I am new to owninga Mercedes and just had for about 3 months. I am having problems with the air suspension system. I got the car from a friend becuase he had the same problems and got tired of fixing it. I took the car and I am determined to solve the problem.

Histroy:

In the last year a total of 5 strut assemblies has been placed an two pumps. I replaced the pump and strut one month ago on the RR and now the RF is leaking. I hear the pump running and if you let the car sit for a while you will feel the car rise. The RF after about 10 minutes you will hear a pop from the suspension and it will raise and sometimes stay and somtimes go down. I still can drive it but sometimes the warning light comes on and when I stop to raise the car it raises. I hear air leaking after I turn of the car at night. During the day the car will not drop much but after sitting all night the RF will be on the bumper stops. When I start it is raise to where it can drive but I have to wait another 15 minutes for it to level but sometimes it does not level.

After having the RR replaced I noticed the car was not level and leaning to the right side. Can this effect the struts on this side? After readin post it is my understanding that the car should level out by itself? What can keep it from leveling? Could it be that I need to have MB check the system to see what is going wrong?I have done this and my friend has done this but I refused to believed that the struts can go bad over 60 or 90 days and never the same one?


Is it possible just to remove the airstruts and go with normal struts inside of the automatic struts? And can anyone let me know where to get the repair kits for the struts.


Someone please help!!!!

 

you can buy the repair kit at the dealer but you wont beable to repair it yourself anyway. you will also need MB computer to set the calibrated level and to get the pump to work. you should also have the relay and fuse replaced for the suspension pump. you could also have broken air lines or any various other problems. it needs to go to a dealer so it can be fixed correctly.

 

You have had 5 new struts!! That must be 10000USD+!!! or are we talking old units of unknown quality from a breakers?
The air struts are a known cause of leaks BUT there are many other potential issues.
Are you sure we are talking Airmatic rather than ABC? Yours is an Limo.
As Chassis221 states the system could be wrong for many reasons because it is electronically controlled so the pump, valve block, sensors, lines, struts or settings could be wrong.
Due to the cost of the struts this certainly isn't the first thing I would have changed.
I agree that everything is repairable but unfortunately working on this system ideally requires the use of MB SDS Star diagnostics.
IF you are very practical you can get around this however.
Although your description may be incomplete it appears that you may have a simple leak.
When you say you hear air leaking the first thing to do is to locate where it is coming from.

You don't even state how many miles the car has done.

Stuart

 

All,

The car about 225,000 on it now.I got it from a friend how was tired of fixing the air system on the car. After talking to him in detail about his problems it did not make sense to me that the struts we going bad alot. I work on heavy equipment and heavy trailers that carry up to 100 tons and what he describe did not make sense to me. I am new to owning a Mercedes and do not know anything about the air system. The first strut when bad about 30 days ago on the right rear and I had it replaced with used strut. When the computer test was done the pump was only reading at about 8 on the screen. I had it replaced and the pump was putting out at least 14 or reading in the green.

The problem is this: the right front side will raise but not to the full height. After letting the car sit with the engine running you can see and feel the right front raise and levelwith the left front. When this happens sometimes it will stay level and sometimes it will go back down. Now when it goes back down it does not go all the way to the bumper stops. I noticed also that the entire right side is not level with the left side of the car.

I can drive the car with no problem but every so often the right front will lose air cause the warning light to come on. I can raise the carto a certain level and then the process starts all over. When I turn the car off for the night and in the morning theright side will be to the ground and I can hear the pump running. Some mornings the right and left side will be to the ground. When i start the car the left raises to normal height and the right takes about 15 minutes.



I am taking it to the shops tomorrow and will let all know what was the problem.

 

Story seems to have changed.
You refer to one strut change only which was replaced by an unknown used component.
The system is in principle very simple.
The compressor (electric reciprocating) is sited under the RHF fender splash guard.
Pressure is controlled by means of an over pressure cut out sited on the compressor body.
The compressor generates pressure which is connected to an electric / electronic valve block immediately above the compressor, which distributes air to the four corners to maintain the required ride height.. These valve blocks can have a solenoid go down which is not repairable (potted construction). One poster on this site reported that his valve block leaked air badly but I don't think this type of leak is very common.
A small air reservoir is also connected into this line and is sited on the other side of the car.
The valve block is controlled via rheostat type height sensors on each corner thru an ECU. The plastic levers that link the strut to the rheostats are vulnerable to damage / breakage. Likewise the wiring / connectors are vulnerable to damage and corrosion. The ECU then doesn't know what to do.
There is a ride height "RAISE" button on the dash that raises the car an inch or so when selected. Does this work?

Some leakage from the system is standard. A car at this mileage will most probably drop fully down in a couple of days if not used but should pump itself up within about 1 minute to a height where the RED "Don't drive" or amber "Airmatic Low" warnings are displayed.

If the compressor runs and its pressure output is OK then either there must be a significant leak somewhere along the pipe runs or alternatively the height sensing system is not working correctly. I suspect one of the sensors since you have an uneven ride height LH to RHS and likewise front to rear.
Although the struts are known to leak (at the top seal) they are otherwise very robust. If they are leaking this can be seen and heard by observing the black mastic at the top of the strut.
Struts don't fail to raise the car if indeed there is sufficient air supply and there isn't a massive leak from the top mount.

Since you are taking it to the dealer MB SDS Star Diagnostics Quick Check will quickly tell you what is wrong by accessing stored Airmatic codes (get this report in hard copy since it tests all systems and codes may be present on other systems as well). Get ready for 150USD or similar for this check.

Good luck.
Stuart