The system needs to be tested to see what it thinks went wrong. Codes can be pulled fairly simply on the early models.

Usually the problem is with a wheel speed sensor. Does your car have a switch on the dash that looks like a tire with snow chains on? If so, that deactivates ASR (for driving with snow chains - seems wheel slip is valuable there). That should allow you to drive when the problem occurs.

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Steve Brotherton
Owner 24 bay BSC
Bosch Master, ASE master L1
26 years MB technician