SL/R230: ABC Suspension
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: England
R230 SL500 W211 E220
ABC Suspension
Hi all just a little help & advice needed. I have a 2003 sl500 & just yesterday on the dash ABC came up with drive carefully the car was a bit bouncy. I'm assuming the compressor is not working. The suspension isn t leaking because i've looked at the car today & it's still sitting up and level. Would someone be able to point me in the right direction as to checking fuses & relays. I obviously don't want garage bills if they can be avoided.
Thanks all
Thanks all
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 62
Likes: 5
SL 500 r230
No, I mean if you push the suspension height level button near the gear leaver. Does the car go up and down?
If the pump went defective and the system can not build pressure, the car will shut the valves leading to the suspension shocks. That preserves the pressure inside the shocks so the car doesn't immediately slam to the ground ( not literally...) but stays up for as long as the seals are able to maintain the pressure. In that case (pump defective or some massive internal pressure leak) pressing the height level button will have no effect. The ride would be bumpy as you decribe. And it wouldn't go up or down with pressing the button.
If the pump went defective and the system can not build pressure, the car will shut the valves leading to the suspension shocks. That preserves the pressure inside the shocks so the car doesn't immediately slam to the ground ( not literally...) but stays up for as long as the seals are able to maintain the pressure. In that case (pump defective or some massive internal pressure leak) pressing the height level button will have no effect. The ride would be bumpy as you decribe. And it wouldn't go up or down with pressing the button.
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 62
Likes: 5
SL 500 r230
That would be a hint to the car not building hydraulic pressure. Might be the pump. Might be a sensor. I'd hook up a diagnosis and see what it says.
Did you read this yet?
https://mercedes-abc-drive-carefully.blogspot.com
Did you read this yet?
https://mercedes-abc-drive-carefully.blogspot.com
Last edited by thias; Nov 10, 2019 at 06:28 AM.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: England
R230 SL500 W211 E220
Thanks for that link very helpful.
I have been out and started the car
today left it running for about 10minutes
and all was normal. I took it out for a drive
again all was good. The drive height of the
has stayed the same & it doesn't have the tuna
boat feeling.
Maybe a good idea to have the abc serviced
just for piece of mind.
I have been out and started the car
today left it running for about 10minutes
and all was normal. I took it out for a drive
again all was good. The drive height of the
has stayed the same & it doesn't have the tuna
boat feeling.
Maybe a good idea to have the abc serviced
just for piece of mind.
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Member
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 230
Likes: 87
From: Northwich
R230 350SL
Firstly have you seen the Carsoft I980 code reader? I have one costs about £90 and it’s already saved me a fortune for getting codes from the car to diagnose problems.
I had similar symptoms to you and it got progressively worse, my problem was the pump. Have you any evidence of any ABC fluid changes in the car history? If not then do that straight away, it might save any problems getting worse. Get it done by a proper specialist, mine does one change, a “rodeo” test of the suspension, then another change ie complete process uses two filter changes. If you don’t do this you run the risk of the original change and rodeo actually dislodging some crap in the system and moving around to somewhere it can cause damage.
Get the codes from the car, that will point you in the right direction. If you’re anywhere near Northwich you’re welcome to bring your car over and I’ll get the codes for you.
I had similar symptoms to you and it got progressively worse, my problem was the pump. Have you any evidence of any ABC fluid changes in the car history? If not then do that straight away, it might save any problems getting worse. Get it done by a proper specialist, mine does one change, a “rodeo” test of the suspension, then another change ie complete process uses two filter changes. If you don’t do this you run the risk of the original change and rodeo actually dislodging some crap in the system and moving around to somewhere it can cause damage.
Get the codes from the car, that will point you in the right direction. If you’re anywhere near Northwich you’re welcome to bring your car over and I’ll get the codes for you.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: England
R230 SL500 W211 E220
I plugged it into my code reader and cleared all codes
but it was still showing the fault. I started it and took
it out today and it's all good again. Unfortunately i'm
a bit to far away from you but thanks anyway. I think
i am definitely going to have tha ABC serviced though
it will save me money.
I have actually been looking into doing away with the
hydraulic suspension and putting coilovers on instead.
but it was still showing the fault. I started it and took
it out today and it's all good again. Unfortunately i'm
a bit to far away from you but thanks anyway. I think
i am definitely going to have tha ABC serviced though
it will save me money.
I have actually been looking into doing away with the
hydraulic suspension and putting coilovers on instead.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 355
Likes: 41
From: amarillo texas
2003 sl 500
ABC headache
I'm assuming you have not had this car real long. When I bought my 2003 it was awhile before I got the hang of the suspension. Measure with a yardstick the height of the front wheel arches from the ground, engine off after its been sitting overnight. Start car, put in gear, reverse and forward, then shift to neutral, leave it running measure again.
Much change? This tests the valve blocks for leakage, shouldn't really change much on a good system but mine always dropped a bit on the left front when in sitting overnight. A bit of a headache but liveable with for me. Now still with engine running hit the height selector button. Car should rise very quickly to the next level. At full height mine is about 1 inch taller than on the lowest setting. If it jumps right up I'd say pump is working. Check the pump fluid level, equal to top mark when not running and not below lower mark when running. Should have a nice green color. hope this helps some.
moretech
Much change? This tests the valve blocks for leakage, shouldn't really change much on a good system but mine always dropped a bit on the left front when in sitting overnight. A bit of a headache but liveable with for me. Now still with engine running hit the height selector button. Car should rise very quickly to the next level. At full height mine is about 1 inch taller than on the lowest setting. If it jumps right up I'd say pump is working. Check the pump fluid level, equal to top mark when not running and not below lower mark when running. Should have a nice green color. hope this helps some.
moretech
Banned
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From: Atlanta, unfortunately
'09 S600, (2) R129 300SLs, '03 SL500, '03 SL55
You can put together an SDS sourced from China for about $300.
Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 131
Likes: 15
2003 SL500
Mine does this on occasion, about once every other month or so. I turn it off, TAKE THE KEY OUT, start the car back up and reset the ride height and it's gone away everytime so far. If I don't take the key out and put it back in it won't reset. Not saying that's a permanent fix, but it's worked for the bouncy ride thing every time to date. Probably a ride height sensor or something. I've had to make hydraulic repairs on my ABC three times now. Next high dollar suspension repair will be a coilover conversion for this guy. I drive the crap out of mine almost every day.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 62
Likes: 10
From: England
R230 SL500 W211 E220
I have looked in a coilover convertion according to BC Racing the only issue is that it will bring a fault up on the dash.That will be ABC fault but i suppose that's livable
