rdp3430

Need some advice on a problem I am having with my 03 E500. The front is lowering itself intermittently. Some days it works fine..all 4 corners of the car come up to the proper level...other days just the front lowers to the ground and the red light comes on the dash stating "level to low : Stop the car" then it decides to pump up the front again. Just replaced the both level sensors on the front. Could it be the valve block ?

It is VERY random...

Thanks,

Rick

konigstiger

[QUOTE=rdp3430;7316195]It is VERY random.../QUOTE]

There is always the chance of both front left/right lines and/or struts leaking so you should check for leaks @ valve block & struts. Have someone pull fault codes occasionally control unit may malfunction.

rdp3430

The reason I thought the valve block is because it does not always lower in the front. For example last night it was in my garage....car did not lower at all...started it up this morning......lowered and would not come back up. Let it sit for a while.....
started...and came right up.

Thought about pulling codes....I have an old reader....would need to upgrade to pull for Airmatic.
REALLY do not want to go to dealer...

Thanks...

Rick

rdp3430

Well here is a quick update....

The car has been sitting in my garage since Sunday.......no lowering at all. Took it down the road today.....lowered after about 10 minutes. Pulled it back in my garage and let it set for about an hour....started and pumped right back up.....just checked on it....still pumped up.

Think it may be an electronic issue. Since it seems to go on whether it is hot or cold (solder joints or bad component in the control module/SAS).....

Ordered another control unit off off of ebay....quick question the parts numbers are sightly different......number on the control module in my car is A 035 545 82 32 (a newer unit which tells me this is not the first time this car has had issues....date code of 05....I bought it in 08)

The unit I bought off of ebay is 211 545 17 32 which is what it an 03 should have in it.

Do i need to get it reprogrammed ?

Open for suggestions...

Thanks,

Rick

rdp3430

And did take it to an indy shop to have the codes read this morning.....front was lowered by the time I got there. Shop stated multiple codes.......stated I needed 2 front struts (leaking). I called BS....I would think the car would lower after 5 days if the struts were leaking. Did not give me codes.

So much for this exercise....

Thanks,

Rick

konigstiger

Compatible part #s. May need to calibrate per line 8 of attachment.

Sleeper Benz

I understand why are folks in $uch denial that their Airmatic $truts are failing. This intermittent inflation is a symptom of these units on their way out. Believe me I feel your financial pain as many others do. Ours had to be replaced to stop the intermittent inflation issues. When I replaced the rears, I inspected the air bags and found that the rubber had microscopic cracks and dirt all around the area where it folds back on itself. These cracks sometimes sealed and sometimes didn't.

Replace the air compressor ring and desiccant inside the unit. While your at it, also replace the air compressor filter to help the new Airmatic components last longer. The air compressor rebuild/ maintenance kits costs less than $50.

Who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and just find an air leak at a hose connection. For anyone looking to purchase one of these vehicles, just remember that the Airmatic struts and airbags are normal replacement $$$$.$$ items. FYI: there is a shop in Florida that will rebuild those front struts for under $400 each. Less if they are not 4-Matic.

rdp3430

A quick update: The shop states I need 2 new struts for the front (leaking). The car has sat in my garage for the past 5 days....and has not come down in the front at all. Still at the same level.
At a loss here....thinking about doing a coil conversion on it and be done with it.

Thanks,
Rick

rdp3430

Well I just tried another thing....it has been in my garage since last Friday....no lowering in the front. Tonight I disconnected the control unit and drove it for a while....DID not lower (Although it rode like a truck/stiff) and no errors on the dash either.

What controls the lowering of the front when driving down the road ? The control unit....correct ? I did replace the control unit with another unit and had the same result....lowering. I guess I could have received a bad control unit....quite odd it would do the same though...

What does B24/3 and B24/4 do ? Accel sensor...think they are next to the strut. Does it lower the based on speed ?

Ideas ?

Thanks....

Strigoi

Have someone with Star scan the car, get the codes and come back here. It's all speculation until you do that.

rdp3430

I took it to a Benz dealer....they told both front struts needed replaced (leaking)..the struts are still up.

Bahnstormer

Slap in a pair of Arnott replacements and call it a day.

Strigoi

You didn't bother to find out what codes they found?

TSENIOR

My 03 e500 use to do the exact same thing. Then one night i left work and car wouldn't come up at all... Both leaked but eventually failed. Doing coilover conversion. Handle better and cheaper. Good luck though!

VII

Note that the air spring has several chambers that are used for the different settings (comfort/sport I/ sport II). The car also switches modes without driver input. If failure is not in main chamber intermittent deflation can be caused when the failed secondary chamber is activated.
Also note that there is diagnostics for the valves, diagnostic with proper equipment as you've had would have returned sticking valve if that was a problem.
​​​​​

Sleeper Benz

That's news to me. I thought they have only one air chamber activated by a solenoid valve on top of the unit to control right height at that corner. I understand that the ride height is determined by level sensors, a ride height selector button on the shifter console, vehicle speed and the "Comfort/ Sport 1/ Sport 2" selector button. You are correct that the vehicle will come out of the "suspension raised" mode after you are at a certain speed for a per-determined amount of time. It announces that on the dash display. The "Comfort/ Sport 1/ Sport 2" button also sets the dampening valve in the gas /hydraulic strut inside the air strut assembly (both front and rear shocks/ struts as I recall) It will also lower the car a few millimeters in "Sport" mode.

I read somewhere that Euro/ World spec w211's will lower a few more millimeters more than USA spec'd cars. It mentioned that this can be programmed with STAR. I wonder if anyone else has had their USA spec'd car changed to Euro/ World settings. I think I read that it will allow a higher top end speed, like 150+MPH vs USA 130MPH. That would be cool.

VII

The use of multiple chambers allows for the variation of the spring rate, less volume stiffer spring.
The car will adjust the suspension when it detects aggressive driving without driver input to do so.
Ride height has almost no effect on top speed, to get 155MPH you must change coding in the ME. The m272 struggles a bit but it gets there with enough run way.

Joe Ba

Hi there, my car is squeaking in the front after I put new tires. I really want to drive the car for long, so think to convert to coil struts. How much does it cost? I need a good repair shop and reasonable price. I live in San Jose. Thanks