Lee:
How does the ASR system work in a 500E? There is a '93 500E w/37K miles for sale for $37K in my area. I have always wanted one and will go take a look at it when work permits. But I want to be able to smoke the tires at will just like in my 4-speed 240D(well, use your imagination). I read my C36 also has ASR. But I don't know what it does because the car spins the tires with ease. I installed 225/50-16 Continental ContiTouring Contact CH95 All-Season Tires on the C36(for slow city driving only, obviously) and what fun! It's as if I gained 50hp. The car will easily spin the tires and now there's real on-demand oversteer at hand. ASR is supposed to slow a spinning tire by applying the brakes or reducing engine torque. Is my broken? Is yours? And when I buy the 500E, which wire do I cut to disconnect ASR? I surely don't need traction control where I live!

The "ASR 3" ASR on a 500E works by closing the throttle, taking timing out, and applying the brakes. The problem is that once it detects wheelspin, the rate at which it ramps back up to full power wastes allot of time. Nuking ASR isn't as simple as cutting a wire or pulling a fuse. If you start cutting vital wires it will go into "limp" mode and that is worse than any ASR. Benzmac and I are researching a true ASR defeat solution. Something that makes the usual defeat switch (or a new one) a regular ON/OFF type. Not this "only partially disabled till 15mph then will choke you down again" that is on there now. We are trying to develop an ASR defeat that doesn't cost 1500 like the Renntech version.

The ASR tuning on your C36 may be different. Bosch makes ASR (in various versions/names) for many manufacturers. It is quite possible your version is different. I know the ASR/ESP in a 98 E430 will let you dial in a few degrees of slip before coming on. In addition once it does come on it gets off your butt allot quicker. I don't know of anyone that swaps chips or can reprogram the ASR module offhand. I will let you know when, and what we find out.

Ah, someone has finally found a GOOD use for Conti's! They spin easy, make lots of noise/smoke, are semi resistant to wear, and are relatively cheap to abuse! The 500E will absolutely shred the 225/55/16 Michelins. I'm sure that true NHRA burnouts would be only a foot twitch away given a set of conti's and 20 seconds without ASR.

When the roads are wet or I am merging where there is gravel on the road ASR is okay. However I resent the fact that Mercedes-Benz believes me incapable of driving MY car MYSELF. Every single auto publication harps that ASR hurts your 0-60 times. I know epic wheelspin wastes time but a small amount is helpful. It might help out on a wet race track, but let's face it, if any amateur is racing, he is doing it in the dry. I would just like the option to turn it off 100% for the duration of the drive for 0-60 takeoffs, track use, or just plain cause I feel like it!

I have driven more W124's with ASR than I care to count but let's just say all of them act the same way. The 500E has the torque to keep the light lit allot more of the time but the behavior is the same. Perhaps the calibrations on the C36 is different from the older 500E. Benzmac? MB DOC? You guys know anything about model/model year differences in ASR? It wouldn't suprise me if AMG massaged things a little.

What year C36 do you have? I seem to remember a Motortrend article from a couple years back saying how the C36's ASR could be turned off but you had to look at the obnoxious orange triangle. Triangle or not you still could do it which is more than I can say for the 500E's version. I live in Atlanta so I have no real use for the ASR. I did just fine for years on a 400E without it. The 400E could smoke tires on demand but you learn to DRIVE. If your responsible and competent the only thing it hurts is the rear tires.

Once Benzmac and I find a solid, safe, reliable way to get rid of ASR without causing engine codes, other nasty side effects, or costing $1500 bucks I will give the gory details. Till then, enjoy smoking the Conti's.

The 93 500E wont be quite as mean as a 92 under full acceleration but it will be pretty close. If your 500E has engine number 8760 or lower it is the "hot" variety. #'s Above that and it is the nearly as strong but more "green" friendly version. All 92's and a small percent of 93's are "hot". Enjoy the test drive and let us know how it turns out. When you do drive it, keep a keen eye on how the traction control behaves vs your C36.

Happy Motoring...Lee

Hi LJADJA
I think you would be interested on BHMA ASR switch: http://www.bhma.com/bhmastore/703345413/Product/View/MB&2DASR
It will disable your ASR control. And switch automatically turns traction control back on every time car starts. Check it out LJADJA. It is 500 bucks cheaper compare to renntech's.
Thanks