disable traction control? 1997 e300 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

torsionbar · #1 10-28-2012, 05:00 PM

hello all, i have a 1997 e300. apparently it has some kind of electronic traction control that works by braking only the rear brakes when it detects wheel slip. a triangle like this /!\ and "traction control" appears on the instrument display when it kicks in.

does anyone know of a way to turn this off? or disable it somehow?

TMAllison · #2 10-28-2012, 07:14 PM

Push the ESP button to turn it off.

97 SL320 · #3 10-28-2012, 07:40 PM

Or the ASR ( Acceleration Slip Regulation ).

ASR is for when you are on the throttle.

ESP is a active stability control system for when you are going around corners.

Not all cars have both with ESP being the less common option.

torsionbar · #4 10-28-2012, 08:02 PM

is this button hidden or in some non-obvious location? i don't see such a button. asr sounds like the thing i want to disable, but i see no asr button. thank you

Jeremy5848 · #5 10-28-2012, 09:27 PM

My early '96 E300 has the warning triangle but no switch. AFAIK it doesn't actually do anything but warn you of wheel slip. Your '97 might be similar. Not all W210s got the various kinds of traction control that were offered and I'm not sure when different varieties entered the production stream. Seems to me there's one version that can't be turned off so no switch -- but I'm not sure.

Jeremy

DieselPaul · #6 10-28-2012, 09:45 PM

It's a 140hp car, ASR defeat isn't the only thing between you and a big smokey burnie.

Jeremy5848 · #7 10-28-2012, 10:02 PM

134 HP, actually. The tires can can slip pretty good in the snow but otherwise, yes, ASR hardly needed.

Jeremy

torsionbar · #8 10-28-2012, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy5848

AFAIK it doesn't actually do anything but warn you of wheel slip. Your '97 might be similar.

no, my '97 most certainly does do something, it isn't simply a warning. my '97 apparently applies the brakes to the rear wheels. i know this, because my rear brakes were literally bellowing smoke - the pads caught fire. i completely destroyed the rear pads after ~20 minutes of sliding around without ever touching the brake pedal. The front brakes were cool to the touch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselPaul

It's a 140hp car, ASR defeat isn't the only thing between you and a big smokey burnie.

i'm not looking to do burn outs. 140 hp is plenty to spin wheels while turning sharply on wet pavement with engine at 5000+ rpm.

skid pad at the local race track this weekend, is where i discovered this asr "feature". w210 is actually quite balanced and is easy to go full circle around the skid pad while hanging the back end out and keeping the car totally sideways. even with 140 hp. you have to fight the asr the whole time, and put the shifter into 2nd gear and keep the engine bouncing off the rev limiter, but it works. that is, until the stupid asr roasts your rear brakes.

so if there's some way i can defeat it, pulling a fuse, unplugging a wire, etc. i'm all ears.

TMAllison · #9 10-29-2012, 11:08 AM

I doubt you have ASR, very few diesels had it as an option.

All of them got ESP. The 99 had a button below the CCU to turn it off.

jcyuhn · #10 10-29-2012, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMAllison

I doubt you have ASR, very few diesels had it as an option.

All of them got ESP. The 99 had a button below the CCU to turn it off.

So did the '98.

kinghais · #11 10-30-2012, 03:44 AM

96 and 97 Dont have the ASR button, 98 and 99 equipped the ASR Button.
( ASR or ESP can never turned off completely with its button)

97 SL320 · #12 10-30-2012, 04:41 PM

Hey, bubba hold my beer and watch this. . .

Quote:

Originally Posted by torsionbar

you have to fight the asr the whole time, and put the shifter into 2nd gear and keep the engine bouncing off the rev limiter, but it works. that is, until the stupid asr roasts your rear brakes.

I'd hardly call the ESP system stupid given it is being operated well beyond normal conditions.

Get the ABS to fault out by pulling a wheel speed sensor / pull the fuse and there won't be power to apply the brakes. ( The system looks at the speed difference between the front and rear wheels. )

dude99 · #13 10-30-2012, 05:49 PM

If the ABS system controls\powers the system you could even put a switch between the ABS fuse and the module and run it inside the cabin to allow you to turn it off. That way you could flip it off, slide around to your hearts content, then flip it back on and drive home..