SL/R230: Irritated- ABC issue
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Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 436
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Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
Irritated- ABC issue
2003 Sl500
3 times now my reservoir has overflowed leading to low fluid and ABC messages. Two different indy mechanics found nothing wrong and flushed the fluid/rodeo etc....I go a month or two and again, reservoir overflow.
I keep telling these idiots that its a sign of bad accumulators but they don't listen- and they are reputable indy benz mechanics. They keep telling me that if I don't see the ABC message when going over bumps that it not my accumulators
as if THIS is the only symptom- and guess what? Yesterday while driving over bumps, ABC message appeared and disappeared 10 seconds later.
So I spent all that money on useless flushes and behold, more evidence I have issues with my accumulator
anyone live in the MD/DC area? Can you recommend a good mechanic/shop?
3 times now my reservoir has overflowed leading to low fluid and ABC messages. Two different indy mechanics found nothing wrong and flushed the fluid/rodeo etc....I go a month or two and again, reservoir overflow.
I keep telling these idiots that its a sign of bad accumulators but they don't listen- and they are reputable indy benz mechanics. They keep telling me that if I don't see the ABC message when going over bumps that it not my accumulators
as if THIS is the only symptom- and guess what? Yesterday while driving over bumps, ABC message appeared and disappeared 10 seconds later.
So I spent all that money on useless flushes and behold, more evidence I have issues with my accumulator
anyone live in the MD/DC area? Can you recommend a good mechanic/shop?
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 449
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From: Melbourne Florida
SL500
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Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 407
Likes: 137
From: Houston, TX
2005 SL600
If your accumulators are still original, they're getting really old and are likely to fail soon (if one or more hasn't already). You'd best go ahead and replace all of them. Otherwise you're blowing extra money on pentosin flush/fill every time one fails individually.
This is where you have to decide if maintaining ABC is worth it. Every part of the system is a wear item and will eventually fail - the pump, the hoses, the struts, the valves, the accumulators/pulsation dampers. Valves can be rebuilt cheaply, and the hoses can be refurbished (rubber sections replaced) by a hydraulic hose shop for fairly reasonable cost. You can get a rebuilt pump and rebuilt struts far cheaper than new. The only things you have to buy new are the accumulators and pulsation dampers, and there are suppliers that sell these much cheaper than the dealer. But still, this stuff will add up to $4K or so, and that's just parts.
IMO you really should treat the ABC system like a timing belt - you want to replace before failure. Once an accumulator, pump, or valve fails, it can send particles of rubber or metal throughout the system, making repair much more complicated. From what I've seen, 60K miles is when you need to seriously consider renewing the system. Of course, 20 years is a pretty ripe old age for high-pressure hydraulic components, regardless of mileage. Keep in mind that ABC runs at a much higher pressure than your average power steering system.
ABC is a really cool system, but these are the realities of it. It may be that it just doesn't make economic sense to maintain ABC due to the market value of the car. If that is the case, a coilover conversion is the financially viable way to keep the car on the road.
This is where you have to decide if maintaining ABC is worth it. Every part of the system is a wear item and will eventually fail - the pump, the hoses, the struts, the valves, the accumulators/pulsation dampers. Valves can be rebuilt cheaply, and the hoses can be refurbished (rubber sections replaced) by a hydraulic hose shop for fairly reasonable cost. You can get a rebuilt pump and rebuilt struts far cheaper than new. The only things you have to buy new are the accumulators and pulsation dampers, and there are suppliers that sell these much cheaper than the dealer. But still, this stuff will add up to $4K or so, and that's just parts.
IMO you really should treat the ABC system like a timing belt - you want to replace before failure. Once an accumulator, pump, or valve fails, it can send particles of rubber or metal throughout the system, making repair much more complicated. From what I've seen, 60K miles is when you need to seriously consider renewing the system. Of course, 20 years is a pretty ripe old age for high-pressure hydraulic components, regardless of mileage. Keep in mind that ABC runs at a much higher pressure than your average power steering system.
ABC is a really cool system, but these are the realities of it. It may be that it just doesn't make economic sense to maintain ABC due to the market value of the car. If that is the case, a coilover conversion is the financially viable way to keep the car on the road.
Last edited by brucewane; Mar 2, 2022 at 02:58 PM.
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Joined: May 2019
Posts: 213
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From: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
'07 CL550
The pumps can last a long time if you keep the fluid clean and don’t let the system run dry. The valve blocks are not a wear item, though earlier iterations of the design were problematic. Accumulators and pulsation dampers are wear items that should be replaced at the first sign of trouble if not preemptively. If you keep driving with bad accumulators, then you run the risk of blowing hoses and struts, so I’d say change all your accumulators and pulsation damper ASAP.
The usual story is that someone keeps driving with bad accumulators, then they damage ABC struts and blow hoses due to pressure spikes, then they lose all their hydraulic oil and keep driving, then they destroy their pump, and then they get an $8k repair bill and say that ABC sucks when it was really their own negligence at fault. ABC is not so bad to keep running when you’re diligent and have the car maintained by someone competent.
The usual story is that someone keeps driving with bad accumulators, then they damage ABC struts and blow hoses due to pressure spikes, then they lose all their hydraulic oil and keep driving, then they destroy their pump, and then they get an $8k repair bill and say that ABC sucks when it was really their own negligence at fault. ABC is not so bad to keep running when you’re diligent and have the car maintained by someone competent.
Last edited by wizee; Mar 2, 2022 at 04:39 PM.
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Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 495
Likes: 101
From: Benton, Louisiana, USA
SL 500 2004, Ford F-150-2014
Gene, obviously the manufacturers are only warranting a 10 year life for rubber components, Previous to that time, the brand new car buyer gets rid of it... and transfers the upcoming problems to someone who likes the car but dislike paying the new car sticker price.
When I got mine, I immediately replaced the ABC, Motor mounts, and repaired miscellaneous parts using rubber components. Make it reliable by being proactive!
It is like an old human body, the older we get, the more medicaments we need to take to keep on going!
When I got mine, I immediately replaced the ABC, Motor mounts, and repaired miscellaneous parts using rubber components. Make it reliable by being proactive!
It is like an old human body, the older we get, the more medicaments we need to take to keep on going!
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Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
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From: Melbourne Florida
SL500
This is the best advice you can get for a 20 year old car.
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 436
Likes: 79
Former R230, W220 and W221 owner
I hated them. Rode like crap and was noisy etc....I felt unsafe.
With that said, I'm hearing the neo max coilover set is pretty good. I talked to a youtube user who is very happy with them. Looks like I can sell the oem struts to Arnott for $200 a piece (was $300 at one point)
I can probably get them installed for around $1000. I love the car to death and am now seriously considering coilovers. Maybe it was just the quality of the strutmasters
What did you put on yours? Neomax? BC Racing?
With that said, I'm hearing the neo max coilover set is pretty good. I talked to a youtube user who is very happy with them. Looks like I can sell the oem struts to Arnott for $200 a piece (was $300 at one point)
I can probably get them installed for around $1000. I love the car to death and am now seriously considering coilovers. Maybe it was just the quality of the strutmasters
What did you put on yours? Neomax? BC Racing?
Last edited by imtheking; Mar 2, 2022 at 09:49 PM.
