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C32 (203) Xenon auto-level problem

T3RVO

Member
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Messages
39
Location
Snetterton, Norfolk.
Car
C32 AMG Estate (S203)
HELP!

Could someone with a UK-spec C32 AMG (W203 or S203) fitted with standard factory Xenon headlamps please compare their car with mine?

Billy, my friend, where are you?

My 2002 C32 Estate has recently been to the local garage for MoT test. They phoned to report a perished rubber boot on the left front lower suspension arm balljoint so I agreed to give them the go-ahead to replace the whole arm. I know the fault was only a rubber weather-proof boot but if the salty water has already found its way into the ball joint I don't want it on my car.

The new suspension arm fitted, the car passed the MoT retest with no problem. It would.

Great. Until...

A couple of weeks later I needed to use the car at night, unusual for me in the Summer. The headlights are in default safety mode, they point down so low they are useless to anyone. Even on full beam it's a struggle to see the moth before it splats on the grille.

At initial start-up (i.e. switch-on dipped headlights before turning key to ignition-on, the traditional curtsey test) the lights make a little suggestion of the curtsey routine they should perform but it's a feeble effort when compared with how they used to dip down and then raise to the correct level. That's because they are already adjusted to the lowest setting, they have nowhere to go.

The car was returned to the MoT test garage who connected the OBD II link to their system and performed perfect raise-lower-raise exercises. So the logical suggestion is that either the front or the rear level sensor is sending duff data to the headlight ECU. Or no data at all.

One possibility that occurred to me is that when the garage had the car on the lift to replace the suspension arm (on the side opposite to the headlamp level sensor) they must have used the wheel-free facility to suspend the body/chassis while leaving the wheels and suspension to dangle.

In doing so, it may be that the sensor's lever-arms were extended to the straight position, i.e. with the elbow joint at 180 degrees. When the car was returned to weight-on-wheels mode the sensor's lever arms just might have hinged the wrong way?

So. My photo herewith shows my front level sensor as it is now. If someone who has fully working xenon level sensors could spin their steering into full right lock and take a peep (or even a photo?) at their sensor I would be very grateful. You see how my 'elbow' points to the back of the car, I suspect that it should point to the front?

Many thanks for your attention.

Jerry.
 

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Wow! What a quick and conclusive response, many thanks Billy and Gazz. Oh how I love to be proved right!

I should hold my breath though, until the car has again been returned to the garage so they can wheel-free it again and make certain the elbow falls the right way. They are a bit too keen on Elfin Safety in their workshop but I will try to be there when they do it.

But look.... look at Billy's photo.... there's a long spring attached to the central elbow joint which looks like it's intended to prevent "the flip" from happening.

I reckon Billy's car is a 2001 (I think?), mine is a 2002, Gazz's is a 2003 (I think?) which means it's only the earlier car which has the sensible spring. That's progress?

If a visit to the wheel-free lift in a garage can flip the linkage, then it's possible that an over exuberant flight over a hump-back bridge could also do it?

I'll be fitting a spring to mine.

Thanks again you good gentlemen, subject to remedy and test it looks like you've solved a big niggly mystery.

There's a pint on the counter for you...

Jerry.
 
No problem anytime oh I didn't notice spring haha and yes 2001 soon to be revamped, and body work and wheels going back to original condition
 
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I'm prepared to have a small wager that they have changed the forward control arm (balljoint points downwards). To replace this one requires that you drop both the anti-roll bar saddle brackets to get the bolt out. The headlamp levelling sensor arm is attached to the anti-roll bar, so that is how it has become flipped. Or that's how I see it...
 
Mine is a 52 plate and has no spring fitted :(
No sign of a spring in the EPC either.

Tony
 
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I'm prepared to have a small wager that they have changed the forward control arm (balljoint points downwards). To replace this one requires that you drop both the anti-roll bar saddle brackets to get the bolt out. The headlamp levelling sensor arm is attached to the anti-roll bar, so that is how it has become flipped. Or that's how I see it...
Aha, Gazz I'm with you.... almost completely!
If you're right, the sensor elbow wouldn't be able to flip on take-off over a hump bridge... It's only when the suspension links are separated that there's enough travel.
If that's the case then there's no need for the spring. But I reckon someone has installed an old wiper-arm type spring on Billy's sensor. Hmmmmm...
 
Aha, Gazz I'm with you.... almost completely!
If you're right, the sensor elbow wouldn't be able to flip on take-off over a hump bridge... It's only when the suspension links are separated that there's enough travel.
If that's the case then there's no need for the spring. But I reckon someone has installed an old wiper-arm type spring on Billy's sensor. Hmmmmm...


Trouble is Gazz, that means we won't be able to undo the flip simply by lifting the car on wheel-free. We - actually they - will have to dismantle an appropriate part of the linkage. If they don't put it back where it was fairly accurately we'll end up booking STAR time to have the levelling calibrated.

Best I explain to them what's happened and let them get on with it. I paid to have the suspension arm replaced and they have yet to complete the job, I'm quite confident now that the ball is entirely in their court and if necessary they'll have to lend me a car while they fix it.

Oh no forget that. They are Skoda and Musso agents...

Jerry
 
So. We've been back to the garage today and explained all with the help of the photos on this forum. Technician detached the U-bolt mounting from the anti-roll bar and the sensor elbow instantly resumed its normal position. U-bolt mount easy to replace in exactly the same position as there's a flat on the anti-roll bar to receive it.

The sunshine is still too bright to be absolutely certain but I'm pretty confident that the full curtsey ritual has returned and the lights seem higher up my fence than they were.

If this leaves a little fine manual adjustment necessary that's OK, they weren't absolutely perfect before and I've been meaning to fine tune the headlight aim ever since I bought the car.

Unfortunately we aren't quite finished yet as the little U-bolt sheared upon application of socket so a new U-bolt is to be obtained. I'm just happy that the fault seems to have been positively identified and cured easily and I was right about it having been caused by the suspension arm replacement operation.

If some of us learned a lesson then nothing much was lost, I'm not grumbling.

Thanks for all your help, advice and benefit of your collective experience. Another very clear demonstration of just one of the values of this forum.

Don't forget that pint I owe you...

Jerry
 

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