HELP, I'm a Dumbass, Opened door with SBS disconnected.

3985 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by keyhole, Sep 13, 2011

zaphodsplanet

Discussion Starter · Sep 11, 2011 (Edited)

HELP, I'm a Dumbass, Opened door with SBC disconnected.

Okay, I feel like the biggest bonehead on the planet. I've changed the brakes a couple times on my 04 E320 already. What I remembered reading was that it was a big ass no no to open the door while the SBC was disconnected. This would set off all the major alarms, send my car into limp mode and generally create hell for me. Well..... no need to guess what I did. I had taken one caliper off to check the state of the current pads since they've been squealing up a storm and driving me freaking nuts.... so I get one side of the car jacked up.... I had set the emergency brake to start out with.... but got a hair up my ass to double check it so I opened the door and just as I pushed a little harder on the emergency brake.... I remembered my now too late to correct it f-up. I live alone, this is my only mode of transport..... Does anyone know how to reset the damn thing w/o having to call a wrecker in the morning and taking it into the dealership just to have the computer reset????

I'm so freaking screwed. I'll keep searching the forum but I'm not having any luck finding a procedure for resetting.

Please help me.... I'm an IDIOT!!!

Thanks.

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Diesel Benz

· #2 · Sep 11, 2011

Did I understand right, you had the plug for the SBC brakes control unit disconnected while you opened the door?

I believe it was better this way than having brake pads off and opening the door while the plug to the SBC control unit was connected.

Once you have the pads properly back and the SBC connector in place, what happens if you start the car, apply brakes a few times and restart?

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zaphodsplanet

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 11, 2011

Hi DB, Yes... It was the SBC unit... sorry about the typo. And yes..... it is better than if I had kept the SBC unit connected and had the caliper off.... wow... now that would have been dangerous. Yes I put the pads back on..... I had bought some new pads but decided not to install them since there was so little wear on them. I'm getting all the oh shit alarms going off... brakes kind of work but car is totally in limp mode. I've restarted the car twice now and get the same alarm bells going off. ESP, Brake problem.... stop vehicle... visit workshop immediately. I feel so freaking stupid. I've done the pads up front once already... and also done a full brake job, all four rotors, pads and sensors about 15K miles ago.... and never made this boo boo. Still trying to search for the forums I had original read before I had even done my first brake work on this car. UG.... I can't remember if they gave a procedure for when you screw up like this, but I remember all the warnings of, "DON'T OPEN ANY DOORS WHILE SBC UNIT IS UNPLUGGED".....

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zaphodsplanet

Discussion Starter · #4 · Sep 11, 2011

Crisis Averted...... looks like my car is smarter than me after all. On the 3rd start attempt.... and after letting the car set for a half hour or so, it seems to have figure out that there's nothing wrong with it after all. No more flashy red lights and lots of dinging.... but now there's a plus sign next to the service past due by a few miles warning..... have to pull that one wheel off again and see if I didn't get the sensor plugged in all the way.

Whew

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Diesel Benz

· #5 · Sep 12, 2011

zaphodsplanet said:
Crisis Averted...... looks like my car is smarter than me after all. On the 3rd start attempt.... and after letting the car set for a half hour or so, it seems to have figure out that there's nothing wrong with it after all. No more flashy red lights and lots of dinging.... but now there's a plus sign next to the service past due by a few miles warning..... have to pull that one wheel off again and see if I didn't get the sensor plugged in all the way.

Whew

Don't be so hard on yourself, may owners rush with their DIY tasks and only start to familiarize on the topic or seek for help when it is too late. At least you made your homework and you did get prepared for the accidental unintentional opening of the door.

Is that plus sign actually about the half way brake pad wear sensor? Early 211 cars had one sensor about in the middle of the pad (thickness-wise), this allowed the workshop to estimate if pads would survive to the next service (could be 30 000 km in Europe at least). If it is this, you should be able to find instructions from the forum on how to deal with it, I cannot remember the details and who posted it, sorry.

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keyhole

· #6 · Sep 12, 2011

zaphodsplanet said:
Okay, I feel like the biggest bonehead on the planet. I've changed the brakes a couple times on my 04 E320 already. What I remembered reading was that it was a big ass no no to open the door while the SBC was disconnected.

zp. Interesting situation. I assume you meant connected above?

As I do not have SBC on my CLK I have no personal experience here. However I was interested enough to look up the SBC operation in my WIS. On every page that refers to working on the SBC brakes system, the instructions are prefaced by the instruction to disable the SBC using SDS.

It then goes on to list the items that can trigger the SBC operation which makes interesting reading. ie.

"The SBS system builds up high pressure and pushes the brake cylinder out automatically when:

The vehicle is opened by remote control.
The driver, front passenger, or rear door is opened.
The trunk is opened.
The key is turned to position 1 in the ignition switch.
The brake pedal is operated.
The parking brake is released.
The system performs a 'self-test' - (pre-drive test)"

It occurs to me that it is would be difficult to work on the brakes with the parking brake on.

Also, as the pressure is held in a pressure reservoir attached to SBC control unit (A7/3n1) I imagine that disabling the SBC does not remove the pressure - it inhibits the control.

So my question to anyone who knows the SBC system well is - why not disconnect the connector on the SBC hyudralic unit (A7/3)?

Would that do the same as using SDS to prevent inadvertant SBC operation?

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Noodles

· #7 · Sep 12, 2011 (Edited)

He did have the SBC disconnected. The issue for him was not the pre-test or activation
of the SBC during the repair while disconnected. It was that when the door was opened
the car freaked out that it did not see the SBC pump and control unit because it was
disconnected for the brake work.

Yes disabling it by disconnection is about the same as using the SDS. For the average DIYer the discnnection
is the best and safest bet.

As far as the parking brake you are correct if the rear rotors have to come off. I can only assume
the OP was doing a front brake job.

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keyhole

· #8 · Sep 13, 2011

Yes - thanks for that.

I realized after my post that I had missed the point of the OP

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