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ABC warning light over rises in road

2312 Views 10 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  [email protected]
My 2003 SL55 with 83K miles is in great shape and performs flawlessly. It doesn't leak anything, and the suspension doesn't sag after sitting for weeks, although I usually drive it every few days. The height adjustment buttons on the center console work fine. I leave it in the upper levels due to a steep driveway and rough roads near me. I lower it for highway trips, maybe twice a month. The ride is silky smooth and corners nice and flat .The fluid is clean and green and reads the proper levels both AN and AUS (running and off). I've added about 1/2 quart since I bought it when it first started giving ABC warnings occasionally and I learned how to check it. I thought one or more accumulators had leaked through since no fluid leaks out. The ABC warnings quit for about a year, but returned recently. There is one delta road on the way to our favorite eating spot that has a series of rises and dips that trips the warning every few miles, if I have my wife with me. Short trips around town don't trip it at all if I'm by myself.
So, since I'm retired and have 3 cars and a truck and motorcycle, I put very few miles on the SL55 each year.
So all this begs the question, do I want to throw money at this "problem". I've read much about this system, and realize how many parts may be involved if I take it to my local indie. I'm also considering buying 2 accumulators for about $200 from CARID, and replacing them myself in hopes this will solve the problem with the beep and red ABC warning. This would be pretty hard for me since I'm 76, but would cost about the same as an estimate from the Indie. Or do I just drive it and not worry about it since I put so few miles on it? Or just park it and drive something else. The problem is, I love driving this car. Any opinions would be appreciated.
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Accumulator or multiple. Mine did the exact same thing. No sag, no apparent leak, Height adjustment worked, but over dip at Highway speed got the REd ABC warning momentarily. Since it was so sporadic, I let it go for quite a while. Then it began exhibiting the warning more often and over smaller imperfections. The previous owner had supposedly done the accumulators. Turned oput the rears were fine, but the shop he took it to didn't replace the fron and left it unbolted and it was leaking.
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I had my indie do it. It was not ridiculous. He only charged me $650.00 to diagnose and replace 1 accumulator in front, fluid, filter flush and bleed ...rodeo test. You won't believe how much better the car rides. I think he gave me a hell of a deal!
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