rut ro, lights abs, esp, traction?????

sassmatt72

2006 high top long, Fully converted by me
for no apparent reason i suddenly have the abs, esp and traction control dash lights come on.

turn van off, restart no lights??? drive around town and they re-lit.
stopped and checked tire pressures (all over the place), re-start no lights, drive home, lights back. I can't tell if impacting drivability.

where to start???

or good sf bay area mechanic???

thanks, matt

p.s. I'm supposed to be driving 2000+ miles into winter country any day...of course it just started today, as I'm packing..
 

sassmatt72

2006 high top long, Fully converted by me
starting to look like the brake light switch? (after reading a few threads)
but
I did just replace a few bulbs out back all looks good, but my passenger lower marker light will not lite (new bulb).
weird,...

any ideas out there? thx
 

sailquik

Well-known member
sassmatt72,
You replaced the bulbs with genuine OEM bulbs from a Mercedes dealer...right?
If so, then pull the RH rear light assembly and look at the printed circuits on the back side
for corrosion or problems with the conductive tracks.
Roger
 

220629

Well-known member
starting to look like the brake light switch? (after reading a few threads)
but
I did just replace a few bulbs out back all looks good, but my passenger lower marker light will not lite (new bulb).
weird,...

any ideas out there? thx
This is for the lamp out issue mentioned, not the dash warnings.

Assuming the correct lamps properly installed in the correct sockets...

2004 140 WB Low Standard Roof Cargo. I popped the tail light lamp assemblies off to begin wiring a Modulite relay unit for my trailer. Didn't get to install that because of rain, but learned some things. Someone had installed #1156 lamps (12V 21Watt) in each lower tail light unit. DC uses galvanized steel tracers to route the power on the light unit. I traced the traces and found a small jumper to the lowest lamp which makes it common with the tail light on the top stop/tail lamp. Having a 21 watt lamp in that position would make it look like the brakes were on instead of just tail lights. My 2004 manual doesn't give lamp numbers for replacement. The parts guy at the corner tried to sell me 21 Watt lamps again and was very insistent even though he was very (completely) wrong.

Here's what I recommend for a NAS aka NAFTA T1N:
Top Lamp = Brake/Tail = 1157LL 12V 21W/5W)
2nd down = Backup = 1156LL (12V 21W)
3rd Down = Turn = 1156LL (12V 21W)
Bottom Lamp = Tail = 5007LL (12V 5W) - Do not use more watts or it will appear that the brake lights are on.

License Plate Lamps = 6418LL (13.5V 5 W)

Note: The same lamp type for the license plate comes in 10 watt and even 20 watt versions. There is no place for the lamp heat to escape in your rear door. I strongly recommend using the 5 watt lamp I specify to keep the heating problem to a minimum. Better yet is an LED replacement. My LED experience wasn't so great. Although maybe it is ok for other people.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?p=390850#post390850

Wiring I found:
Tail/Park: L = Gray/Blk, R = Gray/Red
Stop: L = Blk/Red, R = Blk/Red
Backup: L = Wht/Red, R = Wht/Red
Turn: L = Blk/Wht, R = Blk/Grn

Hope this saves someone some time if they need lamps or wire colors.

P.S. - Low Beam Headlamp = H7 55 watt, 65 watt, or 100 watt. I use CEC Industries H7 55w LL long life.

20100412 Edit: Below is a link that discusses trailer wiring options OEM vs aftermarket modules. Adding trailer wiring to a Sprinter is not a straight-forward process. If you have it installed, don't let 'em do whatever they want!!

Trailer Wiring OEM Harness vs. Light Module
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7328&highlight=trailer+wiring
042TailLightAssemblyNotes.jpg

Do you have DRL's? If yes, try turning on the headlights/running lights with the stalk twist switch. If the running light in question comes on with the stalk switch you most likely have a blown fuse.

Check all fuses. Never trust that the fuse map is complete as to everything that a fuse feeds. My experience is that fuse map can be lacking.

vic
 
Last edited:

MercedesGenIn

Mercedes-Benz Resource
My money is on inaccurate counting of a wheel speed sensor. Check front wheel bearing play first. Then inspect cleanliness and clearance between reluctor (tone) ring and sensor head. More likley to be front ones giving problems but failing to rectify the problem with the steps mentioned investigate the rear set-up.

Unlikely its brake lamp switch itself as this would impact turbo operation and trigger limp home.

Regards
Steve
 
Last edited:

SneakyAnarchistVanCamper

Reading till my eyesbleed
My money is on inaccurate counting of a wheel speed sensor. Check front wheel bearing play first. Then inspect cleanliness and clearance between reluctor (tone) ring and sensor head. More likley to be front ones giving problems but failing to rectify the problem with the steps mentioned investigate the rear set-up.

Unlikely its brake lamp switch itself as this would impact turbo operation and trigger limp home.

Regards
Steve
I agree, I think it's a tone wheel issue. Seems to be consistent with Dr A's tech alert on the tone wheels. Although it's probably easier to check the bulbs first.
 

misterbond10

New member
I agree, I think it's a tone wheel issue. Seems to be consistent with Dr A's tech alert on the tone wheels. Although it's probably easier to check the bulbs first.
yep most of the time its a tone wheel issue. Rust and crud gets in there or the sensor slips outwards in the socket to where it cant get a good reading. Its an easy fix lucky, and get yoruself a little pick set like this
http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece-pick-and-hook-set-66836.html

use the 90 degree pick to clean out all the little grooves in the 'tone wheel' and brush off the metallic flakes stuck to the magnetic sensor
 

Top Bottom