aleksandar1099

So I am driving back in the city tonight and all of a sudden i get the error message....stop, car too low.....so I pull over and I am thinking "oh no not again" I get outside the car and it is sitting on top of the tire!! This is now the second time that this has happened!!! The first time was on he left side and now it was on the right!!! I am taking the car to service tomorrow, but has anyone else has this problem. My first problem happened at 28000 miles and I took the car in for service and they changed out the entire suspension assembly on the left side. It was covered by warranty but took a week to do!! Now I have to take the car back again for the same problem on a different side....WTF very annoying. Has anyone else had this kind of problem with their cars...just wondering

benz_addict

I've had this problem before too man I though it was the pump but I was wrong it was the strut it self. Here's my thread on this issue (on a w220)
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w220/248261-finally-happenedoairmatic-collapsed.html

They replaced it under warranty.. it's a 3000$ job (Canadian) and took about 3 days

theeddie

its the strut


part is 1200-1400 retail at dealer fyi

gonzjed

damn..being car-less sucks...was your car lowered by elm, washers, or star by chance?

aleksandar1099

washers....but only by a small margin. That actually came to mind if why the suspension failed. I dont know....

theeddie

mine was washers
and my right side failed


dont know if it means anything

gonzjed

Mechanically, I don't think washers had an effect on the premature failure with so few miles. The washer drop is a mild drop IMO, but did the techs see the washers and say anything about it?

jangy

Don't rationalize to feel better. Lowering the Airmatic stresses it anyways as would adding larger rims (is that the case here as well?), but the washers are risky. Lets see if one didn't come out.....

Archi

Mine failed at 30K and I am not lowered. As much as I love this car there is no way I will keep it once the extended warranty is up.

twowheelmarc

Same thing happened to me saturday, car is being fixed as we speak. That had to replace the strut, I bout the car used, no warranty. Glad I got a good price.

Marcus Frost

I've said it a MILLION times... mechanially lowering your car with washers and by other cheap and corner-cutting means has shown to cause failure! Pay $250 and have a tech lower it through the STAR system. I don't understand why people pay so much for these cars and don't lower them properly!!!

Alexandar, when you get your car back, throw the washers in the garbage, call CPT, and have Al lower the car for you the right way. You will be much happier.

-m

aleksandar1099

Marcus when you are right, you are right. I am going to just do it the right way and be done with it!!!

MB Fanatic

My CLS is lowered through SDS as was the E55 and E63.

Chargin55

This has happened to me once before. I stopped for a while, re started the car and problem gone. Has not happened since. I often get the "vehicle rising" malfunction warning. not sure if thats related.

theeddie

well when lowering a car ANYWAY. you should replace the shocks

i dont think the washers have anymore to do with it then then doing it with star

gonzjed

i concur

jangy

HAHA!! If only we had some shocks to get....
I've used all the methods. In fact, i still have my set of front links that were modified from way before aftermarket ones were available. BUT, the ELM and STAR lowerings are different in how the car responds to the lower. The washers simply fool the computer, whereas the ELM (RT's) and STAR do not. They both change the target that the computer is looking for. In the end, yes they both lower. But, the ride is a big difference.

Marcus Frost

eddie,

The beauty of lowering through star is that you are actually keeping the height within specification of the original suspension - which typically allows for up to 1" of lowering. Unlike doing springs and not changing shocks on your traditional setup, this is all within factory specs. The washer method is the equivalent of springs without shocks. I understand it is tempting, but people need to be advised of the real risks that are presented! The washers allow the car to go out of spec and change the suspension dynamics tremendously and has been well documented in multiple platforms to cause failure.

-m

theeddie

after reading j post.

im starting to agree. i forget the car moves as we drive and it may move even further down with washers then when driving with star.

Marcus Frost

You've got it! Do not forget that with the washers the ECU thinks your height is at a certain level, when in fact it is not. So whatever adjustments on the fly it is making it is doing so with the wrong information - not limited to lowering the car when it is already too low and not raising the car enough when it has to. This will almost inevitably lead to failure with the Airmatic system.

When adjusting the ECU through STAR, you can simply change the voltage values in the ECU to ranges that are still acceptable and values that are actually TRUE. You may not be able to SLAM the car, but 1" of lowering is more than adequate for most drivers out there and still looks great.

-m

Thericker

Do you know of any Tech's or shops in Southern CA. that can do this work?? thank you..

Neoii

Which work? STAR lowering? You can call Vadim over at VRP.

Thericker

Are you serious? too kewl!!!! do you know how much they charge? Thank you...

MB Fanatic

Its best to call Vadim. I had mine lowered at MBLN but Vadim could do it without hassle and he knows what he is doing. It literally only takes minutes to do the lowering, though the alignment takes a bit more time.

Thericker

Thanx! I just pm'd him I also need them to install some 6000k hid's I bought...