Cruise Control - Distronic Control Unit Replacement
Date: November 1, 2001Order No.: P-B-30.30/07
Supersedes:
Group: 30
SUBJECT:
Model 220 / 215
Distronic Control Unit (N63/1) Replacements
Over the past year, we have noticed a high number of Distronic control unit (N63/1) replacements which may not have been required. As a result, we feel it is necessary to address some of the more common Distronic control unit replacement errors:
1. "Distronic External Malfunction" as stated in the owner's manual and Distronic video - This warning message in the instrument cluster is not a system malfunction. This warning message appears in the instrument cluster when external (environmental) Electro-magnetic waves in the area of the Distronic vehicle, interfere with the radar sensors ability to "see" targets. As a safety measure, Distronic will deactivate until the interference is gone (usually a few seconds). This is not a cause for parts replacement and will not store fault codes in the vehicles fault memory.
2. Distronic warning lamp illumination while driving - The Distronic system is always active even when speed regulation is not taking place. The warning lamp and corresponding audio signal will activate at times when the Distronic system believes that traffic conditions require immediate driver attention and response. Such signals to the driver are not malfunctions of the Distronic system, will not store faults in the vehicle fault memory and are not cause for parts replacement.
3. Before the decision is made to replace any Distronic related parts, you must confirm that there are no faults stored in any of the other vehicle systems that can influence the Distronic system. Before any evaluation can be made of the Distronic system the following systems must be fully functional and have no stored faults or current faults:
^ ME
^ ETC
^ ESM
^ ESP
^ EIS
^ ICM