Stop Car Too Low.

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
I take it from that, that the height has been set correctly now, but that the car still drops overnight, or have I misinterpreted this?

If sagging/leaks are still present, due to the warmer weather now, I think you will see less rapid dropping overnight, because cold weather seems to exacerbate the leaks...cracks open up wider with the cold?

Yes, the ride height is set to what it should be all round now.

The car does not drop overnight - it's purely the garage floor being uneven and my perception. The last ride height test I did was on a flat car park at work, which I did the same today.

Unscientifically, at the end of a period of sitting there from c08:30 > 17:30 today, my hand flat facing down now goes under both rear arches and stops as the wheel arch makes contact with my knuckles - which is now exactly the same both sides.

I will have to see how it pans out as the year goes on but interestingly - no damp / rain, no message!
 
Despite what most people seem to think, Airmatic isn't really that complicated. It works on compressed air, so by definition needs to be air tight to work properly.

Any settling overnight = a leak.
If it fails to go back up (or via lift button) = pump knackered

There are 3 sensors for ride height - one on each front and one for both rear. It works via a lever arm sort of thing (iirc) and has no idea how big the diameter of your tyres are - that shouldn't affect it.

Also, despite what most people think, the Airmatic only gets rid of the springs. There are still dampers as well. Integrated at the front and separate at the back (probably the most complicated bit as these are electronic). A banging over bumps at any corner usually points at knackered dampers rather than the air springs.

Following with interest, but haven't got a Scooby wether your car is sagging or not!! Best bet is to leave it for a couple of weeks while you have a nice holiday. If it's on the floor when you come back, you've got an easy answer!
 
There are 3 sensors for ride height - one on each front and one for both rear. It works via a lever arm sort of thing (iirc) and has no idea how big the diameter of your tyres are - that shouldn't affect it.

Probably, we had some dry days when I was on taller diameter tyres.

Following with interest, but haven't got a Scooby wether your car is sagging or not!! Best bet is to leave it for a couple of weeks while you have a nice holiday. If it's on the floor when you come back, you've got an easy answer!

It's been left for days before and has not changed height.

I think what happens is it goes in the garage and then quickly settles to the various subtle cambers of the garage floor and that is where it stays.

It doesn't change from Friday night to Monday morning so I suspect it is fine.

The reservoirs looked in great shape when I last investigated so for all I know - it could have already had issues and been fixed.

We've had a bit of rain today albeit not a lot - so will see if I get the error later.
 
I know you can get the sensors calibrated (not sure if this is what you've already had done), sounds like a false problem to me. Welcome to the hypochondriac that is the W211's brain!

It is weird when you see one that's levelled itself on a shallow curb or camber. At first glance it looks like one side has dropped then you realise the car is level and the road and pavement are not!
 
I think what I had done was the ride height was reset so I don't think the sensors could be recalibrated. This is another avenue for me to look into.

I didn't get the message so I guess not enough rain!

:rolleyes:

Incidentally - when I parked it in the garage, the ride height is now different on the OSR i.e. more gap than before so probably not the garage floor after all - and the angle I have to look at because the of the misses' car behind me might be skewing things!
 
Sounds like you had ride height settings incorrect, but now correctly set. The body dropping issue seems not to be present now, and this has probably been fixed by the ride height changes.

Does this sound about right to you?
 
Yes - I would say that's a fair summary.

It could be the garage floor still causes the same issue as before, but because the OSR wheel is not so close to the arch, it is not as noticeable.

Or it could just be that the OSR was set lower than the NSR and now they are the same.
 
Ah that's good then, hope it's all fixed now.

To check if all seems level now, you could take it to a multi-storey car park and park it up and take a look at the tyre/wheel arch gap on front & rear wheels.

As far as I know, multi-storey car parks are usually quite level, IKEA for example. If that's not true, perhaps someone could recommend a level place to park up.
 
Last edited:
Hopefully so. I imagine by now a problem would have presented itself a bit more obviously than it has.

Interestingly, I tested the ride height unscientifically in my garage again - the OSR arch is definitely lower than the NSR - so it's definitely the garage floor which makes it look like the OSR has sunk a bit (it does stack up with the water test I did). I think I was mistaken previously and it settles to that position (after checking last night) within a few seconds and it remained exactly the same this morning whereas previously I thought it was happening much more slowly than that (indicating an issue). The test at work on a level car park suggests both sides remain the same level all day.

And this morning, the weather was peeing it down and so huge surprise, the message came up when I first turned on. However, the car had barely got wet so I think this might be damp air causing it although I am not really sure how (causing a short?). I cancel it and never see it again for the duration of the journey - which seems to be standard bill of fare with this car.
 
Stop the press. The car has not been in the rain since my last post and I think I had 1 or 2 displays of the message in that time.

Then it has rained yesterday and today with my car in it and what a surprise, the message has come on 4 times in that time.

Car still sits OK all the time.

I think my inde will be looking for a dodgy connection somewhere!
 
Hmmm very annoying! Best tell mechanic which messages to help him on his search.

I have two messages I see every day now:
1. Electronic program control- visit workshop
2. Battery charge- visit workshop

Number 2 is pretty much trip reproduceable on demand...just put on cc and then flick it off and let car slow naturally and bam, message is displayed.

Number one appears on engine startup and at other random moments.

I hope they're not expensive... :(
 
Indeed but not serious at this stage so that's a relief I suppose.

It's not just me then!

I doubt they are - I imagine like mine - it's just a false alarm.

This isn't the only gremlin I get mind.

I also get occasional double red / long beep parking sensor weirdness although that's normally the rain - except that very infrequently they will do it and return to normal a couple of seconds later.

Today the windows refused to open. Stop the car, refuel and after what is effectively a reboot - they are all working again. Done that before.

Rain sensitive wiping - just can't be bothered to do it sometimes and I have to switch off and on again.

Sometimes my MP3s misbehave and skip or stop playing.

Pretty much all the weirdness happens when it is raining or damp.

I think water and this car don't mix too well!

I shouldn't moan too much - it hasn't seriously let me down yet.
 
If it's being bothered by rain it suggests its a road side connector. Just part everyone, pack with grease then refit and all will probably be well.
 
Indeed but not serious at this stage so that's a relief I suppose.

It's not just me then!

I doubt they are - I imagine like mine - it's just a false alarm.

This isn't the only gremlin I get mind.

I also get occasional double red / long beep parking sensor weirdness although that's normally the rain - except that very infrequently they will do it and return to normal a couple of seconds later.

Today the windows refused to open. Stop the car, refuel and after what is effectively a reboot - they are all working again. Done that before.

Rain sensitive wiping - just can't be bothered to do it sometimes and I have to switch off and on again.

Sometimes my MP3s misbehave and skip or stop playing.

Pretty much all the weirdness happens when it is raining or damp.

I think water and this car don't mix too well!

I shouldn't moan too much - it hasn't seriously let me down yet.

No it's not just you...I expect many people here are plagued with these messages, certainly I am :(

The parking sensor false alarms are often caused by crud amassing on the round blob sensors on the bumpers, especially the front ones. In summer with all the flies, sometimes the sensors get plastered with a few flat critters. A good wash down and clean usually gets rid of random bleeps from these parking sensors...for a while ;)

Good luck with these annoying messages! I'll maybe see if Olly can fix my messages next time I'm in there...
 
So whilst mine was in having the alternator done - the raise car complaints continued.

My inde investigated and has isolated the issue to the pump not quite being good enough.

I've no idea how old the pump is but given someone recently mentioned pump replacement every 5 years, and I've had the car for 4 years in March, this does make sense.

Going to wait until I get more of a complaint and then replace.
 
I wonder if you'll notice considerably fewer electrical quirks now you have a new alternator? Hopefully so.

The only message I still regularly see now (especially after lots of wind and rain) is due to the wires in the folding mirrors getting knacked due to wear and tear.
 
Hi John, you can get a rebuild kit as its the seals that leak, try that first before forking out for a new pump.

Ive not had to change my pump nor has it been changed, so not sure about the 5 year thing.
 
Didn't know about the rebuild kit for the pump.

Is that a Mercedes thing or a aftermarket?

Is that something I could tackle (I am proficient at most stuff as long as it can be done with regular tools!)?

I wonder if you'll notice considerably fewer electrical quirks now you have a new alternator? Hopefully so.

The only message I still regularly see now (especially after lots of wind and rain) is due to the wires in the folding mirrors getting knacked due to wear and tear.

Yes, that thought went through my mind. The only one I've had since is just the airmatic but it moans once daily when I use it anyway now I think (so probably getting worse).
 
John when my pump went, it had been doing the same for a while. One day it gave up the ghost and the car was slammed with a red warning.

I would repair or replace soon to avoid the inconvenience.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom