98 C240 BAS Light Lit - Problem with BAS?

[tim odonoghue]

After recently stamping on the brakes (to avoid a pheasant randomly crossing the road), my BAS warning light is now lit.  Any thoughts before I go and visit my main dealer?

Thanks.

 

[steveperry]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Doesn't the driver's manual give a full description for the light?

S.

 

[tim odonoghue]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Quote: from steveperry on 6:58 pm on May 14, 2002
Doesn't the driver's manual give a full description for the light?

The warning light is for the BAS and another system (a TLA I can't recall, but basically anti-skid/traction control).

I'm sure it is the BAS system since the light isn't lit after starting the car, but lights as soon as I touch the brakes.

The manual helpfully states "there is a problem in the BAS/XXX system, go see your dealer".  Was just wondering whether anyone else has had a similar problem before I get the dealer to diagnose.

I'm not particularly impressed with my local dealer (hence my need for a santity check); e.g. they wanted to charge me 2 hours labour for changing the spark plugs!

 

[fuzzer]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

The reason they want to charge so much for the sparkplugs is because as we learned in a previous post that it is a right bas***d of a job to do . First off the c240 has 12 plugs and some of them are really difficult to get out.

Have you had them done yet? They are recomended to be changed at 60k.

 

[Andy]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Hi Tim

As fuzzer has said. It is 2hrs labour to change them. And you DON'T want to try changing them your self. But if you are a brave man. Then be my guest.

As for the BAS light. It usually caused by the brake light switch fault. Replace the switch an its ok. Although its wise to have the system checked that there are no other faults. But that is usally the problem.

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[Shude]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Quote: from Andy on 9:57 am on May 15, 2002
As for the BAS light. It usually caused by the brake light switch fault. Replace the switch an its ok. Although its wise to have the system checked that there are no other faults. But that is usally the problem.

Exactly what the stealership told me.  My BAS/ASR light came on once (on the morning before it's service no less).  I turned the engine off and back on again ("Microsoft fix") and it didn't come on that time.  It's done it once since then, same fix.  The stealership said if it happens again I have to get it looked at, it usually costs about £100ish apparently.  They said it was the switch too.

 

[tim odonoghue]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Thanks Andy/Shude for the comments re BAS.  I now feel happier in talking with the main dealer on this subject.

Re the spark plugs (jumping back to an aside in this thread), I had the plugs done at a local garage and only got charged an hour labour, with which I was happy.

At 0k miles (before I owned the car), it did have a change of plugs and, from the service print out, I saw that the main dealer had put 30mins labour for this task (the work code was "15 1010 01" if that means anything to anyone).  This was the reason I was suspicious when my main dealer said he needed 2 hours.

 

[Shude]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Quote: from tim odonoghue on 4:04 pm on May 15, 2002
Thanks Andy/Shude for the comments re BAS.  I now feel happier in talking with the main dealer on this subject.

Re the spark plugs (jumping back to an aside in this thread), I had the plugs done at a local garage and only got charged an hour labour, with which I was happy.

At 0k miles (before I owned the car), it did have a change of plugs and, from the service print out, I saw that the main dealer had put 30mins labour for this task (the work code was "15 1010 01" if that means anything to anyone).  This was the reason I was suspicious when my main dealer said he needed 2 hours.

My last service took the stealership 5.3 hours.  The service came to £587, but it was a "B" service, at nearly 4 years old with 115k miles.  The stealership have been quite decent though, when my exhaust manifold cracked they spent all day on it but only charged me for 2.2 hours because that's the time in the book, and when I had to go back to get some clamps fitted to the exhaust a week later (they had become "one" with the old pipework) they not only washed the car for me but they filled it up with screen wash (because the light was on) and I wasn't charged for it.

 

[Anonymous]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Shude....that sounds quite a hefty bill, even for B service.  Then again I suppose it's relevant to the age and mileage of the car....yes?

It's always nice to hear of good service from a stealership - are you prepared to name them ??  

 

[fuzzer]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

The last b service we had done on a c220 cdi was 170

 

[Shude]

98 C240 BAS Light Lit

Quote: from dave b on 11:50 am on May 16, 2002
It's always nice to hear of good service from a stealership - are you prepared to name them ??  

Yes, it's Whitefield M-B in north Manchester.  My servicing guy is called Dave Knight and he's looked after my car very well.  On that "B" service I was quoted £585 assuming no problems.  I was told later that day that my front brake pads would need changing soon (within 1000 miles - 3 weeks for me! ) and it would be clever to have them done now.  I said ok, and he said it would be £90.  When I got there to collect my car the total bill was £587, he had given me up to 30% discount on the parts to bring the price back to what was originally quoted.  Now that's not bad service, they could have just stitched me with the full pads price and I would have paid anyway.