// Official meaning
Mercedes code: communication fault with the electronic steering lock — the EZS/EIS is not getting a response from the ESL.
// On the bench
The EZS asks the steering lock to wake up and gets nothing back. Sometimes the ESL board has failed outright — dry joints and failed driver transistors — and sometimes it is corrosion: the W906/W907 Sprinter is particularly prone to water finding its way to the ESL area. We test the whole key → EZS → ESL chain on the bench so you fix the unit that actually failed.
How it shows up
- Car completely dead with the key in
- No response from the ESL on diagnostics
- Intermittent faults that progressively worsen
What fixing it involves
Bench diagnosis of the EZS-to-ESL chain, then component repair of the failed side — ESL repair from £200 with 12-month warranty, EZS repair quoted per chassis. Keys and coding preserved; everything tested together before return.
Frequently asked questions
Is it the EZS or the ESL that has failed?
It can be either, which is why we test both together on the bench. The EZS reads the key and authorises the ESL; a failure on either side looks identical from the driver’s seat.
My Sprinter has this fault — is it water damage?
Quite possibly. The W906/W907 Sprinter is notorious for water reaching the ESL, corroding the PCB and connector pins. Caught early it is repairable; the longer it sits wet, the worse the corrosion gets.