Hey everyone i have a 2004 S500 101,xxx miles with airmatic suspension. In a couple of years i am going to be traveling across the country for a 7 month internship. I really like my car and if i can i would like to bring it with me and use it as my daily driver however if i have problems with the airmatic when i on this journey it will be a big headache. My question is what are all the parts that need to be replaced for peace of mind? I'm not converting to coil springs so don't say that. Thanks. - Josh

 

Leave the car at Dad's and live long and prosper!!

 

You can't predict when airmatic will fail , or do anything to prevent it . The struts will fail at some point but it maybe this month , or 5 years from now . No way to predict or prevent .

The best thing you can do to be prepared is keep a hella relay for the airmatic pump in your. Glovebox and learn how to change it . When the relay fails it will keep running the pump till it burns out . If you ever hear it running when the car is off immediately switch out tut relay

 

Tusabes, I've had the car for 8 months and i hear a hissing noise from the wheel area, this isn't the compressor is it? Also if i have replaced all the struts what else is there to go wrong in the airmatic system?

 

Most independent shops and dealers can usually get the Airmatic within a day or so. I wouldn't worry about it. If it hasn't gone bad in 13 years, the odds of it going bad on a smooth and easy highway drive are minimal. Worry about it driving around downtown Chicago with potholes that regularly swallow semis.

 

the compressor , the relay , the valve block , the air lines can all become damaged . There are many more components to the system then just the struts . There is a central compressor which sends air to the four struts

hearing a hissing noise upon getting in or out of the car is normal . As long as your car isn't sinking or the dash error messages are not coming on you are fine

 

If the hissing is only from the right front wheel well, is momentary and primarily occurs when you remove weight from the car, such as by getting out, that is normal. If you hear hissing any other time or from any other place, that is probably a leak.

While sudden catastrophic failure of the Airmatic system can occur, is is not common. Most problems that will occur will not strand you on the road.