Hi, I have recently found a CL AMG around 14 years old with 50k miles which I'd like to buy, but have been seriously put off by learning about the Active Body Control failures, which are costly and what appears to be almost inevitable!! Any feedback on this would be appreciated, as I am not sure if I am being over cautious.............?

 

I think your answer is in your post

 

ABC is the only thing that keeps the CL from being a reliable car.

 

the land rover is pretty pricey to repair as well. if your dealing with that a cl should be comparable imo.

 

Although MBW already has too many individual forums for my liking, I think that given the number of questions, we really ought to have a separate forum just for ABC.

It really is that big a problem, with that many solutions.

Nick

 

It's a 14 year old hydraulics system . Ask any low rider or forklift operator , hydraulics need regular service . They aren't just somethjng that last forever

 

You could buy the car, enjoy the abc until it fails and then go with a strutmasters conversion. A cardinal sin to some, to some good sense that made the car reliable.
If your a DIY guy, you can make it last for a fraction of the dealer cost.

 

it's not like they blow up all the time- I've had mine 6+ years with zero issues

 

The 500 does seem to have fewer issues than the 600/65/55. How many miles do you have on the car and how many have you put on in the 6+ years of ownership?

 

I too would like to know how many miles you've put on it since you bought it. I have a 55. Bought it with 76k miles, which is when the W215 seems to need a bunch of maintenance. It has 90k miles on it now and in the last six month have replaced all the accumulators, had both valve blocks rebuilt, replaced two hydraulic lines and recently flushed the system and replaced the filter. I did all the work myself, except for the valve blocks. The only thing that I kind of worry about is the pump. It's been replaced but I don't know at what mileage. I just drove it from Texas to Kentucky and back with no issues and am heading to Iowa tomorrow. If you can turn a wrench and have some mechanical aptitude, don't fear the ABC system. It's pretty damn cool.

 

ABC can be made reliable, but you do have to be proactive.

It needs regular inspection and maintenance, and you have to accept that Pentosin synthetic oil and steel-braided rubber hoses don't last the life of the car.

The things that are vulnerable include the four nitrogen-pressure accumulator spheres, and all the flexible hoses within the engine compartment. You can't just cross your fingers.

First thing is check the ABC oil level. Clean all around the reservoir first. With a cold, empty car, the level should be at the UPPER dipstick mark. However, with the engine running, it mustn't be below the LOWER mark. If it is, you will need to change one or more of the accumulator spheres. A failing accumulator "caves in" when pressurized - hence the low oil level when the engine is running. They're tight, but not too difficult or expensive.

Second thing is get underneath, remove ALL the plastic covers, and inspect all the ABC flexible hoses. They can be dirty and corroded, but they MUST be dry. The failure mechanism is that high temperatures and pressure cycling degrades the rubber in the crimp joints between the rigid and flexible sections. The advance warning of failure is that fluid seeps out of the joint.

Third, a whining noise like a worn transmission, only heard from inside, is an indicator of a failed accumulator. Remove the poly-V belt and start the engine. If the noise disappears when heard from inside with the engine running and the doors closed, that points towards the accumulator on the pressure regulator, at the rear of the right hand front wheel arch.

Fourth, the other common ABC problem is slowly sagging suspension at one corner or another. Remove the front or rear valve block, strip and clean it, and replace the O-rings. There's lots of internet info on this.

Nick

 

Good write up.

 

I was apprehensive also, but what put me over the edge was researching the actual cost of the ABC components, if you're a puritan then you could easily be looking at $1000 a wheel, but if you don't mind doing the work occasionally you can get rebuilt shocks with a lifetime warranty for under $450 a wheel, the valve block can be rebuilt, etc..... So basically there are ways around everything if you don't mind doing a little homework.

 

I hope that with lifetime warranty you are not talking about any Chinese company lol
I repeat and repeat Chinese give lifetime warranty on everything like they fart, then never honor it. you send the **** back to China, then as they did not declare export, don't pick your return up at their customs when stuck, and never answer your mails again
China Lifetime warranty is a SCAM
this company scammed me 1600$ once
https://www.ebay.com/usr/yesparts201...p2047675.l2559

 

All you have to do is go to amazon or ebay and search CL55 shocks! if you do you will see a plethora of choices ranging from $75- $750 or more depending on how much you want to afford. Of course, the people who paid for new original equipment will swear by their rationalization for why, but for my money I'll take the middle of the road.

 

sorry, understand what I am saying, You can buy what you want, I am just saying Chinese do not respect any lifetime warranty
THEY ARE LIARS, COPYCATS and OUTLAWS

 

Yes, I have had those experiences before, however more recently I'm finding these companies either have US representation with a warehouse or they just simply ship you the replacement without the return.

 

as long as you have their address in EUR or USA you can go and beat the **** out of them
in China you can't

 

Hi Nick, You thread is of great help, my question to you is my 2001 CL600 with 112,000 miles last week started making a whine noise that sounded like a transmission and was definitely louder on the inside of the car, it got louder with the increase of RPM, but seemed to get quieter at 2000 RPM. I also noticed when I went to leave my house under the car by passenger side front wheel I noticed a small leak of something on the ground and that is when the whine started, I have not seen any leak since that one day I did not have that noise before I pulled up to that spot, does it sound like an accumulater to you as mentioned in your thread, Thanks Jeff

 

I would pull the trigger if the price is right and its a clean car. The hoses do not go bad every 20 or 30K miles. When one goes bad, just change and keep it moving. The ABC is a wonderful system. The handling is remarkable. The complaints you see are from people who cannot afford the repair. I changed one hose and I think it was $1'300 or so. You can tackle a valve block rebuild yourself.
Most folks who have changed their cars to coil overs would never buy a car with coil overs. Don't do it. I have a V12TT which adds coil packs which is about $1'100 and that is something that V12 owners can do themselves in a couple of hours,

 

Wow...old thread is old...

ABC has a great ride...until it ****s the bed and then it's a grand to fix at minimum. I have a set of YS coils waiting to go into my car. I'm over the woes and worries of ABC forever.

 

It depends upon what goes wrong, so, to say $1000 minimum for a repair is not correct. I have had a couple of things break...one a sphere...about $400 all in. The other...oh that's right, in 3 5 years...nothing else ABC related.

 

Hi Jeff,

Yes, that does sound like a bad accumulator. If you wish you can confirm by removing the aux drive belt and starting the cold engine for a minute. If the noise goes away when you're inside the car with the doors closed, then it's almost certainly the accumulator. It's basically a one bolt fix, and you'll be glad you did it.

The leak is not necessarily related. It could be that the bad accumulator is causing the ABC fluid reservoir to overflow, or you may just have to go hunting for it. Bad accumulators do not generally leak themselves.

Nick

 

Thank you again Nick for your quick response, Im going to have my mechanic remove the belt this weekend and try it. The accumulator you are talking about is in the rear of the front wheel on the passenger side, right? I did check the fluid and with the engine off it read correctly, once I started the car it dropped to the correct level on the lower end of the stick, it did not go below that. I do maintain the car well and enjoy it. this whining noise is driving me crazy. I was told by a mechanic who works on these mercedes with the M137 motor that they have had a few come in with this noise and when they removed the belt the noise remained. The owners never wanted to go further, so they never found ou the cause, Have you ever come across this, would you have any idea what that could be?

 

Yes, that's the one.
Do you hear the noise when the engine is running, up to about 2000rpm, and it sounds like a whining transmission, only heard from inside with the doors & windows closed?
If that's the case it's most likely the accumulator behind the right front wheel. Even if it isn't, it will be in a year or two. It's one of those inevitable things, it's a question of when, not if.

Nick