Allright. Come on people. I can't be the only person who's experienced this problem. Anyone want to chime in on this?

 

Have you tried disconnecting the battery for a few minutes to see if it resets the computer?

 

Not yet. I wanted to see if there was anything I could do that didn't require me to reprogram all the car's settings when done, but of course, I'd rather get the ride height lowered. Still not sure if it is a software or hardware problem.

 

Your best option is to do coil over conversion.

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Check the wiring harness at the Airmatic pump.

 

Wiring harness. Got it. Where is that? Still learning my way around this car as I've only had it a few months.

 

Check wiring of rear level sensor p.16 sensor B22/3. I had recently exactly the same issue, and one of the wires was broken.

 

The wiring at the compressor (page 13 of the attached document) is more often an issue but it does not harm to check the rear level sensor wiring too.

You need to remove the inner lining from the left front fender to gain access to the compressor (and the valve) wiring.

 

Thanks, guys. The position for sensor B22 is shown for a sedan, is it in the same place in a wagon?

 

Sounds like you don't want to waste your time and have a look at the underside of the car. This is quite OK but in this case I would read the codes with Star Diagnosis, no need to get hands dirty when figuring out if it is the rear of the car or the front that you have to work with.

 

Oh I have no problem throwing on the coveralls and sliding under the car, I just like to know what I'm looking for. My SD Connect arrived in the mail yesterday, so if I can find the time to install the hard drive in the laptop and get everything configured, I should be able to start reading codes this weekend. Next weekend is a brake fluid flush and possibly (if I have time) valve cover gasket replacement.

 

An update, I parked in front of a building that had mirrored windows so I could observe the car. If I press the ride height button, the car does raise some, and when I press it again it lowers. It just doesn't lower to the correct height and the raised position seems much higher than it should be. Might this info help anyone give me more specific advice? I don't have my star diagnostics tool up and running yet so I haven't been able to pull any codes, but I did get a "visit workshop" message in the dash with the symbol of the car with the up arrow, same symbol you get when the car is raising.

 

Update: I connected my SD Connect to the car yesterday and read all the codes in the system. The only code related to the Airmatic system was one which said the reservoir wasn't filling fast enough. That would seem to be a problem with it not airing up, rather than my problem of it not airing down. I'm probably going to have to go through all the individual component tests today, but as a general guide, what are the factory ride height settings supposed to be and where are the measuring points on the car?

 

After clearing the code and running the prescribed filling test for the compressor and reservoir, the compressor filled the reservoir within the time window and the code hasn't showed up again for a few days. I did go to the Actuations section and found where I could reset the ride heights to the last calibrated settings. Wow, having the car lower itself 19mm really changes the handling!!! I'll probably take the car in for an alignment and re calibration of the 0 point. WIS says that should be done on an alignment rack, and I don't have one of those hanging around.

 

Perhaps there has been a temporary leak on one of the valves, making the compressor fail to build up pressure fast enough?

I don't think I follow your comment on the 19 mm lowering, if you set the car to the last calibrated values via Star, that would be the normal suspension height (excluding the difference from hysteresis in the tuning in normal use).

If you are adjusting the ride height to the normal level, you actually can do it at home (now that you have the tool), no need for the alignment rack. But if you were to lower the car (significantly), an alignment would be more than useful.

 

Most likely the zero point is what the car is at now having been lowered 19mm by Star.
No need for an alignment at this point unless there are obvious signs of it being out of adjustment.

 

Dieselbenz, I think I understand your confusion. What had happened to the car is that you could raise it or lower it with the button in the center console, but even when the car thought it was completely lowered it was still at +19mm. Only when I reset the car to its calibrated zero position did if fully lower to a more correct ride height. Noodles, the car has always pulled a bit to the right and after a rotate and balance on the tires with proper pressures set, it still does it. I think I'll have it aligned just to make sure I'm not wearing the tires in an abnormal fashion. After replacing two this last week, I want those things to last as long as possible.

 

Dieselbenz, I think I understand your confusion. What had happened to the car is that you could raise it or lower it with the button in the center console, but even when the car thought it was completely lowered it was still at +19mm. Only when I reset the car to its calibrated zero position did if fully lower to a more correct ride height.

Sorry but I'm stubborn, still confused. I'd like you to clarify what exactly do you mean by "reset". If you use Star and run a menu to set the car to the last calibrated level, it would set the car to the (pretty much) exact same level as the car would autonomously do (at the normal Airmatic setting).

If instead you chose the initial settings path, then you actually recalibrated the suspension level. No problem there but my confusion comes when you seem to be afraid to adjust the level at home with Star if you already did it.

The car may temporarily sit at an odd level for different reasons (like the "raised" position being selected) but what I'm claiming is that the only way to make it choose a new nominal suspension level is via initial start-up menu, not from the actuations menu.

 

Hello not sure if I should start a new post but I have a 2009 w211 E550 and I just changed all of the air struts all the way around the vehicle and now my car will not go into the one or two position even though it says it did so. The car will raise by pushing the raise button and then pushing it again the car drops down to its original position but airmatic one and two the car does not lower at all. Ride height at normal is 0.12 in on left and right and 0.12 in rear. The car when raised goes to 0.75 on left and 0.79 on right and 0.75 in rear.

 

Was the car run through the automatic level adjustment using the MB Star computer after the air suspension parts were replaced?

 

No it was not. Leave it to YouTube Do It Yourself videos to not say that. So is that what my problem is? I just need to take it to Mercedes Benz and have them hook up the star to it and adjust level? I'm sure it's much cheaper than what they wanted to charge to do all of the air struts almost $8,000

 

I can't be 100% sure but whenever I replace airmatic parts like air springs or shocks I run the routine after the replacement.
Being where you are you could PM a member named Mackhack who has a Star clone and can dig into this for far less than a dealer. He is in San Diego.

 

I'm here in Los Angeles but would not turn down a trip to San Diego to get this done cheaper than what the dealer is going to charge. Do you have any more information on this person you speak of?

 

Mackhack

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