Airmatic suspension longevity
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Joined: Mar 2017
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2003 Mercedes S500
Airmatic suspension longevity
So my 2003 S500 keeps being a pain in the behind. Last November i got my front struts replaced because they completely failed. However even after they where replaced the car sat in cold temperatures very low after a day, and not only on the front wheels but also the rear. This continued all winter, now in the summer, I never do not drive my car for more than a day, so usually when i come out in the morning the car sits pretty high up by itself, odd because id assume it be regular driving level. However this has happened before, and I left the car sitting for a few days, around 3-4 days, while not at home, and when i came back the front had completely sat through, meaning the front bumper was actually leaning on the curb. the rear was not as bad but it still sat through just a little. Now, obviously the car throws the "car to low" message on the dash, but then right away the compressor kicks in and it rises. However my fear is that, after my struts had been replaced last November it kept lowering and the compressor kept raising it, until eventually the compressor gave out and i had to replace it. My best guess is that the pipes or lines through which the compressor pushes air through have leaks or some sort of issues because the struts seam fine to me. Anyone have or had the same issue and found a fix or does anyone have any idea what this could be or how to fix it or what part is broken? Thanks a lot for any input.
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Joined: Dec 2012
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From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
First, the obvious - you have an air leak somewhere in the Airmatic system.
The front struts were replaced - what did you use to replace the struts? New Mercedes parts from the dealer? Rebuilt from Arnott? Used? New Chinese?
It is still possible that one or both of the front struts are leaking.
Other possibilities for a leak include a slightly-cracked air line from the valve block to the front struts, a leak at any of the four connectors for the front strut airlines, or an internal leak in the valve block.
You can check the fittings by brushing on a soapy water solution, or child's bubble solution, and watch carefully for bubbles. The same type of test should be made on each of the fittings on the valve block. A visual inspection and bubble solution are the only easy checks for the lines.
If you have the car in a very quiet place, and have very good hearing, you might be able to hear the faint hiss of an air leak at the struts, or at the system air inlet/outlet tube for a valve block leak.
The front struts were replaced - what did you use to replace the struts? New Mercedes parts from the dealer? Rebuilt from Arnott? Used? New Chinese?
It is still possible that one or both of the front struts are leaking.
Other possibilities for a leak include a slightly-cracked air line from the valve block to the front struts, a leak at any of the four connectors for the front strut airlines, or an internal leak in the valve block.
You can check the fittings by brushing on a soapy water solution, or child's bubble solution, and watch carefully for bubbles. The same type of test should be made on each of the fittings on the valve block. A visual inspection and bubble solution are the only easy checks for the lines.
If you have the car in a very quiet place, and have very good hearing, you might be able to hear the faint hiss of an air leak at the struts, or at the system air inlet/outlet tube for a valve block leak.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2017
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2003 Mercedes S500
so update, I went to my mechanic and at first he thought it was the leveling sensors, turns out the front struts where leaking again, so those got replaced. the ride was a lot smoother for some reason, however i left my car again for 2 days just to check it out, come out today morning and its sitting low again. however it wasn't sitting high yesterday as it used it, it was actually leveled. So now my problem is not the high sitting part, but it lowering after a couple days. I guess my last option is to check the air lines themselves, if its not that i have no idea what else it could be.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 17
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2003 Mercedes S500
update
So after I took it back, they replace some lines coming from the compressor to the block, however it still does the same thing, i had a dealer take a quick look at it while i was getting the pse pump diagnosed, and he said that the lines coming out of the valve block that are in the front right part of the car could have small cracks, the lines themselves, coming in or out of the block about an inch or two outside of the block could have small cracks. so this is still an ongoing issue. good thing i love my car enough not to get annoyed and end the whole ideal.
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