'08 E63 wagon Airmatic/shocks L & R not acting the same
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Texas
2008 E63 Estate, 2017 Land Rover Range Rover diesel, 1978 Jeep CJ7 Golden Eagle
'08 E63 wagon Airmatic/shocks L & R not acting the same
Just acquired this rare beast with 110K mi and coming out of an '05 E500 with Airmatic so somewhat familiar with the clear understanding that the AMG Airmatic is more complicated. Also, I am well aware that there may be spring conversion kits to delete the Airmatic but I do like the variety of options it offers so unless the expense side pushes me there, I'd prefer to stick with the factory offered system. The symptoms are as follows:
1) Computer OCCASIONALLY displays the "Suspension" image of the car with the arrow, but it is intermittent. After cleared the car does raise, lower, and stiffen/soften per the button choices inside and does display the appropriate image when in changing mode.
2) Known facts: The rear air springs do appear to have been replaced and the little Starbucks Doubleshot sized air tanks lines (much larger dia than the lines coming from the compressor) are cut so are clearly not in use. Our guess is that if the airsprings were replaced with aftermarket, perhaps they don't have the capability to connect with the added reserve tank that the AMG system uses. Just a guess.
3) Driving experience: Even after the fault has been cleared buy the dash button or restart, or doesn't show a fault at all, which is about 80% of the time, the car doesn't handle well and on medium sized bumps the corners will extend and compress and then one side seems to continue as if theres no dampening.
4) Practical testing: With the car sitting still we tested the lifting/lowering and it worked as designed. We then applied some vertical pressure/weight on each corner and while the left side wouldn't allow much compression, the right would and had more movement in rebound and also seemed to bounce for longer, like bad shocks do. Could it be as simple as right side shocks are bad? Car has had a few owners so no telling how diligent some were about replacing wearing or defective items and if they used factory or aftermarket parts.
Regarding the computer, sensors, etc. It's my experience that MB is usually very thorough on sensing and info providing and in a specific manor. I find it odd that if it is a shock specifically, why doesn't it give a more pointed to the shock code, especially in the diagnostic computer. It's not throwing any suspension codes about the shocks or any specific part of the Airmatic system which I find very strange since those small air tanks in the rear have been bypassed. I would think it'd recognize that and throw codes for that every time.
If this sounds like something you've experienced and you had a solution, or what not to do, please do reply. Again, I'd like to retain or bring back to as new factory operation. Thank you very much!
1) Computer OCCASIONALLY displays the "Suspension" image of the car with the arrow, but it is intermittent. After cleared the car does raise, lower, and stiffen/soften per the button choices inside and does display the appropriate image when in changing mode.
2) Known facts: The rear air springs do appear to have been replaced and the little Starbucks Doubleshot sized air tanks lines (much larger dia than the lines coming from the compressor) are cut so are clearly not in use. Our guess is that if the airsprings were replaced with aftermarket, perhaps they don't have the capability to connect with the added reserve tank that the AMG system uses. Just a guess.
3) Driving experience: Even after the fault has been cleared buy the dash button or restart, or doesn't show a fault at all, which is about 80% of the time, the car doesn't handle well and on medium sized bumps the corners will extend and compress and then one side seems to continue as if theres no dampening.
4) Practical testing: With the car sitting still we tested the lifting/lowering and it worked as designed. We then applied some vertical pressure/weight on each corner and while the left side wouldn't allow much compression, the right would and had more movement in rebound and also seemed to bounce for longer, like bad shocks do. Could it be as simple as right side shocks are bad? Car has had a few owners so no telling how diligent some were about replacing wearing or defective items and if they used factory or aftermarket parts.
Regarding the computer, sensors, etc. It's my experience that MB is usually very thorough on sensing and info providing and in a specific manor. I find it odd that if it is a shock specifically, why doesn't it give a more pointed to the shock code, especially in the diagnostic computer. It's not throwing any suspension codes about the shocks or any specific part of the Airmatic system which I find very strange since those small air tanks in the rear have been bypassed. I would think it'd recognize that and throw codes for that every time.
If this sounds like something you've experienced and you had a solution, or what not to do, please do reply. Again, I'd like to retain or bring back to as new factory operation. Thank you very much!
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 372
Likes: 50
From: Las Vegas, NV
2006 E55
Just acquired this rare beast with 110K mi and coming out of an '05 E500 with Airmatic so somewhat familiar with the clear understanding that the AMG Airmatic is more complicated. Also, I am well aware that there may be spring conversion kits to delete the Airmatic but I do like the variety of options it offers so unless the expense side pushes me there, I'd prefer to stick with the factory offered system. The symptoms are as follows:
1) Computer OCCASIONALLY displays the "Suspension" image of the car with the arrow, but it is intermittent. After cleared the car does raise, lower, and stiffen/soften per the button choices inside and does display the appropriate image when in changing mode.
2) Known facts: The rear air springs do appear to have been replaced and the little Starbucks Doubleshot sized air tanks lines (much larger dia than the lines coming from the compressor) are cut so are clearly not in use. Our guess is that if the airsprings were replaced with aftermarket, perhaps they don't have the capability to connect with the added reserve tank that the AMG system uses. Just a guess.
3) Driving experience: Even after the fault has been cleared buy the dash button or restart, or doesn't show a fault at all, which is about 80% of the time, the car doesn't handle well and on medium sized bumps the corners will extend and compress and then one side seems to continue as if theres no dampening.
4) Practical testing: With the car sitting still we tested the lifting/lowering and it worked as designed. We then applied some vertical pressure/weight on each corner and while the left side wouldn't allow much compression, the right would and had more movement in rebound and also seemed to bounce for longer, like bad shocks do. Could it be as simple as right side shocks are bad? Car has had a few owners so no telling how diligent some were about replacing wearing or defective items and if they used factory or aftermarket parts.
Regarding the computer, sensors, etc. It's my experience that MB is usually very thorough on sensing and info providing and in a specific manor. I find it odd that if it is a shock specifically, why doesn't it give a more pointed to the shock code, especially in the diagnostic computer. It's not throwing any suspension codes about the shocks or any specific part of the Airmatic system which I find very strange since those small air tanks in the rear have been bypassed. I would think it'd recognize that and throw codes for that every time.
If this sounds like something you've experienced and you had a solution, or what not to do, please do reply. Again, I'd like to retain or bring back to as new factory operation. Thank you very much!
1) Computer OCCASIONALLY displays the "Suspension" image of the car with the arrow, but it is intermittent. After cleared the car does raise, lower, and stiffen/soften per the button choices inside and does display the appropriate image when in changing mode.
2) Known facts: The rear air springs do appear to have been replaced and the little Starbucks Doubleshot sized air tanks lines (much larger dia than the lines coming from the compressor) are cut so are clearly not in use. Our guess is that if the airsprings were replaced with aftermarket, perhaps they don't have the capability to connect with the added reserve tank that the AMG system uses. Just a guess.
3) Driving experience: Even after the fault has been cleared buy the dash button or restart, or doesn't show a fault at all, which is about 80% of the time, the car doesn't handle well and on medium sized bumps the corners will extend and compress and then one side seems to continue as if theres no dampening.
4) Practical testing: With the car sitting still we tested the lifting/lowering and it worked as designed. We then applied some vertical pressure/weight on each corner and while the left side wouldn't allow much compression, the right would and had more movement in rebound and also seemed to bounce for longer, like bad shocks do. Could it be as simple as right side shocks are bad? Car has had a few owners so no telling how diligent some were about replacing wearing or defective items and if they used factory or aftermarket parts.
Regarding the computer, sensors, etc. It's my experience that MB is usually very thorough on sensing and info providing and in a specific manor. I find it odd that if it is a shock specifically, why doesn't it give a more pointed to the shock code, especially in the diagnostic computer. It's not throwing any suspension codes about the shocks or any specific part of the Airmatic system which I find very strange since those small air tanks in the rear have been bypassed. I would think it'd recognize that and throw codes for that every time.
If this sounds like something you've experienced and you had a solution, or what not to do, please do reply. Again, I'd like to retain or bring back to as new factory operation. Thank you very much!
The aftermarket Arnott replacement rear air springs eliminate the use/need for the remote air reservoir tanks. Disconnecting them will not, in itself, cause a code to be thrown.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Texas
2008 E63 Estate, 2017 Land Rover Range Rover diesel, 1978 Jeep CJ7 Golden Eagle
Thanks for your answer, apparently my Wrench uses the Auto Logic system. There was a long list of stored codes and he cleared them and had me drive it for a couple hundred miles and only two new ones surfaced. Only one related to suspension and it was the "decelerator sensor", which I assume triggers the front air springs/shocks to prevent rapid compression under hard braking, or the anti-dive feature, right? Regarding the rear air springs, while I haven't confirmed that they are indeed Arnott brand, they are likely to be, which I used on my E500 and were fine, so let's assume they are Arnott. So if bypassing the res tanks won't throw a code, will the rears still operate as designed? Do you know what the purpose of the res tanks are? I assumed it was for either instant availability for rapid need for pressure, or to offer a broader range of pressure. Did Arnott offer an improvement on their design over the factory setup? Thanks again for your input.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 372
Likes: 50
From: Las Vegas, NV
2006 E55
Thanks for your answer, apparently my Wrench uses the Auto Logic system. There was a long list of stored codes and he cleared them and had me drive it for a couple hundred miles and only two new ones surfaced. Only one related to suspension and it was the "decelerator sensor", which I assume triggers the front air springs/shocks to prevent rapid compression under hard braking, or the anti-dive feature, right? Regarding the rear air springs, while I haven't confirmed that they are indeed Arnott brand, they are likely to be, which I used on my E500 and were fine, so let's assume they are Arnott. So if bypassing the res tanks won't throw a code, will the rears still operate as designed? Do you know what the purpose of the res tanks are? I assumed it was for either instant availability for rapid need for pressure, or to offer a broader range of pressure. Did Arnott offer an improvement on their design over the factory setup? Thanks again for your input.
