We have a 2002 S430 which recently had the left front shock replaced. Now the car will often release a cloud of steam from the area around the top of the shock inside the engine compartment after driving more than a few minutes.

Also, about 50% of the time, overnight, the car will loose is air pressure and be down hard on that side. This never happened before the shock was replaced.

I am thinking this is a sensor, as when you open the driver's door, without starting the vehicle, the vehicle's shocks pressurize and it operate just fine.

We hear zero noise, and so I don't think it would be a bad compressor. My home office is is the garage, so I would hear if the compressor was working.

We never get error messages when driving.

 

most of the time it not the whole shock thats bad...its just the seal at the top of the shock/strut. if you went to a dealer to have it fixed, they would have told you about the repair kit for the top of the strut.

 

thanks, the shock had been repaired in the past and my guy told that you couldn't do another fix that way. don't know if that is correct or not. the shock seems to operate, but the leaking has me concerned...