ABC Visit workshop...ABC Drive safely!

benzboySL500

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Hi,

On my 2003 SL 500, for the past 2 months I was irregularly getting the ABC Visit workshop message coming up when the car was in indle, but after restart it would go away.

Now when I was driving, the ABC Visit workshop message came and then it red says says ABC ..Drive safely!

What does this mean, what could have caused this and how to get it fixed?

I have also topped up the hydrolic fluid

Thanks.
 

television

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It normally only goes RED when the car is too low, there should be 70cm from the top of the wheel arch on all 4 corners. does the car go up and down on the buttons.

I wonder if this is a pump message
 
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benzboySL500

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Hi,

The car goes up and down fine when the message is not there! (which happens for first 5 mins of driving)

So i assume the pump is fine.

When the message is red, the suspension is high and very bouncy on speed bumps!
 

drmw

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Hi,

The car goes up and down fine when the message is not there! (which happens for first 5 mins of driving)

So i assume the pump is fine.

When the message is red, the suspension is high and very bouncy on speed bumps!

I had this on my last SL.

Long story cut short:
Strut replaced (wasn't the cause)
Valve block replaced (wasn't the cause)
Tranceiver replaced (wasn't the cause) but they took that off again

About £3k later bit of wire from strut top to somewhere replaced (was the cause - about £20 worth of parts)
 
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benzboySL500

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So the cause of your problem was some wire from your strut to somewhere and it to fix was only 20 pounds!

Wow..hope I can get mine fixed for that cheap
 

television

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Although my car is behaving itself re the ABC, I had the ABC in whit flash up,,but on STAR it said cannot remove fault code but I could not find what it was or the reason.

On Davids car in the above post that would have been the plunger sensor wire that plugs into the top of the struts
 
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benzboySL500

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Is it me or do these SL cars having a history of having suspension problems? and also being extra sensitive?
 

drmw

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It's relative. Probably no more problems than any other, but they are expensive to fix, hence the higher than average profile of problems.

One thing to look (listen) for with this fault - when it is misbehaving, do listen for any radio interference when you are going over bumps. That happened with mine - there was a faulty connection so every bump I drove over was causing something to try to talk to something else - that in turn caused some "whining/whistling/interference" type noises.

The garage didn't listen to me when I told them so started replacing bits indicated by STAR as being faulty, hence the size of the bill (thank God for warranty!) - they were getting to the silly stage when I reiterated the symptom - looked a bit harder & found the broken wire.
 

television

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Read through this Thread

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=74590

it may or may not help but a new pump fitted will be about £1250 with an Independent.

Mic

Its a hard call on pumps Mic,, I had the SAM telling me no ABC, so have others,yours was the pump,I was so confidant of that link so many possibilities sure the red lamp may come on and the car would not sink to start with as no leaks
 
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andy@pcd-ltd

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My advise would be get the fault codes read first as it could be something as simple as a level sensor or could be many other problems.
 

television

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My advise would be get the fault codes read first as it could be something as simple as a level sensor or could be many other problems.

I agree and the only way, , most sensors just give a "ping"and a white message visit workshop, well mine did
 
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andy@pcd-ltd

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I agree and the only way, , most sensors just give a "ping"and a white message visit workshop, well mine did

Thats is true you only usually get that message if the car has dropped too far.

But as we said next step would be a star test before jumping in too far
 
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benzboySL500

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The mechanic is saying that its a leaking hydrolic pump and needs to be changed and that its a common fault.

Does this sound correct? How much for a new and used one of these?

Thanks.
 

Mic

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The mechanic is saying that its a leaking hydrolic pump and needs to be changed and that its a common fault.

Does this sound correct? How much for a new and used one of these?

Thanks.

As Post 9 for a new one, I did not investigate ''used'' but I did investigate reconditioned exchange......not available.

Mic
 

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