How do I know which W211 have rear airmatic? Do some only have front airmatic?

No, most dont. Wagons have rear airmatic and I believe on the 500 and 550 W211's its an option for airmatic but it is both front and rear.

E500/550 have Airmatic standard. That is all wheels.

Wagons have all the rear air springs for self levelling but they don't have the adaptive suspension (air volume adaptation) or shocks features.

Airmatic always means front and rear air suspension. There is no option with front air springs only, like the rear for standard wagons.

Also, the 2003-2005 E320's (gasoline) in US had an option for airmatic (came under appearance package). For example, my E320 has it. After 2004, they took out so many different options here and there. You can't get power lumbar seats on a E550 or even a CLS550. My 04 E320 has dynamic multicontour seats.

I wonder why they only sell front rebuildable airmatic shocks. I'm mulling over the possibility of buying an e320 or e500 and weighing the possible repair costs because their out of warranty, and the airmatic seems like an inevitable one if the vehicle has it (according to all of your accounts of it).

How do I know if a particular E320 has airmatic or not?

There will be a button on the shifter console (toward the rear/bottom) that you can use to manually raise the car's height. The DIC will flash a message "Raising Vehicle". There is also a button to adjust the firmness or response rate of the air system from Comfort to Sport I or Sport II firmness.

Cool. Thanks for the info, guys!

This company that sells refurbished front struts was supposed to come with refurbished rear struts too, but later.

The reason for front struts being available today must be because the whole strut is the single spare part and the front struts are more expensive (the shocks are separate at the rear).

By the way, in Europe Airmatic was available for all W211 models, starting from the E200CDI. I also had Airmatic on two different E320CDI cars that I had in the past.

Hi,

I am looking into the possibility of picking up a used w211 Wagon…but I DO NOT want any self leveling suspension (more to go wrong long term…I keep cars a long time) and I was under the impression that the hydraulic system for self leveling was canceled with the w210, and if you wanted a self leveling w211 you could get a pneumatic system…ala…Airmatic.

Every Wagon I see with the controls under the shifter in the ) area I dismiss…but do “standard” w211 Wagons have the hydraulic system?

Thanks for any help clarifying this…as even the Data Cards I am pulling up in EPC only tell me “Airmatic” so I was again assuming that the “regular” wagons had a conventional spring and shock…This thread is telling me otherwise…

Thanks again,
Jake

No hydraulic self-levelling systems on a W211 or an S211. As the first reply in this thread already stated, wagons have rear air suspension with self-levelling (actually not Airmatic but air suspension anyway).

Wagons may have (full) Airmatic as an option, not sure how this is available in the US (E550 and upwards would have Airmatic standard).

Thanks for the FAST reply!

So a w211 Wagon (Estate) WILL HAVE a self leveling rear suspension with pneumatic means? Meaning air bag type springs, air cell sacks, compressor, lines and dissimilar metal connections?

I am also seeing shocks particular to Self Leveling…are these hydraulic adjustments or tied into the pneumatic system?

Could this (in event of failure) be converted to a traditional set up using OEM w211 parts? I think I have read on a thread or two of such “conversions”…

I just came back from the Dealer last week where they showed me a few “failed” air bag springs…yummy!

Thanks!,
Jake

An S211 would have the air compressor equally as any Airmatic car. The rear shocks are standard type of shocks. Even the Airmatic car rear shocks are completely separate from the air suspension parts but these have a system that allows dynamic adjustments (electric control).

The W211 or the S211 with or without Airmatic does not have any "hydraulic shocks" in the sense that they would be part of the self-levelling system.

I would not consider changing air springs to coil springs practical. You would need self-levelling on a wagon too. And the air based system is more reliable than the old hydraulic one. Just check every now and then that the protective bellows are good and fixed tightly.

Thanks Diesel Benz…You seem to give back a lot on Forums!

I was even thinking to make a “protective cover” for the outer boot with neoprene or another water proof / breathable material and pull them off every so often to inspect the bellow…Especially in the North East of the USA with winter and salt…I would want to protect these parts with more than the garage and regular washing of the chassis…

It is good to know that the air system is more robust and trust worthy…I have heard some bad stories on the older hydraulic system…and in EPC I am noticing that the w211 does not have a dual binary pump as the “power steering” pump…just the front air compressor and a “normal” power steering pump.

I just don’t want a failure to leave my wife and child stranded!

Thanks!,
BF_JC230

Perhaps, but not even the Lexus air springs are all that reliable in the grand scheme of things. The #1 reason I ended up with my Merc over the gorgeous XJ8 was the fact that I did not want to mess with air suspension (I had an XJR with 30k miles lined up and just couldn't bring myself to live with the troublesome springs... drop dead sexy beast as it was).

I understand the 'need' for infinitely adjustable suspension that provides sport when needed and comfort when needed, but I prefer a long-term reliable option...

pneumatic (airmatic) is not problem free, but better off than hydraulic (i.e. ABC on CL/SL). I mean ABC is an amazing system (have it on our 02 CL500. more advanced than airmatic), but the upkeep... well that's another story.

Hello all
I've seen a w211 e220 estate wagon for sale at a pretty decent price. It's got the sbc light coming on intermittent but i know i can get that reset. That's the reason it's cheap at a £1000.

So the actual question is do they have coil springs or air suspension?
Thanks

VIN?

All wagons have rear air springs regardless of engine or options.

It's very reliable but when the airbags and pump eventually fail they're not cheap.