PiL

I have a 2008 R350. Noticed when I started my car after snow storm (to defrost windows as I cleared the snow off the car) that the car automatically raised up a few inches (also saw a message in dash display saying vehicle raising). That was a few days ago and the ride height is still lifted (even after driving on the highway 75-80 MPH). Does it automatically reset it's height? Is there a way to manually reset the height? I also noticed that the drivers side looks about an inch higher that the passenger side. Was not aware automatic rising was an option on my car. I don't think I have Airmatic - I don't have button next to C/S button to manually raise/lower car.

Many thanks for your advice/input.

starbound01

Look under the vehicle and see if you have springs. In the front the spring would be part of the strut. In the rear its not. If you see a black bladder where the spring is supposed to be, you have air an pneumatic system.


The following link will show you what the parts look like:
https://www.arnottindustries.com/sea...el=71&year=156


Regarding the behavior you wrote, what is written doesn't make any sense. Unless you have 4 corners air, the front did not move, and I didn't think the R350 had 4 corners air. If you have air in the back and it rose up from setting in the cold, the air-spring(s) is/are leaking. Quite common to have air bladders leak from the cold. You'd have to replace them.


If you are concerned abut the height, measure it; don't eyeball height.

PeteInLongBeach

Yes, but with the change in premium packages, it was MUCH less common after 2007.

Answer from the "other" site:

The system does not sense snow and will not raise automatically because of it. What can happen is with an overnight temperature drop, the air in the springs contracts and the car gets lower. When you start it up, it will raise up again to compensate.

Also, changes in temperature can cause marginal air springs to start leaking. The system will also compensate for this by raising up again. The valves in the compressor assembly can also stick, possibly initiated by the temperature change or moisture, and this will affect the system's ability to appropriately correct the height.

Non-airmatic cars (with rear air springs only) do have automatic height correction on the rear, but no manual selection for damping or height. True airmatic includes air springs front and rear, along with selection for ride quality and height.

PiL

I see springs in the front, so non-armatic.

Seems neither I or indy can't re-set height. Taking it to dealer tomorrow.

PiL

Just an update for anyone following/experiencing the same problem. Had "vehicle rising" message last week and the car hasn't sat level since (driver's side higher, sagging in the passenger side rear - deflation of air bag when off and refilling upon starting engine). The dealer re-set system/level and found no leaks with the bags on Friday - was fine until Sunday and then the issue surfaced again/uneven stance. I actually watched/heard the bag deflate within a few minutes while washing the car the other day. It's going back to dealer on Thursday (I asked them to check valves/air lines). They quoted $760 to replace passenger side air bag if that was the issue - but I don't think that's it, would it deflate that quickly if it was the bag?

PeteInLongBeach

It is almost ALWAYS the air spring leaking. These should be regarded as consumables, like tires and shocks. You can order a new aftermarket bag from Arnott Industries and replace it yourself or have an independent shop do it for a lot less money than the dealer.

I would advise you replace both air springs together, as the other one will likely start leaking soon also.

PiL

If they find it's the bag, considering the conversion to coils to avoid future problems.

https://mbworld.org/forums/r-class-w...onversion.html

AsianR350

Don't do it. Replace with Anortt air bags.

No problem with my 08 R350 so far ( I have only 28,000 miles so the mileages will tell)

Copy & paste from other site:


2008R320
I have heard about the conversion, but I have no intention of performing it my self, right now we are almost 6 years in and 85K miles and no issues with the rear "air bags" so when they go I'll replace them with the Arnott replacement parts.
The leveling feature is really nice, this summer we went 4 adults, 2 kids 1 dog, 3 suitcases and some loose stuff, and the car was level and rode nice and safe, no way I would compromise this feature.

Starboun01
I agree. Failing to fix the leaks or not replacing the relay will cause most of the issues with the air system. I like the height adjustment compensation and ride and I dislike intermittent failure messages.

I read the instructions for the conversion and it is definitely WAY more difficult and expensive to replace with coils. The rears are very simple to replace and the bladders are like $160 at Arnott.

I do understand the frustration though. The problem is that people think that the car should never have wearable components. The air bladders are rubber, subject to sand on metal contacdt and wear through, just like tires.

I thought I would add this point.... Springs actually lose their strength over time. Everyone thinks they are lifetime components, but the truth of the matter is they need to be replaced over time. Drive a heavy vehicle with a softer ride and the springs fatique sooner. Eventually the vehcile will start to wobble and get spngey - we've all seen those old cars that do that when they hit bumps in the roaqd. Just food for thought.

dwooderson

My 08 with 90k had the exact same symptoms. It only occurred a couple times all summer, then when the weather turned cooler, it became more frequent and more pronounced. I replaced both rear bags with Arnotts, and the issue hasn't occurred since, three months and counting.




The replacement took me a couple hours, but I wasn't in a rush. It was a little tricky to disconnect/reconnect the air line because the fitting is in an akward spot, and the little plastic bolt at the top of the shock didn't hold the shock into place as expected, so I had to manually make sure the shock was positioned properly when lowering the car (lowering inch by inch, chcking shock position, adjusting jack stands as I went along to be safe). Once the shock is in the correct position, it form-fits securely in the mounts.


There is a GL wagon in my parking garage at work that is practically sitting on the ground at the end of every day (rear end only). I'm tempted to put a note on the car explaining the cause, and the fact that they should replace those airbags before they wear out the pumps.

dwooderson

Oh, also, you stated that you can't get the car back down to normal height..


I agree with others that your vehicle is probably NOW at normal height, the raising that you observed was the car raising because it was too low, up to level (normal) height. You might want to consider getting a different indy.


I like the idea of air suspension and leveling, but since this appears to be a "wear" part, I think that the car should detect when the airbag pump is operating excessively (especially when it occurs after every start), and inform the driver to have the suspension inspected for air leaks.

PeteInLongBeach

That is a great idea, and I would think this would be an obvious (and simple) failure detection feature to build into the software. I can't even hear my compressor operating when the engine is running...

SuperChargerE55

Alot of speculations yes is not easy but here is some basic stuff. Known your airmatic and how it works and you be much more happy

Leaks
use soapy water to see if any bubbles form this is the best and only way to detect any leaks, the error light coming on into a journey is typical of a tired compressor, as when the car drives over 30MPH the compressor starts to top up a storage tank, this is the biggest test for the compressor, if it cannot fill the tank up to a high pressure it will throw the error light on, but stop and switch the car off and on it will clear and be ok until 10 mins later after the car starts driving.

if the car sinks down when parked overnight this is a leak.
(Is a myth that the car should sink over night or when left parked days, week it should never sink what so ever leak symptoms
if the car is slow to lift this is a weak compressor,

Symptoms:
Noisy Compressor.
Air suspension rising slowly or not raising at all.
EAS faults.
Suspension faults on OBD display. Pressure increasing slowly errors.

Still suspension or stuck at one height.
Fault codes:
C1A20, 5503, 5505, 5508, 1400,1772,1769,1400,1772,1577.
Stuck at level. Over temp. Suspension Failure. Level Error
----------------------------------------------------
Level sensor error codes:
5150, B22/3 (Rear axle level sensor): Failure of both signals

stephen chitman

I have W211 and the problem I have is after I installed the new air springs then started the car the right rear air spring blew. What can cause this?

CDC55AMG

I have an 06 R500 that had the left rear air bag replaced with an Arnott by previous owner (car only has rear air springs) yet the right rear was original and say higher on the right side. Even when the car was off and sat overnight the right air bag would be hard as a rock. I even bled air off the right air bag and aired it back up with no change. I checked the level rods and sensors and they were not flipped 180 out or seized. I replaced the right rear air bag this weekend with a matching Arnott and bled both bags down from the distribution manifold behind the right headlamp since I was in there replacing the airmatic feed air filter which the hose was cracked off at the pump inlet and cracked again at the filter so I trimmed the lines back a bit.

I have yet to air the car up but I believe the car should be on the ground so the level sensors can sense the bags are deflated. Mind you I do not have DAS/STAR to control the pump.

I will let you all know if this takes care of it. I surely hope it does because it causes my right headlamp to aim itself downward even when adjusted all the way up due to that right rear being so high on the air.

CDC55AMG

I got the new Arnott bag on the right side and lowered the car when before inflating. Dang right rear is still sits higher on the right thus causing my right headlamp to aim downward. I may have to swap ride height sensors to see if the problem goes to the left side. Unless STAR is needed to set or calibrate ride height.

arnottdoug

Please Contact Arnott Customer Service: https://www.arnottindustries.com/contacts

With the E-Class and CLS you must change both rear air springs at the same time (for both OE and Arnott designed). MB wants you to do it because it takes 8 hours of shop time to lower the rear end to replace one OE air spring. Arnott changes the internal piston so that you no longer need the extra air reservoir and won't need to lower the rear end to remove the replace the OE - but if installed next to an OE - they would read different pressures and one side would be slightly lower than the other.

With the R-Class this isn't the case but you may need a STAR to calibrate. Arnott support will know more.

CDC55AMG

Hello and thank you for the info on the CLS as I have one of those too. So you're saying if the rear air spring on a CLS need be to replaced and doing so in pairs with Arnott bags that the rear end does not need to dropped down?
I emailed Arnott customer service about my R500 so I look forward to what they have to say. I will have the R500 at the MB dealership to program a set of be keys I may just ask them to recalibrate the rear suspension too.

Thank you!

arnottdoug

Correct, on the CLS and E-Class W211 you do not need to lower the rear end to replace the rear springs but you will need to replace both at the same time:

christo shaba

Hie, i have a mercedes benz cls500 2006 model, i have a problem the car comes with a warning light saying visit workshop with an arrow pointing up saying vehicle rising... When i took it for diagnosis an error came up saying the bleeding of the air susoension strut taking too long and the machine managed to store it but nothing is changing, the vehicle is rising too high now and its not droping, looks like the left front is up abit than the right but the whiole car now is too high and cat drive well just shaking like a bakkie....please help, what should be the cause??

wildchild88

Hi ,did you end up sorting it? I am having same trouble.