Airmatic Suspension Issues after 10 Years
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
From: Midwest USA
2013 CLS 550 4matic
Airmatic Suspension Issues after 10 Years
Hello,
Sad news… Front left suspension is leaking, on my 2013 CLS 550 4Matic…Tuned by RennTech with a resonator delete
, but yes it is sadly leaking. So either I fix my baby girl up and keep going, or I sell and get an AMG MB car (not sure at all which AMG car specifically, but would prefer to fix the CLS.)
To set the scene… I can hear the air leaking right out when squatting next to the wheel well after turning the car off. More importantly the front left is “on the floor” per-se in the mornings or after not running the car for about 1 hour. It has been airing out very quickly but does raise up within a minute of starting the car as well, the “Please Wait while car raises” message displays as well.
While I know it is best to do the soapy water test under the hood where it is “mounted” if you will, to determine where the leak is… In my early diagnosis, quite obviously, it seems to be the actual “bag” that fills up with air due to the noises I have heard and the fact that it airs out so quickly just on this one wheel. The front right does lower as well which I believe is due to the car trying to balance/level the suspension ride height out, both sides blow up to normal ride height upon turning on the engine…
I am under the impression this warrants replacement of the entire assembly for the front left and the from right to be safe.
I have always heard/read around 10-13 years these cars tend to run into suspension issues and require maintenance or replacement. What I am hoping to learn from you all is not only your experiences should you have run into this issue as well, but furthermore, what the costs were (ballpark if you don’t know exactly) to replace/repair the system and whether you went through your local dealership or an independent shop.
While my write up of this may not be the most ~expert~ explanation I hope to LEARN from everyone else here in the community. Thank you in advance.
Sad news… Front left suspension is leaking, on my 2013 CLS 550 4Matic…Tuned by RennTech with a resonator delete
, but yes it is sadly leaking. So either I fix my baby girl up and keep going, or I sell and get an AMG MB car (not sure at all which AMG car specifically, but would prefer to fix the CLS.)To set the scene… I can hear the air leaking right out when squatting next to the wheel well after turning the car off. More importantly the front left is “on the floor” per-se in the mornings or after not running the car for about 1 hour. It has been airing out very quickly but does raise up within a minute of starting the car as well, the “Please Wait while car raises” message displays as well.
While I know it is best to do the soapy water test under the hood where it is “mounted” if you will, to determine where the leak is… In my early diagnosis, quite obviously, it seems to be the actual “bag” that fills up with air due to the noises I have heard and the fact that it airs out so quickly just on this one wheel. The front right does lower as well which I believe is due to the car trying to balance/level the suspension ride height out, both sides blow up to normal ride height upon turning on the engine…
I am under the impression this warrants replacement of the entire assembly for the front left and the from right to be safe.
I have always heard/read around 10-13 years these cars tend to run into suspension issues and require maintenance or replacement. What I am hoping to learn from you all is not only your experiences should you have run into this issue as well, but furthermore, what the costs were (ballpark if you don’t know exactly) to replace/repair the system and whether you went through your local dealership or an independent shop.
While my write up of this may not be the most ~expert~ explanation I hope to LEARN from everyone else here in the community. Thank you in advance.
Member
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 223
Likes: 82
From: Phoenix, AZ
2013 Weistec 540/715 tuned CLS 550, 2008 E350, and '07 Jaguar S-Type R
Depending on mileage, I would absolutely replace the two front units, most likely with less expensive non-OEM parts. What could it cost - maybe $2K or so? Well worth it IMHO unless the car has high mileage and you're worrying about further big expenditures coming.
