Babeviper, any pics of your mods?

 

Well the Dealer had the car for ten days while we were away, and the light staid off for a whole 50 miles, now its back on... and thats after changing out the parts the computer said were bad..anyone got any ideas please?

 

I had the same problem on 2004 Xf then I changed the brake pump pressure sensor and the warning BAS/ESP light goes off!!!

 

 

 

Ed, there is a pressure sensor on the master brake cylinder; you can check to be sure the connection is clean and tight. It has also been found that a bad brake light switch will cause the BAS/ESP light to go on, but that usually also deploys the wing on the limiteds. Do not know if you have a SRT or N/A. The brake switch is near the brake peddle in the drivers footwell. Any codes?

 

 

 

 

 

There's an echo in here.

 

 

Yea, but it's hard to know - see, usually, when we see dual posts like that, it's a glitch between your browser and the site.

 

Okay so this is BAS/ESP is a problem that just keeps on giving. My expierience with it and a variety of dashlights coming on started a few years ago. I somehow stumbled upon that by pushing on, or sometimes reseating the large connector on the ESP Unit, near the brake fluid resevoir, all the light issues would magically go away. Sometimes for months or a year or more at a time. However recentlly it has comeback and isn't going away as easily. I've blown out and cleaned the 60-some pin connector with 91% alcohol, that worked for a couple of week or so, but now is back. The connector seems loose. Yesterday with the help of my wife, while I gently "touch,push, move about" or apply pressure to this connector I can get all the lights out. So my question is, does anybody have any "retightening" techiniques? I tried looking and everythinnng is so small on this connector. Thanks, and this forum has been the best thing in owning these cars,

 

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That connector has a large latch on it that I think you pull up on to release and push down to lock. I have not taken it off in a long time so I am a bit vague on the details now. Do you have that latch?

 

Yes that's the one, you kind of flare out the sides then it swings up and slides off the pins/connctor at the same time.

 

1) It would be a good idea to get the codes read at an independent european/Mercedes shop. Just get the BAS/ESP codes read, nothing more. Maybe that would help in narrowing the problem to something more specific. Be sure they write them down exactly, so you can reference in the future should that become necessary.
2) Open the connector and using "DeoxIT D5" contact cleaner give it a good blast. Deoxit is both a cleaner and a lubricant. It will help cleans the contacts of corrosion. For about $15 -20 a can it is worth a try. You might also try a conductive grease BUT VERY CAREFUL NOT TO PUT SO MUCH ON IT COULD ARC ACROSS INDIVIDUAL PINS!!! I have a silicone base carbon black grease with micro bites of copper suspended in it which I tend to use on any connector I take apart and can get to the pins easily.

 

Thanks, I'll look for the cleaner you mentioned, I used some CRC Contact cleaner I picked up at Advance Auto today to no avail. Do you have a name for that conductive silicone grease you mentioned? That may be the fix for the "loose" fit. Appreciate the info, thanks!

 

Carbon conductive grease can be found at either eBay or Amazon; search " carbon conductive". I would guess the easyest to find is MG Chemical's # 8481 or 847.
Again I hope you will take your car to an Independent garage and get those BAS/ESP codes read. Most OBD II scan tools will not dig into the specific Mercedes systems codes far enough to glean the information you need. That is why I strongly suggest going to an automotive shop and get those codes read. It will help diagnose trouble in the BAS/ESP system. You can tell the shop your car is basically a 2004 Mercedes SLK 320. They will know what to do from there. DO NOT get a verbal feed back only: Be specific and be certain you have them write the specific codes on a piece of paper for you. TOO much is lost in verbal interpretation and shop BS. Get the codes.