GL Class (X164) 2007-2012: GL320CDI, GL420CDI, GL450, GL550

Level control malfunction

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Old Mar 7, 2015 | 10:03 AM
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3 Porsche rotation
Level control malfunction

My wife's 2011 GL550 just had this popped up in display this morning. The suspension is stuck at sport setting too. I guessed the suspension is sick at lower level and wouldn't rise. The manual stated not to go over 50MPH. So does anyone here ever had this issue and what does it involve in repair? Is it save to drive? The truck has about 90K miles. TIA.

John
Attached Thumbnails Level control malfunction-image.jpg  
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Old Mar 7, 2015 | 08:52 PM
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2008 GL 320 CDI, 2004 VW V10 Touareg TDI
Like the manual says - OK to go, but only up to 50MPH. Is the suspension all the way down - ie no air? or is it truly in sport mode and won't change?
Might very well be a failed compressor. And that can be caused by overheating created by an air leak.
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Old Mar 8, 2015 | 01:18 PM
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3 Porsche rotation
Originally Posted by Fourdiesel
Like the manual says - OK to go, but only up to 50MPH. Is the suspension all the way down - ie no air? or is it truly in sport mode and won't change?
Might very well be a failed compressor. And that can be caused by overheating created by an air leak.
The suspension height is normal and level, and not down at all. The sport button light is on and can't change to other sitting. I am considering towing the truck to the dealer to avoid further damage.

John
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Old Mar 13, 2015 | 10:57 PM
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3 Porsche rotation
Well here is the damage. I don't have the full detail but I need to replace 2 rear airbags, 1 shock and 1 control module of some type. The damage is $2100 and it wouldn't ready until next Tuesday's due to a back order of the shock. I guess I was due for this crap when the SUV reaches 90K miles.
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Old Mar 13, 2015 | 11:18 PM
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I would think the airmatic control module is bad.

The shock and airbags the dealer is replacing? I have a funny feeling about that
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Old Apr 13, 2021 | 12:26 AM
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2001 S500 (W220) / 2007 GL450 (X164)
Originally Posted by alx
I would think the airmatic control module is bad.

The shock and airbags the dealer is replacing? I have a funny feeling about that
what is the “Airmatic control module”?
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Old Apr 13, 2021 | 10:55 AM
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I had similar physical symptoms. Bags were holding air, but every time I started the car, I would get the message in the cluster and ADS would default to Sport, which I could not turn off. In my case it was related to the solenoid (actually resistors in the new custom dampened Arnott rear shock, which are responsible for defeating the error the message on the dash).

I used my MB II to clear the codes in the airmatic module and I could cycle the ADS to any of the three settings afterwards. The message still appeared in the cluster. I'd have to do the same every time I started the truck.

Replacing the ADS module which is mounted on the shock resolved my problem.

You would get this behaviour if your harness was disconnected from the ADS midule on the shock too, or if your harness wires were broken. The point I'm trying to make is that there are several causes to this. I would ask the dealer for a copy of the codes they pulled when they diagnosed. It should give you an idea about where the problems may lie.

If they've replacing shocks, they're also replacing the ADS modules mounted on the shocks. These modules can be replaced by themselves as they're mounted to the shock via 2 screws hidden under thick rubber grommets. Replacing just the modules is less work than the rear shocks. For the shocks you'd need to remove interior panels which is probably an hr of work for each side.

P.S. wow, I just wrote a mini novel to reply to posts from 2015! Not paying attention - check!

Last edited by expl0rer; Apr 13, 2021 at 11:01 AM.
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Old Apr 13, 2021 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by expl0rer
wow, I just wrote a mini novel to reply to posts from 2015! Not paying attention - check!
It's not like the information becomes obsolete just because the thread becomes old. Mikchek asked a good question and you gave a good answer.
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