equitiesguy

Couple of things.

One: have any of you replaced your airmatic filter? You'll be surprised how poorly the ride is when that is clogged.

Two: have any of you checked your actual pre-programmed ride height of the car? Should be sitting at 0mm/0mm (Front L/R) and 0mm (Rear) when the car is NOT in kneeling mode.

equitiesguy

It really doesn't. Some common sense, some Snap-on tools, and a STAR so you never have to go to the dealer.

Reine

Hi
This has been a good thread for me as i have the same problem after I replace the rear shock absorbes yesterday.

Now it rides like ****. The rear suspension is hard and stiff like you are in sportsmode 2 all the time.

I have read everything you have written but I am still confused.

What exatly did you do to make it good again? What is accelerator sensor? And what is ESP?

Mackhack

Read our fault codes and fix it accordingly and it will be back in normal ride conditions. Simple.

Scott Petermann

Accelerator sensors are the small sensors on top of strut mount or strut tower in front. Not sure where they are located on back. You need to read the codes on the car and see which sensor is malfunctioning. Buy OEM from Mercedes ONLY accelerator sensor as my issue went away once we put an OEM replacement in bad one. My mechanic was getting the ones from a remanufactured place and it was still causing issues. Once we got replacement for front accelerator sensor. Issue resolved. Go to the dealer and have them scan it with Star or have a Mercedes mechanic with Star matching look at it. Otherwise other scan machines are useless. Let me know your results. It probably is stiffer than sport 2 mode. Mine was like sport 5+ it handled like champ. But an ant hill would cause me to be jolted and like others said to me. It's defaulting to emergency mode or whatever and is super stiffer and over pressured the air bags and struts. Good luck

Scott Petermann

ESP has nothing to do with it. Esp is the electronic stability program and is the traction control basically in a nutshell

Mackhack

As I explained before, if you have anything ESP related errors, the AIRmatic will go in limp mode for your safety. So why are you saying ESP has nothing to do with it? ESP is connected to most control modules of the car believe it or not.

If he has an ESP fault it could and very well be the source of the issue why he’s driving a go cart right now.

I specifically didn’t give him pointers like you did with your pedal. Instead I told him to get the fault memory checked. Then you can work on fixing it after you have a clue where to start looking specifically.

Example: I disconnected the battery to replace something. I forgot to initialize the steering wheel angle sensor because I had to leave to pick someone up after I was done. I got the ESP/ABS error, active cornering lights deactivated, SBC Hold and SBC Stop not available in the cluster within 2 seconds after engine on rolling out the garage. As soon as I entered the street from my house AIRmatic was already in limp mode and stiff like an old oak board.

I pulled over, engine off/on, rolled at 1 mph (just to put less stress at the tire, the steering rack and the power steering pump vs. turning at a stand still which is ok, too) and turned the steering wheel all the way to the left, then right, then back to center, all warnings went away, all functions were available and AIRmatic was happy again.

Unless he doesn’t have an ESP fault and he did do other work on the car that he hasn’t disclosed yet, calibrating AIRmatic with Romess at the dealership might be his solution. That is necessary after work has been done on control arms, bushings, replacement of AIRmatic air springs and the like.

Reine

Ok, thanks for all help. I will go to Mercedes and see if there is some fault code. My problem come directly when I change the rear shocks. I mean when I took the car down from the jack. I cant say it is like sports mode 5++, more like mode 2 all the time.
I think maybe I got the wrong shock absorbers? There is a important question here: There is an other shock that is for cars with "performance package". How can I see if I have that? I dont know what that is...


Is there a simple little thing I can do right now to reset something? It will take weeks to get help from Mercedes here in Sweden...

This "STAR thing" you all are using, what is that? I have never heard of it. (living in Sweden, hehe)

Mackhack

If you read carefully what I wrote you have 100% the solution and what needs to be done to fix it (calibration).

The front struts can be exchanged for PP steht’s which are a bit more sporty. With your VIN you can check you if you have the PP (P030). That would make your care come with bigger brakes and a limited slip differential.

Reine

OK.I have a little trouble keeping up with all the technical terms here. I am a newbie...
Can you calibrate this kind of thing yourself?

I must buy a Star Diagnostic Scanner...

Mackhack

Read and comprehend. Everything you need to know is said. No it cannot be done at home in your garage.

Reine

Problem solved.
I went to my Mercedes guy and he reset / calibrated the airmatic and now it works fine.
It took about 5 minutes.
Just hope it doesn't come back...

KAMG

A little off topic, but I never knew AirMatic calibration was necessary after suspension work? Why is it that most people just replace the part and all is good but for others like Reine the suspension gets all stiff and needs calibration? I recently replaced the front shock and did not have to calibrate. My car sits level, doesn't leak when parked for weeks, etc. IIRC WIS doesn't mention calibration, at least for the front shocks anyway; it just states to use STAR to deflate and inflate the strut

Reine

I wish I had an answer to that question.

Mackhack

Simple. Mechanics are dumb, oblivious and lazy. Don’t know much, don’t read official workshop information, don’t understand them and money money money. The faster it’s out the faster the next car is in.

Without calibration over time every AIRmatic will stiffen.

KAMG

That's very interesting, I'm surprised I've never heard or read anything about this. Thanks for the info. Any idea why Reine's suddenly stiffened up after replacing rear shock absorbers? Normally we'd be able to replace suspension parts (without AirMatic calibration) and not notice a difference, as many have done. Except that AirMatic will stiffen gradually over time, as you said. But in Reine's case it was not gradual?

Mackhack

It can go either way. Too much to explain. Calibrate it after work is done as explained and it will work as expected.

Reine

Ok guys. It was I who changed myself. So I don't want to blame Mercedes. I really want to explain that.
I thought you understood that.

kiluminati616

first i'm hearing about needing calibration as well. i replaced the rear shocks and front passenger airbag this summer and the ride hasn't been noticeably rougher but it sounds like that may happen over time? seems odd since a lot of people DIY this stuff and i doubt have the tools to calibrate.

Mackhack

Car manufacturers make money with repairs and they are not in the business that owners do their own maintenance. Römers Inclinometer cost over $3500. Who’s gonna buy that tool for a one time replacement? Usually the stiffness comes when the level sensor bracket gets bend. 1 mm bend = 8 mm ride height difference and the downward Spirale starts. AIRmatic starts to adapt to the differences and it gets stiffer and stiffer. Manufacturing tolerances in the air springs and struts do the rest. That’s it in a nutshell.

Mackhack

Kevin Tse aka KAMG, so you were told about the AIRmatic here and copy and paste my information in an Facebook AMG group and question it? You must be ****ing kidding. No more information for you here or in Facebook. This is so low I can’t believe this ****. Stupid little millennial punk you are. You have no ****ing knowledge about these cars, no clue about the technology but question it and probably believe these other responses that are just as dead wrong as you are.

Grow the **** up and respect others.

KAMG

I'm not questioning your information, I simply wanted to share it and start a discussion. Not everyone will read through every thread on here and read your information, but on Facebook members will see it and contribute, and it's generally a more active group. As I and another member have commented, this isn't common knowledge, the fact that a calibration is necessary after suspension work. Wouldn't it benefit everyone if more people knew?

Furthermore, you said it was "too much to explain," so I didn't ask for more info as you didn't seem like you wanted to share too much. If your intention was to keep this information secret or exclusive to this forum, I apologize and you can pm me and I'll delete my post on Facebook. Or pm your name and I'll credit your info. Either way, no harm or disrespect was intended. Lastly, as with any information, especially on the internet, it never hurts to have more opinions. Not that I doubt your credibility; I recognize your name on here and know that you contribute lots of useful info to this forum.

KAMG

Mackhack, how is this disrespect? Am I just supposed to take in information from 1 source and believe it? In this instance it would have been fine, since it was you who provided it and is legit. But what if a know-it-all gave me false info? Am I supposed to take that in and not ask for more opinions?

09E550VB

Please tell me the name of these rims lol please!

E63007

I too had the same issue with my 07’ E63 of the suspension feeling as if it was “locked out” with none of that Mercedes Airmatic adjustability going on after I had replaced both front Air Struts and Air Compressor, Torque Arms, Brake Rotors/Pads, Rebuilt Both Heads by Xtreme Heads with SLS Lifters and 8 new Intake Valves that were mildly bent and a few new springs that needed renewal and a rebuilt Intake Manifold and New PS Pump and HP Line. It turns out during this rebuild I had removed the Steering Wheel to be renewed with fresh leather and upon installation, I had not pulled up STAR and checked Steering for Codes! Like Mackhack said, in my case, the ESP was triggered as a result of my NOT doing that Steering “Test” in STAR, simply turning Lock to lock (ie-right to left and back). Because I had removed the Steering wheel which requires one to have to disconnect that ESP related Clock Disc that mounts inside of the Steering Wheel (being careful to tape it such that it didn’t rotate while the Steering wheel was off), once it is reconnected upon reinstall, the error code must then be cleared using STAR by doing the “Test”. Once confirmed in STAR, all that marvelous Airmatic functionality returned!