 (clogged EGR tube).

Does the ABS pump keep running, with the engine off and key out of the ignition, if the brake switch is faulty? Or did, as I am assuming, the ABS relay get stuck in the "on" position? And could some other relay, i.e. OVP (if this car has one) have triggered that?

__________________
2008 E350 4matic / Black/Anthracite

------------------------------------
Gone but not Forgotten:
2001 E430 4matic, 206,xxx miles, Black/Charcoal
1995 E320, 252,xxx miles, Black/Grey
1989 260E, 223,00 miles, Black/Black

<
EGR codes 5 is from the DM module. The ??? is did he check for codes at the EA/CC module..that is where asr/abs codes will be hiding. He amy have checked all modules , or did he just check the DM???

Sounds like a low voltage condition , but above ?? should be eliminated first..

I agree, sounds very much like a low voltage condition. I just went through this on a friend's car last summer. In addition to Arthur's suggestions, I recommend checking the ground strap for loose connection or corrosion. Also it wouldn't hurt to check the voltage regulator. Is this a W124?

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

He started at the DM with a tablet-style computer, after which the shop owner told him that he would not find everything there, and to use their other, better, computer for more detailed results -- from I assume the EA/CC modules. I cannot confirm because I lost interest at that point and walked away. All I know is thet after about 30 minutes, he returned to report only the EGR code.

If it was a (temporary) low voltage condition, would that make the ABS pump run on its own, with the engine off?

__________________
2008 E350 4matic / Black/Anthracite

------------------------------------
Gone but not Forgotten:
2001 E430 4matic, 206,xxx miles, Black/Charcoal
1995 E320, 252,xxx miles, Black/Grey
1989 260E, 223,00 miles, Black/Black

Yes -- 95 E320.

I will check the grounds and voltage regulator during tomorrow morning's oil change.

Earlier on I asked if starting the car with the radio and A/C already in the "on" state could cause enough of a initial voltage drain, under the right conditions, to trigger the events I experienced. Is that sounding at all feasible at this point?

Also, over the past two months or so, I noticed my SRS light will stay illuminated a wee bit longer on *some* startups, which is causing me to suspect that I may have some voltage regulator or battery issues that will soon need to be addressed.

__________________
2008 E350 4matic / Black/Anthracite

------------------------------------
Gone but not Forgotten:
2001 E430 4matic, 206,xxx miles, Black/Charcoal
1995 E320, 252,xxx miles, Black/Grey
1989 260E, 223,00 miles, Black/Black

In all honesty, I am not well versed in the ABS circuitry, so I couldn't tell you for sure. However, I will say that a low voltage condition can cause all sorts of aberrant behavior in the electrical system. In my friend's case, it was causing the ETS and ABS warnings to trigger on the dash, as well as the high beams believe it or not, but the ABS was not actually running. His was a W210, and I chased all sorts of electrical gremlins for a few days until I stumbled upon a corroded ground strap under the rear passenger seat. I used some hydrochloric acid and a file on both the strap and the chassis contact point, and the problems disappeared like magic. I had previously replaced his alternator and combo switch, so I ruled them out.

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

See if you have the old Part# OVP... if so , before going any further,I would change it regardless...." the original was a "Known Gremlin Monster "

Have not done that yet, and the problem has not returned, but I will have a look when I do my next oil change.

__________________
2008 E350 4matic / Black/Anthracite

------------------------------------
Gone but not Forgotten:
2001 E430 4matic, 206,xxx miles, Black/Charcoal
1995 E320, 252,xxx miles, Black/Grey
1989 260E, 223,00 miles, Black/Black

What is "ovp"?

Over Voltage Protection.
It's there to prevent Nuclear Meltdown of your vehicle in case of a power surge.

__________________
2007 C 230 Sport.

FUSE? Overvoltage protection?