Benzo Sittin Low....Why?

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

I have a 2006 S500 AMG w/ Airmatic Suspension.

As of today, the rear of the car is sitting abnormally low...someone told me I may need new Airmatic shocks for the rear. As I search online, they look to be about a stack for the rear pair. Does anyone else have any experience with these cars? Is this really what I need? or what could remedy the situation?

I would have posted this in the Car Repair Section but it seems noone ever responds to those threads....

Click to read more...

 

[infamous_e46 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif youre fuqqed

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif youre fuqqed

it seems that way //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/crap.gif.7f4dd41e3e9b23fbd170a1ee6f65cecc.gif

guess ya gotta pay to play...

 

[Sleeklsc 5,000+ posts]

Did it do it overnight? Has this ever happened before?

 

[DARKHART 10+ year member]

Yeah that's exactly what it sounds like, but for about the same or a little less money you can replace them with standard shock/struts and never have to worry bout that problem again...I know a few people with the same car that's had it done...we all share the same indy mech...good luck

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

They are plagued with suspension problems.

All data has about 30 TSIB's listed for just the air ride alone.

Dose the car go flat over night? or is it just riding lower with out getting flat?

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

Yeah that's exactly what it sounds like, but for about the same or a little less money you can replace them with standard shock/struts and never have to worry bout that problem again...I know a few people with the same car that's had it done...we all share the same indy mech...good luck

Did they have any problems with the suspension ECU throwing out codes? I know that the TRAC, ABS and other systems rely on the suspension ECU to operate correctly.

 

[DARKHART 10+ year member]

I don't know if they did or not, just that they never complained about it anymore and it was done by or indy mech so I sure he took care of any problems that could have arisen during the installation....

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

Did it do it overnight? Has this ever happened before?

nope never happened before, as far as I know, it happened while i was driving.

The car showed a message about how the Airmatic display was defective, visit workshop; then said Airmatic: Stop, car too low

And the car is sitting really low in the rear. when i start the car, I can hear like a motor sound upfront like the car is trying to go up and i can hear air coming from the shocks but the car doesnt go up as it should

 

---------- Post added at 07:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 PM ----------

 

Did it do it overnight? Has this ever happened before?

nope never happened before, as far as I know, it happened while i was driving.

The car showed a message about how the Airmatic display was defective, visit workshop; then said Airmatic: Stop, car too low

And the car is sitting really low in the rear. when i start the car, I can hear like a motor sound upfront like the car is trying to go up and i can hear air coming from the shocks but the car doesnt go up as it should

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

I don't know if they did or not, just that they never complained about it anymore and it was done by or indy mech so I sure he took care of any problems that could have arisen during the installation....

The electronics would need to be re-flashed to be able to work correctly with these mods, this is why I ask.

A Benz dealer, or some one with access to their network would be the only one's who could re-flash the safety systems to work properly.

And that is if they would even do it for you.

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

nope never happened before, as far as I know, it happened while i was driving. The car showed a message about how the Airmatic display was defective, visit workshop; then said Airmatic: Stop, car too low

And the car is sitting really low in the rear. when i start the car, I can hear like a motor sound upfront like the car is trying to go up and i can hear air coming from the shocks but the car doesnt go up as it should

 

---------- Post added at 07:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:57 PM ----------

 

nope never happened before, as far as I know, it happened while i was driving.

The car showed a message about how the Airmatic display was defective, visit workshop; then said Airmatic: Stop, car too low

And the car is sitting really low in the rear. when i start the car, I can hear like a motor sound upfront like the car is trying to go up and i can hear air coming from the shocks but the car doesnt go up as it should

They most typical thing for them(your issues)are the air lines and bladders leaking. Try turning the key on and when you hear the pump come on, try and listen for an air leak. One other thing that happens with them are the ride height sensors like to go out.

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

i'm gonna upload some pics

 

[Why So Cereal? 5,000+ posts]

They most typical thing for them(your issues)are the air lines and bladders leaking. Try turning the key on and when you hear the pump come on, try and listen for an air leak. One other thing that happens with them are the ride height sensors like to go out.

i can hear the pump or motor or whatever it is. Then after it stops whirring, I can hear kind of a "shhhhhh" sound and then nothing.

The rear is the only part that seems to be too low. The front seems fine. But I hear the pump/motor upfront

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

Here is a TSIB that may be your problem. Ask your dealer about it. Unfortunately it will not be covered under warranty.

Date: October 29, 2008

Order No.: P-B-32.50/35c

Supersedes: P-B-32.50/35b dated Feb. 22, 2008

Group:32

Revision History

SUBJECT: Model 215.373/374/375/376/378/379 Model 220.067/083/170/173/174/175/176/178/179/183/184, Equipped with Code 487 (Active Body Control)

Model 230.471/472/474/475/476/477/479, Up to VIN F118817

Random Vehicle Level

If you receive customer reports in the above model vehicles of the vehicle's suspension level randomly lowering while driving and/or rapid sporadic level changes shortly after stopping the vehicle, replace the body acceleration sensors (reference WIS document GF32.31-P-4100A), with a manufacturing date greater than 02 W 01 (Year 2002, week 01) (Figure 1).

NOTE: Do not replace any other ABC suspension components. In both of the above scenarios, vehicle level changes typically occur intermittently and predominately after driving for extended periods. The vehicle's level adjusts without obvious cause, and usually quickly moves upwards or downwards, and then rapidly corrects back to the specified level.

Random level movements (while driving) only occur when the ABC suspension system is in Active mode (i.e. when the vehicle is in motion). Thus, the above mentioned level movements cannot occur when the ABC system is in Passive mode (i.e. vehicle stopped). Since the ABC system does not switch to Passive mode until a few seconds after the transmission gear selector is positioned into Park or a significant braking torque is applied for several seconds, sporadic level conditions may exist shortly after stopping the vehicle. Random level conditions may also exist shortly after stopping the vehicle if the vehicle is stationary but an insufficient amount of braking torque is applied, thus causing the system not to switch to Passive mode.

NOTE: The random level control is the result of tolerance contact issues on the printed circuit board of the body acceleration sensors [b24/3-front left, B24/4-front right, B24/5-rear left (Model 230), B24/6-rear right (Model 220/215)], in combination with the sensors heating up after an extended period of driving. The contact issue can result in a higher internal resistance on the printed circuit board causing the sensor to output an incorrect signal, thus initiating an ABC adjustment.

Parts Information

NOTE: The following allowable labor operations should be used when submitting a warranty claim for this repair. This information has been generated on February 22, 2008. Please refer to Netstar -> Star TekInfo -> Star Time for the most current labor time allowance.

In Case of Warranty

Operation: Accel. Sensor - Frt. left for Act. Body Control (ABC), replace (32-7530)Accel. Sensor - Frt. right for Act. Body Control (ABC), replace (32-7531)

Accel. Sensor - Rear right for Act. Body Control (ABC), replace (32-7533)

Accel. Sensor - Rear left for Act. Body Control (ABC), replace (32-0000)

 

[thevic24 5,000+ posts]

i can hear the pump or motor or whatever it is. Then after it stops whirring, I can hear kind of a "shhhhhh" sound and then nothing.The rear is the only part that seems to be too low. The front seems fine. But I hear the pump/motor upfront

Ah, disregard the TSIB I just listed. It sounds like you have a broken line.

In some area's, they are a nylon type and can become very fragile over time.