josworth

Well, it was inevitable. I have my first possible issue. We just got this R350 and it is doing something weird. The dealer we bought it from had taken it to a service shop to have an issue with it "leaning to one side" fixed. They said it was a sensor. The receipt from the service center states that the "load leveling arms" were replaced. The parts were 2 arms at $32.00 each.

Here is what it is doing. BTW, it only has the rear air bags and it isn't a full air ride R. Every now and then after sitting overnight in our slightly sloped driveway it is sitting low in the rear. Like the air bag has lost all it's air. What baffles me is it has done this a few times when parked at the wife's workplace or our slightly sloped driveway. Other times it sits just fine.It doesn't do it every time so that sort of rules out bad lines and bags..or does it? It is just baffling. Any ideas? Figures that this weird behavior shows up before I have gotten/bought the service documentation I need....

Here are some pictures of it sitting in the driveway.




Please, any help or advise as to what the heck could be going on?

a930rocket

Leaking air spring. I just replaced ours a few weeks ago. Very simple do with just a few tools.

Buy the them from http://www.arnottindustries.com/part...56_gid619.html

See my thread here - https://mbworld.org/forums/r-class-w...ur-2006-a.html

josworth

Thanks for the feedback a930rocket. I did read your thread and did notice that at first you say your issue was also intermittent. I must admit that I haven't dug into it that much yet since it seems that the dealer that sold it to us is going to do something (what I don't know yet) to make it right. My guess is the springs are leaking somehow.

Now here is a funny twist. Saturday night the wife took the kids to a drive-in movie with her friend. I figured the car would be dirty after that, so early Sunday morning I was up and decided to quickly clean the interior. It was sitting fine in the driveway. I unlocked it and opened up the doors and hatch. A little after starting I went inside (leaving it with the doors open) to get a some more coffee. I was in for a little bit, maybe 15 minutes. I came out and it had done it again. The rear was sitting down like in the pictures. At no time that morning did I start it or even turn the key on. I just unlocked it. It just strikes me as really weird that it does it randomly and there is nothing I have figured out that we are doing where I can make it repeat it.

I am going to push the dealer and independent service center to replace the springs with the Arnott units.. Not just for the cost but for the lifetime warranty.

rosswell

I had same problem...around 100,000 Kim's and took it to dealer. Leaking air springs. Both replaced and now firm and level, $2000 later including the cost of some engine combo air filters. They replaced both rear struts. I like my car and wanted factory parts and service...and it is 6.5 yrs old after all.

OldMBGuy

Yeah, but still not acceptable in a $60k+ car with only 60k miles.

josworth

Update: The shop that originally worked on it had it for testing for a whole day. Of coarse it wouldn't do it for them..So, their assesment is that it is the "valve" that is normally part of the compressor. They said it is the only other component that could/would release air pressure to both sides. They claim to have tested all the lines and the springs. I know there have been other cases where the issue was intermittent and in the end it ended up to be springs. If this was my DIY project I would probably either do the springs and valve or just go ahead and replace the system all together with coil springs..My concern with doing the coil conversion is it's impact on ride quality.
Here is a parts diagram showing the valve they are talking about. It is number 6 @ a cost of $154.00 on-line.



So, in my particular case I'm waiting to hear back from the selling dealer if they are going to authorize the repair. I still firmly feel that this is their responsibility. But that is an argument between them and me and not of any real value to the discussion...

Speaking of no real value to the discussion........

Look OldMBGuy.... I get it, you are pissed at Mercedes... Please stop crapping on threads... The purpose of this thread is to gather troubleshooting and repair information. Your pissy comments about your disdain for Mercedes just takes up space and adds NO value. Go write a letter to someone that cares..or are they sick of hearing it too? And, yea, I'm sure your not alone and others feel like you do..Face it, other people in the world actually like these cars..I'm one. By all means, when the threads pop up with "I'm looking to buy...", tell your story.. Oh, and please, I don't need a "told you so" haunting me every time I post up some sort of DIY thread as I venture deeper into keeping our R tight and fresh...

josworth

Update: It's going in Friday for the valve replacement. Typical for me... It dropped overnight after we picked it up and hasn't done it since. Anyway, the dealer agreed to back the repair and the service center is getting the part. I'll update if this fixes it...

josworth

Update: Ugg! The repair was done on Friday... So far, this morning and yesterday morning it was again sitting down.... I think we will just bite the bullet, and replace the springs... Just haven't decided on doing the coil conversion or installing the lifetime warrantied Arnott springs.

mbph

Any update on the replacement of airmatic springs?

josworth

Nope, still randomly looses air. Not every day. I have decided that I'm going to get rid of the self leveling rear springs and do the coil spring conversion.

BTW, as stated above, our R350 doesn't have Airmatic. We only have the self leveling rear air springs.

MrBollweevil97

Josworth.

I'm subscribing to your thread as I am currently experiencing the same problem. Only one caveat is that I HAVE made the change to new air springs from Arnott Industries and I'm still getting a sag in the rear passenger side of my car like yours. It is a quick DIY job and I completed the work in about an hours time for both sides for what it's worth.

I'm now beating my head against a wall as I'm not sure what could be causing my leak now. And hearing you had your valve replaced really leaves me puzzled

I hope some of our fellow R owners maybe can shed some further ideas here. I just purchased my R320 3 months ago and made the mistake of not getting an extended warranty!!!! I should have found this thread and site before hand. Could be an expensive lesson to learn on this one as I love the car!!!!

josworth

I assume you just have self leveling rear springs, right? If so, it is really a simple system. You still having an issue is why I'm seriously looking to replace the rear system with normal coil springs and bypass the air springs all together. There are four main components. In order of cost they are the compressor, springs, regulator valve, and sensors. We notice that it looses air mostly when parked on a slope. My wife does not want to pull it in the garage, but any time I have done it it sits fine. I think it has an issue where it "wakes up" and starts to adjust the rear but there is no power to the compressor so the springs just go flat. Again, a theory where I don't want to keep throwing cash at. For about $400 I can get rid of the whole darn thing and just be done with it. Just waiting. Need to service the transmission first.

MrBollweevil97

I understand your frustration here completely. My car has been sitting for the past 3 days now looks just like your posted pictures up.. Since I have replaced the bags already, I'll look into the regulator valve. I've ruled out the sensors as I switched them from side to side and still having the same problem. The saga continues...
thx

josworth

Well, the repair is done. I will no longer worry if a leveling sensor is bad, a compressor is failing, if the valve is bad, or a spring has a leak. They are GONE!

The R is sitting pretty on a set of M Class rear coil springs. So, if I put a ton of people and cargo in the back it might sit a little low, SO WHAT.. LOL

It went pretty easy and is all oem parts. There is another thread where the user replaced the airbags with Jeep Grand Cherokee springs. This is where I got my inspiration. My only change is that I discovered that the Mercedes springs where the same. I also found a way to do it with a conventional coil spring compressor and not the special Mercedes tool. I will post that up in the coil spring thread.