'01 S500 ABC Drive Carefully

[gbatch]

In April '04 I bought a 2001 S500 fully equipped. Shortly after the purchase I noticed that on startup first thing in the morning I occasionally would get a message in red on the display that reads "Active Body Control, ABC, Please Drive Carefully". After this happened a couple of times, I called the dealer and spoke to one of the techs who told me to just turn the car off, wait 5 seconds and restart it. He thought the problem was that the hydraulic fluid in the system wasn't up to either temp or pressure on first startup and thus the system was giving an error message. Sure enough, whenever this would happen I'd shut the car off for a few seconds and then restart it. The error message would be gone. This did not happen every day, but intermittently. Once it happened in the morning, it did not come on again that day.

Within the last few days the error message is coming on nearly every time I start the car. When I drive it sometimes the message goes off after 2-3 minutes and sometimes it doesn't go off. I have an extended warranty on the car.

Anyone familiar with these symptoms or have any ideas?

Gene Batchelar
Wheaton, IL

[djd]

On any of the ABC equipped 220s, if the problem isn't obvious like a failed or failing electric pump for the ABC or a bad valve on one of the struts or the valve manifold, then 99% of the time there is possibly contaniments in the hydraulic fluid. Small metal and other particulars clog the strut and manifold valves.

Have your dealer drain the system and replace the fluid. The can put the car on a "rodeo" test whereby the car is jumping around violently at each of the struts and they can measure the milibar presure of the system which should be almost 200 millibar when ABC is active.

[sleepwalker]

the vehicle height is down after parking it for 1 night?

you can run a masking tape on the fender to the wheel rim and check it in the morning.

low level will indicate the ABC malfunction.

i have replaced so many front and rear valves (depending which end is down) in the past because they have internal leak. if both ends, all must be replaced including the pressure reservoir.

sometimes changing the oil (PENTOSIN) will correct the minor leak.

Star Diagnosis must be use to do the front/rear, side/side and rodeo actuationto bleed and replace the old oil. the filter inside the reservoir must be replaced too.

only by this way that you can totally solve the problem.

[reliablebruce]

don't feel too bad about the ABC strut, my driver side rear strut with the spring broke without any warning just made a ticking and metalic sound. Im becoming a little discouraged and disappointed in this high tech stuff , maybe it's time to go back

to the old steel sprung suspensions like on the porsche.

[laigool]

Originally Posted by Guest

In April '04 I bought a 2001 S500 fully equipped. Shortly after the purchase I noticed that on startup first thing in the morning I occasionally would get a message in red on the display that reads "Active Body Control, ABC, Please Drive Carefully". After this happened a couple of times, I called the dealer and spoke to one of the techs who told me to just turn the car off, wait 5 seconds and restart it. He thought the problem was that the hydraulic fluid in the system wasn't up to either temp or pressure on first startup and thus the system was giving an error message. Sure enough, whenever this would happen I'd shut the car off for a few seconds and then restart it. The error message would be gone. This did not happen every day, but intermittently. Once it happened in the morning, it did not come on again that day.

Within the last few days the error message is coming on nearly every time I start the car. When I drive it sometimes the message goes off after 2-3 minutes and sometimes it doesn't go off. I have an extended warranty on the car.

Anyone familiar with these symptoms or have any ideas?

Gene Batchelar
Wheaton, IL

gbatch

did you find a solution to the problem. I had a similar problem on my 2000 CL 500 and the dealer said to replace the hose. Parts and labour added up to >$2,000!

[The Workshop MB]

Originally Posted by gbatch

In April '04 I bought a 2001 S500 fully equipped. Shortly after the purchase I noticed that on startup first thing in the morning I occasionally would get a message in red on the display that reads "Active Body Control, ABC, Please Drive Carefully". After this happened a couple of times, I called the dealer and spoke to one of the techs who told me to just turn the car off, wait 5 seconds and restart it. He thought the problem was that the hydraulic fluid in the system wasn't up to either temp or pressure on first startup and thus the system was giving an error message. Sure enough, whenever this would happen I'd shut the car off for a few seconds and then restart it. The error message would be gone. This did not happen every day, but intermittently. Once it happened in the morning, it did not come on again that day.

Within the last few days the error message is coming on nearly every time I start the car. When I drive it sometimes the message goes off after 2-3 minutes and sometimes it doesn't go off. I have an extended warranty on the car.

Anyone familiar with these symptoms or have any ideas?

Gene Batchelar
Wheaton, IL

This may shed some light on your problem:

MY 01 CL (215.375, and 215.378), S 600 (220.178), AND S 500 (220.175) WITH THE OPTION CODE 487 (ABC), ACTIVE BODY CONTROL: Complaints of instrument cluster displaying an ABC warning in red, usually appearing during the first morning start up on model year 2001 CL 600, CL 500, S 600 or S 500 vehicles with option code 487 (ABC) and DTC's C1525 and/ or C1526 are set, the Active Body Control suspension system enters into a limp mode, the Electronic Ignition Switch (EIS) needs to be replaced with a modified unit.

You will need the SDS to replace the EIS. If you need assistance and are within our coverage area, we can help. We can work seamlessly with your (aftermarket ) warranty company.

Happy Benzing!!