GT-ER

Today on my way to work my car was acting kinda funny, it felt "soggy" in the rear end. When I got to work everything looked okay. Once I got out I saw the horror....my driver's side rear end was on the floor.

I turned the car on, it came up and I drove it home. It felt normal too. 3 hours after getting home, the car is still fine.

Does anyone have any diagrams or any tips on diagnosing airmatic problems ( particularly leaks )?

johnnyblaze

If i leave my car alone for 5-6 hours the back end will tuck my rear tire, if I leave it in comfort mode. If I leave it in sport 1-2 it will stay the same height. My car has done this ever since I lowered it with STAR.

GT-ER

That weird. My car did this once before but it was both sides and it was after a few days of not using it. After I turned it on it went up and never gave me any problems ( this was almost a year ago ). This is the first time since then this happens and it was only on one side this time.

Nearly 4 hours later, car is still a-okay.

GregMB

Time to start accumulating coil over parts, I guess.....

Now that the conversion process is so well documented, it seems silly to fix the AirMatic system anymore.

I secretly hope that my AirMatic fails before 2016 so that my warranty company will finance the coil over swap!


-G

GT-ER

I'm not sure I want to. I'm kinda in love with airmatic since my roads here are so screwed up and my car is one of the most comfortable cars I've ever driven with with the small tire sidewall and lowered suspension.

UPDATE: This morning my car was still okay. WTF? What could have happened?

GregMB

Well.... The good news then is that there should be a good supply of AirMatic "takeoff" parts available as people continue to do the coil over swaps.

Shouldn't be too hard to locate a used replacement part for whatever parts ends up being bad.


-G

E55Dimon

One of my neighbors has his daily driver E500 rear slammed on the ground most of the week. Going on 2nd year and says it drives fine, goes up etc. Looks pretty cool

GT-ER

I'm thinking about arnott's new rear bellows. Supposedly they are somewhat stiffer which I'm interested in.



But I have to know for sure that it's my rear bellow that is bad before I do anything.

cij911

Sounds like you have a small / slow leak....Sometimes the leak occurs at the fitting (where mine was leaking), other times the seals are shot....Soap & water solution is often used to find air leaks (look for the bubbles)....

I agree with you that for road cars, the air suspension is great...I love that I can raise my car, with a button, if I need to...

GT-ER

I thought so but why did my car drop in a few hours one day and not drop at all the next day? There has to be a leak but it must be variable. Perhaps the air purge valve is getting stuck open?

cij911

Sorry I misunderstood....if it only happened once, then yes it sounds like it may just be a valve that stuck open...

GT-ER

Can anyone tell me if this is a common problem?

Shifter

Was there any significant temperature change the day it happened?

Peter_02AMG

Did you read the instruction on how to install his new Arnott's design bellows? The instruction is on their website. You have to drop the rear exhaust section and the rear end to install it. Fk that!

Shifter

And what do you think you need to do to replace a factory unit??

BBBSS

Hand the dealer the keys and bend over?

Shifter

Haha good one

GT-ER

Loering the subframe is not required. You just have to disconnect the expansion tank, something mb doesn't recommend and thus why they recommend lowering the subframe. I think they are nuts.

Hulk

^^^^^ yes my tech said the same thing and works every bit as good and waaaayyy less time to do the job

Shifter

They say not to because the seal is critical and "cannot" be assured

GT-ER

Yep...although I'd rather try 10 times to seal it right before I'd lower the subframe.

GT-ER

Oh, and my car has yet to replicate the problem...wtf?

AMG893

Hopefully it was just a one off?

justinwrock

coils!

GT-ER

I would love to...but I'm afraid of losing my comfort.