Odd abc failure

Sep 29, 2021 | 12:26 AM

Depreciation

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2003 s55 amg

Odd abc failure

2003 s55. About 6 weeks ago had a weird failure at the pulsation dampener behind the passenger side front wheel. An area about an inch along the weld that joins the two halves of the dampener together opened causing a massive leak. I got a junkyard replacement, making sure the internal membrane was ok, and swapped it out. Worked great, rode fine. Then yesterday I got the infamous abc error again. My junkyard dampener failed exactly the way the original did, weld at the seam broke. I searched various forums and apparently this isn't a common problem. I am pretty sure that at least one of my accumulators is bad but I figured that, if anything, the pressure spikes I've read about that causing would rupture a hose way before blowing out a weld. I have a brand new dampener on the way. I'm wondering if there is something else that could cause the problem or if it was just because of the age of my junkyard replacement. Not trying to damage my somewhat costly new part. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Sep 29, 2021 | 11:09 AM

maw1124

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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E

Nothing odd about old dampers failing. All of them should have been replaced with NEW OEM by now. 10 yrs/ 100k miles is all you should expect out of them. So you might as well do all of them + new fluid and filter if you can’t show they’ve been replaced already. Otherwise you should expect to wash, rinse and repeat this experience. YMMV.

maw

Sep 29, 2021 | 05:06 PM

Depreciation

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2003 s55 amg

I know they fail internally due to the membrane breaking but have you ever seen one blow out at the welded seam?

Sep 29, 2021 | 11:26 PM

GrepAwk

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Joined: Feb 2003

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'03 S55 (79K miles)

Nope.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depreciation

I know they fail internally due to the membrane breaking but have you ever seen one blow out at the welded seam?

buy a new accumulator. $160.

Sep 30, 2021 | 01:42 PM

ChampagneC

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From: Encinitas, So-Cal

In addition to that new damper - do all accumulators, filter and fluid all at the same time I say

Sep 30, 2021 | 04:48 PM

maw1124

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'06 MB S55 AMG; '04 Audi Allroad 4.2; '05 BMW M3 Conv.; '92 MB 500E

Quote:

Originally Posted by maw1124

This^^^ seems to be what people are reiterating… dampers = accumulators = spheres = nitrogen spheres… all the same thing, depending upon how long you’ve been around MB cars with fluid suspensions.

maw

Last edited by maw1124; Sep 30, 2021 at 06:09 PM.

Oct 1, 2021 | 07:39 PM

Depreciation

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2003 s55 amg

Yes, I do plan on replacing the other accumulators. The new dampener arrived today. I was just curious if the physical failure of the weld on the dampener was a common thing, since I had it happen twice. I know the membrane fails in the accumulators and dampener, but from all I have read the function of these parts is to provide reserve cushion for the hydraulic system since the fluid is non compressible. I just thought it was odd that the weld failed rather than a hose. Twice. One would think that if the accumulators/dampener membrane failed that the hose would be more susceptible to the pressure spikes caused. Not a metal weld. Many people drive with failed accumulators/dampener. I was perplexed by the fact that I had two fail at the weld and had never read or heard of a failure in this particular way. I figured that if someone else has suffered this type of failure, maybe they had found some other component as a contributing factor. Guess it was just age and coincidence. Hopefully the brand new one will hold up. Thank you for the input.