CLS55 front suspension will not rise (pics attached)

[philnewmerc]

Hi all. Sorry for a flurry of posts today but I just went outside and my car's nose is on the floor. Yesterday when I parked I thought it looked odd (I think it sank while I was driving but got no warning). Previously I usually come outside to a car with it's back side on the floor and it starts and rises fine (front never sinks). Sometimes there is a warning to wait for the suspension to rise but usually not. Occasionally there is a red triangle warning about the battery (again rare and doesn't seem to affect driving). Today though I started the car and there were zero warnings and the front did not rise. Using the lift button the dashboard stated the car was rising and the rear did do, but the front did not... it looks like a dragster on high lift setting. So with no dashboard warnings can anyone give any clues? Fortunately is is booked for a service with a specialist on Thur so hopefully can be fixed then. I wondered it a height sensor might be the culprit given the lack of warnings? I drove found the block but the front would not budge.. feels like it's on the bump stops.

 

[Tonye]

Hi Phil, sounds like you must be pulling your hair out. Had a similar problem with a P38 rankrover, new seals in the air distributor and new air bags was the only way to fix it, did it all myself in a weekend. Hope this helps.
PS, Drive slowly to the garage because it is on the stops and will knock the suspension to fek.

 

[philnewmerc]

No warning messages like car too low so I am praying that the level sensor is reading incorrectly... wishful thinking!?

 

[91dm]

Do you have a scanner to plug in a see what's going on?

 

[Will]

Level sensor or linkage issue - as said if it was that low otherwise it would give a warning message?

Can you get it up and have a look underneath, jack it up or up on a kerb etc?

 

[philnewmerc]

Is there any other kind?

And one thing that's been puzzling me ... why are they almost invariably white?

No it’s was one of those “in and out” centres

That was 11 years ago!

Well if that does not stop him buying it I'm not sure what will!!

Yeah I love them. I have an AT search set up for them and often have a look at what's out there. If I ever get something with that engine it'll be CLS-shaped.

Glad i found you a new toy!

Well done slim congrats.

Take the cover off that sits on top and over the supercharger belt, if you look underneath the cover you may see black dust from the belt as it wears over time. If it’s relatively clean it may indicate little or no belt wear. I am not saying this is a definite indicator, but certainly a check I would do when I owned my 113k engines cars.

Interesting.

What do the aforementioned undesirables do when the rear badges get their attention?

I would have thought that if a badge would stand out then it would be V8 Kompressor on the wings, as firstly it’s unusual to have a badge there and secondly it states what makes that car quick.

I get a lot of attention when I’m driving my Mercedes-AMG Smart ForFour Black Series Night Edition Premium Plus 125 Navi powered by Brabus. Sharing with others is part of driving a special car.

Do you have a scanner to plug in a see what's going on?

Level sensor or linkage issue - as said if it was that low otherwise it would give a warning message?

This is my wishful logic. I'm glad some one else thinks it might be this! Thinking about it I did drive over an appalling double pot hole slightly earlier and i wonder if that jolted something??

 

[philnewmerc]

Do you have a scanner to plug in a see what's going on?

No but was thinking of an icarsoft but wasn't sure if it was worth it or whether to get the carly so never got round to it... Maybe I will but i wonder why there'd be no warning light on the dash to say don't drive? Anyway, fortunately it is already booked in on Thursday so going to ask them to fix it instead of service it (assuming they won't have enough time to do both) as i need it for a long holiday drive soon which I was looking forward to. Hope I don't need to hire a Hyundai i20

 

[philnewmerc]

Level sensor or linkage issue - as said if it was that low otherwise it would give a warning message?

Can you get it up and have a look underneath, jack it up or up on a kerb etc?

What would I be looking for please? Broken height sensor? Cheers

 

[Will]

If you have a look it should be obvious - there’s a level sensor with a linkage that may have been disturbed or broken.

There should be loads on YouTube etc to show the setup, this may not be the best example but you should get the idea

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[philnewmerc]

Apologies, I managed to post a reply with completely random quotes from other people in it from different threads... Not sure how that happened! Needs deleting sorry

 

[philnewmerc]

If you have a look it should be obvious - there’s a level sensor with a linkage that may have been disturbed or broken.

There should be loads on YouTube etc to show the setup, this may not be the best example but you should get the idea

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That's a really helpful clip thank you very much. I will have a look and see if there's any obvious damage

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

Have been having fun and games with my Airmatic too, though on an E55, S211. Not sure if the CLS set up is the same but I had a sensor on each strut at the front and one on the rear.
If both sides at the front have dropped I would suspect something else as unlikely for both sensors to fail. If only the one sensor then quite possibly and hopefully that it is the culprit.

 

[philnewmerc]

Have been having fun and games with my Airmatic too, though on an E55, S211. Not sure if the CLS set up is the same but I had a sensor on each strut at the front and one on the rear.
If both sides at the front have dropped I would suspect something else as unlikely for both sensors to fail. If only the one sensor then quite possibly and hopefully that it is the culprit.

That's what I thought tbh but I watched a video by a YouTuber called Car Wizard on air matic, and he said that if one side fails for whatever reason, the computer lowest the other side as well so that the car is not crabbing to one side... Not sure if true but sounds plausible. Later on today I'm going to take a wheel off and see where I can see, assuming I can get the jack under the car (I don't have a garage). Thanks for the ideas

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

That's what I thought tbh but I watched a video by a YouTuber called Car Wizard on air matic, and he said that if one side fails for whatever reason, the computer lowest the other side as well so that the car is not crabbing to one side... Not sure if true but sounds plausible. Later on today I'm going to take a wheel off and see where I can see, assuming I can get the jack under the car (I don't have a garage). Thanks for the ideas

That seems sensible, plausible to lower the other side.
It was my rear sensor playing up so replaced that. Replaced the piston ring in the compressor too as that was worn.
Might be a broken or bent link on one side.
Hope you fix it..

 

[philnewmerc]

The wheel nuts are on so tight that even with a breaker bar and my weight on they won't come off. I think the last person to service this car was an orangutan... So that will have to be a garage job. Meanwhile I'm looking at my boot, so will update my other thread !

 

[philnewmerc]

The wheel nuts are on so tight that even with a breaker bar and my weight on they won't come off. I think the last person to service this car was an orangutan... So that will have to be a garage job. Meanwhile I'm looking at my boot, so will update my other thread !

Boot auto close now working... Small victories

 

[philnewmerc]

Hi all. Sorry for a flurry of posts today but I just went outside and my car's nose is on the floor. Yesterday when I parked I thought it looked odd (I think it sank while I was driving but got no warning). Previously I usually come outside to a car with it's back side on the floor and it starts and rises fine (front never sinks). Sometimes there is a warning to wait for the suspension to rise but usually not. Occasionally there is a red triangle warning about the battery (again rare and doesn't seem to affect driving). Today though I started the car and there were zero warnings and the front did not rise. Using the lift button the dashboard stated the car was rising and the rear did do, but the front did not... it looks like a dragster on high lift setting. So with no dashboard warnings can anyone give any clues? Fortunately is is booked for a service with a specialist on Thur so hopefully can be fixed then. I wondered it a height sensor might be the culprit given the lack of warnings? I drove found the block but the front would not budge.. feels like it's on the bump stops.

Car going to garage tomorrow. Now the airmatic strut on drivers side that was on the deck is now sky high and rock hard it's gone bonkers... I also bought an Icarsoft and there are no new error codes??? On plus side it clearly isn't the strut that's failed!, must surely be level sensor, but why wouldn't that throw a code? Will find out tomorrow

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

I didn’t get any codes (using an iCarsoft MB2) from my duff sensor, it fed back voltages and heights but guess it wasn’t talking to the Airmatic module..

 

[philnewmerc]

Update: It was 'front level links' and was not expensive sort... phew

 

[Garyj5561]

Thanks for that help,I'll take a look ,same on scanner,nothing showing says all good.ordered a valve block will take a look when that goes on.