W210 Speedtronic Fault

[Dom320]

My wife was driving our 2001 W210 E320 CDI to work today when it displayed 'Speedtronic Fault - Visit Workshop'. It sounds as though the car went into limp home mode then as she could only go at about 40 mph, and it sounds as though it was in 2nd gear.

I went to pick the car up and everything was back to normal. I drove to the local 'indie' anyway who kindly read the fault codes (stacks of them), and cleared the memory. Plan is to just keep driving the car again now and see what happens. I have engaged and dis-engaged cruise and speedtronic with no probs.

Don't know if it is related but I noticed that the speedometer needle was 'notchy' between 60-70 mph (seems to hesitate then move then hestitate again).

Has anyone else experienced this, and what was the fix? (Quick search only revealed one similar which was put down to hyd. control unit??)

Thanks,

Dom.

 

[television]

Looks like it could be the start of a speed sensor fault, this all goes in and out of the front SAM. Water problems ?????

malcolm

 

[eric242340]

Could be a faulty wheel speed sensor, but this model has long standing problems with the front left and right SAMs (signal aquasition module). They are located under the front seats. Best (wait and see) with this one. Keep us informed of any progressive behaviour problems as this is quite interesting, thanks.

 

[television]

Some of these cars had the wrong stop lamp switch fitted, you can only use version 001 545 31 09.

This can give problems with the EAS you should have made a note of the fault codes.

Malcolm

 

[television]

Could be a faulty wheel speed sensor, but this model has long standing problems with the front left and right SAMs (signal aquasition module). They are located under the front seats. Best (wait and see) with this one. Keep us informed of any progressive behaviour problems as this is quite interesting, thanks.

I do not know of this design where the front seats are fitted under the bonnet, it must be very hard to see where you are going. Mind you people in China are smaller than us.

Malcolm

 

[Dom320]

Thanks for the replies so far. I think that the SAM may have been one of the faults logged. I will check as I have them all written down.

Well I drove the car from cold this morning and it did it straight away, but with no warnings (stuck in 2nd gear about 40 mph). Drove about 2 miles, and then pulled in, switched the engine off and removed the key. Then re-started the car, and the problem had gone away. Hopefully if I get the codes read again on Monday we might find something.

Incidently I have been running without the front drivers side fog lamp and the without the plastic blank next to it for a couple of weeks (following an encounter with a pheasant. Could water ingress from here to be the cause??

Thanks

Dom.

 

[television]

The lamp should not effect this as it is on its own. Water ingress is what messes up most things. though the SAM may have a fault logged, it may not be faulty in itself as it couls have picked up corrupted data.

Make a note of the codes, there again the fault may go away.

Malcolm

 

[type49]

Could be a faulty wheel speed sensor, but this model has long standing problems with the front left and right SAMs (signal aquasition module). They are located under the front seats.

Never been under the seats as far as I know.
Also I thought all speed sensors go through ESP control unit first (apart from the speed sensor inside the gearbox, on the electrics plate). Maybe Malc could look up a wiring diagram.

 

[Busted]

Sounds spooky but my wife also has a 2001 E320. It has just returned this week from having a new gearbox fitted after it displayed similar symptoms.

At first the BAS, ESP and ABS lights came on, the cruise control and limiter would not function and "speedtronic fault visit workshop" was displayed and the car would not go above 50. Our local independent garage said it was nothing to worry about and changed the brake light switch for £30. This sorted out the warning lights, cruise control and limiter. Unfortunately the garage was able to read the faults (11 in all) but not clear them and suggested that they would send it to a gearbox specialist. At this stage I decided to call RAC and see if my warranty would cover the work. I was told that they would relay my car to their approved specialist and that if the fault was in the gearbox they would pay the first £1000, but I would have to pay the rest.

The specialist cleared the faults on their computer and said that the car drove well on a test drive, they wanted to test it from cold before they would release it so waited until the next day. Apparently the car took longer than expected to start and then it wouldn't change up to allow the car to go above 50, the diagnostics showed a number of faults including "glow lamp?", "low voltage" etc. Apparently the number 2 glow plug was not heating up and so causing the engine to labour draining the voltage - all this generated a long list of faults.

The glow plug was changed and the faults cleared the car then tested ok until apparently they got a load of gearbox related faults which lead to them replacing the complete unit.

They drove the car back to us on Tuesday (140 miles) and I then drove it to a meeting (160 miles). It worked fine (except a whining noise under heavy acceleration - I suspect and air leak from a turbo hose as a similar thing happened on my Saab). The car then sat on the drive until this morning...

I started the car from very cold and drove off; it wouldn't shift up or allow me to go above 50! Half an hour later I drove the car back home without any problems.

Can anyone help? It has cost £2500 so far.

 

[television]

Never been under the seats as far as I know.
Also I thought all speed sensors go through ESP control unit first (apart from the speed sensor inside the gearbox, on the electrics plate). Maybe Malc could look up a wiring diagram.

You are right the speed signals and the ESP are all on the SAM and go on from there,thats in keeping with all later MBs. I have learnt here that a low battery can cause the same symptons, I do not mean low state of charge,many batteries these days go down on one or two of the cells, reducing the voltage to well under 12volt, this can bring up the ESP and put the car into the limp home mode.
To check measure the battery before after an overnight stop should be over 12v with engine running must be 13.8 if not it is the battery pulling it down.

On my SL the ESP could come up often when I started the car from overnight.
the battery was around 10.75 volt,never done it once after the new battery.


I am pleased that you also know that the SAMs are not under the seats,it wastes an awfull lot of time when those statements are made, Eric says he repaires hundreds of thousands of these cars, they are not the same as ours for sure.

Malcolm

 

[Dom320]

Think mine has the original battery fitted. I will have a look this morning.

I have all of the codes which were read and cleared on Friday. If I post them will anyone be able to make sense of them?

Where abouts are the SAMs, are they located on each front hub?

Thanks,

Dom.

 

[eric242340]

Think mine has the original battery fitted. I will have a look this morning.

I have all of the codes which were read and cleared on Friday. If I post them will anyone be able to make sense of them?

Where abouts are the SAMs, are they located on each front hub?

Thanks,

Dom.

On each front hub? Maybe Malcolm is better at answering this

 

[television]

Think mine has the original battery fitted. I will have a look this morning.

I have all of the codes which were read and cleared on Friday. If I post them will anyone be able to make sense of them?

Where abouts are the SAMs, are they located on each front hub?

Thanks,

Dom.

Post your fault codes and I will try and see what ones make sense.

Malcolm

 

[Dom320]

Thanks Malcolm, here goes....

ESM
EAG/EGS
LCP
HRA ESA/FR
PSE
OCP
PTS
SAM
KI/ICM
P1817 Back light short circuit (now fixed).
P2502 Trans Slipping
P2600 Circuit 87
P2602 Voltage Supply Faulty
B1121 Faulty Window Lifter
B14A
B14B
B1864
B1723
B1264

Had a look at the battery and it does look like the original one fitted.

Thanks again.

Dom.