GLE63s, GLE63, GLE53 AMG SUV & Coupe (W166, W167) 2015 - Present (Two generations)

AirMatic malfunction??

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Old May 23, 2024 | 08:22 PM
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AirMatic malfunction??

Hey everyone!
So funny thing happened today while I was on my way to the store. I took a back road and had to go over some railroad tracks and while yes I did slow down and go over them way below the speed limit, I didn't expect them to be so bad! As soon as I went over them, my dash showed an image of the vehicle with a little arrow pointing up inside of it and it said malfunction in yellow. What in the world happened?? I mean the car seems to be driving fine, I changed the settings from comfort to Sport+ and everything seemed to be ok. I got to my destination, turned the car off and did my shopping. An hour later, got back in the car (which the ride hight seemed normal) and started the car just for the same message to pop back up. I will say driving home, the car felt super stiff, almost like driving a go cart, feeling every little bumb in the road.
What could be the issue? Ive never had any issues like this before with any of my AMGs. Could a plug have come undone? Or a hose pop off? Has this ever happened to anyone else and if so how and what did you do to assess it?

Thanks everyone.
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Old May 24, 2024 | 07:01 AM
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So just thought I would let everyone know that this morning the GLE seems to still be sitting at the correct level so that means all night nothing was leaking. I started the car and 3 seconds later, the message came back on. On the center console, the Sport setting seems to stay illuminated too as if the car is stuck in that setting. The drive is also still extremely stiff and hard feeling.
Could something have unplugged or loosened when I hit the tracks? Where could I look?

Last edited by SilverDameon55; May 24, 2024 at 07:11 AM.
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Old May 24, 2024 | 07:39 AM
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Yes, something could have come off. Check the little rods that control the vehicle height. They are at each wheel. The best thing would be to have the codes read so you are not chasing after it.
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Old May 24, 2024 | 08:25 AM
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So I found the break I think...all the other wheels seem to have this part connected. Could someone tell me what this is and is it fixable?

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Old May 25, 2024 | 07:38 AM
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Another view of it. It appears to be something with the strut? Is there a way to just replace this individual piece VS the whole thing?
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Old May 26, 2024 | 07:26 AM
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*bump for some advice and help.

Thanks
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Old May 26, 2024 | 02:02 PM
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How many miles? My 2016 GLE63s AirMatic malfunctioned with 20k miles. With malfunction light car would ride like a stiff buckboard. Dealer diagnosed corrosion on 1 rear strut. Of course Dealer recommend both rear shocks be replaced.

Rear Shock 292-320-17-00-64 $690.00 each.

292-320-17-00-64 - Shock Absorber 2015-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)

Last edited by E55 KEV; May 26, 2024 at 02:07 PM.
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Old May 26, 2024 | 02:19 PM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
How many miles? My 2016 GLE63s AirMatic malfunctioned with 20k miles. With malfunction light car would ride like a stiff buckboard. Dealer diagnosed corrosion on 1 rear strut. Of course Dealer recommend both rear shocks be replaced.

Rear Shock 292-320-17-00-64 $690.00 each.

292-320-17-00-64 - Shock Absorber 2015-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)
Mine has almost 61k miles now and everything was fine till I hit those tracks that I wasn't expecting to be so bad. From the picture you can see no corrosion (at least what I consider corrosion). Is there a way to just repair or replace just the plug part or that piece? I don't want to have to replace the entire strut nor spend that kind of money when I'm considering selling the car.
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Old May 26, 2024 | 06:48 PM
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Insurance claim?
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Old May 26, 2024 | 07:34 PM
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Originally Posted by mikapen
Insurance claim?
I had that thought but if its the strut that needs to be replaced, then its less than my deductible.

I'm just wondering really what this part is called and if i can replace just the broken connector or that piece VS the entire strut.
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Old May 27, 2024 | 01:19 PM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
How many miles? My 2016 GLE63s AirMatic malfunctioned with 20k miles. With malfunction light car would ride like a stiff buckboard. Dealer diagnosed corrosion on 1 rear strut. Of course Dealer recommend both rear shocks be replaced.

Rear Shock 292-320-17-00-64 $690.00 each.

292-320-17-00-64 - Shock Absorber 2015-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)
I was looking at the link you posted and noticed the part I need but I can't seem to locate it separately... if there a way to get it separately?


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Old May 28, 2024 | 11:01 PM
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Originally Posted by SilverDameon55
I was looking at the link you posted and noticed the part I need but I can't seem to locate it separately... if there a way to get it separately?

i needed the same connection part that dealer said was broken and got corroded - I was told it's not sold separately. Replacing both rear shocks was $3,200 at dealer.

Last edited by E55 KEV; May 28, 2024 at 11:40 PM.
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Old May 28, 2024 | 11:46 PM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
i needed the same connection part that dealer said was broken and got corroded - I was told it's not sold separately. Replacing both rear shocks was $3,200 at dealer.
Update: I just looked at my dealer repair invoice and it does show a separate electrical harness. The left and right part listing both state "Included with shock", so I'm wondering if they overcharged me for harness if it was already "Included with shock"?

166-440-99-36-64 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)

166-440-03-37-65 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)

Last edited by E55 KEV; May 28, 2024 at 11:48 PM.
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Old May 29, 2024 | 07:46 AM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
Update: I just looked at my dealer repair invoice and it does show a separate electrical harness. The left and right part listing both state "Included with shock", so I'm wondering if they overcharged me for harness if it was already "Included with shock"?

166-440-99-36-64 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)

166-440-03-37-65 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)
Oh man!!! Thank you thank you!! I have been searching and kept hitting a dead end till now. So your GLE did the same thing? How did yours break? I'll be looking on FCP for those parts if they have them, otherwise I have a dealer up in Gainesville, FL I can call and order it from. The install appears to be straightforward so let's hope it is lol.

Yeah man I would call them up and make sure they didn't try and pull a fast one on you. If the parts came with the strut then you shouldn't have a separate charge.
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Old May 29, 2024 | 07:47 AM
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I would say they did since I have yet to see one where it wasn't already mounted on the shock.
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Old May 29, 2024 | 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by SilverDameon55
Oh man!!! Thank you thank you!! I have been searching and kept hitting a dead end till now. So your GLE did the same thing? How did yours break? I'll be looking on FCP for those parts if they have them, otherwise I have a dealer up in Gainesville, FL I can call and order it from. The install appears to be straightforward so let's hope it is lol.

Yeah man I would call them up and make sure they didn't try and pull a fast one on you. If the parts came with the strut then you shouldn't have a separate charge.
No idea how mine broke. Dealer tried to tell me that "it's common" due to someone improperly installing the rear wheels and resting the heavy rim on the shock. They asked me who changed the rear brakes saying they may have damaged it. However, the rear pads had only been replaced once since delivery, 4 years ago, by me.
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Old May 29, 2024 | 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by BlownV8
I would say they did since I have yet to see one where it wasn't already mounted on the shock.
FCP doesn't have them so unless the dealership can sell them separately, I think I'm stuck buying the whole unit...unless I can find a wrecked GLE63 that i could possibly remove the part from and go that route?
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Old May 29, 2024 | 06:44 PM
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Probably not a bad idea.
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Old May 29, 2024 | 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by BlownV8
Probably not a bad idea.
I agree.
Do you think that if it survived the first 30-day used part warranty, that it's likely to be a good one?
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Old May 30, 2024 | 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by SilverDameon55
FCP doesn't have them so unless the dealership can sell them separately, I think I'm stuck buying the whole unit...unless I can find a wrecked GLE63 that i could possibly remove the part from and go that route?
Did you try to order from your local dealer or from mbparts.mbusa.com? Or other source besides FCP?

166-440-03-37-65 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)

Last edited by E55 KEV; May 30, 2024 at 10:20 PM.
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Old Jun 1, 2024 | 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
Did you try to order from your local dealer or from mbparts.mbusa.com? Or other source besides FCP?

166-440-03-37-65 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)
No I haven't tried yet. I'll be calling the local dealership today and checking out a few websites to see what I can find.
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Old Jun 4, 2024 | 11:46 AM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
Did you try to order from your local dealer or from mbparts.mbusa.com? Or other source besides FCP?

166-440-03-37-65 - Shock Harness 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)
So for an update, I contacted the local dealer and they are able to order the part but I can also order from the link you sent. It's actually cheaper on shipping going that route. The dealer wants to charge me almost $25 for shipping. I'd pick it up but they are an hour away so. I'll let you all know when the part comes in.
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Old Jun 9, 2024 | 04:40 PM
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Update,
Part came in pretty fast but unfortunately it's not the right part. It's the electrical wires yes, but not the part that's broke. I think the pictures I posted may not have been the best but what's broke is the actual piece that the wire harness plugs into on the strut. The plug part the wire actually connects too if that makes sense. In the photo it's hard to tell but the broken part is still connected to the wire and should be on the black "can" part. Take a look...

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Old Jun 10, 2024 | 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by SilverDameon55
Update,
Part came in pretty fast but unfortunately it's not the right part. It's the electrical wires yes, but not the part that's broke. I think the pictures I posted may not have been the best but what's broke is the actual piece that the wire harness plugs into on the strut. The plug part the wire actually connects too if that makes sense. In the photo it's hard to tell but the broken part is still connected to the wire and should be on the black "can" part. Take a look...
So what's next? Will you have to replace the full shock?
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Old Jun 10, 2024 | 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by E55 KEV
So what's next? Will you have to replace the full shock?
I don't know but I have a feeling yes unless there is a way to just order or replace the "can" looking part on the strut. I think I may have to call around to some junk yards and see if they have a GLE and possibly take the strut off that one. Otherwise it's a whole new strut for me 🫤.
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