MercedesNoob

This seems a little (lot!) worse than bad shocks. I just bought a 2002 E320 AWD wagon. If you do the old-fashioned shock test, walking around the car and bouncing each corner, it seems to pass. In fact, the rear shocks seem particularly solid. But driving is another matter entirely!
Every bump in the road seems to result in massive a kick to the backside. Way worse than a bump in the road. I've owned cars with shot shocks before, and a car with a frozen shock. They never behaved like that.

Is this the SLS (self-leveling system) at work, overreacting to something, or is incapable of reacting that fast?

jonwhite99

You need to look into replacing the Rear suspension spheres

FlatlineEF9

If the spring perches are ok, and nothing is loose/broken on the rear arms/sway bars, get the car aligned and have the toe checked. My car bucked hard like a bronco when the toe was off only by a little bit.

boomop

I agree with jonwhite99, your rear spheres. Very same symptoms on a '99 e320 non 4/m wagon I once owned. Tricky job without a lift.

shawndh

This is what you need.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/mer...-kit-slsoem210

Bleed the hydraulic fluid a little, make sure the level is right, and your back to normal. Did it last year.

russman1963

I'm also going to say spheres (accumulators), easy to replace. Also purge the fluid and replace the filter.
https://mercedessource.com/store/w21...o-instructions
I used this but needed a third bottle of fluid