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Keep me posted. Ive been switching between all the drive modes and suspension modes on the console dial pretty well every single trip without issue on Cete
Wonder if I should start another thread?
Today the right side decided to do 4x4 mode while the left side stayed normal. The common thing in all cases is after tight auto cross type turns/u-turns. Maybe a sensor is loose?
Pull in parking lot, turn car off, leave, wait 5 mins, go back all good. Made me late for an appointment though. Not happy about that.
Check out the height! Yes I looked and “lift” was not turned on in the menus. Imagine if I hit lift too lol.
Last edited by I.T. Guy; Jun 19, 2024 at 08:23 PM.
My local "Mercedes Benz Authorized" dealer decided to fix the problem I was having with the Max speed warnings was to twist the brackets for the sensors on the front so that the front suspension was at max height all the time. Pretty much the height I'm seeing in your pics. I had a 2K mile trip in a few days and decided to wait. After the trip it was time for new tires in the front.
Some owners seem to be able to do a 30mm drop and (reportedly) have no issues. I was at 20mm and ended going to 10mm just to stop the warnings hassle. There's probably something deeper here as some E63 seem to be immune to drops and others are very sensitive.
Oh, and yeah, I don't use that dealer any more. I found a local independent that has their act together.
Last edited by TugboatBill; Jun 20, 2024 at 10:28 AM.
My local "Mercedes Benz Authorized" dealer decided to fix the problem I was having with the Max speed warnings was to twist the brackets for the sensors on the front so that the front suspension was at max height all the time. Pretty much the height I'm seeing in your pics. I had a 2K mile trip in a few days and decided to wait. After the trip it was time for new tires in the front. .
When you say you needed new tyres, was this due to wear on the outside or inside edge? I ask as a higher ride height will tend to decrease negative camber (more wear on the outer edge) and a lower one will increase it (more wear on the inner edge).
The car was aligned for -20mm. After the dealer magic it was something like +30mm?. Outer edges were toast. It also handled like crap (understandably).
The car was aligned for -20mm. After the dealer magic it was something like +30mm?. Outer edges were toast. It also handled like crap (understandably).
This is my fear. One day at 240+ the suspension does something silly that kills. So far all these errors and car pulling side to side have happened at slow speeds. But after this last error I'm kinda worried. The right side was 100% lifted, the left side still lowered. It was not driving properly and 20km MAX SPEED is worrisome - what if I was making good time?
If I have time I'm pulling the Cete module completely out of the car this weekend and seeing what happens. Currently since the last error the Cete is set to 0-0-0 on all settings but still not sure if maybe it's wrecking things in the bus just enough to cause all these problems. With it unplugged if I don't ever get any issues again for a few months I'm selling it. If the issues come back with it removed it's dealer time.
A few mm in stance is not worth dying for.
Last edited by I.T. Guy; Jun 21, 2024 at 11:47 AM.
I.T. That absolutely sucks! Knock on wood I have zero problems with mine. I chatted with my installer about your issues and was told there is a specific order to install the module as if its done wrong will likely cause problematic ownership that they were not aware if its fixable any other way than STAR diagnostics.
So the airmatic suspension has a different levelling height altogether when the car is off. This is why you are not supposed to install the CETE module to the harness UNTIL the car is on and had settled at height zero actively once the car is running.
The car lifts up and recalibrates on a level surface once ignition is on then you plug in the module. If the module was installed with the ignition off then turned on, there is the potential problem that the car heights never got zeroed and the module is sending signals to an off balance suspension from the get go. Adjusting for a drop at this point will be problematic as it exponentially increases the percent error of the levelling sensors the more it is fiddled with. This was in the online instructions they wrote up. I am not sure if it was on the instructions that the manufacturer provides however. If the car never got to zero its height sensors before modding it then your airmatic may be buggered even after the module is zeroed out and removed.
I hope this makes sense!
Last edited by graphitegreyamg; Jun 21, 2024 at 05:16 PM.
Thank you for this info! The shop I went to is pretty straight up shop that works on only high end stuffs, is super busy and always expanding. I know the owners too, stand up people. But I guess employees do screw up once in a while...
I don't get how removing the CETE from the wiring the car would still have issues? As I understand it the Cete is a "man in the middle" attack between the computers and Airmatic tricking both sides. When removed, everything should just be "normal" and zero out again, no?
That umbrella is sick! And the control unit isn’t supposed to be plugged in until the “airmatic has cycled”, page 5 on the manual it looks like its a block box in their photo with a red locking clip at the harness. I of course do not have a photo. Manual
I believe it has more to do with CETE being installed and it telling the car its already at zero BEFORE the airmatic is able to do its calculation and cycle itself to zero during start up. I guess skipping the airmatic cycle may put the levelling sensors off a bit. Lets say if someone was sitting in the car making one side lower and the car is told those heights are zero. Now because of this stock settings when the cete is removed it now thinks the zero is the correct settings. I will confirm next week I probably also got the info wrong 😑
Last edited by graphitegreyamg; Jun 21, 2024 at 09:51 PM.
Hmmm
Do you think of I unplugged it all, ran it stock for a while, the stock system would re-zero and all be "cool" again? Or are you saying it will still be messed up if it was originally installed wrong?
If I get the stock system reset and "solid" working, then add the CETE back in "properly" maybe there is hope?
OR
I have something wrong with the car's OEM stuff that has nothing to do with the CETE at all That is why I'm tying to ascertain if I remove it completely, shouldn't it reset and go back to zeroed? Then if it stays "OK" for months I'll know it's fixed. Then I can try and re-introduce the CETE (properly)?
I would think there are failsafes in play to correct the issue. It is like the same failsafes that is telling the airmatic right now that it is off its calculations only in extreme demanding airmatic situations like autocross turns.
I wonder if the same errors will occur if you are parked on a steep incline and start the car. Maybe the incline is also another extreme demanding scenario for the airmatic.
@I.T. Guy I hate that this is happening to you lol. I've put my CETE mod plan on pause now (which was inspired by yours as you know.)
I feel you should unplug it too but your questions are valid, get those answers first, don't cowboy it. Would you have to "reset" the Airmatic somehow when doing that? If you can confirm it's doable to unplug, maybe it's worth trying to help narrow it down.
Has Google or the forum(s) said anything about occasional issues and if so what type of issues and/or causes?
@I.T. Guy I hate that this is happening to you lol. I've put my CETE mod plan on pause now (which was inspired by yours as you know.)
I feel you should unplug it too but your questions are valid, get those answers first, don't cowboy it. Would you have to "reset" the Airmatic somehow when doing that? If you can confirm it's doable to unplug, maybe it's worth trying to help narrow it down.
Has Google or the forum(s) said anything about occasional issues and if so what type of issues and/or causes?
These are the things in life that make me bonkers, been following your plight. Totally sucks.
Wondering if you unplug, is there a calibration process to reset the system settings? As the dealer might do after suspension replacement.
just adding to LMinn’s line of thinking. FWIW
These are the things in life that make me bonkers, been following your plight. Totally sucks.
Wondering if you unplug, is there a calibration process to reset the system settings? As the dealer might do after suspension replacement.
just adding to LMinn’s line of thinking. FWIW
Quick search found a vid resetting suspension on a W212.
And, I think I am inclined to just leave the CETE out. I was doing the lowering for stance look while parked. Perhaps it is possible to get the same effect by putting the shocks on setting I or II for a minute before arriving at a destination and parking. I was never into the slammed look, so, I think this will do it moving forward as long as the wheel gap is manageable parked.
This is on Shock Setting I, it seems identical parked when I was using the module in Comfort Mode and 0 shocks setting and -25mm in the CETE.
I'll try setting II too a few times with a measuring tape and report back.
Last edited by I.T. Guy; Jun 23, 2024 at 11:25 AM.
I tested this today in S+ and it's not even close to this when parked. I drove for at least 4 or 5 minutes before parking. Although my speed was only 60-90ish at peak (city traffic, never sustained 80+ for three minutes at a time as dictated per manual) so not entirely sure if my suspension truly dropped.
Here's a pic I forgot I had when car was on in S+ from a few months ago after summer tires were put on. The car was running. The pics I took this morning weren't this low (immediate after parking and 2+ min later once suspension settled.)
A few months ago idling in S+, please ignore the dirtiness, was detailed since then.
Here's one immediately after parking, I clearly didn't trigger the suspension even though I tried as explained earlier.
Today: S+, this was parked and turned off immediately after before suspension settles.
EDIT: Oops, pic when idling from a few months ago was with Alpin PA5, where the sidewall is 10mm taller. So not super helpful, my bad. I'll try this again this week.
Last edited by LMinn; Jun 25, 2024 at 01:04 PM.
Reason: Add correction
Thank you @LMinn
Somethins is up with my car
It is still lowered
Even though all settings put to ZERO for days before CETE removal
It's still slammed
So now my concern is, are the tires going to get burned up? I had the CETE telling the car to go to normal height after 50kph
Anyone know if these lowering settings can be read by HPTuners or?
Time for a dealer visit/reset I guess. Seems like something "broke" or CETE is not removable/did not "unprogramd" my car when set to zero.
So weird.
This suggests the install was not done as I brought up. I have a data point to add. I haven’t updaeted my forums since no one checks it anyway but, yesterday I hit the dreaded suspension malfunction drive below 20kph message on the dash. This is how that happened. Car was in show mode and the raise function was already on. I then turned the car on and drove away after I deactivated show mode I waited 30 seconds and the road we went on was twisty with lots of dips and dives. On the first twisty the light came on and the car was in 4x4 off-road mode higher than even the raised function gets.
It appears if there are multiple things happening all at once it would trigger the malfunction (the car was slammed in show mode and the raise car function enabled) these are two contradicting messages being sent to the suspension which probably confused it and triggered the message!
This suggests the install was not done as I brought up. I have a data point to add. I haven’t updaeted my forums since no one checks it anyway but, yesterday I hit the dreaded suspension malfunction drive below 20kph message on the dash. This is how that happened. Car was in show mode and the raise function was already on. I then turned the car on and drove away after I deactivated show mode I waited 30 seconds and the road we went on was twisty with lots of dips and dives. On the first twisty the light came on and the car was in 4x4 off-road mode higher than even the raised function gets.
It appears if there are multiple things happening all at once it would trigger the malfunction (the car was slammed in show mode and the raise car function enabled) these are two contradicting messages being sent to the suspension which probably confused it and triggered the message!
Thank you so much for posting
Curious as one of my theories is after the dreaded 20kph message is that the computer resets/fixes itself AT THE CETE SETTING as the new zero, and your car maybe the same as mine now! Try putting your setting back to 0 in comfort drive around and park. Is it still low too?
Or as you say it is all from not installing it properly the first time. WHich I still kind of don't understand; removed it should just be removed no?
Maybe I have a sensor broken somewhere and the car is just guessing/averaging everything wrong?
I am trying to figure out now how to get the factory system calibrated again by itself without having to go to the dealer and having it done. Battery pull? Some more hard turns/dips with no CETE involved? I've been pushing the "Raise vehicle" button a lot lately and then off hoping something will figure itself out heh. Maybe plug in the CETE again and just idling and see if I can raise or lower the vehicle more or less from the '0' it thinks it is now? Maybe it's just "stuck"?
My main concern is mostly how long has it been "broken" and not raising my car to stock height at speed for tire wear. Or maybe it IS raising the car at speed? I have no way to tell without someone eyeballing it beside me LOL.
One thing I do know is when I floor it the car has a little torque steer/sway even on the highway which I attributed to the spacers. Maybe it's the too low suspension?
The more I google the more it seems I need the dealer to calibrate everything with their tools and start the whole process over again.
It appears that the module flashes ROM which is why the car needs to be zeroed out to make sure the zero setting on the module matches the zero setting on the car for removal and returning the car back to stock.
If I had to guess there are a few suspension maps
1. parked height or
2. raised height (under settings)
and
1. comfort
2. sport
3. sport+
As an example one can be in sport+ raised then parked. CETE also adds in show mode somewhere but doesn’t account for all suspension maps completely.
Like let’s say:
Module Setting: Show Mode
Raised Setting: Active,
Parked: No,
Yaw/Balance Sensors Involvement (G-sensor): Active
Suspension Setting: Comfort
Then this is where the ride height sensors get confused. If I had to guess the g-sensor map is likely not attached to any suspension programming that CETE wrote into the suspension flash.
This also leads me to suspect the car should be at zero or stock ride height under the cete app (as if the module is removed) for all the maps to work in unison with the sensors on a race track.
Last edited by graphitegreyamg; Jun 27, 2024 at 02:34 PM.
Just to add to the fire this seems to have happened previously in exact instances I had presumed earlier. Here is a post on what I assume is a stock car parked in uneven ground:
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
