S211 rear self levelling....

[mobeyone]

I have noticed lately the car is not lowering itself (rear) automatically all the times when a passenger gets out. It's fine when someone gets in and usually lowers at some random moment?

 

[Troon]

Should it lower when people get out? That's news to me - mine doesn't, to my knowledge.

The only time I've noticed mine do anything when stationary was when I had a front corner jacked up on a stand to change a brake disc, and opened the driver's door. The rear suspension started adjusting itself which caused... some consternation on my part.

 

[mobeyone]

Yes, I can usually hear it working in the car but as of late it's going up when people get in but not coming down straight away.

 

[GordonTarling]

I can't think of one reason that the suspension would need to go up when someone got in and down again when they got out. Surely, it's self-LEVELling? Mine just seems to sit there - maybe mine's broken?!

 

[reggie musson]

I take it you have air suspension, I had problems with my BMW 525 and first noticed a hissing noise which I first thought was a punchered tyre, but the suspension collapsed one side. Expensive job to fix and sold the car before the other side went on me.

 

[corned]

Are we talking about SLS or airmatic here?

The SLS system should operate in total silence and should be completely unobtrusive. My car has to handle considerable loads, and at other times I'm the only thing in it. The rear of the car is always level, so I know it works properly. I never see the suspension move up or down, not have I ever heard the slightest noise from the SLS system.

I wonder if it is an airmatic car, and it is this system which is causing the movement, not the SLS?

 

[camerafodder]

In my experience SLS responds quite slowly to load changes. This would be necessary to allow the sensors to understand the difference between a change in load and a change of road conditions.

I tested mine out (when I had it!) by getting a couple of pals to sit in the boot whilst the engine was running it was a good few seconds after the boot had sunk under the load before it returned to its correct level. Likewise, when the fat buggers got out it sprang up slightly and then after a few seconds returned to its set level.

 

[Harrythedog]

When I first got my S211 (at two years old) you could hear it settle when you got out of the car whether I had passengers or not. It failed it's MOT due to defective rear shockers, these were replaced and since then no more noise or lowering. Don't know if that is coincidental or not

 

[mobeyone]

I can't think of one reason that the suspension would need to go up when someone got in and down again when they got out. Surely, it's self-LEVELling? Mine just seems to sit there - maybe mine's broken?!

My understanding is it it will rise to compensate for an increase in weight? I watched this today and it did and then when someone got out, it after a moment or so lowered itself so it is working just not all the time.

 

[mobeyone]

Are we talking about SLS or airmatic here?

The SLS system should operate in total silence and should be completely unobtrusive. My car has to handle considerable loads, and at other times I'm the only thing in it. The rear of the car is always level, so I know it works properly. I never see the suspension move up or down, not have I ever heard the slightest noise from the SLS system.

I wonder if it is an airmatic car, and it is this system which is causing the movement, not the SLS?

Its not airmatic) and only on the rear, its generaly quite responsive to be honest but lately its just been a litttle lazy.

Maybe owners could have thier loved ones get in and out while they watch outside? I subjected my wee one to it today!

 

[mobeyone]

When I first got my S211 (at two years old) you could hear it settle when you got out of the car whether I had passengers or not. It failed it's MOT due to defective rear shockers, these were replaced and since then no more noise or lowering. Don't know if that is coincidental or not

Just had its MOT and passed with no faults!

 

[Troon]

I can reiterate my non-Airmatic estate (so air rear only) doesn't move except in reaction to big loads and jacking. It does not go down when stopped: if for any reason it's too low, it'll pump up when the driver's door is opened.

I wonder if yours has a leak or a faulty valve so it's sagging when you stop and pumping up again to recover when the door is opened.

 

[jaymanek]

The W211 is a lot quicker to respond but older cars such as W124/W201, W126 systems take a while to level.

 

[corned]

Yes, I can usually hear it working in the car

This quotation still concerns me. As I said previously, I have never heard a peep out of any part of my SLS system.

You need to get it checked out, imo.

 

[jaymanek]

got to be confusing the noise for the SBC system... the sls system is silent.

 

[Troon]

got to be confusing the noise for the SBC system... the sls system is silent.

mobeyone's car is a facelift, so no SBC. My SLS is audible in a quiet garage if it has a lot of moving to do (recovering from jacking), but I don't think I'd hear it from inside the car.

 

[mobeyone]

duplicate..

 

[mobeyone]

This quotation still concerns me. As I said previously, I have never heard a peep out of any part of my SLS system.

You need to get it checked out, imo.

I will, but I assure you, someone gets in and then you can hear a sound and feel the car raising itself - and then it usually lowers itself which is silent?

got to be confusing the noise for the SBC system... the sls system is silent.

SBC - is that the brake system? mines a facelift?

 

[corned]

Mine's pre-facelift, so I'll bow out of this discussion. I wonder if the SLS system is one of the myriad differences between pre- and post-facelift versions?

Certainly on mine, you neither feel nor hear anything. It just gets on with it silently and unobtrusively.

 

[developer]

Certainly on mine, you neither feel nor hear anything. It just gets on with it silently and unobtrusively.

Very uplifting .