Malfunction error message with picture of car and upwards arrow

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newleaf

New Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
2
Location
Shipston on stour
Car
Mercedes E Class 250 cdi estate bluefficiency
I have a 2011 Mercedes E Class Estate 250cdi Blueefficiency. I purchased it back in June with full service history and it has now done 78,000 miles. It came up yesterday with an error message, Malfunction with a picture of a car with an upwards pointing arrow. On looking in the manual I gather this points towards a problem with suspension. A lot of what I can find online relates to airmatic but i don't think my Mercedes has this, certainly on the front I can see springs and i have a print out i received with the car showing all the options and it states Direct Control Suspension. Also the only control in the car to alter is the either economical or sprorts mode, E / S button. Any idea's of what this error message might be referring to? Will be contacting my mechanic tomorrow but as you do when its the weekend you start panicking and wondering if this just a minor fault or a major and expensive one.
 
I think you will have air suspension on the rear as standard on the estate. Problem can be ride height sensors, air bladders or compressor so best get a session on star diagnostics. Mb indies have them.
 
I think you will have air suspension on the rear as standard on the estate. Problem can be ride height sensors, air bladders or compressor so best get a session on star diagnostics. Mb indies have them.
Would a good local garage have star diagnostics? Its a bit of a trek to my nearest indie. Car does not appear to have dropped at the back and seemed to be driving o.k yesterday, did not want to risk driving other than to garage now until i know problem.
 
Probably not. If the ride height is ok then there is no need to be too concerned. My GL sometimes gives this error when I load it up. Just a sensor glitch I think. If a bladder blows you would know so plenty of time to get it checked properly.
 
All E Class estates have air suspension in the rear of the car. It is self levelling and designed to maintain the same height in the rear irrespective of the load.
The upward pointing arrow is saying that the car is too low in the rear. It should be very obvious from looking at the rear of the car too. If you start the car the air compressor should start to raise the rear to the normal height. You will see the car rising and the fault on the dashboard should go out.
That isn't to say that you don't have a problem !!
The rear air suspension units can leak, the plastic air lines can leak and the valve block that controls the air to each side can be faulty.
I'm not sure that a Star session will be of much help (assuming that the air compressor does raise the car). The problem is that the car shouldn't drop if is just left for a few days (or even a few weeks) but outside of that all is working OK.
I suggest that you monitor it over the next while. Measure the height of each side of the rear when you park it and again before you start it next.
The air suspension units do start to leak at a certain age. They are rubber bags filled with air under very high pressure and can perish and leak. The lines can rub off the body or suspension and leak too.
 
I thought Star had a diagnostic routine that tested compressor function, sensor feedback and air tightness?
 
I understand that Star can check compressor functionality, valve operation and height sensors.
However, they are probably all fine.
I don't think it can check air tightness though.
That is like having a slow puncture in a tyre. Is it a cut in the tyre, a valve leak or the rim beading?
All Star could do is say that the car is low on one side or both but not pinpoint where the suspension leak is.
 
Well as posters have said you have rear air suspension,now the fact that the rear has not gone down or looks any different,is a good sign,now I had this on the S320,you get the little sign with the arrow pointing up,what you need to do is get it to a indy with a star and get them to do the air compressor test,what this will do will check out the ability of the compressor to pump up the pressure in the sphere pressure vessel which in turn fills the rear suspension when needed,they may well do the test a number of times,because the pump has to do it's task in a set number of seconds,and what star does is empty the vessel and then get the pump to fill it,if you pump is failing it might only manage it once every say thee times,if it is that then most people will replace the pump,if you are a owner who likes to diy then you can buy a kit and recondition the pump yourself.
 
Get it on star or you can waste hours in a local garage
 

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