Display Defective ESP, Can't change gears

[DPM]

Hi All,

I have a 2000 CLK230 with an auto gearbox.

My problem is:
This error message appears "Display Defective ESP Visit Workshop"
Speedo needle goes to zero & the car is stuck in gear.

Problem happens every morning. If I leave the engine running for 15 minutes before driving, turn it off and back on again, everything is ok (for a while).

If the engine is off for approx 4/5 hours the problem comes back again.

Whenever, this happens the car will be stuck in whatever gear I happen to be in at the time. Obviously, that means 1st gear most of the time but if I can take off and get into 3rd gear within a couple of seconds, before the error occurs, I'll be stuck in 3rd. I can't change gear manually either when this happens.

I've done a search before posting & found that the following are most likely:
1) Brake Light Switch
2) Speed Sensor
3) Battery

Are these specific to certain models? Or should they fix my car also.
The fact that the problem fixes itself after 15 minutes, after the engine heats up, would that point to any one of these over another?

Any other suggestions or info would be greatly recieved.
I think I covered everything but if anyone has any questions please ask.

Thanks & Regards,
Dave

 

[Xtractorfan]

The battery is really the only item on your list that will improve with a 15min. run..I would suspect a dodgy wheel sensor...tho changing the brake light switch is the cheapest option..

 

[television]

If you had a short circuit cell in the battery this could could give a starting blip, and only when the voltage has comes up the Speed signal returns.
Before starting the voltage should be 12.5 volts. Other than that a SAM could be suspect on that car,,you could get the fault codes read out

 

[DPM]

If you had a short circuit cell in the battery this could could give a starting blip, and only when the voltage has comes up the Speed signal returns.
Before starting the voltage should be 12.5 volts. Other than that a SAM could be suspect on that car,,you could get the fault codes read out

Sorry, what does SAM stand for?
I got the fault codes read out but there was about 20 in the history. Just built up over time e.g. oil level, washer fluid level, lamp defective etc....

Therefore, the garage said they couldn't narrow in on the problem. They cleared the codes and said come back again the next time it happens, when there are less codes to look at. Sound plausible? Are the error codes sorted by date or what?

With the sensor & brake light switch, is it possible for these to fix themselves after 15mins?

 

[television]

First, if the brake light switch was faulty it can kill the speed signal, thus loosing the ESP etc, it only cost £9 and is easy to pop in.

Not sure if you would loose the speedo with the above but possible.

When the speed signal goes, the gearbox does not know what to do, and all systems that need this signal shut down.

The SAM is a signal acquisition module where some times some circuits get mixed up and shorted out, though probably not this as it would not re set on a restart.

I still think that its a low voltage fault.

Ignore the fault codes, the through up fault codes all of the time, my SL does all of the time even when there is no fault

 

[DPM]

If you had a short circuit cell in the battery this could could give a starting blip, and only when the voltage has comes up the Speed signal returns.
Before starting the voltage should be 12.5 volts. Other than that a SAM could be suspect on that car,,you could get the fault codes read out

I just checked with a multimeter & the voltage before starting was 12.05V. After starting this jumps straight up to about 14V. Does the fact that the voltage is 14V when running mean that the battery is ok or is the value before starting more important?

 

[television]

The test is best done first thing in the morning, also if the voltage falls below 11 volt when starting, that could also do it, and that is what we call a starting blip, what happens here is that the ECU's cant re set at too low a voltage.

So if it always puts up this fault on a cold start, but never on a warm start, it could well be the battery, but not 100%

 

[DPM]

The test is best done first thing in the morning, also if the voltage falls below 11 volt when starting, that could also do it, and that is what we call a starting blip, what happens here is that the ECU's cant re set at too low a voltage.

So if it always puts up this fault on a cold start, but never on a warm start, it could well be the battery, but not 100%

Tested it again this morning and it was 12.1V. Started the engine and the problem did occur. Let it run for 10mins. Then turned it off, checked it again and it was 12.6V. The problem was still there when I started again.

I got the car into 3rd and drove to work, which is 10mins away. Tested it again and it's still 12.6V. I started the car again and the problem is gone.

Does this suggest the battery is not the issue? As the problem was still there at 12.6V.

Is 12.1V very low, after not driving for 15hrs? I saw some chart that said this is about 25% charge.

As for the brake light switch & speed sensor. Can a mechanic check these are ok or is it a case of just replacing them and seeing does that work?

I know the switch is cheap. How about the sensor?

 

[Ayleighs]

I have the exact same problem and changed out the Brake switch, but no difference. Did you resolve your problem? Was it the battery?

 

[DPM]

I have the exact same problem and changed out the Brake switch, but no difference. Did you resolve your problem? Was it the battery?

Not yet. What car do you drive?

 

[Ayleighs]

2000 CLK 230 Kompressor - Has the exact same behaviour as you describe. The other thing I noticed is that the temp display is not functional at startup, but more of the segments appear as you run.
This morning I get the car up to running about 5 or 6mins, without further errors, switch on my radio and up come the christmas lights. I pull in restart and no further problem.

Took it MB dealer and same story about clearing the codes and come back, however in telling my story, I get the feeling that I will end up with a big expense for something I don't need

Had the car only 4 months so no idea how long the batter has been in there (looks kinda new, but who knows). Think I will bite the bullet and go get a BOSCH battery and see if it fixes the problem.

I will let you know.

 

[Ayleighs]

2000 CLK 230 Kompressor - Has the exact same behaviour as you describe. The other thing I noticed is that the temp display is not functional at startup, but more of the segments appear as you run.
This morning I get the car up to running about 5 or 6mins, without further errors, switch on my radio and up come the christmas lights. I pull in restart and no further problem.

Took it MB dealer and same story about clearing the codes and come back, however in telling my story, I get the feeling that I will end up with a big expense for something I don't need

Had the car only 4 months so no idea how long the batter has been in there (looks kinda new, but who knows). Think I will bite the bullet and go get a BOSCH battery and see if it fixes the problem.

I will let you know.

 

[DPM]

2000 CLK 230 Kompressor - Has the exact same behaviour as you describe. The other thing I noticed is that the temp display is not functional at startup, but more of the segments appear as you run.
This morning I get the car up to running about 5 or 6mins, without further errors, switch on my radio and up come the christmas lights. I pull in restart and no further problem.

Took it MB dealer and same story about clearing the codes and come back, however in telling my story, I get the feeling that I will end up with a big expense for something I don't need

Had the car only 4 months so no idea how long the batter has been in there (looks kinda new, but who knows). Think I will bite the bullet and go get a BOSCH battery and see if it fixes the problem.

I will let you know.

Same model, same year. Obviously some part that has a lifespan of exactly 8 years

Likewise, if I get my fixed I'll let you know.

 

[DPM]

The latest, is that it's happening more often the last 2 days. It's happened now 5 mins after starting, so not only just on start up anymore. I got a Brake Light Switch today because it's cheap. I'll get it fitted tomorrow, can't to any harm.

If the Speed Sensor is at fault, what exactly am I looking for?
Is it the ABS Speed Sensor? Is there only one or is there one on both front wheels?

I've searched the web but can't find one for my model. Does anyone know what the part no is? Will one for another model fit my car?

 

[television]

I have a feeling that it is the conductor plate in the box going down, not expensive, the ESP AND BAS do use a speed signal, and the brake light switch kills the speed signal

 

[television]

Just read this fault up and it shows your symptoms for a hot engine, that is that the control module for the vacuum pump needs updating, this would be good news,,the module must not be replaced. The fault codes will need to be cleared

 

[DPM]

Thanks very much Malcom for the info.

Is this something any garage could do (so long as they have the right diagnostic equipment or whatever) or is a MB dealer job?

And what's the vacuum pump, how is it related?

 

[television]

You do need an indie with STAR as there is fault codes for the above, I will look again and try and see if there any other details. I do have the fault codes for these faults, I will post back

 

[Ayleighs]

I am exhibiting the same problems as Dave. I have changed out the sensor and the battery, but still no resolution. This morning the issue is become more regular and running for a period is not always solving.

I keep coming back feeling it is still electrical as it coincided with my temp display appearing to work intermittent and what I find out is the sunroof and drivers window are also giving me a problem. In this case toggling the switch gets them running but not a smooth.

Is there any possibility that there is an intermittent relay problem that could be related to a BAS/ABS sensor glitch.

I do get the feeling that we have the same issue and solving one will solve both. Appreciate the posts as I am at the point where I will stick it into MB and be at the mercy of a big fix, when it may be relatively minor.

 

[television]

These faults are always hard to work out without fault codes,,indies will do a test at a fraction of the MB price.

With fault codes I can give you all of the answers, what make it hard is that the electronics are inter linked through SAM modules, this is where info from say a speed signal is used in other circuits and all of these things interact.

I am not knocking MB on this, but their method is to mainly replace things until the fault goes away.

I think that the temp malfunction should not be confused with this as this is a well known separate issue