moms500

How are you? Posting here to get some information about my mom's 2003 SL500.

the airmatic light has been on. took to a local mechanic. said one of the high pressure lines for the air suspension needs replacing as it's leaking.

needless to say, i haven't seen the part after a month or so.

the other night I get in it to move the car and there is a loud noise and the suspension has blown.

there is oil (i think it's oil) pouring out car and the suspension light is on in the dash in red!!!

I took to the mechanic, he said there is a pump (?) that controls the air suspension as well as the power steering and it is leaking fluid and needs replacing.

i was quoted $1600 part, 5 hours labor

-does this sound as a correct diagnosis?
-what is this part exactly? part number?
-what should the part cost?
-what should labor cost?

many thanks for your help
Jonathan
03 SL500
philadelphia

flyjets01

The pump is around $1200 but I have heard of rebuilds in the $900 range. Labor is around $400 to $500 including the special fluid.

His quote is accurate if you go to the dealer the pump much higher.

Ian

Benz5656

Well it can be several things. First you should try doing a search under the search tab. Second, its not Airmatic, its a ABC a huge difference our cars use fluid as a posed to air for the suspension.

You definitely need to have someone else look at it to determine the source of the leak. My guess to you is to start pulling back the fender plastics and get a flashlight and see if you can find the source then go from there.

Check the fluid levels on the power steering and the ABC they are right next too each other. That should help you eliminate one or the other as a possible issue. I am not physcially there, but you need to find you a good indy, the stealership will rape you, and won't even take you to dinner first.

moms500

hey guys
many thanks for the replies.

I spoke to a friend at one of the dealers.

correct I meant ABC, my mistake

He said that this is the start of not good things. They quoted me about $4000 and if the shocks were bad looking close to $10. He also said they had a car in there that had to have the whole system fixed for $32-ouch.

Anyway, we decided to have the local mechanic fix it up and we're going to sell the car. It's a shame. It's a pretty car, no major mechanical issues but unfortunately there's not much resale on the car anymore.

looks like we are going to have to trade it in on something else now.

great find this forum!!! many thanks

Benz5656

Here is the issue you are having sounds like someone is trying to get over. You don't have to replace all the struts. All the struts will never go out at one time unless you jumped the car off a ramp or something. You can get struts from Arnott for $500-$600 and have a lifetime warranty unlike from the stealership. Worse case senerio you have to buy a pump or valve block, which is "roughly" $1200-$1800. But $4k-$10k is absolutely rediculious.

If anything pay the $120 diagnostic fee for the stealer to tell you whats wrong with it. Get a parts list, find a reputable indy. You need facts of whats wrong with the car not guesstimates.

daltex

i totally agree with Benz5656.
Don"t get all paranoid. Nobody in their right mind is going to spend $32k in repairs on a SL model that is currently taking such a beating on the used car market.
Cheaper to buy another one and keep the current one for parts or part it out.

I would part mine out before I dropped that kind of cash in repairs,
$10k+ at least for engine.
$3k+- for transmission.
$1k+- differential(or whatever i can get)
$3k body parts(??)
$1k+ interior
$1k+ engine bay accessories
$600
$500 wheels

Where is the loud noise coming from?? The wheel arches, engine bay(pump)?
Where was the oil pouring out of? leaking pipe, pump, reservoir/bottle?

Take Benz5656's advice and get a proper diagnosis done and I will help you go from there on this thread or PM.