Air bubbles in ABC fluid, too!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 44
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore
Silver MY03 CL500 w/AMG Sport Pkg
Air bubbles in ABC fluid, too!
Hi all,
My CL500 MY03 just gave an ABC error message with 1 diagnostic error (Don't know the error as I don't have DAS). The error comes and goes. The car will move with the ABC if the error does not show. If the error shows then the car's ABC won't work. The car does not sag anywhere, so I thought that the fluid was low. I checked the fluid and it measured to the bottom notch (Motor An) level with engine off. I figured that that was low got the correct fluid and began to fill in the ABC tank slowly and checking in between. The dipstick would show the fluid level increase. However, when I got to about an inch or so away from the max notch for Motor An; the fluid level would start to go down. If I waited a few minutes the fluid would reduce another inch or so down the dipstick.
I stopped filling fearing that maybe I overfilled the system and started the car to see if the system still worked. The issues was the same as before. If the ABC warning was on (sometimes in red) the system would not move. But if the error did not show the system would work. Again no sags.
Also when I checked the fluid level before and during the fill I noticed that there were tiny air bubbles present in the fluid. It doesn't take a genius to realize that air is getting into the system. But the system seems pressurized no fluid on ground. Possible it may be on engine pan or wheel arches as I read on other articles, but nothing overt. Also when running the car, the car is a bit harsher in ride, before the oil fill. Did not drive since the oil fill afraid of what may be in store for the system.
Also car does not spit any fluid back out the tank.
Any ideas as to what this may be?
My CL500 MY03 just gave an ABC error message with 1 diagnostic error (Don't know the error as I don't have DAS). The error comes and goes. The car will move with the ABC if the error does not show. If the error shows then the car's ABC won't work. The car does not sag anywhere, so I thought that the fluid was low. I checked the fluid and it measured to the bottom notch (Motor An) level with engine off. I figured that that was low got the correct fluid and began to fill in the ABC tank slowly and checking in between. The dipstick would show the fluid level increase. However, when I got to about an inch or so away from the max notch for Motor An; the fluid level would start to go down. If I waited a few minutes the fluid would reduce another inch or so down the dipstick.
I stopped filling fearing that maybe I overfilled the system and started the car to see if the system still worked. The issues was the same as before. If the ABC warning was on (sometimes in red) the system would not move. But if the error did not show the system would work. Again no sags.
Also when I checked the fluid level before and during the fill I noticed that there were tiny air bubbles present in the fluid. It doesn't take a genius to realize that air is getting into the system. But the system seems pressurized no fluid on ground. Possible it may be on engine pan or wheel arches as I read on other articles, but nothing overt. Also when running the car, the car is a bit harsher in ride, before the oil fill. Did not drive since the oil fill afraid of what may be in store for the system.
Also car does not spit any fluid back out the tank.
Any ideas as to what this may be?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
Search on my recent posts where I touch on this issue. Sounds like one of your nitrogen charged accumulator spheres or pulsation dampener have ruptured causing nitrogen to be leaked into the ABC system (bubbles) as well as a other related issues.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 44
Likes: 1
From: Jersey Shore
Silver MY03 CL500 w/AMG Sport Pkg
Would the car be safe to drive? What sort of damage would occur if not fixed soon? And roughly how much do you think it would be to fix, roughly?
- Henry
- Henry
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 6,340
Likes: 22
From: Southern California, USA
2003 CL55 AMG
Safe to drive? More than likely.
Will it do more damage driving like that? Quite possibly.
Aftermarket Spheres are about $150 each. Pulsation dampener and pressure relief sphere are $200 each.
There is also a nitrogen filled sphere on the pressure relief valve. Any combination of these 4 may be ruptured.
You will also need a full ABC fluid flush, new ABC filter(s) ($45 each) for before and after flush as well as several liters of Pentosin fluid at $20 a liter.
Will it do more damage driving like that? Quite possibly.
Aftermarket Spheres are about $150 each. Pulsation dampener and pressure relief sphere are $200 each.
There is also a nitrogen filled sphere on the pressure relief valve. Any combination of these 4 may be ruptured.
You will also need a full ABC fluid flush, new ABC filter(s) ($45 each) for before and after flush as well as several liters of Pentosin fluid at $20 a liter.
