
The Mercedes S-Class’s air suspension is one of the best engineered features of this high-end European brand. Giving the Mercedes S-Class stable control while driving along with a comfortable ride, even on the worst maintained roads. Suspension failures can be a problem from time to time on even the best engineered vehicles, and can cause issues to the owner.
Let’s dig into what are the possible outcomes, the symptoms, and what you need to do, if your Mercedes S-Class air suspension fails.
Symptoms of Air Suspension Failure
Digging into the symptoms of the Mercedes S-Class Air suspension failure may surprise you with what it can affect. Some, like a rough ride, appear as common sense issues, but you may be surprised by other issues a defective system can cause. Here are a few signs to look for when driving your Mercedes S-Class, or any other vehicle with a modern air suspension system.
- Gas Mileage Reduced: This may be one symptom that you have not considered, but reduced gas mileage is a sign that you are having issues with your air suspension. Your Mercedes S-Class is designed to give you a comfortable ride, but it has other tasks. The system itself will lower the car at higher highway speeds to give you more control and save on wind resistance. So, if you see your gas gauge going down faster than normal, it could be due to an air suspension failure.
- System Changes Modes on its Own: Your Mercedes has manual settings for sport mode or comfort mode. If the mode switches on its own, it will usually give you an error warning. Since the switch to sport mode from comfort mode requires manual intervention, this is a clue that an issue has arisen.
- Uneven Level of Car: Each of your wheels on your Mercedes S-Class is independently supported by the air suspension. If one or more of the individual valves for each wheel is defective, then you could see your car appear to be lower or higher than the others.
- Rough Driving: Each bump in the road is masked by your air suspension system. While other brands of cars with mechanical suspension systems utilize springs, bushings, and dampers to provide a smooth ride, your Mercedes S-Class uses the cushion of air, giving it much more comfort. If you begin to feel more bumps than normal you could have a failing system.
- Fault Code: Your Mercedes S-Class diagnostic system is designed to report many issues it encounters during a system check. If you are having problems with your air suspension you may receive an error alert within this system and displayed to you. As with any warning code, have this checked out by a professional technician who is trained on the Mercedes brand with diagnosis and repairs.
Possible Causes of Air Suspension Failure
While any of the possible causes listed below can be causing an issue with your air suspension system, you will still need a professional technician to get to the root cause of the problem. The diagnostic tools used by professionals can pinpoint the problem more effectively and save the average DIY time and money in the long run. Here are the possible causes of an air suspension failure in your Mercedes S-Class.
- Air Compressor Failure: Your vehicle is designed with an air compressor that turns on when you start the car. This supplies air support to the air valves, and struts.
- Loss of Seals: Each air suspension system counts on rubber seals to hold the air within the system. Any leak will cause an issue somewhere in the system. These rubber seals can become brittle and wear over time, resulting in an air leak in the overall system, or at a particular point within the suspension.
- Control Units & Sensor: The Mercedes S-Class air suspension system is a highly technical unit. Therefore, the advanced system requires a smart control system and sensitive sensors to operate effectively. If the unit or one of its sensors malfunctions, you will experience problems within the suspension system.
Solutions For a Failing Air Suspension
If you are experiencing issues with your
Mercedes S-Class air suspension system, we have the solution for you. At Paladin Automotive we take pride in our knowledge and training of service and repair of many European brand vehicles, including the Mercedes S-Class. Serving the Spring Valley, Summerlin and Las Vegas, Nevada communities our trained technicians will have your air suspension issue diagnosed and repaired, saving you money and time over dealer services. Contact us today to set up an appointment for repair or begin a servicing plan.