I have a 97 e320 sedan warning light ? -- ETS.traction

[caesarii]

starts fine , idols but
the car is stalling (when it does the ETS light comes on ) as well and seems unresponsive any ideas what is wrong
don

 

[georigg]

Hi,
If the TCS light comes on when the ignition is switched off-on or the engine stalls-that's fine and normal.
If you have a TCS fault, the indicator will come on when you are travelling(with enfine running).
The TCS system picks up a signal from a perforated steel ring on the back drive shafts which send a signal to the control box which then compares the signals coming from each rear wheel. If there is a difference in the number of "signals" received, it assumes one wheel is skid-rotating and removes the drive from that wheel until both tyres are rotating at the same speed.
The same pick-ups operate the ABS system.

If you have an ABS/TCS problem, the large triangle warning light in the dash will flash, and the ABS and TCS light wuill come on(say if one of the sensor pick-ups fail).

Otherwise the ABS/TCS light will come on when you switch on the ignition, go off when the engine fires up, and will come back on again if for any reason the engine stalls.

Sounds like you have an ignition system fault causing the engine to stall.

Hope this helpful.