S55 Suspension "Crashes" Over Potholes
 

Does anyone else have issues with their S55 suspension feeling like it "crashes" over potholes ... I can seriously feel the suspension react AFTER the pothole, it just feels like a completely worn out set of shocks in need of replacement (only the car otherwise rides stiff and of course there is no pogo-effect or bouncing). What gives here? Mileage is way up there (I have 180,000 highway miles now) but it is my understanding that we don't have any "shocks" like traditional shocks that can be replaced and I have no ABC error codes or anything of that sort. Any ideas?

If you are referring to the "thump" you can feel/hear over the rear axle when passing over a small bump (and perhaps a pothole, don't know since we don't have them here) then yes, that seems normal. With a loaded car (4 people) the "thump" is gone.

The "thump" almost feels like there is something heavy loose in the trunk or something.

I spoke to my service manager and he said he heard similar things on a CL with ABC. They checked if everything was tight and it was. So it probably is the ABC and the chassis that interact with eachother like that on small bumps.

I think this is normal for air suspension. However with that mileage I would book it in for a health check.:y

I had that issue with my 03 E55, brought it in and they had my struts replaced under warranty.

If its in the front its probably the bushings. The have 2 thrust bushings in the front that take the brunt of bumps.

Do you feel a jerk when you apply the brakes?

Actually it seems to be mostly coming from the rear ... if the pothole happens to be in a curve it almost feels like the back gets "loose" for a second. I'm sure that I need to check the bushings in the front but it was just at the MB Dealer a few days ago for a service and they told me everything was in good shape, but who knows.

The car has different style shocks but they still wear like all shocks. They should be replaced every 100k miles to keep the car under control. I just had new struts put in an 04 car with 40k miles and it was night and day. The car felt new again.

Then there are the rubber bushings in the suspension. 180k miles? You should go through the car and replace every bushing in addition to the tie rod ends. Those parts are so long gone. My 04 also had completely worn out front thrust and control arm bushings.

With 180k miles you likely need a large amount of suspension work. THe car is just getting tired. With the costs to do the work a newer car is the way to go.

Struts
 

Was this on a SL? I seem to remember from pics I have seen the shock absorbers are an integral part of the ABC strut - are you saying the shocks are serviceable separate from the struts?

It still have parts that wear in the strut housing. They still have to force fluid through a hole or have a plunger move up and down with some valving holes. Once the holes wear or the plunger wears the strut is just a worn part. You might be able to get them serviced but MB has no information on how to do this. I just had them all replaced with new parts.

This is where a car with standard suspension parts is far better. If I had to pay for that work it would have been 9k in part for some shocks and bushings. Owning these cars out of warranty is a bad plan. Either the car gets old and wiggly or you go broke replacing parts.