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3 wire or 4 wire sensors for Airmatic

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Old 07-30-2008, 07:56 PM
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2006 E55
3 wire or 4 wire sensors for Airmatic

OK, Ive been told by several members here, as well as an MB tech that the W211 airmatic is 3 wires only. Renntech is insisting that it depends on what year I have. They are adamant that W211's that have a production date before 5/06 have 4 wire sensors, and anything after that has a 3 wire system.

I wired my ELM initially for 4 wires per the directions. All the wires were there to use, and the ELM worked fine. The problem was when I turned it off, the car would lift on the drivers side, but not the passenger.

So after talking to some people, I wired it for 3 wires, and it also works fine when its on. But when its off, same deal. Raises on the drivers side only.

So who is right?????

I called jangy yesterday to get his take, but I figured Id get the rest of your opinions on this
Old 07-30-2008, 08:00 PM
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2006 E55
oh, I forgot to add that when the battery is disconnected and reconnected, with the ELM off, the car sits as it should. Once the ELM is turned on, lowered, and then turned off, thats where it gets stuck.

I got one of the first Gen 2 modules, so Im thinking maybe the module is defective?
Old 07-30-2008, 10:03 PM
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I think there may be some confusion here. Anything after 5/06 would be an E63, right? That is about when MB stopped making the E55, no? Also, that is about the same date that the new S class was released, and it has Airmatic as an option for the first time. Their Airmatic may have 4 wires, since there are 4 sensors.
ALL W211s with Airmatic have a single sensor in the rear and it is right above the pumpkin, and two sensors in the front. What is the 4th wire to? Are you saying that there are 4 sensors, because the module has many wires.

Also, I have not played with the V2 nor scrutinized the instructions like I have the V1.

From all the trouleshooting we did, I would at a minimum take the module off and make sure the car ride is good to go. You never know if you have a short or even a tweaked ride height calibration from the module install? Find out EXACTLY how the diagramming works and then start fresh. all things considered, I'd ask RT for a new one but don't hold your breath. Group5 has the remote, wired of course, if you are reinstalling anyways.
Old 07-30-2008, 10:06 PM
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Also, MB phased out older W211 components at the last half of the '05 MY as the newly released CLS demand fell off. I don't think anything special happenned to the E55 on 5/6, except end of production.
Old 07-30-2008, 11:21 PM
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Originally Posted by jangy
ALL W211s with Airmatic have a single sensor in the rear and it is right above the pumpkin, and two sensors in the front. What is the 4th wire to? Are you saying that there are 4 sensors, because the module has many wires.
the instructions for the 4 wire setup requires removing an additional wire off the harness, as well as a few extra for the front sensors (dont know why the front would have more). RT says that if those wires are present in the stock wiring, then that would imply that I have 4 wire sensors.

if you look on page 8 of this pdf
http://www.renntechmercedes.com/support_files/mb_lm.pdf
my car has wires 21, 36 and 34 present in the stock harness. So because of that, RT says car is to be wired for the 4-wire setup. It looks like there are still maybe 3 sensors, but 2 wires from the rear.
Old 07-30-2008, 11:32 PM
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Originally Posted by psk145
the instructions for the 4 wire setup requires removing an additional wire off the harness, as well as a few extra for the front sensors (dont know why the front would have more). RT says that if those wires are present in the stock wiring, then that would imply that I have 4 wire sensors.

if you look on page 8 of this pdf
http://www.renntechmercedes.com/support_files/mb_lm.pdf
my car has wires 21, 36 and 34 present in the stock harness. So because of that, RT says car is to be wired for the 4-wire setup. It looks like there are still maybe 3 sensors, but 2 wires from the rear.
Not a chance. There is one signal from the rear. I wonder if the wires are definitely for sensors? I wouldn't be amazed if the wiring harness changed on the E, but again, it would have been in '05MY and not in 05/06. The car also reads from 3 accelerator sensors and I think a flip over sensor as well, so I am not questioning the wiring.

Hmmm, I don't get the pdf.....
Old 07-30-2008, 11:47 PM
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How many wires are there in total? The V1 was simple, in that it had a power loop and then 3 sensor loops to make 8 splices. How many wires are you trying to "plug" and "play"?

Told you to get the V1 for cheap.
Old 07-31-2008, 12:34 AM
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the pdf is weird because its made to be printed out like a booklet. Or do you not understand the diagram?

There are 2 wires available for the rear, and 4 for the front assuming a 4-wire sensor install. Then there's the CAN wires, which I dont know what they do.

I used 1 for the rear and 2 for the front, wiring it as a 3-wire as I was told here.

I got the V2 for the same price as the original.
Old 07-31-2008, 12:36 AM
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2006 E55
Originally Posted by jangy
How many wires are you trying to "plug" and "play"?
I feel like we're going in circles. Thats what I want to know. How many should be wired up? Is the car a 4-wire sensor or 3-wire sensor???? The number of wires Im trying to plug and play depends on how many "wires" are there
Old 07-31-2008, 12:49 AM
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Originally Posted by psk145
There are 2 wires available for the rear, and 4 for the front assuming a 4-wire sensor install. Then there's the CAN wires, which I dont know what they do.

Bro, that's only three sensors. each has 2 wires to loop it. You have 4 for the front, right? And 2 for the rear. That is 3 sensors.

I used 1 for the rear and 2 for the front, wiring it as a 3-wire as I was told here.

I got the V2 for the same price as the original.
Sorry for confusing you more. i'll get the wiring diagrams for the cars tomorrow and post. HAHA!! I know you got a good price for the V2, but I meant DIRT cheap plus I was just messin.

Hasn't anyone else installed a V2 into a newer E? My V1 only has 8 wires on it, so its easy to figure out. How many wires are coming from the V2?
Old 07-31-2008, 06:56 AM
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I'm getting ready to install a V2 ELM and have followed your issues with your module over the past few months. What I did to confirm whether my car is three wire or four wire sensors was to actually inspect the sensor in the wheel well where it's mounted. I checked both fronts and the rear sensors. All are a four wire sensor (i.e., there are four wires leading into the sensor), so when I do my install, I will wire it up using the the four-wire instructions. Right now, I am trying to track down the correct pin removal tools to use so I don't hack up the connectors.
Old 07-31-2008, 11:04 AM
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2006 E55
so the manual may be correct, and the car is a 4-wire, but still 3 sensor setup?

I was told here that it was incorrect
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/249736-renntech-elm-users-please-share-your-long-term-reviews.html

I didnt use a pin removal tool, I just used something I found with a small point to press in the tabs.
Old 07-31-2008, 05:08 PM
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Wait!! So, we are talking about how many wires run from each of the 3 sensors? I thought you said he said she said that there were 4 sensors?

The V1 was that way, too. I guess we need to translate renntech speak to laid men's terms
Old 07-31-2008, 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by psk145
so the manual may be correct, and the car is a 4-wire, but still 3 sensor setup?

I was told here that it was incorrect
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=249736

I didnt use a pin removal tool, I just used something I found with a small point to press in the tabs.

Did you do continuity testing? You may have toasted the unit . Just messing, but I'd still ask for a new one and go with the 4 wire setup, or was that 3?
Old 07-31-2008, 05:17 PM
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I had mine wired for the 3 wire setup and it didnt work. I rewired it for 4 wire and its perfect. I have a 2003MY, beats me.
Old 07-31-2008, 06:30 PM
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I just got done rewiring it for 4, and its still lopsided when its turned on, and then off. Straightens out when I disconnect and reconnect the battery.

Tested continuity, and its all fine.

Im out of ideas, so I think a new unit is appropriate.

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