Hi there. First thank you all for your suggestions thus far. New developments I wanted to run by....Yesterday my antilock light came on while driving to work but then did not come on again since then. Also a coworker drove my car in the parking lot and thank goodness my baby showed his ailment. My coworker thought it could be the right control arm. Would that cause the dragging kind of noise and slow braking problem I have been encountering? Does the antilock light tie in with the control arm as well?

Thank you.

Marla

You antilock brakes work by sensing the speed each wheel is turning and watching for one to change speed radically from the others. There is a sensor mounted behind the brake disc (usually mounted to the steering knuckle). There is a "tone ring" mounted on the hub to which the brake disc is mounted. It looks like a ring with a bunch of equally spaced cuts in it. Sometimes the ring will start to fill up with oil, grease and debris. The sensor can also become covered with debris. Either of these conditions can cause erratic readings of the wheel speed and turn on the light. Just the computer saying "hey, I can't understand what the sensor is trying to tell me". Cleaning the sensor and ring can solve this problem. I have not been following your other thread(s) so I'm not up to speed on other brake/suspension issues you are having, but they very well could be related. If you have a noise or other systom coming from one side, I would certainly look into it right away.
BobK

Bob K- Thank you for your input. I bet your right on the sensor getting dirty because my antilock light came on about 2 months ago right after I had washed the car and then after I turned the car off and drove it again, it did not come on again until now. I will have it looked into. Thanks again for the explanation.

I don't know if you have ever felt the ABS kick in, but if you haven't , you should try it. Find a relatively empty mall type parking lot close to home (in case ya break something). With a long safe clear stretch ahead of you, get the car up to 20-25mph and then stomp on the brakes-hard as you can-like a child kid ran out in front of you. If your brakes are working properly, your car should stop very quickly and in a straight line. You will hear a growl fromthe ABS. That's just it doing its job. If the car does not stop straight, but fights to go off to one side, it might indicate a stuck piston in a brake caliper (pulls left = stuck caliper on right). If it does not seem to stop as quick as you would like or if you don't hear a growl, you could have a problem with the ABS unit or the computer that controls it. If the car seems to stop straight and quick, well that's just worn front shocks. If all goes well and it feels like you dropped the anchor, well that's the MB magic at work.
Oh, and lest you worry about the abuse to the car, this is a standard part of the defensive driving course the MB club runs for members before driving events.
My wife's '88 560SL does real well in this test. It is comforting to know she can stop quickly if needed.
BobK

I agree with BobK about doing a test on your ABS system.

It will prepare you for how it feels for when you really need it.

Not only should your car stop in a short distance and in a straight line, but the ABS system pulsates your brakes faster than you ever could, and you will fill a strong pulsating sensation in the brake pedal under your foot.

It will surprise you how strong the feeling is.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

I think I will test those ABS brakes of mine this weekend!

I did a driving course at a racetrack with MBCA about a month ago. The car handled real well but the tires did screech more than I wanted on the turns.

Thank you both and have a great day!

Marla

Paul, when we bought our first Suburban, many moons ago, it came with a little instructional video. In the video they strongly suggested a "test" of the ABS system, just like mentioned above.

__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

Ok, car is at the shop now and they informed me it is the right wheel sensor. They said the left will probably go bad soon and to have both replaced at the same time. Since this is my "first repair on the car of my new ownership," wanted to run it by you guys...
This is not the dealership but a shop that works on Mercedes and where the car has been before. They want $720. Reasonable?

Thank you all.

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, I do not know much about cars so do not trust myself to attempt and do not have many tools. Thank you for the info. That lets me know more about it.

Thank you Roncallo and Benz-LGB. I will take the car for the ABS test! If the sensor is bad will the brakes make a noise when stopping like the growl mentioned earlier from the ABS brakes? I too think the price is high so I paid for the diagnostic fee and got my car out of there. Having someone else look at it tomorrow....hopefully it will be less.

Thank you.

Marla

Most likely the small metal shavings from the semi-metalic brake pads need to be removed from the sensor. $700 seems rather high.

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Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.

Thank you WBain. Seems logical. Thank you again and will have it checked out! Glad to have you guys. I was telling someone today, I do not know if it is being a woman or having a mercedes, that the shops think they caught a live one.

Marla

A little of both. That is why I handle all the auto repair chores at home...to keep wife and daughters away form the mechanic/dealer.

__________________
Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

Benz-LGB, and I bet your wife and daughters are very happy to have you as well. Hopefully, I can meet an honest mechanic to take care of my car when I need it. (My list for requirements in a man keeps growing so if I continue, I may never find him) hahah

just a note: if you click on the "buy parts" link at the top, it will take you to the store run by the owners of this site. They list the sensors for about $136 each. And they get the parts to ya quick! Other places have simliar prices. heck, you could probably call the dealer and get a decent price if you only like to do things that way. I'd still clean the sensor and tone rings first, before I spent any money on parts.