S211 Estate Rear Suspension Ride Height Problem

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e220estate

Active Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2015
Messages
106
Location
Wiltshire
Car
E220 Estate 2006 S211 T model
Hi All - have noticed that the two rear wheels sit differently in the bodywork on my 2006 estate. With the engine running (air suspension pumped) the top of the wheel arch on the nearside sits 57 cms from the road (measured vertically thru' the centre of the wheel from the road) while the offside measure is 55 cms ie a 2 cms 'tilt'. Is this likely to be the height sensor or something else. TIA, Brian
PS airsprings replaced a few K miles ago.
 
It only has one level sensor on the rear anti roll bar so usually if it goes iffy then both sides go up or down.
They are common so I wouldn’t rule it out.

Does it stay up / in the same position overnight.
 
I have been underneath previously and found where it was located in case I needed to replace it and couldn't see how it could influence one side and not the other - and yes the same difference is there in the morning and very little air pump sound when I start up. No 'car too low' message either.
BTW finger trouble on the measurements - 67cms and 65cms (of course!):oops:
 
What if you disconnect the linkage to the height sensor and force it all the way to the top is the difference still there and still the same amount?
I take it you didn’t notice the difference immediately after the new airbags were fitted?
Need to get it on to some form of diag really to see what’s going on
 
My '09 S211 has the same problem with minor side to side height variance, but additionally also loses all air from the near side after sitting idle for a week. Basically, I am sure I have a small leak in the near side rear air bag, but the symptoms only manifest after sitting idle for a long time. Mine will be fine parked for the week, then next day, it is down on the bump stop on that side + low on the offside.

Interestingly, I get no dash error nor can I hear the compressor working when I start the car, and it happily raises itself back up to normal height. Even standing next to the compressor on the outside, the sound is masked by the lovely, refined sound of a 4 cylinder diesel engine running a cold start ;)

I guess what I am trying to say is you may have the same issue, and it may be a bag leak (though yours are new). My assumption is that the small leak means the pressure in the air spring is never quite what it should be, hence sitting slightly lower on that side.

I will be swapping the bags on mine, but am waiting for the weather to warm up first as I am not really using the car currently.

Martin.
 
Thanks for the thoughts so far.
The history.....Progressively and increasingly to last March the backend would sit down over night and the 'Car Too Low' message appear and disappear at start up, AND I had the same height difference N/S to O/S when 'up'. I decide to replace the air springs before the compressor burned out (they aren't up to continual use to re-pressurize on the move) and added to the bill! My Indy said the springs were shot eg he couldn't depressurize them with his diag kit because the valves were stuck and they were probably the originals - can't really complain after 14 years! Since then, the car doesn't sit down, no 'too low' message but I have the same height differential when running.
On the assumption that the O/S is getting pressurised (what would be the ground-to-wheel-arch distance if it wasn't - any idea?), it looks most likely to be an issue with the height sensor? Does it sense BOTH back wheels or only one - the N/S, say? I know, for instance, the Brake Wear sensor is one only for the front wheels and one only for the rear (both O/S - recently been there:)). It seems to me that to eliminate the sensor I need to get underneath and have a linkage ganders & footle and see what happens - but not quite at the moment, it's too bl**dy cold and the car runs OK with no obvious driving impact. Are there any circlip positions on the airspring which determine it's installed length? Or is the bracket(s) it sits in variable in the context of installed length?
TIA as always.
Brian
 

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