The ABC problem or not

[CoralNova]

Greetings everyone; The front engine bay and floor of my 2003 R230 Mercedes SL500 were covered in ABC oil. Three weeks ago, I had a refurbished pump, some pipes, and a valve block replaced. The red srs light turned on a few days ago when I started the car. The vehicle seemed to be adrift. For a few seconds, the left and right corners went down and up, respectively, before coming to a halt.

The following evening, as I was parking and reversing the car, I double-checked the fluid levels, which were fine. Noticed smoke issuing from the engine grill. Bonet was open and ABC was all over the place once again.


A Mercedes expert had thought another pipe had burst, but there were no visible signs of a leak.

I was wondering if anyone else has experience with this.

It is appreciated.

[DaisyDrift]

An ABC problem exists if CHF11S is present in an unexpected place. Verify that the system has been adequately bled before opening it.

[CoralNova]

When I glanced at the reservoir tank dipstick, it appeared as though oil was dripping out of it. Oil was quite hot, and that appeared to have been lifted. I had an independent Mercedes garage take care of the mixing system. I can only speculate and pray that everything went according to plan. A red warning light goes on as I'm driving over several speed bumps. When you see red, please drive carefully.

[DaisyDrift]

That may occur if the system contains air or if the valves are not operating properly, leading to the reservoir being overfilled with pressure.

[CoralNova]

Regarding the matter at hand, I took the vehicle for a little spin yesterday night. The road had some uneven patches. ABC—be cautious—the red light flashed on the dashboard with each curve. Even in the dark, the red light flashed on and off. This time, there was no fluid or leak.

The car descended rapidly but rose very slowly. On sometimes, while driving, I could make out clicking noises emanating from both the back and the front of the vehicle.


There must be someone in the Slough area who can find and fix the problem if the garage can't.

The current responses suggest either a pulsating dampener or accumulators, which will require replacement in any case.

Am I to assume anything else before returning?

It is appreciated.

[DaisyDrift]

The large pulsation damper is responsible for the spikes that activate the light. Just to be safe, I'd swap everything out, then properly bleed the system before the rodeo.