S-Class (W220) 1999-2006: S 320 CDI, S 320, S430, S 500, S 600

Airmatic Paranoia

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old Apr 14, 2003 | 11:05 PM
  #1  
apricotscrub's Avatar
Thread Starter
Super Member
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 505
Likes: 0
Airmatic Paranoia

Ive had the airmatic warning come on, visit workshop. It went away in 10 minutes, i've heard horror stories with the 2000 s430 airmatic, my airmatic works fine, it says it goes up and down when u press the button. Will my airmatic break down and i get stuck with 6000$ in repairs with an out of warranty car?? Also what is the Dampening Shock button do, It has one red dot, i think it may be like sport suspension, but i cant tell the difference!!
Reply
Old Apr 14, 2003 | 11:54 PM
  #2  
mbtech208's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 1
From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
Re: Airmatic Paranoia

Originally posted by apricotscrub
Ive had the airmatic warning come on, visit workshop. It went away in 10 minutes, i've heard horror stories with the 2000 s430 airmatic, my airmatic works fine, it says it goes up and down when u press the button. Will my airmatic break down and i get stuck with 6000$ in repairs with an out of warranty car?? Also what is the Dampening Shock button do, It has one red dot, i think it may be like sport suspension, but i cant tell the difference!!
You could just have a bad Airmatic pump pressure relief valve, which was a known problem in early S-classes.
Reply
Old Apr 15, 2003 | 12:09 PM
  #3  
MercManiac's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta
2004 S 600
Just get a full check out of system. MB knows all the bugs with airmatic. The real horor stories come with the ABC suspension system which is standard on S55 and S600
Reply
Old Apr 15, 2003 | 01:17 PM
  #4  
Crankin's Avatar
Super Member
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 560
Likes: 1
From: FL
2000 S500 Brilliant Silver, 1990 BMW 735iL, 1971 Pontiac Trans Am 455 HO, 1976 Pontiac Formula 400
Merc, are the later MY ABC systems problematic also?
Thanks
Reply
Old Apr 15, 2003 | 04:25 PM
  #5  
MercManiac's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: Atlanta
2004 S 600
What has happened in the past with ABC is that the entire car drops down totally on the wheels. If your driving while it does this it causes all sorts of damage.........
Reply
Old Apr 15, 2003 | 05:16 PM
  #6  
Mmmm's Avatar
Member
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: Cheshire UK
s65AMG, sl500
The dampening shock button tightens up the dampers giving stiffer suspension and more body control.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2003 | 02:02 AM
  #7  
mbtech208's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,332
Likes: 1
From: Bloomington, IN
1997 Toyota Tacoma 4x4
Originally posted by MercManiac
Just get a full check out of system. MB knows all the bugs with airmatic. The real horor stories come with the ABC suspension system which is standard on S55 and S600
From what I've seen, both systems have about the same amount of problems. Neither is horrible, but they do fail once in a while.
Reply

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:07 PM.

story-0
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes-AMG's new electric GT 4-Door Coupe trades combustion for software, synthetic noise, and more than 1,100 horsepower.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 20:08:15


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Slideshow: Not every Mercedes design becomes timeless, some feel stuck in the era they came from.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:09:07


VIEW MORE
story-2
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Slideshow: Yes, Mercedes built manual cars, and some of them are far more interesting than you'd expect.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-02 12:36:58


VIEW MORE
story-3
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 11:19:28


VIEW MORE
story-4
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Slideshow: Before curves took over, Mercedes mastered the art of the straight line, and some of those shapes still look right today.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-25 12:05:49


VIEW MORE
story-5
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Slideshow: The 190E Evolution II shows how a homologation necessity became a six-figure collector icon.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-22 17:53:47


VIEW MORE
story-6
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes is turning one of its core nameplates electric, and the details show just how serious this shift is.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:58:06


VIEW MORE
story-7
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Slideshow: Faster charging, longer range, and a controversial steer-by-wire system define the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz EQS.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-15 10:35:34


VIEW MORE
story-8
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Slideshow: These overlooked Mercedes-Benz models never got the spotlight, but they quietly delivered more than most remember.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-13 19:35:45


VIEW MORE
story-9
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Slideshow: A well-used 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300D with more than one million miles is now looking for a new owner, and it still appears ready for more.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-10 10:05:15


VIEW MORE