S430 airmatic problem please help :(((
 

Hi,

Im new here & need help asap. I own a 2000 s430 & recently my boyfriend messed with the airmatic button which has two lights that turn on ( I guess they are for sports1 & sports2) after he messed with it- the same day .. Stop car too low message came on and car has been sitting on the front end , tires leveled with the fenders - and the tires touch the fenders when turning. The left shock was replaced less than a.year ago.. So I know its nothing with the shocks.. But the right side is kind of lower than the left. Also the button he was playing with lights turn on and off quickly when starting the car. Can this problem occur from playing with the button.. And what can I do!!???!!

go visit the dealer......

Sounds you might need to replace the pump that makes the vehicle rise I forgot the technical name. It is located under the bumpers passenger side. It has failed to lift your vehicle when it has dropped. You will need to take it to a Benz specialist and they will confirm it is that. Approx $400-$550 repair job

I can hear the pump working trying to.raise the vehicle. !??

The pump might attempt to raise the vehicle although it does not have the potential to do so. Also wmhave you noticed your car when you turn it off and while exiting the car a hissing out like psssshhhh like if the air has been released, loudrr than normal?

Well I dont know I dont usually listen to it as I have been the couple of days.. I would say it might be louder .. When I unlock the car I hear the pump trying to work though. This problem started after playing w the button when I was on the freeway driving from ny to ill .. im wondering if it was my right shock would the left side be low also!?? Cause left side was replaced less than a yr ago & righ might be blown.. But would one side being damaged affect both of them on the front end!???

If the entire vehicle is dropped it has nothing to do with your strut leaking. The vehicle had the pressure to keep the vehicle leveled, Once he put it into sport mode the vehicle drops therefor the vehicle is not rising because the pump is not working so therefor your vehicle is not rising to its level.

visit the dealer and bring 2000$

Will never go to the dealer those ppl are crooks!! Last time I took my car for ac problem they said I.need a new compressor, turns out it was electrical. @envy- is there a way to check the pump

No, you will need to take it to a Benz specialist I am 99% sure that is your problem. Do not drive your vehicle much if you hit a pot hole you will cause a nasty fender damage.

Went to the shop had the shock put in and its fixed! The right shock was so bad it wouldnt let the left one up either. Thank god I had the shock in hand. ;) thanks for ur help

I am glad to hear!!!, So just the front was dropped after all.. Lol not the entire car

Yea the front end but now my baby is all good ! I was pretty happy it was a quick fix. :)

Did you replace both shocks or just one side? You mind to tell us how much did it cost you? Thanks.

Only replaced the right side, but both were down since the right shock was blown it wasnt letting the left side up either. I bought two shocks via ebay almost a year ago at 400each. Labor to put it in was 150. Good luck

I have a 2001 S500 with Airmatic. I noticed about a week ago, when I get out of the car, after shutting it off, I can hear a "pissing" sound of air being released. I got back in the car, started it and hit the airmatic button to raise the car, and it raised it fine. It levelled and worked fine. Today, driving home on the highway, i hit a bump and heard the rear tire HIT the inside fender wall... It got worse, then eventually all 4 tires were up to the fenders. I was driving ON the wheels. I pulled over and called AAA. They towed the car and will be trying to fix tomorrow. I tried the airmatic button, and nothing works. It says it is "rising" but obviously it does.t All 4 sides are ON the tires completely. IDEAS? I figure it cant be the entire system as ALL 4 sides are evenly on the ground. Could it be a fuse, relay or pump, and how do I narrow it down?

probably an air leak in a hose or the compressor

If instant dropped on the tire on all 4 wheels, sounds like major leak in a hose or pump blowup. You should got Airmatic error on your dash with car logo and a arrow pointing up or car is too low error in RED.
I just had my airmatic fixed today for $385. The airmatic arrow pointing up error shown up about 3 weeks ago and I was like who care coz the car seem to in the right high. Well, it slowly lower until last week that it just look too low. So I bring the car in this morning to my local MB specialist. While driving to fix, on one up hill, the RED car too low warning pop up but after the car on flat, the warning disappear.
My specialist said my pump is fine but just not pumping and he fixed with old parts and also replace the relay and blown fuse. 3 hrs of labor and parts, $385. My 2004 S500 is back to aerobed.

I had the car checked today by local guy. He said the Fuse was good and the relay seemed fine. The module under the hood on drivers side is getting power, but nothing coming out of it. Maybe the module itself is dead? He pointed to my drivers side, under the hood, up near the windshield to a silver box, under a black cover with a million wires going in to it. I assume thats the module that controls the Airmatic? I also heard their may be a recall on this system, but haven't had time to contact MB. Anyone else heard of a recall??

OK, here is the new update: The benz IS getting power to the Module (Silver box up near drivers dash under the windshield). We checked the fuses and they are all good. We also, per another member, switched the "O" relay with the "F" relay under the hood to test and nothing. The car sits on its tires. I started the car, pushed the Airmatic button, nothing. No clicks, no noise, no pump, nothing. To me this sounds like electrical problem somewhere. If it was the pump, wouldnt you hear noises or it starting or trying to pump?
We are going to have the car towed to a shop so they can scan it with mercedes tools. I was trying to self diag so I could avoid big labor charges if it was a fuse or something.

Ideas?

chicago did you retain the old shocks which were replaced? Those shocks are repairable with a repair kit available to us authorized resale and service shop and it can only cost a fraction of the whole shocks price, i presume yours is a pneumatic system?

Ok, so now that my car was on the ground, really, sitting on all 4 wheel wells, they installed a new pump and new 40amp fuse. Now the rear of the car is off the ground. They are telling me the front passenger needs a new strut, since the original exploded. $1855. Now, they also said It is an ABC strut, but I know I have Airmatic. Is it possible to have an Airmatic AND ABC, I thought it was one or the other??

take a picture of the front strut from the top (open hooed and picture the left and rights side close to the fire wall and the fender and we'll help you identify your suspension strut and post it.

Crap, dont have access. its at a dealer (not Mercedes, but a Euro place). I dont have direct access. How can I tell if I have ABC from interior controls? I know I have the airmatic button that raises the car automatically and I know I have another button next to it to adjust the sway stiffness during turns. Looks like this -> (I) and it has 2 lights on it.

i don't guess and won't be able to help you unless you show some picture, don't want you to get confuse either.