Warning Light Extravaganza!

[patchpickford]

I have a 2002 ML270cdi.
After approx 7 mins of either idle running or driving my dashboard lights up and I get a loud beeping sound and the following warning lights come on- handbrake, ABS, EPC, BAS/ESP. This immediately disables my auto gearbox leaving me stuck in whatever gear I was in. Also my cruise control and speedometer will not work and my fuel guage starts playing up.
It doesnt matter what speed I am doing or even if I am driving it always happens after about 7 mins and then when I re-start the engine it re-sets itself and carries on working normally for another 7 mins.
It is driving me mad - my local MB dealer appears not to be able to find the fault so I am taking it to another dealer for a second opinion.
Have checked the battery and it is fine.

Anyone got any good ideas out there??
John

 

[panason1c]

Is it the original battery?.......I would still try another battery before looking at anything else........also, check the alternator output.

 

[colechelle]

last time i see that it was the ABS/ESP control module at fault, large money!!!!

 

[merc-mad]

G'day PatchPickFord,

I was just wondering if you've solved this issue yet. We're having very similar problems with a light show on our dash as well but unfortunately it occurs more sporadically and not at regular 7 minute intervals.

Like you say, restarting the engine resets the lights for a certain amount of time.

To date, we have replaced the Brake Light switch and the Mass Air Flow sensor but to no avail. Our dealer has suggested it maybe one of the control units but is unable to say which one as the computer codes that come up via DAS do not pinpoint the exact part that is causing the problem.

I am sort of waiting for the car to breakdown and have it trucked back to the dealer for fixing - this surely would ensure that the exact part causing the issue could be identified,

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Wezzel]

Where are you based?

My ABS modulator went down the Swanee last year. I was quoted something like £1800 for a replacement (plus labour).

In the end I found an amazing auto electrician in Finchampstead (near Wokingham, Berkshire) who split the thing apart, soldered up the dry joints on the circuit board and glued the whole thing back together again for £100.

It's been good as gold ever since.

 

[merc-mad]

Now, there's a plan. I'm based in Melbourne Australia. We have similar auto electrical services available down under who can test the abs unit for AUD$90 - this is much cheaper than dealer charges who want to start replacing bits as part of a process of elimination.

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Wezzel]

Aparently it's quite a common fault. Rumour has it that Saab use the same system and sometimes suffer similar ABS faults.

Mine started off intermittent. Some days the ABS light would be on all the time but on other days everything would be fine. It gradually got worse until it wouldn't go off at all. I replaced the brake light switch and this made no difference. Finally I took it to my indy who read the fault codes and just said that it came up as a fault with the ABS pump. Not wanting to part with huge sums of cash I took it to my local auto electricial who cut open the plastic casing (the unit is sealed) and resoldered some of the dry joints.