2004 CLK A209 ABS and ESP unavailable messages and ABS light on dash when turning left.

[spoddy_clk]

Hi Folks

Hope you are all keeping well. I haven't posted in a while, been busy and the 2004 A209 clk 200 kompressor been driving well.

Only issue I had recently was using the cruise control driving home. It activated fine and car drove great with it all working fine.
Only when I deactivated it and turning left to exit a roundabout, did the ABS and ESP unavailable messages (two malfunctions) and ABS light come on in the instrument console.
I pulled over, put transmission in park, turned the car off and started the car up again. The ESP malfunction message went away with just the ABS message and ABS light staying on.
As I drove the car off, the ABS message went away and the ABS light went out.

On the way home I noticed turning left at normal speeds sets the ABS light and messages on again.

Turning right there were no ABS/ESP unavailable malfunctions and the ABS light remained off. I also tried the left turn driving slowly and it didn't seem to set the ABS/ESP malfunctions and ABS light on.

So was wondering if anyone experienced this before and would it point to a left side speed sensor? I only have a scan gauge II to pull codes, but if I turn the car off and restart the errors go away after driving off until another left turn. I will see if I can get error codes next time it happens.

The car brakes fine and steering is fine. I did top up the brake fluid to just under the max, but it was not very low etc. Glove box light is on and as it's a clk there is no brake pedal switch like on the E class, it seems to be in the engine bay behind the brake fluid reservoir.

Any advice appreciated if any clk W209/A209 owners experienced the same issue?

Thanks
Ronnie

 

[DREAMER NO2]

I would check the sensors on the front and rear wheels they might just need cleaning . Conectors plugs could be damp or corroded . A bit of rust, or dirt on the reluctor ring will cause it . Along with play in wheel bearings ..Jack up the front of the car on both sides and grab the wheel and try and move the wheel up and down , and side , to side for play .

 

[spoddy_clk]

Thanks Dreamer. The mechanic did notice the front wheels had a bit of play moving them up and down slightly on the four post.
He took the front wheels off and removed the bearing dust caps and its a hex screw nut which he tightened up a bit. Wheels back on and no play.
Car went through the MOT fine after this at the start of March. Everything was fine until last week trying the cruise control out on the way home.

When I turned it off and would go left around corners or roundabouts to the exit road, the abs light would come on and the unavailable message for ABS and ESP.

So I don't think sensors got dirty, but can check them. No ABS/ESP turning right, just turning left at slower speeds where you move the wheel more.
If its turning left gently seems to be fine, but most left turns require moving the steering wheel more.

I did the ESP steering wheel calibration, full lock right to left 5 times after starting then turning ignition off and restarting.

Really need a code reader. What is a good universal one for German and Japanese? I hear iCarSoft v2.0 now a 3.0 out are good?

Thanks.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

spoddy I have no idea . . but the CLK runs on staggered rims front 225/45/17 rear 245/40/17. Are yours the same?





















But hang on in here as some one might be able to help you on that

 

[ajlsl600]

Hi Folks

Hope you are all keeping well. I haven't posted in a while, been busy and the 2004 A209 clk 200 kompressor been driving well.

Only issue I had recently was using the cruise control driving home. It activated fine and car drove great with it all working fine.
Only when I deactivated it and turning left to exit a roundabout, did the ABS and ESP unavailable messages (two malfunctions) and ABS light come on in the instrument console.
I pulled over, put transmission in park, turned the car off and started the car up again. The ESP malfunction message went away with just the ABS message and ABS light staying on.
As I drove the car off, the ABS message went away and the ABS light went out.

On the way home I noticed turning left at normal speeds sets the ABS light and messages on again.

Turning right there were no ABS/ESP unavailable malfunctions and the ABS light remained off. I also tried the left turn driving slowly and it didn't seem to set the ABS/ESP malfunctions and ABS light on.

So was wondering if anyone experienced this before and would it point to a left side speed sensor? I only have a scan gauge II to pull codes, but if I turn the car off and restart the errors go away after driving off until another left turn. I will see if I can get error codes next time it happens.

The car brakes fine and steering is fine. I did top up the brake fluid to just under the max, but it was not very low etc. Glove box light is on and as it's a clk there is no brake pedal switch like on the E class, it seems to be in the engine bay behind the brake fluid reservoir.

Any advice appreciated if any clk W209/A209 owners experienced the same issue?

Thanks
Ronnie

Get icarsoft on. It. Or remove and clean front sensors try again. If no good look reluctor ring clean and undamaged. Icarsoft will tell you which one is misbehaving. Its a pain in arxe ask me how I know.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Sensors on the wheels for this model are very sensitive .

 

[mioba]

sounds like abs sensor.
Get codes read.
Get genuine MB sensors.

 

[ajlsl600]

On sensors I have had to change 2 on ml166 None on 230,168 or 208. The last 2 over 20 Yr old. Tells somat of todays quality
I have r right from mb at 130 quid front right from febi at 48quid I am interested to find out which one irritates me first. Wud say at best 50/50 but we will see

 

[DREAMER NO2]

That will be a good test .

 

[spoddy_clk]

Thanks guys. I will need to buy a code reader that can read the abs and esp codes.
Was using the drivers power window button tonight as it wasn't going up one touch and it pulled it up out of the module a bit more than normal and it was stuck up out of the switch.
So pushed it down then the window went down. I had to use my other hand to hold the right side of the drivers side button cover at the right of the base to raise the window. Luckily the window came up. Another problem to add to the list.

Too dark outside to see if it's popped out on one side of the button cover or broken on one side. I see that you can buy replacement button covers.
Are they easy enough to replace on the switch?

 

[spoddy_clk]

Ok bit of an update.
First I managed to repair the drivers power window button so its working again. Hoorraaayyy!!! I even impressed myself how i fixed one side of the connecter on the button. Will order some spare buttons though as dunno how long it'll last but it's working atleast.

So the ABS/ESP malfunctions. Got the codes pulled then cleared. Light came on again going up the road, went back mechanic said it is the front right ABS sensor.

So code came up, C1114 L6/2 (right front speed sensor) Clean multipole ring and replace if necessary. Mechanic said would get a sensor and clean the ring.
So hopefully that's all it is. He said no ABS errors, just on the ESP section of the diagnostic. Lots of errors for other stuff, but he cleared the dtc's.

I'll see if I can remove the front right wheel and try cleaning the ABS sensor in the mean time to see if its dirt or brake dust caked up. What is best way to clean a sensor?

 

[ajlsl600]

Prob will be getting it out. If it does come out clean with clean cloth, perhaps a little wd40. They wipe it dry. Clean out fitting hole see if that sorts it.

 

[spoddy_clk]

Hi Folks

So the front right ABS sensor, magnetic ring and the front dust shield were all replaced. ABS light is out now and no more eps and abs messages coming up.
I had to get the MB genuine ABS sensor at £75 inc VAT and the MB magnetic ring. Tried an aftermarket sensor but it tripped the ABS light after a short drive. Returned it and refunded. Also developed a rear clunk over bumps. Turned out to be both rear coil springs broken at the bottom end. So car sitting better, no more clunks from the rear and great to be back out on the road as sat in the garage for last few months due to being flat out busy with work.

As said above buy the MB ABS sensors/magnetic rings as they are the correct voltage and fitting.

Sun was shining, 14 degrees, so the roof came down and lots of looks in the tanzanite blue or maybe me shivering with the breeze lol.

Up next, engine oil change and have to determine why passenger front seat electrics unplugged under the seat. The little seat memory rotary button was broken off when I bought the car so might of stuck and burned out the adjusting switch on the door and the plugs disconnected underneath.
Bit nervous as to what could happen if I plugged them in as don't want anything breaking again electric-wise.

Any advice on how to test an electric adjusted passenger seat, as in should the battery be disconnected before plugging the seat plugs back in, in case of any airbag issues?

Thanks for all of your help, car slowly coming back to standard.

 

[SL63 Mark]

No just plug it in. Sounds like someone unplugged it, they don’t just unplug on their own.

 

[spoddy_clk]

I know they don't. There are a lot of plugs under the passenger seat so wondering if anyone knows what the process of connecting them up is?
In other words disconnect the battery first and plug in order.
Are there sensors in the seat that could be faulty with the airbags etc and that's why seats get disconnected by removing all the plugs underneath the seat? I'm just asking in case someone experienced something similar, before plugging them back in and something going wrong.