BraggE550

The rear shock absorber on my 2011 E550 4matic is leaking oil, and I have ordered a replacement from the local Mercedes dealer. I'm looking to do the replacement myself, and have been searching for DIY or Mercedes replacement procedures, and did find W211 procedures, but nothing for the W212 yet.
Has anyone done this replacement? Any tips or write-ups?
Thanks you!

75gasgas

I also had a leaky shock. Mine was on the right side. I replaced both rears at about 70,000 miles on my 2011 e550.
The job was very easy and straight forward. No surprises whatsoever. And as expected the new shocks were an instant improvement. Even on the left side where there was no visible leak, after removal it clearly needed to be replaced. I realized after why there are not many, if any DYI pictures....it is really that basic of a job.
Good luck!!

konigstiger

Part # left 2123201530, right 2123201630 see attachments. Check following for online pricing:

https://www.parts.com/
https://www.mbdirectparts.com/
https://www.oediscountparts.com

BraggE550

Thanks konigstiger! I appreciate your quick and detailed response.
Regarding the online parts.... I live near Calgary, Alberta (Canada). None of the sites that you listed, or some others that I have googled, ship to Canada. Some of the sites that do, did not seem to carry the shocks that I needed. There is one supplier on Ebay that carried the part I needed, but with exchange rate, shipping and import duties would still be more expensive than the dealer..... Any others in Canada that encountered this issue, or maybe found a good source for discount parts?

Youngd

I replaced my rear shocks last weekend. It was pretty easy. The top mounts consist of 2 bolts for each shock in the trunk area. The bottom mounts consist of one bolt each through the lower control arm. I removed the plastic cover from the lower control arm to make accessing the lower bolts easier. When I reinstalled the control arm covers I used a couple of small black zip ties to ensure the retaining clips held. I also removed the inner wheel well insert which made seeing what I was doing much easier. You can skip this part if you wish.
To get the shock out you need to compress it a bit and work it out. Just takes a little muscle. The new shock goes back in reverse order. Compressing the shock for reinstall was a bit of a pain, though. I've see where someone compressed the shock and secured it with a heavy string until it was in position then cut and removed the string.
I also applied soundproofing to the inner wheel well while the insert was out. I do think this reduced the sound in the passenger compartment a little. I plan on doing the front struts soon and will apply sound proofing there as well.
Good luck.

konigstiger

http://www.koperformance.com/ more than USA vendors nevertheless, discounted from MSRP – compare to dealer’s cost.

belarus27

So many threads about it
But it is pretty straight forward. Buy the part and replace it. Basic common sense and you good.

mbfoup

Thanks konigstiger, I have been quoted $2500 by my dealership to have my 2011 E550 rear shocks replaced (reportedly leaking). Does that sound reasonable, look like the parts are like $700 ea? If they are leaky, should I see some spots in my garage? I have not really noticed any change in drive comfort though I have seen a "Check Airmatic" message a couple times in 7 years (but they disappeared after next restart). Can oil be added? What are the consequence of doing nothing (if indeed there is a tiny leak)? Thanks.

BraggE550

mbfoup: I paid $750 at the MB dealership in Calgary for the right side shock. I replaced it myself, which was not difficult. Should not take more than 1 hour of labor imho. Theferore, the $2500 for two sides seems high, but of course we are talking about the MB dealership pricing. Maybe an indy shop would do it for less? The leakage is easily seen as oily residue on the body of the shock. If you remove the wheel this will be very easy to see. I did not let it get to the stage where it was leaking on the garage floor, this would be a very leaky shock, considering the small amount of oil that is in there. If you have only one shock leaking, you could consider replacing one side only, which is what I did. I'm sure the dealership will recommend replacing in pairs, but apart from having to come back to replace the other side in the next year(s), I don't see a lot of risk with this option. Just my opinion. Hope this helps.

belarus27

There are aftermarker rear bags which are 250ea , so even if you get 2 you still will be way below 2500. Although you can only replace the one thats leaking and you be fine , dealer prices are crazy..but it really depends on your situation.

mbfoup

Thanks BraggE550/belarus27,
1. The E550 has air suspension so I thought those shocks were "special", would aftermarket work and would they last?
2. Would you guys be kind enough to give me the exact part numbers for both shocks (OEM & aftermarket) so I can check what price I can get here in California?
3. Are there any special "hose" connections to those shocks?
4. You mentioned 1 hour of labor to change one (so I suppose 2 hours total). Besides the rear wheel(s), is there anything else that needs to be taken apart and any special tool needed or hard physical work required?
Thanks again, you guys should save me a few bucks because $2500 seems insane to me ... Also my car was under warranty until 75K and, obviously, the MB techs detected that problem at the 80K tuneup (I also had a 75K tune up)... They also said that some engine mounts need to be replaced but I guess I could live with them the way they are (I don't see any vibration).
Thanks gain.
Best regards,
Jeff

BraggE550

mbfoup:
1. The shocks are "special", and to my knowledge no aftermarket option exists. part numbers are: left 2123201530, right 2123201630 (as Koningster posted)
2.I suspect Belarus27 is referring to the air springs (which are separate from the shocks), for which Arnott provides a good aftermarket solution at ~$250 US. If your air springs are leaky, the rear of the vehicle will drop after sitting for a longer period.
3. there is only an electrical connector to the rear shocks. with the help of a screwdriver to open the locking tab, these are easily disconnected. Don't get impatient and use too much force. Don't ask me how I know.
4. no special tools are needed. with the help of Koningster's post and attachment, I was able to do it myself without surprises.

mbfoup

Thanks BraggE550,
Ok I will probably buy those part number then.
To change the shocks there is no need to raise the car or access underneath the car, correct?
Thanks.
Best regards,
Jeff

BraggE550

Jeff, I'm a bit surprised by your question. Yes, you will need to raise the vehicle, which seems self-explanatory for anyone with basic car maintenance experience. I would recommend to ask someone with experience working on cars, or a good indy shop to help you with this repair. It may not be very difficult, but at the same time will require some basic mechanics skills.

mbfoup

Thanks BraggE550, yes I used to do a little bit of mechanics 20+ years ago (car and motorcycle). Since I don't really have any means to raise my car safely I will ask a local shop. Since you guys said 2 hours of work then I will expect a 2 hour quote, nice to know since the dealership quoted me like 5 hours at $200... Besides the two shocks is there any other little parts I would need? I would buy the parts myself unless the shop markup is reasonable (on mbolineparts.com each shock is quoted at $499). Thanks again.
Best regards,
Jeff

BraggE550

Sounds like a good plan, Jeff. I did not need any other small parts. You're lucky that you can buy discounted MB parts on line. Unfortunately they don't ship to Canada..
Good luck with the repair. It sounds like you can save 50% of the dealer cost with your current plan!

mbfoup

Thanks you!