Airmatic problems and maintenance
#1
04-17-2009, 11:40 AM
Airmatic problems and maintenance
As a W220 (S500) owner I have read a lot about Airmatic problems and the expense associated with these, but would like to summarize some of the useful information I have gathered, particularly for UK members who are rather less well served than is the case in the USA. Firstly, it has to be said that the Airmatic system provides a beautiful ride, and with reasonable precautions/maintenance, need not strike fear into the hearts of those of us who live with it.
Perhaps the best advice is to inspect the system regularly, and take preventive action if this seems to be needed - this will be a lot cheaper than having your car removed to a dealer with collapsed suspension! One of the primary trouble spots, particularly in the early W220 models, is the seals on top of the front struts, which can leak. The best way to test these is to pour soapy water around the top of the seal, and check if there are any bubbles with the car running; if you press the button on the dash to raise the suspension to its higher setting this ensures the system is working at maximum pressure and you will see bubbles after 30 seconds or so if there are any leaks.
Here in the UK it seems to me that the usual remedy for leaking front strut seals is replacement of the entire strut, at a cost of around £800 a corner plus labour. But this is NOT necessary for a leaking strut seal, there is a repair kit available from Mercedes dealers at a cost of just £81 per kit, plus VAT. A couple of hours labour is more than enough to replace the seals, though this should ideally be done by a dealer or a specialist as a special tool is needed for the job. When I contacted my local Mercedes dealer thay said they had never ordered or fitted such a kit
, but when I told them the part number they said yes, these were indeed available from MB HQ at Milton Keynes
. A couple of days later the kits had been delivered, and although my struts aren't leaking at the moment, I will be ready to cure the problem at very moderate cost if and when they do. Rear struts, incidentally, are much less prone to failure. The part number for the strut repair kits in the UK and elsewhere is A 220 320 25 38. In my book, keeping a couple of these handy is good insurance against a large bill should you be facing this problem now or in the future.
There can of course be other problems with Airmatic, but these are less costly. Even a new pump is just a few hundred pounds and quickly fitted, and the other usual culprit, the relay, is relatively cheap. Be sure to get the later Hella relay though, part number A 002 542 721 9.
A good way to do a quick leak test, which I learned from a German site, is to start the car and ensure the pump has levelled the car to its normal height, then press the button on the dashboard to raise the suspension to its upper setting, and see how long it takes before the "Airmatic, vehicle rising" message goes out. If the suspension is leaking, this can take several minutes, but it will go out in 30 seconds or so if all is well.
These are wonderful cars and well worth a little additional care and maintenance. Most early W220s will by now have had more recent parts fitted which will of course be more reliable than the originals, and in any event the only really expensive components are the front struts which in most cases can be quickly and cheaply repaired, using the official Mercedes kit, as described above.
Please remember that most people tend to write in forums such as these when they have cause for complaint, but there are many more happily driving round in their W220s with very few problems. Just care for your car well, check for leaks regularly, and if your front struts do leak at the top seals, don't be fobbed off with advice that the whole strut needs to be changed, just get the repair kits!
Finally, many thanks to all the previous contributors to this forum, from whom I have learned a great deal, and happy Airmatic motoring to one and all!
Chris W, Scotland
Perhaps the best advice is to inspect the system regularly, and take preventive action if this seems to be needed - this will be a lot cheaper than having your car removed to a dealer with collapsed suspension! One of the primary trouble spots, particularly in the early W220 models, is the seals on top of the front struts, which can leak. The best way to test these is to pour soapy water around the top of the seal, and check if there are any bubbles with the car running; if you press the button on the dash to raise the suspension to its higher setting this ensures the system is working at maximum pressure and you will see bubbles after 30 seconds or so if there are any leaks.
Here in the UK it seems to me that the usual remedy for leaking front strut seals is replacement of the entire strut, at a cost of around £800 a corner plus labour. But this is NOT necessary for a leaking strut seal, there is a repair kit available from Mercedes dealers at a cost of just £81 per kit, plus VAT. A couple of hours labour is more than enough to replace the seals, though this should ideally be done by a dealer or a specialist as a special tool is needed for the job. When I contacted my local Mercedes dealer thay said they had never ordered or fitted such a kit
, but when I told them the part number they said yes, these were indeed available from MB HQ at Milton Keynes. A couple of days later the kits had been delivered, and although my struts aren't leaking at the moment, I will be ready to cure the problem at very moderate cost if and when they do. Rear struts, incidentally, are much less prone to failure. The part number for the strut repair kits in the UK and elsewhere is A 220 320 25 38. In my book, keeping a couple of these handy is good insurance against a large bill should you be facing this problem now or in the future.There can of course be other problems with Airmatic, but these are less costly. Even a new pump is just a few hundred pounds and quickly fitted, and the other usual culprit, the relay, is relatively cheap. Be sure to get the later Hella relay though, part number A 002 542 721 9.
A good way to do a quick leak test, which I learned from a German site, is to start the car and ensure the pump has levelled the car to its normal height, then press the button on the dashboard to raise the suspension to its upper setting, and see how long it takes before the "Airmatic, vehicle rising" message goes out. If the suspension is leaking, this can take several minutes, but it will go out in 30 seconds or so if all is well.
These are wonderful cars and well worth a little additional care and maintenance. Most early W220s will by now have had more recent parts fitted which will of course be more reliable than the originals, and in any event the only really expensive components are the front struts which in most cases can be quickly and cheaply repaired, using the official Mercedes kit, as described above.
Please remember that most people tend to write in forums such as these when they have cause for complaint, but there are many more happily driving round in their W220s with very few problems. Just care for your car well, check for leaks regularly, and if your front struts do leak at the top seals, don't be fobbed off with advice that the whole strut needs to be changed, just get the repair kits!
Finally, many thanks to all the previous contributors to this forum, from whom I have learned a great deal, and happy Airmatic motoring to one and all!
Chris W, Scotland
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