SL55/63/65/R230 AMG: Suspension Problem - it's raising itself!
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2012
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SL55
Suspension Problem - it's raising itself!
I fitted lowering links to my 2003 SL55 - it looks perfect.
But then sometimes after driving or after leaving it parked I come back and find the back end raised looking too high. The front remains looking just fine. This is without touching the height settings - leaving it on the lowest setting.
In this scenario I turn the car on, cycle through the height settings (reverting back to lowest, no lights on mode) and the car lowers itself again - going back to the height I like.
Is this normal or is there likely some problem?
But then sometimes after driving or after leaving it parked I come back and find the back end raised looking too high. The front remains looking just fine. This is without touching the height settings - leaving it on the lowest setting.
In this scenario I turn the car on, cycle through the height settings (reverting back to lowest, no lights on mode) and the car lowers itself again - going back to the height I like.
Is this normal or is there likely some problem?
Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 88
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From: SoCal
'03 SL55. Wife drives '06 SL500 and Range Rover Evoque
Welcome to the forum!
Never heard of such a thing. They will tend to drop after setting for a while if the valve blocks are failing or dirty, but raising up? Dono...
Never heard of such a thing. They will tend to drop after setting for a while if the valve blocks are failing or dirty, but raising up? Dono...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
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maybe it is in heat? 
on a more serious note - you are prolly losing the front valve block and it is not that the car is raising by itself, but it is that is is dropping on the front which results in what appears the butt side to be higher.
just a speculation.
on a more serious note - you are prolly losing the front valve block and it is not that the car is raising by itself, but it is that is is dropping on the front which results in what appears the butt side to be higher.
just a speculation.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2012
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SL55
No never any warnings. Though a couple of weeks after I bought it Mercedes did replace a strut as there was a leak (i bought it from MBZ so has warranty with them).
I did a test this evening:
- when I got into my car after work the back looked high (could fit around 3 fingers between arch and tyre)
- drove home and got out and immediately checked and only about 2 fingers would fit
So it seems it might just be raising itself when parked. It has always done this I think as I remember sitting in the car once when I was parked up and feeling the car brushing against my leg as it raised.. gave me quite a shock.
I think it's just more noticeable now as the front is lowered more aggressively than the back, so even when it raises up you notice the back more.
So is this normal behaviour that it rises whilst parked?
I did a test this evening:
- when I got into my car after work the back looked high (could fit around 3 fingers between arch and tyre)
- drove home and got out and immediately checked and only about 2 fingers would fit
So it seems it might just be raising itself when parked. It has always done this I think as I remember sitting in the car once when I was parked up and feeling the car brushing against my leg as it raised.. gave me quite a shock.
I think it's just more noticeable now as the front is lowered more aggressively than the back, so even when it raises up you notice the back more.
So is this normal behaviour that it rises whilst parked?
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Joined: Feb 2009
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From: Central WI (BFE)
SL55, ML500 & Acura TL
I don't think it is normal behavior at all especially raising. I can recall a number of times when my 03 had been idling for quite a while as I was talking to someone and then out of the blue, we notice the car lowered itself, but never raising. hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will pop up and give you some good info. In the mean time, just to be safe, I would not get the dealer involved. Some are real sticklers about any mods whatsoever and warranties.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2012
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SL55
I don't think it is normal behavior at all especially raising. I can recall a number of times when my 03 had been idling for quite a while as I was talking to someone and then out of the blue, we notice the car lowered itself, but never raising. hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will pop up and give you some good info. In the mean time, just to be safe, I would not get the dealer involved. Some are real sticklers about any mods whatsoever and warranties.
Maybe when parked!
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 571
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From: Sweden
SL55AMG + SL600 + E320 + A180
Also worth to remember these cars have automatic height adjustment -the car will always have the same height no mater how much weight you put in/on it. Both of my cars have a tendency of adjusting them self some time while the motor is idling while parked ..... could be a feature like the brakes is beeing activated when you open the door ..... just speculating.
By the way - just installed a lowering module myself yesterday and so fare now prob.
check it out ......
By the way - just installed a lowering module myself yesterday and so fare now prob.
check it out ......
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
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From: Northern NJ
2003 SL500
My 2003 SL500 is doing the same thing. When I am sitting in the car with the engine running, if I keep my eye on a set object I see the car raising itself very slowly. Then after about 10 minutes I feel it drop down. I am also looking at suggestions also as to what causes this...
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Atlanta, unfortunately
'09 S600, (2) R129 300SLs, '03 SL500, '03 SL55
If I had a car with this problem today i would connect Star Diagnosis and go into the level calibration menu. I would not bother to use any of the level adjustment functions and instead would see if the vehicle rises If it did, then I would conclude the valve blocks were contaminated; if it didn't, then I would look for an errant vehicle level or strut position sensor reporting changing data though the vehicle was not moving.
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Joined: Sep 2019
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sl55 amg
Last year I worked on a car with this issue . Presuming it was caused by contaminated valve blocks I ran back-to-back Rodeo routines. The problem disappeared.
If I had a car with this problem today i would connect Star Diagnosis and go into the level calibration menu. I would not bother to use any of the level adjustment functions and instead would see if the vehicle rises If it did, then I would conclude the valve blocks were contaminated; if it didn't, then I would look for an errant vehicle level or strut position sensor reporting changing data though the vehicle was not moving.
If I had a car with this problem today i would connect Star Diagnosis and go into the level calibration menu. I would not bother to use any of the level adjustment functions and instead would see if the vehicle rises If it did, then I would conclude the valve blocks were contaminated; if it didn't, then I would look for an errant vehicle level or strut position sensor reporting changing data though the vehicle was not moving.
Thanks for the response, I too am having this issue, Did you fix the issue on the car you worked on?
My issue - copy/pasted from my new member section post:
Issue 6 - This is the one bugging me the most! I am well aware of the suspension issues known on these. So I tested the system before purchase - ABC fluid looks clean too. So the issue is this - The car is always on the lowest setting as its already high enough, but sometimes when I park up and look back, or return from the petrol station I notice the rear arch gap has changed and it is sitting about half an inch higher. Checked the ABC is still in the lowest setting which is was. So after cycling through the buttons 3 presses. The car lowers itself back to where it should be sitting. The difference is about 1 finger width. Why would the car make a slight adjustment?? all the issues I have read the car goes up and down on its own or raises to the max. The ABC works perfectly otherwise just sometimes raises the rear which I can't find a pattern to. Most of the time its sitting fine, but sometimes with no adjustment its sitting slightly higher!! Is there something I'm missing or should the car be doing this? The car will be dropped on links but I would like to know what's happening here before I do any new changes.
No warning lights
I have not read a single post anywhere of someone with this exact issue with a solution
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Atlanta, unfortunately
'09 S600, (2) R129 300SLs, '03 SL500, '03 SL55
Yes. But on another car with this "rising" issue the Rodeo routines were of no benefit.
I think you have to discern whether the car has made an adjustment or the valve block lacks proper control. I'd start the engine, cycle the level control button, and while it idles monitor the height for up to 5 minutes. In the time interval the level should not rise.
I think you have to discern whether the car has made an adjustment or the valve block lacks proper control. I'd start the engine, cycle the level control button, and while it idles monitor the height for up to 5 minutes. In the time interval the level should not rise.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
SL55
My 2003 SL500 is doing the same thing. When I am sitting in the car with the engine running, if I keep my eye on a set object I see the car raising itself very slowly. Then after about 10 minutes I feel it drop down. I am also looking at suggestions also as to what causes this...
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
SL55
Did you fix the issue on the car?
Thanks for the response, I too am having this issue, Did you fix the issue on the car you worked on?
My issue - copy/pasted from my new member section post:
Issue 6 - This is the one bugging me the most! I am well aware of the suspension issues known on these. So I tested the system before purchase - ABC fluid looks clean too. So the issue is this - The car is always on the lowest setting as its already high enough, but sometimes when I park up and look back, or return from the petrol station I notice the rear arch gap has changed and it is sitting about half an inch higher. Checked the ABC is still in the lowest setting which is was. So after cycling through the buttons 3 presses. The car lowers itself back to where it should be sitting. The difference is about 1 finger width. Why would the car make a slight adjustment?? all the issues I have read the car goes up and down on its own or raises to the max. The ABC works perfectly otherwise just sometimes raises the rear which I can't find a pattern to. Most of the time its sitting fine, but sometimes with no adjustment its sitting slightly higher!! Is there something I'm missing or should the car be doing this? The car will be dropped on links but I would like to know what's happening here before I do any new changes.
No warning lights
I have not read a single post anywhere of someone with this exact issue with a solution
My issue - copy/pasted from my new member section post:
Issue 6 - This is the one bugging me the most! I am well aware of the suspension issues known on these. So I tested the system before purchase - ABC fluid looks clean too. So the issue is this - The car is always on the lowest setting as its already high enough, but sometimes when I park up and look back, or return from the petrol station I notice the rear arch gap has changed and it is sitting about half an inch higher. Checked the ABC is still in the lowest setting which is was. So after cycling through the buttons 3 presses. The car lowers itself back to where it should be sitting. The difference is about 1 finger width. Why would the car make a slight adjustment?? all the issues I have read the car goes up and down on its own or raises to the max. The ABC works perfectly otherwise just sometimes raises the rear which I can't find a pattern to. Most of the time its sitting fine, but sometimes with no adjustment its sitting slightly higher!! Is there something I'm missing or should the car be doing this? The car will be dropped on links but I would like to know what's happening here before I do any new changes.
No warning lights
I have not read a single post anywhere of someone with this exact issue with a solution
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Likes: 1
From: Northern NJ
2003 SL500
2003 R230 SL500
I did not find the problem... I had the rear valve block rebuilt because I saw that if I left the car sitting for a week or two, sometimes when I went into the garage I noticed that one side of the car had dropped slightly. My tech told me it was probably a leaky valve block. He rebuilt it and I thought that might have been also why the car raising on its own. Well the car dropping was fixed with the valve block rebuild but I noticed that the car still raises very slowly when I'm sitting in the car for awhile with the engine running. It might also be doing it while I'm driving. I wouldn't notice it if I was driving.
Newbie
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 1
Likes: 1
2004 SL500
I just rebuilt both front and rear valve blocks along with new abc pump.
The car was sagging over night as well as raising itself on one side at idle over 10 minutes.
The sagging issue is fixed but the car is still raising itself in one side.
Next step is to replace the abc control unit.
Anyone else fixed this issue ?
The car was sagging over night as well as raising itself on one side at idle over 10 minutes.
The sagging issue is fixed but the car is still raising itself in one side.
Next step is to replace the abc control unit.
Anyone else fixed this issue ?
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
SL55
I just rebuilt both front and rear valve blocks along with new abc pump.
The car was sagging over night as well as raising itself on one side at idle over 10 minutes.
The sagging issue is fixed but the car is still raising itself in one side.
Next step is to replace the abc control unit.
Anyone else fixed this issue ?
The car was sagging over night as well as raising itself on one side at idle over 10 minutes.
The sagging issue is fixed but the car is still raising itself in one side.
Next step is to replace the abc control unit.
Anyone else fixed this issue ?
