edmond1129

I was going home in just a very gentle way today, and suddenly I heard a "pop" sound from somewhere under the car(just on a very flat road without hitting any hole or object) but there wasn't any error message until the very last 2 turns before home.

After parked I found out that the driver side rear suspension is slammed again, which I had both left and right changed just after one month only, but this time didn't slam as much as last time(last time both side slammed and covered over the rim) and this time can see 1cm of tyre.

I tried to rise it and can see it is trying to rise fast, but after another cm rised it slowly go down again, then it will go back to about 1cm left and rise again but then go back down.

Guys, does anyone heard any or been to this kind of situation just after this unreasonable time? I am getting sick of fixing this car.

Attached the photo from the last time which both side slammed, and this time is just the rear left and not covering the rim(can see 1cm or tyre).

WPOZZZ

Did a shop do your install? If so, there should be a warranty on the part and labor. If you bought it and did it yourself, the part should still have a warranty on it.

edmond1129

But the point is how can this happen!!! This car was in the top of the line and the parts are made by Bilstein, how could it broken down just after a month even it has any warranty!!! I almost fixing this car for every month and the suspension has been the worried parts. I thought it should be error free after changed but happening again, what are MB and Bilstein going on with their ****ty parts, you know it is not cheap already, really disappointed you know...

Zod

is your suspension moded i.e do you play with the hight for slammed effect?
or do you ride on stock settings?

it should no break just from one year usage unless:

• part is defective
• part was used and not new
• install was not right
• you are on very low settings for ride height (non stock)
• your roads are really bad + driving badly on bumps/ pot holes etc
• Tires wheel combo is not suited to car

edmond1129

Thanks for the input.

I found out that my rear were slammed on 18/08/2010 for the first time, as I am in Hong Kong, so I ordered the parts from germany and arrived here on 27/08/2010. They are fixed on the next day which is 28/08.

I dont know if the part was defective but I was driving almost every day after repaired and I didnt drive it for 6 days becus I went for a trip to Korea and it is just sitting there nicely without going down.

I have both changed from the same garage at the same time, and the right hand side is still ok by now, so I guess the installation should not have any problem. I agreed that the urban road here is kind of bumpy, but seldom to see holes around. This car was on the road since 2004 until August 2010 then starting to have bad air spring, and I have it changed just one month and it is broken again, it just doesnt make sence.

I bought this car since March, and last owner had installed the Brabus ELM, and I have been driving it for the last 5 months without problem, and my car isn't that slammed comparing to some of the fellow members here, I still have at least one finger gap in between the fender and tyre.

I am using 19" BBS LM with 275/30/19 AD08 tyres, it should be the same as spec right? I dont see any problem from the setting here.

All I can say is just no luck.
Sorry for opening a thread here just to complain, but it is just kind of depressed.

Sorry guys...

spezi81

If the spring is not installed as required by MB then it will break again

WPOZZZ

I'm guessing the part was defective. Things like that do happen. That's life.

220S

The rears are a bit trickier to replace. Since you ordered the parts yourself, I'm assuming you didn't have the install done at a MB dealer. It's possible that the fittings to the bag itself from the reservoir are leaking. One thing that can happen (esp in a climate like Hong Kong) is the nipple from the reservoir can get corroded and cause leaking. And if the connections were taken apart (instead of dropping the whole subframe), it might be that they are not tight and are leaking.

I'd question the install first before blaming the parts. Either way just put it on the SDS and run it through the airmatic protocol and see what it shows. The shop should have done that after the replacement job before they returned the car to you. SDS should tell you if the part itself is bad.

edmond1129

Just have the car towed and found out that the bag was blown. Was talking to a MB tech guy and he said we are using the new design of the air spring, and which consist of 3 layers (plastic/fiber/plastic) now instead of 5 (plastic/fiber/plastic/fiber/plastic) from the old design.

I did follow the whole progress of changing both side, and did actually lowered the frame to install, cus loosing the hose to the reservoir is almost impossible.

Parts could be defective, cus the tech guy told me he ordered 2 air spring for someone else the other day and both of them started to leak once installed. Thats why I said how can an AMG/Bilstein product can be that weak.

220S

That's too bad. It's weird, too because my Indy mechanic told me the bags were improved over the old ones It would be interesting to take it apart and look at it. If they are changing the materials to make them less robust, what about the new W212s? Will they fail at a faster rate now?

edmond1129

I was told it is improved but just the top part of the air spring changed from steel to plastic to prevent rust, other than this I was told it has less layers.
As I remember, W212 are not with air suspension anymore.

220S

The W212 E63 still has airmatic in the rear. The W212 E550 has airmatic in both the front and rear.