20" rims and lowered - new airmatic fails :(
 

Last month I had the car lowered and new Monarch 20" alloys fitted:

Link

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ls-fitted.html

Today the car had to be recovered as the airmatic strut (front driver side) failed, slamming the car and making it virtually undrivable. The wheel touches the wing (fender?) when turning.

I had 2 new front struts fitted in February at a cost of over $3,700.

I am concerned that the dealer is going to blame the lowering links and 20" alloys, rather honour any warranty on new AMG sourced and fittred parts.

What are your thoughts guys? Should I expect for new struts to fail because the front is lowered 20mm (I always drive on comfort anyways, and not sport I or II).

Advice welcome, as on Monday I will have to speak to the dealer in London where the car has been recovered.

Marc

It really depends on if you have a mod-friendly service advisor. If you want to be on the safe side, swap back in your stock links before you go to the dealer.

+1

I totally agree, remove your links before taking it to the dealer.

I'm more curious if lowered cars have a higher chance of airamatic failures? I assumed no.

If lowered with links or washers, the chance of airmatic failure would rise, I would think. Using that method of lowering, the airmatic computer does not adjust for damping since it believes the car is riding at stock height, causing longer suspension travel than what's truly available. However, when lowering with SDS or a lowering module, the computer is 'height aware' and adjust damping accordingly.

Remove those links ASAP. I would bet they will try to deny the claim unless you have a good working relationship with them.

Well his strut leaked, I wonder how, prob defective from the get go.

Im in a similiar situation right now but my relay malfunctioned and burned my pump out. Im slammed 2" from the ground. Looks kinda good lol, pics in the W220 section titled" Pump Crapped Out"

+1

I must be very lucky, I've had lowering links on my car for over four years and never had a problem with the airmatic system. But I don't drive my car to much. But I would take them off if I had a problem with the system, and I was going to take it to the dealer.

sry to see that marc, id get those links back to standard if you can! to be on the safe side, no doubt they will blame them.

+2 don't give the dealer more ammo whn you take her in.

I think if you moderately lower your car via star or end links, that you should be okay. But if you dramtically drop it (slam), that's when problems occur, IMHO. Because the strut can not absorb the bumps at that level. So the impact to the strut is more pronounced.

def remove the lowering links before taking to dealership. Heck i removed my 19s and turned off my ELM when i took my car in for Visit workshop suspension icon. It ended up being a bad wire for the relay DS which was replaced under CPO warranty. Luckily i took it in 2 days after the warning came on.

Very relieved, it would seem that the lowering link had sinmply become detached. Dealership refitted and put on Star and set levels and no questions asked about the (obviously) very new non standard links. £180 sterling. Sorted and happy.

Thanks for your sympathy Alps. As you can appreciate I did not post on UK site as a) very few would know about lowering (there are some but not many) b) its not everyone's cup of tea and i did not want the "I told you so" replies and c) I may have decided to advertise the car ....!

For what its worth I had a new shape E220 cdi - what an completely unispiring car. Poor visibility; poor style; cheap interior; slow to engage gear when turning; gutless (of course) generally felt cheap ............................

Cheer to all for the feedback

Marc - back onb the road :p:

Good to here you here that you managed to solve the problem Marc!
I would also be worried about having to spend close to 3k on the car just like that.

I can imagine some of the responses you would get if you posted on the Uk forum!
(MbClub.co.uk E55)

good stuff marc, glad it was something reletively simple!

totally appeciate why you didnt post this on the UK site, car looks the nuts tho!

whats next on the mods list for you?

glad to see a simple fix by the dealer with no nitpicking!

Interesting, I have my 211 slammed on 20s, only issue I've had was replacing Airmatic Control Unit and pump. All covered under warranty.

http://i425.photobucket.com/albums/p...nkabbott/3.jpg