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2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
It probably has something to do with the ABC. (Try pushing some buttons and see what happens.) No, us lowly SL owners are stuck with the Bilstein Damptronic suspension (which allows Sport and Comfort modes, though not on the scale of ABC). All R230s that came to the US had ABC (I think), but I think most R231s came with Damptronic shocks/struts. Honestly, based on my experience with ABC in the R230, I was very happy my SL400 came with a more traditional suspension.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Looking at your dash again, your navigation system thinks you are "off road". The little thing that looks like a diamond in the middle of the car may actually be an up arrow, telling you to raise the car as you hit the dunes or go cross-country.
Or maybe it's a reminder that you have a right-hand drive car.
I suggest you look at the digital owners manual within the cars computer system in the "ABC" section. It's under the "globe" sign in the display screen. If you click on the globe you can determine whether the digital manual is installed. If it's not you can buy the DVD from a dealer if it's not included in your manual package. I'm in the process of learning how my SL63 can be raised and lowered but have not gotten far enough yet to understand how it works
Cheer,
Bob
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
ABC is pretty amazing when working properly. The SL is not a light car and ABC more than compensates for it. I had ABC on my 2004 SL500 and loved it until it developed problems. Then it could be a pain. I was able to address most of the problems I had with it by rebuilding and replacing valve blocks and compensators, but when it developed a persistent leak (and other problems with the car), it was time to trade it in on an R231.
Features of the ABC system besides keeping the car level are not nose diving when hitting the brakes hard, anti-sway during curves and turns, improved stability, the ability to raise the car when more ground clearance was needed (e.g., stuck on a curb), AND automatic lowering the car at highway speeds to improve handling and aerodynamic efficiency.
From what I have heard, the generation installed on the R231 if far more reliable than the system on the R230.
ABC on the R231's are indeed super reliable and a delight for anyone that has the option.
All AMG models (63, 65) have ABC by default and the same with all SL550's in Canada (not sure about the SL450's there) but in the US this was a $4,090 option and thus rarely selected.
BTW. the symbol on the instrument cluster indicates that the car is driving in the raised setting. I suggest to press the button on the center console (damper symbol on the SL63) to select the normal ride height.
Well Wolfman is right and I forgot to post its only there sometimes and I should have realised the so obvious
As to off road well yes it was in the garage and the raised suspension is used a lot with so many sleeping policeman as we call speed bumps in UK
JettaRed well both my ABC rear suspension units failed a week after I bought it or on the rather tame test run at 20500miles. Why tame at the Main dealership I was not allowed to drive it fast but so insisted on a new MOT and it passed but a week later another dealership said......... all water under the bridge now
This year the pulsation damper failed at 36000 miles so sorry Woolfman I cannot agree on reliability of the ABC dampers in fact the whole car. I owned a Jaguar XJ Sovereign a heavier car that I had the lowered spring sports pack fitted to at 20.000 miles just to improve the handling and all was still fine after 80,000miles of hard use only needing minor servicing front wheel bearing a change of the air sensor and the twice the prop center bearing/support plus just before I sold it some Darlington resisters on the AC air inlets.
However the handling on the SL has been far far better since ninja tweaked the suspension settings
Do I like ABC.......... well yes and NO I think the ability to raise the suspension is great but often find the ride unreal in my head with no seat of the pants feedback whereas with springs and dampers with body lean the limits of handling are always so obvious. Over the decades amongst a few other really well handling cars I had a Caterham/Lotus 7 for 35 years that cornered at near 2G and so easily recoverable especially on track or sprint days but that's a featherweight with 330BHP/tonne not this 1.8 ton car that should have always bee 4wheel drive but is helped by much wider wheel base and tyre width. I think you could make the car handle much better with coil, dampers, ARB's and fully adjustable suspension. I was surprised you cannot change the front and rear camber setting or caster angle but there are add-ons you can buy.
Dispute all that I do like the roof and at 74 the comfort, the AC when its working and the 330 litres of boot/trunk space for month long trips to the EU with the roof down and that SOUND in fact a tad more would be great my 1700cc daily drive Caterham hit 120db on err the track at 9000rpm
09-25-2024, 01:19 PM
and I forgot to post its only there sometimes and I should have realised the so obvious
at 20500miles. Why tame at the Main dealership I was not allowed to drive it fast but so insisted on a new MOT and it passed but a week later another dealership said......... all water under the bridge now
