‘Car too low’ message !!

[Striker99]

I have 2007 E320CDI Estate 3.0 diesel.

Got message on dash ‘Stop Car Too Low’. Got out and looked, noticed the rear of the car is very low. Wheels are right up inside the arches.

Thinking about it, I havent noticed the pump noise which used to be a mystery to me, but someone told me pumped up the rear suspension !

Any advice on where to start with this please ?
This has happened a week before Im due to drive it 400 miles.

 

[clk320x]

Has it got airmatic it just the auto levelling rear suspension?

Could be rear level sensor IIRC

 

[Striker99]

Assuming I have an air pump to pump up the rear suspension, does anyone know if this is fused and if so which fuse ? I guess this must be the place to start looking for the problem.

 

[steveq]

The pump is an electric motor situated in the front passenger side.
There is a fuse and a relay both of which can fail and the pump itself can fail.
Don't know which fuse but it must be in your handbook, in the fuse box lid or on a separate sheet in the spare wheel well (that's where it is in my S212).

Does your car rise up when you start it?

 

[AMGeed]

^ Check the 7.5A fuse f45 in the box inside the engine bay drivers side up by the windscreen..
Fuse f45 is the first fuse in the row of 12 fuses closest to the wing and next to a relay.

This is the fuse for the airmatic.

 

[NiC63]

Your bags are either leaking so the rear has dropped or you have a air leak from somewhere maybe pump is knackered.
wouldnt drive it il get it over to a specialist asap

 

[Striker99]

^ Check the 7.5A fuse f45 in the box inside the engine bay drivers side up by the windscreen..
Fuse f45 is the first fuse in the row of 12 fuses closest to the wing and next to a relay.

This is the fuse for the airmatic.

Ive checked fuse f45 (and the others while I was there) all seem good. I’ve tried to identify the relay, and I understand it’s the four pin black relay clipped to the back of the fuse box (up under wiper arm). Mine says “ZETTLER CHINA” I was hoping it would say Mercedes !!

 

[Striker99]

The pump is an electric motor situated in the front passenger side.
There is a fuse and a relay both of which can fail and the pump itself can fail.
Don't know which fuse but it must be in your handbook, in the fuse box lid or on a separate sheet in the spare wheel well (that's where it is in my S212).

Does your car rise up when you start it?

I’ve never noticed it rise up.

 

[zipdip]

Well my bet is the rear level sensor,you will hear no pump running because the pump thinks the car is level and the right height,the part is cheap around £30 but a pita to fit,if your car is anything like the W221 S320 the sensor will be over the rear axle on the near side,best get it to a indy he will know what to do,you can lash it up with a decent size once only ,or if the garage is not too far away you can drive it.

 

[AMGeed]

^ +1 That would be my guess too.

 

[Flyinspanner]

Has anyone ever tried just slipping in their “War - Greatest Hits” CD, selecting ‘Lowrider’, and just styling it out.......

 

[zipdip]

Has anyone ever tried just slipping in their “War - Greatest Hits” CD, selecting ‘Lowrider’, and just styling it out.......

Well a great idea but having the rear down on that Mercedes will have you driving along with you looking like one of those nodding dogs you see in the back of come cars,it is like you are driving over a ploughed field I know because I ran my car with the same fault 15 miles to my indy

 

[Striker99]

Well my bet is the rear level sensor,you will hear no pump running because the pump thinks the car is level and the right height,the part is cheap around £30 but a pita to fit,if your car is anything like the W221 S320 the sensor will be over the rear axle on the near side,best get it to a indy he will know what to do,you can lash it up with a decent size once only ,or if the garage is not too far away you can drive it.

Thanks for this, I’ve had the relay tested, and it definitely engages ok when the ignition is switched on. I was going to start dismantling the front near side to get to the pump, but sounds like this sensor could well be the culprit. Is there any way of testing it or is it a case of just replacing it with a new one ?

 

[Striker99]

Well my bet is the rear level sensor,you will hear no pump running because the pump thinks the car is level and the right height,the part is cheap around £30 but a pita to fit,if your car is anything like the W221 S320 the sensor will be over the rear axle on the near side,best get it to a indy he will know what to do,you can lash it up with a decent size once only ,or if the garage is not too far away you can drive it.

Any advice on how to go about changing this sensor please ?

 

[zipdip]

Well one way of testing the pump is to jack up one of the front wheels so the wheel is off the ground and then let the jack down and listen you will hear the pump,as regard the sensor at the rear well I would suggest you let your indy do the job,the arm which is nearly always the thing that breaks is around £30 from MB,the sensor is just a potentiometer,connected to the cars electronics,the first thing is to get the back up and on axel stands or on ramps,and have a look whats gone wrong,is your car a W212,if you look on Ebay there is the complete sensor for sale for £20 these are over £100 plus vat to buy new but your s may well be ok it is the arm that has broken,so first you need to see what gone wrong,before you buy something,I would say that if it took a indy over a hour to fit and he had the car in the air on ramps it will not be easy ,there is a alloy rod about 4 inches long and at one end is clip affair that goes over a bar,I suspect if that has broken that is where you could use a once only to effect a bodge repair.

 

[PaulXC]

Has anyone ever tried just slipping in their “War - Greatest Hits” CD, selecting ‘Lowrider’, and just styling it out.......

Driving out of town this evening this came up on my random playlist -

I styled it out of Manchester !

 

[clk320x]

Thanks for this, I’ve had the relay tested, and it definitely engages ok when the ignition is switched on. I was going to start dismantling the front near side to get to the pump, but sounds like this sensor could well be the culprit. Is there any way of testing it or is it a case of just replacing it with a new one ?

Hmm I told you the sensor would probably be the reason on Saturday & you completely ignored my post.

They are £125 new (genuine) I’d say try a cheap used one for £10 to see if it solves your problem first...

 

[clk320x]

is your car a W212

2007 so much be 211.

 

[zipdip]

Well ok it is a 211,the op still needs to see what the actual problem is,and that is not easy as the backside is very low,he will need to get a jack under wherever he can and then slowly get the back onto axle stands I would not attempt this job off jacks,most times it is the rod,sometimes it is the sensor but it can be the arm which comes off the sensor that cracks where the metal rod fixes,you can repair this with a plastic type glue as this part is not sold without the whole sensor,as clk320x said these sensors are not that expensive,the metal rod is £30,of all the jobs connected to mercedes suspension I suppose this is easy because you can see the part and it fits in the palm of your hand,but it is a pita to fit,we will wait and see if the op comes back.

 

[E63AMG]

Driving out of town this evening this came up on my random playlist -

I styled it out of Manchester !

Come on fella get your cover art sorted for my OCD