Hey Guys!!

I am now the VERY VERY Proud owner of a 1999 S500 Grand Edition!! I couldn't be happier if you gave me a million Dollars... ok, that was a slight exageration.. Anywho.. I purchased it from a really nice guy about 2 weeks ago in Brooklyn and I absolutely LOVE the car but I do have a couple of questions and need your help.

The things that are wrong with ther car are as follows in order of severity:

1: The ASR BAS light comes on SOMETIMES and I really woupldn't care, but it affects the operation of the cruise control when it does.. Sometimes I can drive 50 miles and it won't come on.. then I might drive 100 ft and it comes on.. haven't been able to put my finger on any particular cause such as braking or turning that causes it.

2: I need new outside mirrors, two days before I was to pick it up someone stole the passenger side one and broke the drivers side partially.. I think I know where there is a set.. Hopefully I can find them there 19 a piece :-)

3: Now this has only happened 2 times and it was really strange.. Jst as the temperature reached around 101 the speedometer dropped to zero and the transmission stopped shifting. Not limp home mode where it only does 2nd gear, this was just whatever the last gear was, it left it there. I am wondering if there is a circuit breaker or a relay somewhere that could cause this? I don't think it was the speedometer sensor as when I pulled over and turned off and back on everything was normal on both instances... Very strange indeed.

4: The check engine light is on.. The guy has replaced the Mass airflow sensor, the plugs, some coils alot of parts that I have the old parts for. I have to get the code read before I talk aboput this much, he said it was for misfire, but she runs like a top (no shaking stumbling or hesitation) and I'm getting about 22-24 on the highway with the ac running not that that makes a terrible amount of difference anyway. I can reset the codes (unplug the battery) and drive the car over a hundred miles before it ever comes back on.. one day it went off by itself and then a few days later came back. We will check this one out in greater depth later.

5: I need the light bulb for the high mount brake light.. Probably go my MB today and pick one up.

6: The transmission has about 100k on the rebuild... I don't like that there is a sealed tranny, no dipstick thing.. This worries me.. I have o get the dipstick.

7: The doorsill Illumination for the front doesn't work.. the inverters are bad.. the rear does, but the front no. Where are they located!??!?! I can't find them.

That's about it.. everything else works perfectly!!! oh well The remote is broken, but I spoke to Benz and a remote key (switchblade type is 187) may wait a while on that.

So guys.. the car has 190k and drives like a champ I aid 3k even for it.. It has scratches and I'm going to get her repainted.. after I get the other things done.. the grand edition Obsidian Black of course.

Thanks for all help guys!!
Leron

Hey Leron

Congratulations with your new purchase - I however can't help with any of your questions this time as your new car is too new for me! But feel free to post up some of your entertaining videos - I like them.

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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

PS I want a set of the Grand edition Floor Mats... Christmas present anyone??

Thanks Army!! i'm still working on the Flexplate on the 75... It's been tooooo Hot to get under there.. I know I have to look through the little window/access panel under there.. I;m hoping that the bolts just backed out....

Leron

When the speedo drops to zero do you get the asr light? Am guessing could be a wheel speed sensor, IIRC just one of the front wheel speed sensor is used for the speedo, can't remember which one though.
I'd get the codes read. The check engine light may be just passed on from the ASR controller to the engine controler, resulting in a check engine light.
On the trans it could be a few things. the conductor plate or connector could be it, but again I'd get a full readout on your codes especially in the engine, ETC and ASR. Don't go around replacing parts on a hunch, gets expensive, better off payng to get the codes and start there.
The code could also well be an evap problem, like a gas cap or vapor canister shutoff valve, common stuff which would not affect driveablity.

Specifically the ASR light and inop cruise, again don't go buy anything, but would think along the lines of the throttle actuator failing in high heat conditions, but could be other less expensive things as well.

Get the codes read out, insist on a printout of all the codes.
Gilly

PS disconnecting the battery not really the way to go, codes should be read out and erased properly.

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I also have a 99 S500. Clean the throttle actuator. Check the coils. Replace the breather hoses. Worked for me, cleaning TA threads exist. Love the W140.

cool.. thanks guys... i drove it 240 miles yesterday to the beach and then was i gridlock coming out of wilmington and had no problems. i was reading somewhere that the brake light switch can cause problems with the asr light as well. so i did an expir

I don't have the impression that 140s really suffer from bad brake light switches, some models do, I know the ML 163 chassis and 210 E class do. of course it could be that, it's just not as common.

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Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

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Leron,

The W140 is the greatest Mercedes, but with all great cars this car has quadruple the parts count of your average car.

One part in particular can ruin the engine, and this part has ruined many engines. The famous "water tee fitting". Replace this plastic fitting, and buy the tee from a Mercedes dealer only-no ebay parts, aftermarket parts, and no old plastic Mercedes. You want a fresh one. They are good for 70 to 80k miles.

I drove for 1k miles with a broken one after my purchase of my W140

The tee is located on the drivers side of the firewall by the back of the valve cover.

Here is a wonderful story of why you should replace the tee, and pictures of what it looks like.

the evil that lurks under the hood... is really the devil himself - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum

Best of luck,

Martin

Great car, Leron! Good luck with it!

Well my phone decided to edit my message. This was what it was supposed to say:

cool.. thanks guys... i drove it 240 miles yesterday to the beach and then was stuck in gridlock coming out of wilmington and had no problems with the speedometer dropping out. i was reading somewhere that the brake light switch can cause problems with the asr light as well. so i did an expiriment. On the way to Wilmington 110 miles the ASR BAS light didn't come on until I was about 80 miles into my journey this was mostly at highway speeds 70mph and I didn't have to hit the brakes but maybe 2-3 times. Once in the city though (in stop and go traffic) i couldn't go a block without the lights coming on. On the way back my experiment was this, I pulled off the road and turned the car off (which of course reset the ASR BAS Lights) then took off on the highway.. i made the over 70 mile run on I-40 with no stops and no ASR Lights. Then when a driver pulled in front of me I had to brake.. nothing serious.. just a slight bit an here we go with the lights. UGH!!

Thanks Gilly, yes when the Speedo Dropped the ASR Light did come on, I can't remember though if it was already on or not.. I think one of the two times that it did, the light did come on as the speedometer dropped.

124126140 Thanks. Hmm that helped with the lighs or the Check engine light?

Mava!! Yes.. thanks for sharing.. I'm going to order one tomorrow!! I read all 18 pages!! I can def see the importance in that!!

Benz Fan.. Thanks i am really enjoying it!

Leron,

You are welcome. Have the dealer look-up the part by your VIN as two plastic types exist-One with a restrictor and without the restrictor for the W140-They are engine specific.

Best of luck,

Martin

The asr would definitely "have a problem" with the loss of any speed signal and again on some models the speed signal comes from a specific wheel, so you could just have a bad wheel speed sensor.

__________________
Click here to see the items I have up for auction at EBay

Click here to see a photo album of my '62 Sprite Project Moneypit (Now Sold)

OK, I did a little research on the W140, and the brake light switch appears to be about the same (if not identical) as on the W210. See this thread. This is always the first place to start because they break frequently and they're cheap. In the footwell, up behind the brake pedal.
You also want to verify that you have a good battery with correct voltage and good connections, since low voltage can trigger these gremlins.
Next up in probability would be the wheel speed sensors, but at this point you probably want to get codes read. As a start you can inspect and clean them.

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Prost!

I replaced my whole brake light and all.Stupid bulbs,and cheap plastic Mercedes used

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran