Hi guys, I really need urgent help I we departed on our holiday travelled 500 miles no problem. Started up this morning as i accelerated the asr light lit up, no other warning lights, obviously went into limp mode. I shut car off restarted and drove another 400 miles no problem. When starting up again asr lit up, shut car off start up fine for the days drive.

What can cause this my toughts rests on the throttle position sensor, as other sensor will have deactivated the abs as well, right? And abs stayed active.

cant pull any codes now but this car does not have a cel
,

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1996 s500
1978 450 slc
1999 C240

Peet,
Welcome to the club. I've had the same problem on a 300CE for TWO years. Got a lower limit switch code. Eventually replaced everything except the roof! Still can't find it. My indie has a friend that is a retired master Mercedes mechanic. He has taken on the project as a matter of honor. He thinks the problem is in the throttle linkage although the adjustments are dead on. And the problem is if you make an adjustment or change and run the car, you have to wait until the next morning to see if you have done any good.
If either of us finds the answer, I hope it gets posted.

Anziani
'93 300CE 200K
'95 E4250 122K

I had this problem with a W140 400SEL when it was new.

Took months for the dealership to find the problem. Even then it was never clear if the problem went away - it was intermittent.

Check the brake switch under the pedal.

The car did the same thing this morning, switched it off restarted, asr went away. I found a dealer here went there wanted them to pull the codes, had to make an appiontment. So tomorrow I will take the car to have the codes read.

What linkages can be adjusted and how is adjustedment deterimined?

More important, if I get stuck on the side of the road, can the asr be disabled somehow so that the car can be driven home, pul a fuse?? can it be done

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1996 s500
1978 450 slc
1999 C240

I just realised, that the day before my asr problem started, I had the chassis en engine presure washed, after the presure wash the engine missed a bit and ran unevenly for about five minutes and then returned to normal.Following day the asr issue started, can this be related?? Is there any connections I can check for possible moisture?

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1996 s500
1978 450 slc
1999 C240

In my two years of this agony, I have never been stranded. I just pull over and restart. What I have noticed though is my problem is temperature related. The colder the mornings, the more times to restart.
On the 300CE there is a microswitch on the throttle linkage below the instrument cluster. We thought this was the answer, but it wasn't. There are definite linkage adjustments to be made on some cars. The brake pedal switch is a suspect along with anything in the brake circuit including the bulbs. The wheel speed sensors are fair game and make sure all 4 tires are the same make and diameter. I assume that your wiring harnesses are good.
If you DON"T get a warning light then you have the same problem as I have. We get only one fault and that is a "closed throttle idle switch"
Keep us posted please.
Anziani

Certainly can . . . check the NSS mounted on the side of the tranny. If it's original as was mine, it's probably is toast!

Read Menu#24 for details of a 'going-bad' ETA. Details of my bad NSS are toward the bottom of the page.

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Regards . . . . JimF
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'94 S500 Cpe

Visit my Mercedes Web Page

yep

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Jim

Car went into the dealer this morning to diagnose codes on asr. I will have then check the NSS as well. Will report back just as soon as I have the codes.

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1996 s500
1978 450 slc
1999 C240

"The brake pedal switch is a suspect along with anything in the brake circuit including the bulbs"

You're taking a 15yo 140 to the dealer for a diagnosis? Ok, they'll gladly sell you every new ETA, wiring harness, and switch for 5-6 grand any day! And they won't solve your problem.

Jim or moderators........there DESPERATELY needs to be a STICKY on M119-era ASR problems.

Literally..........my 400E would do this either in RAIN or in COLD WEATHER. The SOLDER was broken on a TAIL LIGHT. A TEN DOLLAR fix.

DO you think reading codes at the dealer will fix this? NO

The ASR light will come on, it will point to "system X" and then 90% of the shops out there, who haven't worked on these cars for this issue in the past 6 months will tell you everything needs to be replaced!


People, either study up on these cars with ASR before you buy them, or just bend over and take it. Understand WHY an ASR light comes on, UNDERSTAND limp mode and how, even though it seems OMG CATASTROHPHIC, it USUALLY NEVER IS

Bottom line:

1) We need a sticky about these issues from someone like Jim or MBDOC. The question is being asked every day
2) People with 90-s vintage ASR cars need to learn from the get-go to associate "ASR light = anything under the sun related to any eletrical connection, switch, contact or bulb in between the ASR computer and the taillights."

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

Right just had a call from the dealer, no error codes present, basically they do not know what to do from here??????

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1996 s500
1978 450 slc
1999 C240

Start investigating your taillights, make sure everything works. Pull the taillight connectors one at a time and see if the problem stops. NSS, brake switch, has anything else changed since this problem occured? 500 mile drive - is that unusually long for this car? Sounds like something is getting hot and failing.

Any other symptoms at all before this started?

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

I have seen, on certain late model Jaguars, where whenever the owner would run the car through the car wash it would go into limp home mode and throw multiple codes. Seems that there are some openings on the cowling at the base of the windshield that if left open will allow water to drain down onto the main connector at the back of the engine. You may have a situation where a connector got wet and now that it has dried out it is fine.

I am going to assume, since they did not get any codes, that the ASR light was not on when they went to read it. Could reinforce the above scenario.

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Jim

I will make sure of the taillight connectors, nss and brake light switch i will replace cheap enough.

No symtoms prior this care has been maintained to perfection 78k miles bought it new, thus one owner car.

frequently on long journeys.

just an ignorant question some time ago I had a blown brake light bulb, sure enough the light out warning light came on but asr still worked no asr warning? replaced bulb with oem bulb that was six months ago.

just before the asr problem began i had the chassis en engine presure washed, perhaps moisture got trapped somewhere?

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1996 s500
1978 450 slc
1999 C240

[QUOTE=peet230e;285034

just before the asr problem began i had the chassis en engine presure washed, perhaps moisture got trapped somewhere?[/QUOTE]

Like Jim said, and engatwork, yes. I've had this happen in rain and snow, even when the car wasn't driven in it. Rubber and connectors age and degrade, and moisture is always an enemy. Just like with old window seals, tops, etc.
At this age, i'd garage it if possible and use it on dry days. That will probably get you 5-7 more years without a hard failure. Just my amateur hunch.

These older cars will run forever just like the old 123s, but unlike 123s, there are a LOT more teeny tiny points of failure. Think of vacuum line failures and 123s and multiply them by 10, divide them into multiple eletronic subsystems and functions, and there you go

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL