Help, please I’m in Airmatic hell ! 😩

[Jangojohn]

I have owned my 2010 ML 350 cdi 4matic for around 7 years, with no major issues. However all that changed around 14 months ago. We went out in the car one evening and when we returned to the vehicle, the rear suspension was completely flat. I took it into the local specialists who said that both the rear airbags were shot. I paid out around £1000 to have both the rear units replaced. Everything was fine for the next few months, but then I started to get dashboard messages sent there was a fault on the air Matic system. After some investigation I decided that the pump was faulty, I initially ordered a cheap unit off eBay, fitted it and hey presto everything seemed fine, sadly this only seem to be the case for about a month, at which point the cheap pump failed. When I checked it on the vehicle when it was supposed to be pumping it was actually blowing air back out the intake hose, which suggested to me that there was some kind of backpressure getting through the pump. The cheap Chinese pump was returned and a refund was received, I then bought amother brand new Arnott pump and installed this, again all is fine for approximately 10 weeks, only for exactly the same thing to happen again, i.e. the pump appeared to be blowing out of the intake hose. I did more investigation and all my enquiries seem to lead to the valve block, a new valve block was ordered along with another brand-new pump, during the course of fitting these the system naturally loses all pressure, and lowers the suspension completely.
The new pump and valve block were fitted, and I then turned on the ignition expecting the system to re inflate itself, however when I now turn the car on it continually just throws up fault code, if I clear the code, the pump literally operates for a split second then cuts out and the faul code returns.
the fault codes are. Check component Y36y5 (AIR matic central reservoir charge valve)
Any help or advice would be massively appreciate, as I now have no car !

 

[AMGeed]

Did you replace the airmatic relay when you fitted the new pump?
I have read it should always be replaced.
Try it, it could be a cheap fix when you appear to have replaced everything else.

If it's not the relay, go and see Cole at MBS in Woolston Southampton. Excellent Mercedes specialist who can solve your problem.

HOME | MBS Southampton Ltd

www.mbsofsouthampton.co.uk

 

[Jangojohn]

Did you replace the airmatic relay when you fitted the new pump?
I have read it should always be replaced.
Try it, it could be a cheap fix when you appear to replaced everything else.

If it's not the relay, go and see Cole at MBS in Woolston Southampton. Excellent Mercedes specialist who can solve your problem.

HOME | MBS Southampton Ltd

www.mbsofsouthampton.co.uk

Hi, thanks for the reply, yes I did replace the relay, but I’ll call MBS in the morning

 

[AndrewOl]

The system does dump air out through the inlet hose in normal operation so this bit may not be a fault. If the car is flat on the stops you may need Star to get the system to run enough to get it back to a normal height. If MBS can’t help you out then try Pentangle in Calmore. They sorted out my GL back in the day when it pulled a very similar party trick!

 

[design guru]

Is the car back to normal level or still low all over? When the car was down on all four wheels and you fitted the new valve block it best to Jack the car up all around as the pump will struggle to fill all airbags from empty and lift the weight of the car.

 

[jasonh]

I recently helped someone out with a very very similar problem on a BMW.

The valve error code was a short circuit or open circuit on the valve. It turned out the plug wasn't fully inserted. Despite checking and giving it a good a push and a tug, it still wasn't inserted. Disconnected it, sprayed some silicone lube in it, then it really did click fully home and the fault cleared and the suspension lifted.

 

[phobos]

Error code Y36y5 (AIR matic central reservoir charge valve) sound like a connection to the reservoir . You should check a the connections at the valve block to make sure that their are tight to specification and on the right places. As you are these can you check air reservoice line to make sure tha t there is not a cut or gross leak ( it a short line normally if the reservoir is at the front )

Also, if you put the old valve block do you have the same error?

One last thin, please ensure that the car does not rest its weight on deflated airmatics as you run the risk of damaging the air bladder ( which is made of rubber).