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Airmatic

N

NSNO

Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Messages
48
Location
Sydney
Car
W211 E55
I've got the dreaded red light flashing up on my dashboard showing the message "Stop Car Too Low".

This has been coming on and off intermittently for a couple of months now but now it has finally collapsed on the front passenger side.

I've got some quotes today from Mercedes for the struts and compressor and relay but I'm going to buy from eBay.

This is the link to the struts and compressor.

Airmatic Strut Mercedes E Class W211 Front Right AIR Strut Front Right | eBay

NEW AIR Ride Suspension Compressor FIT 07 12 Mercedes CLS E S Class W211 W220 | eBay

I don't want to buy a new compressor though if its not broke.

How can I tell if I need one?

The cars is dropped at the front on the passenger side so I think that this strut has gone and I've been told that you need to buy them in pairs.

Should I get the compressor as well and the relay?

Any advice is appreciated.

I should add that I'm located in Sydney as well so everything is more expensive here.
 
I would suggest you get the car connected to STAR diagnostics and run a full AIRmatic test that should enable you to diagnose the fault fully

If compressor is part of your problem it is also possible to buy a compressor repair kit from eBay for approx £20. This is certainly worth trying before buying a new compressor
 
I would also suggest Arnotts rather than Aerosus.

Where are you based as you are looking at prices in different EBAY regions?
 
Amo said:
Where are you based as you are looking at prices in different EBAY regions?
Click to expand...

The OP is in Sydney Australia which does complicate matters regarding postage/delivery. Arnotts in the US may even be a better option?
 
AMGeed said:
If you do end up having to buy a new pump, I'd suggest using Arnott's for a replacement.
Much cheaper than the one you are showing.
You may even find the struts are cheaper there too.

https://www.arnotteurope.com/e-mmyproducts.aspx
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for the suggestion but the one in my link is three hundred Australian dollars whereas the Arnott one is four hundred dollars which equates to five hundred Australian dollars.

Unfortunately the Australian dollar has been going down in value lately as not so long ago one US dollar was equal to an Australian dollar.

As for the struts though then it maybe better to get the Arnott ones going from peoples opinion.
 
Last edited:
Am I correct in thinking one looses the ability to adjust the suspension levels if one fits Arnott struts? That is no Comfort, Sport 1 and Sport 2?
 
whitenemesis said:
Am I correct in thinking one looses the ability to adjust the suspension levels if one fits Arnott struts? That is no Comfort, Sport 1 and Sport 2?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that is incorrect, I remember reading a thread where an Arnott rep said that it was rubbish!
 
m2287 said:
I'm pretty sure that is incorrect, I remember reading a thread where an Arnott rep said that it was rubbish!
Click to expand...

Correct it's a myth, arnott replacements work perfect. I have their rears on mine and have full functionality.
 
Re whether arnott struts have the same comfort/convenience, sports 1 and sports 2 modes as the OE Mercedes ones, I can say this:

1. Arnott make different strut models and some appear to offer the three modes, whereas some do not

2. I have email correspondence from an Arnott rep who says that the struts for the W220 (AS-2605?) do not offer all three modes, only the comfort/convenience mode

3. in the thread above (Arnott opens European operations), when I queried whether the AS-2605 offered the three modes, the Arnott poster said he would go away and check what he was claiming, but so far he has not come back, so as far as I know, that strut only offers one mode, as my Arnott email confirms

4. Arnott also recondition (remanufactured) OE Mercedes struts, and where these are used, they retain the 3 modes.
 
Last edited:
NSNO said:
I've got the dreaded red light flashing up on my dashboard showing the message "Stop Car Too Low".

This has been coming on and off intermittently for a couple of months now but now it has finally collapsed on the front passenger side.

I've got some quotes today from Mercedes for the struts and compressor and relay but I'm going to buy from eBay.

This is the link to the struts and compressor.

Airmatic Strut Mercedes E Class W211 Front Right AIR Strut Front Right | eBay

NEW AIR Ride Suspension Compressor FIT 07 12 Mercedes CLS E S Class W211 W220 | eBay

I don't want to buy a new compressor though if its not broke.

How can I tell if I need one?

The cars is dropped at the front on the passenger side so I think that this strut has gone and I've been told that you need to buy them in pairs.

Should I get the compressor as well and the relay?

Any advice is appreciated.

I should add that I'm located in Sydney as well so everything is more expensive here.
Click to expand...

The cause of the drop on one front corner could be due to a leaking airmatic valve distribution block where it feeds the air pipe for that front strut...the garage can do a leak test to identify this. Mine showed leaks and was replaced. The pump was fine.
 
There's an interesting thread I found regarding the retaining, or not, of switchable airmatic settings here:

http://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w220/284068-bilstein-airmatic-shock-replacement-videos.html

And this comment is interesting:

"Yes, the feature is taken away. Just got off the phone with Arnott. They are switching mine (Arnott version) to the remanufactured factory struts. The ones that Arnott Makes Auto-Dampen because they use Bilstein shocks that do it internaly. Either way. the Arnott Remanufactured struts are better than the factory struts because they dont leak. "

And this:

"Yeah I am going to go with the same thing.. I would rather retain my car's features than loose them, especially for the same price.. they really need to put that fact on their website, I think it's wrong to sell a product to someone without telling them it's got a major difference like this.. "

I haven't 100% confirmed it yet, but it looks like the OE airmatic struts for my W220 are made by Bilstein: Bilstein B4 series model:

http://www.bilsteinsuspensionstore....el=S-CLASS+(W220)&car_id=S320+CDI|10/98|08/05

Front:
http://www.bilsteinsuspensionstore.co.uk/bilstein-b4--airmatic-44042295_p31024217.htm

Rear:
http://www.bilsteinsuspensionstore.co.uk/bilstein-b4--airmatic-44042301_p31025078.htm
 
Last edited:
AMGeed said:
Not cheap are they? I didn't realise Bilstein did air struts for MB's:dk:, so that is a new one for me.

Aren't these struts recommended to be replaced in pairs?
Click to expand...

Yes I've ordered a pair of them, driver and passenger side.
 
Are they cheaper than OEM?
 
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