Hi Guys, I have a really really weird problem with my W212's Airmatic system. The car does not seem to have an air leak, and it will hold air for days but ONLY while the Airmatic is set into the "Raised / Bad-Road" mode using the selector button, however as soon as I put the car into Comfort Mode or Sport mode the Airmatic pump open up the exhaust / relief valve and completely drain the front airbags until the front end is sitting on the ground. Meaning its not a normal wear-n-tare leak coming from the airbags or the air lines, but rather the air is being expelled through the pump relief valve as if the computer told it to do so.

I've been throwing parts at the problem hoping it would fix it, already replaced the air distribution valve block, refurbished the pump and pressure relief valve, and now the only other thing I can think of at this point is that the front level sensors (the little lever on control arms) are giving incorrect readings to the Airmatic computer, maybe telling it that the car is too high and the computer trying to expel the air to lower based on this false / high reading. Complete guess tho at this point.

I'd really like to hook the car up to a SDS and see what kind, if any readings I'm getting from the front level sensors, and I would travel to anywhere in Socal to meet with you, however I have one huge problem. While I can drive the car in "Raised mode" around town, as soon as I drive above the speed of 50mph for more than 3 minutes the car automatically switches from raised mode back to comfort mode (to try and save from tire wear), which for me means that the front suspension collapses if I attempt to drive it on the freeway. So if you're in the Valley or Greater LA I'd love to meet up with someone who can help me diagnose this, or if you're in the OC, I'm willing to put down the cash value of your SDS system as collateral, plus whatever fee you think is reasonable for me to rent it for 1-2 days. I could come pick it up any time with my W210.

I was about to buy my own SDS C5 from AliExpress, but I just realized that if the diagnosis comes back as not a faulty level sensor but rather faulty front air springs, I'll have to shell out $2500 or a pair of front struts and in that case it's probably a bad time for me to be spending $1000 on a Star Diagnostic system. Unfortunately, because so few W212 E-Classes were sold with Airmatic systems, a front airmatic shock for a W212 is $1300 each, while if it was a W211, W219 or W220, it would be literally a quarter of the price.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

FYI to all fellow SoCal members, because I couldn't find anyone with a Star Diagnostic System, I've bought my own Xentry Connect C5 multiplexer with Toughbook laptop from China, so if anyone needs help, hit me up and I'm willing to lend a hand with my scanner. The unit that I got is the C5 and the Xentry software I have on the laptop covers cars made up to December 2017.

 

Hello, I am having almost the same problem.
If I have the Airmatic lift switch on. The car rarely will sink (sometimes the rear only)
If the switch is off, the whole car will sink when turned off.
Did you find the solution with your problem?
A shop told me both front struts need replacing at a cost of over 4k because he thinks they leak due to a fault code, he cant promise that is the only problem.
To me that doesn't make sense because if the car is shut off with airmatic rise selector in the OFF position, it will sink, Quickly.
If the rise selector is in the ON position, it may not even sink at all, usually doesn't. I find sometimes the switch shuts its self off though. and it sinks.
When the car has sunk, I have to repeat steps of starting the car over and over, sometimes it will lift quickly, sometimes it takes a half hour of playing with it.
This may be a fluke, but when weather changes rapidly like it does here in Florida, it seems to sink faster.
In the past leading up to this, when the car is off, after getting out, or maybe getting something out of the trunk, i hear the compressor in the trunk either turn on, or purge air. I am not sure if this is normal or a symptom.

I have checked the lines on the front struts as well as the top of the struts with soapy water for leaks. nothing..

 

email sent

 

Greetings Ungarisch, If you still have the diagnostic tool and reside in Hollywood CA, you would be saving me. I have all new suspension but I'm still having issues with the driver side front dropping completely over night. When I start it will raise but as soon as I start driving it drops and continues to repeat. This is my only vehicle right now. I don't have the $ to buy a scan tool or blindly throw parts at the system. I would greatly appreciate the use of your diagnostic tool. Thank you. Text me at 7608280014.

 

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