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

Airmatic malfunction - C1507 suspension strut is implausible

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Old Sep 8, 2020 | 05:05 PM
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From: Midland, TX
2011 GL350
Airmatic malfunction - C1507 suspension strut is implausible

Hi,

Can anybody help with how can I troubleshoot this further?
I blew up both rear air springs couple of weeks ago - just got the new Arnott's installed. Lowered the vehicle to normal level, installed the fuse and started up. I can hear the compressor running but vehicle is not rising up.
Any advise?

Regards, Greg
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Old Sep 8, 2020 | 10:26 PM
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NGL450 w/EORP, S550
Check your rear level sensor arms. They may have been bent or damaged during the blowout, or disconnected and forgotten during the install of the new rear bags.

Same goes for the wiring harness to them.

Your compressor is running to refill the central air reservoir, but if your sensors aren’t telling the valve block to distribute air from the reservoir to the rear bags, the car will stay where it is.

Last edited by Max Blast; Sep 8, 2020 at 10:29 PM.
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Old Sep 8, 2020 | 10:50 PM
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From: Midland, TX
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Originally Posted by Max Blast
Check your rear level sensor arms. They may have been bent or damaged during the blowout, or disconnected and forgotten during the install of the new rear bags.

Same goes for the wiring harness to them.

Your compressor is running to refill the central air reservoir, but if your sensors aren’t telling the valve block to distribute air from the reservoir to the rear bags, the car will stay where it is.
Is the reservoir tank beside compressor? I will check them sensor again in the morning. They seemed fine but will double check.
What's with the air compressor possibly putting out not enough pressure to fill up? You heard about this?


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Old Sep 9, 2020 | 10:53 AM
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The reservoir tank is behind the rear axle, just in front of where you would have a trailer hitch, if so equipped.
the x164 airmatic system works like this:
1. compressor charges the air reservoir.
2. Level sensors tell the valve block to distribute air to the four corners to level the car
3. compressor tops up the air reservoir.
4. Cycle repeats.

The MB spec for a good compressor is that it puts out 16 bar in 40 seconds - which is very generous.
This is testable if you have an MB star or DAS scan tool.
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Old Sep 9, 2020 | 07:34 PM
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From: Saint Louis
2010 GL550 | 2020 S560
Originally Posted by Max Blast
Check your rear level sensor arms. They may have been bent or damaged during the blowout, or disconnected and forgotten during the install of the new rear bags.

Same goes for the wiring harness to them.

Your compressor is running to refill the central air reservoir, but if your sensors aren’t telling the valve block to distribute air from the reservoir to the rear bags, the car will stay where it is.
I feel this should be a sticky.
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Old Sep 9, 2020 | 08:12 PM
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From: Midland, TX
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Originally Posted by Yup497
I feel this should be a sticky.
Nope. Not the level sensors. They moved quite good. I cleaned them up as well, greased and now change.
I'll be taking apart the compressor side of wheel tomorrow and troubleshooting from there. Will rig up some fittings to check compressor pressure and manually fill air into bags and his block valve.
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Old Sep 10, 2020 | 02:03 PM
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From: Espoo, Finland
2012 GL 350
When I replaced the rear air springs on my 2012, I had the same problem. I *think* the reason why this is happening is that when you release the air from the springs, the vehicle thinks that you've created a massive air leak. So when you go to refill it, the fault is still stored, and it won't send air there, trying to save the compressor.

I used my Autel tool (I have an MS906 which is a pro-level machine) to individually fill each rear air spring in the test mode. Once I did that, it started operating normally again. If you don't have a tool like this, I'm not sure how you can do it, but there has to be a way to clear that fault, perhaps with a normal scan tool.
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Old Sep 10, 2020 | 05:48 PM
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From: Midland, TX
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Trying to find someone with the scan tool around me in Edmonton area, no luck so far. What I tested is the air compressor pumping air with no problems at high pressure but none of the air is going through the block valve - I removed all lines to see/inspect if they are letting air through, but none is, neither to each wheel or reservoir tank.
Could this be that block valve is stuck closed on all of them?
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Old Sep 16, 2020 | 11:40 AM
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Thanks all for chipping in - problem solved now. It was the block valve issue. Once I installed new one, everything is up and running as it should. I am curious on the block valve however and will test it if it is still good just needs to be manually reset via Star? (maybe). I just ordered one and will screw around with that at some point in the future.
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