bsw2600
Active Member
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2002
- Messages
- 30
- Reaction score
- 0
- Location
- Northants.
- Your Mercedes
- 05 ML270; 07 ML420
I live half-way up a steep hill in the Pennines. Access is via a single track road bounded by stone walls. In winter a 4WD is a good idea, hence the ML270Cdi.
Three weeks ago we had a slight overnight snow fall leaving about 25mm on the road. In the afternoon the postman arrived in his 4WD pickup and successfully departed up the hill. I needed to go out and decided to follow him. The first 300M was no problem in 2nd gear as usual then suddenly the car lost power and virtually stalled. I quickly changed down to 1st but there was no power and the car stalled. As soon as it stopped the car slid backwards with the wheels locked totally out of control until it hit the wall on the nearside.
I have been driving 4WDs for 20 years, from 1948 Land Rovers, Discoveries, Range Rovers, Shoguns and Land Cruisers and I have never experienced anything like that.
Sitting fuming and thinking about it I remembered reading something in the handbook about the ESP and ETA systems applying the brakes to any wheel which is spinning and cutting the engine power as well. I cleared the slush from under the wheels, selected low range and turned off the ESP and successfully drove away and continued my journey.
Now I've lost my 20 year accident free record - the last was a 911 that spontaneously combusted in 1980 - and £150 excess because some fool who wrote the software for this fancy bit of electronic wizardry didn't think to factor in actual road speed and possibly vehicle inclination before activating the system.
I've since checked in the handbook and it just says it might be benefical in deep snow, sand or gravel to turn off the ESP. I my opinion I think it should be written in big letters across the dashboard.
I presume that some version of ESP is fitted to the rest of the range so my experience might serve as a warning to others not just fellow ML drivers.
Three weeks ago we had a slight overnight snow fall leaving about 25mm on the road. In the afternoon the postman arrived in his 4WD pickup and successfully departed up the hill. I needed to go out and decided to follow him. The first 300M was no problem in 2nd gear as usual then suddenly the car lost power and virtually stalled. I quickly changed down to 1st but there was no power and the car stalled. As soon as it stopped the car slid backwards with the wheels locked totally out of control until it hit the wall on the nearside.
I have been driving 4WDs for 20 years, from 1948 Land Rovers, Discoveries, Range Rovers, Shoguns and Land Cruisers and I have never experienced anything like that.
Sitting fuming and thinking about it I remembered reading something in the handbook about the ESP and ETA systems applying the brakes to any wheel which is spinning and cutting the engine power as well. I cleared the slush from under the wheels, selected low range and turned off the ESP and successfully drove away and continued my journey.
Now I've lost my 20 year accident free record - the last was a 911 that spontaneously combusted in 1980 - and £150 excess because some fool who wrote the software for this fancy bit of electronic wizardry didn't think to factor in actual road speed and possibly vehicle inclination before activating the system.
I've since checked in the handbook and it just says it might be benefical in deep snow, sand or gravel to turn off the ESP. I my opinion I think it should be written in big letters across the dashboard.
I presume that some version of ESP is fitted to the rest of the range so my experience might serve as a warning to others not just fellow ML drivers.
