Suspension Problems of Mercedes Benz SL500 - part 1

The contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz Sl500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the abc warning light illuminated. Additionally, the message "drive carefully" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the abc tandem pump, struts and hoses needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they did not provide service for older vehicles. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.

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I was driving my car at 45 mph and suddenly, unexpectedly a red light flashed abc do not drive. Smoke was coming from under the car and the front end of the vehicle collapsed downwardly. I had to call for a tow truck to take my vehicle to the mb dealership. I'm I am waiting for the prognosis. I've had numerous issues with the all body control system. Expensive repairs in the $3000-$8000 range. This is a safety issue the breakdown happens abruptly and I was fortunate other cars weren't on the parkway with me. Otherwise a crash could gave occurred.

The contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz Sl500. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the following day he noticed that the front of the vehicle was lowered down. The contact stated that the car too low warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while starting the vehicle and taking his foot off the brake pedal, the vehicle would raise up independently and would be able to drive to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the front strap suspension to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,500.

It has been nearly two years I have stopped driving my 2003 mercedes Sl500, although I only have about 80,000 miles on the car. This is due to abc warning light(red display: please drive carefully)comes on intermittently and the car drives very bouncy and it feels the car has no shocks, definitely feeling it would be unsafe to drive. The diagnostic message comes up saying "visit workshop". This is the third time this abc pump issue is stopping me from driving the car, since it first appeared when I had 29,000 miles on the car which was under manufacturer warranty (50,000 miles or four years) and the dealership replaced the abc pump and also replaced the engine mounts. The abc red light appeared again when I had about 51,000 miles on the car. It happened also the engine mounts were in need of replacement again. As the warranty was only for 50,000 miles, mercedes refused to repair the abc pump and the engine mounts under warranty and finally I agreed to a 50% cost to me to have repairs done. I expressed my opinion that the abc pump and the engine mounts had engineering and manufacturing defect and they should have 50,000 miles warranty as the original warranty, from the time of replacement. Regrettably, same abc malfunction and engine mounts became an issue at 78,000 miles and now the dealer and mercedes refuse to replace the abc pump and engine mounts under warranty and have given an estimate of $7336. 36 for the necessary replacement of parts, including labor, but excluding taxes. To divert attention from abc pump, the dealer is now referring to the problem as "power steering pump"I have extensively researched the issues and it appears the mentioned problems with my car are prevailing issues with other mercedes 2003 sl 500, and there are 100's of owners who feel mercedes is not taking responsibility for replacement and repair of these defective parts under warranty. My car is unsafe to drive. There should be a recall by mercedes to fix these dangerous to drive cars.

Tl the contact owns a 2004 mercedes-benz Sl500. The contact stated on various occasions while his vehicle was stationery and in park, either the right side or the left side of the vehicle would raise up then descend to ground over a thirty second period independently without warning. The contact also stated that the hydraulic fluid leaked out of the engine. The vehicle had yet to be taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or serviced for the failure. Upon investigation, the contact linked his failure to NHTSA campaign number :08v405000 (suspension) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

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The 2006 mb Sl500's are prone to abc (active body control) failures. Mercedes benz is aware of this issue, but they will not offer any assistance in repairing it. The cost to repair this system is approx. $4,000. If the vehicle is in motion, it is very possible that the driver may lose control of the car. The abc system affects both the air suspension, and braking. It could lead to a catastrophic accident, resulting in injury or death. I was fortunate in that I was not on the highway when the failure occurred.

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My car is a 2003 Mercedes Benz Sl500. The abc light keeps coming on and the cars suspension continues to raise and fall. Many times one side higher than the other and not evenly. In 2013 I had a similar problem and ended up costing roughly $3200. Obviously, this is an unsafe mechanical issue. After reviewing you site for recalls on mb 2003 Sl500, it appears there was a recall for this problem on my model year and car. After speaking to mb of sarasota and mbusa it was VIN# specific and my VIN wasnt included. I am very confused how this doesnt cover my vehicle. Nhtsa caampaign number : 08v405000. Obviously, this should not be VIN specific as my car has this problem for the second time and very expensive to correct. It is a dangerous mechanical defect that mb should take care of. Any help would be appreciated.

The abc suspension system fails while driving causing suspension to lower and vehicle is difficult to handle. The front end is spongy and dips up and down. Red warning do not drive illuminates. Very unsafe.

I submitted via fax earlier this week a formal letter to mr. Exler the president & ceo of mbusa and, cc'd mr. King of the NHTSA that included information about known critical safety issued these vehicles had prior to mbusa importing them to the united states. Mbusa failed to disclose these known issues and, chose to importation these vehicles violating vehicle importation rules. Yesterday-January 31, 2019 I received a call from a representative of mbusa stating he was calling on behalf of mr. Exlers office concerning my letter. I will not be intimidated by mbusa while seeking the truth on why mbusa allowed these vehicles to enter the USA knowing these critical safety issues existed while misleading consumers and, the NHTSA. On January 21, 2019 my vehicle had what is described by mbusa as a catastrophic failure when the entire brake system failed. This failure could have killed me - and, other motorist. Mbusa has replaced the sbc unit at least 6 times and, still the issue and, other persist. The vehicle has been driven on average 4,000 miles annually. How many failures must happen before mbusa is fully investigated? they refused to provide me any information on the vehicles except the 4 year warranty period. Once I complete my research on these vehicles I will submit my findings to the NHTSA & ms. King.

Abs problem my car wont go up or down it is in the down position abs light is on don t no what problem is I believe that there is a recall on this problem.

The contact owns a 2004 mercedes-benz Sl500. The contact stated that the suspension failed and caused the wheels to drop against the inside of the fenders. The vehicle was inoperable unless lifted up with some sort of lifting equipment. The contact informed mercedes-benz of oklahoma city who stated that the failure was a design issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.

Abc (active body control) light keeps coming on and body goes up and down when I drove car. Light says do not drive. Mercedes would not take responsibility for this in spite there are so many complaints about this. Really irresponsible by mercedes.

"takata recall" 1. The total body of my 2004 sl Mercedes Benz suddenly collapsed without warning to within 3 inches from hi-way while traveling approximately 50 miles an hour causing the wheels to drag against the undercarriage and damage to front bumper preventing me me to steer freely while fluid from the ruptured abc valve line apparent sprayed on to the engine. The red abc light came on saying stop to low to drive followed by red srs light (safety restaint syatem/ air bags).

I live in texas and my mercedes went into limp mode at a red light. I can not get my transmission repaired anywhere else because they have made it impossible for any other shops to be able to service this specific transmission. They tell me and I quote "we are unable to work on this transmission because it requires special tools which only mercedes dealership carry so you will have to take it to them, sorry" please, please, please recall this transmission!!! another time I was diving down the hwy doing 70mph when the abc too low dash light came on as well as my car dropping 2 inched to the ground as I was drive 70mph plus I lost control of steering. And once again no one could work on it because it requires special tools. And the one place that could said they were Mercedes Benz certified. After having my car 3 days and paying $125 for a diagnostic test. I was told it was going to be $5000+ to fix. Long story short I payed the car lot where I bought it from $3587. 00 to fix it .

"takata recall" 1. The total body of my 2004 sl Mercedes Benz suddenly collapsed without warning to within 3 inches from hi-way while traveling on the freeway approximately 50 miles an hour causing me to loose control due to the wheels to drag against the undercarriage and damage to front bumper preventing me me to steer freely while fluid from the ruptured abc valve line apparent sprayed on to the engine. The red abc light came on saying stop to low to drive followed by red srs light (safety restraint system/ air bags) the internet reviles a multitude of owners of this class and year Mercedes Benz having the same problem due to a ruptured hydraulic line.

I own a 2003 Mercedes Benz sl 500 and replaced the hydraulic pump in 2014 for $6400. 00. The car would drop low (on one side if parked for a few hours). Today, January 5, 2017 - the identical problem happened again. While driving, I heard a loud bursting sound and then hydraulic fluid began seeping out also, the abc red dash light illuminated stating that the car is "too low to drive". I managed to slowly drive home (without power steering). This is a huge defect in Mercedes Benz technology and manufacturing - a class action lawsuit is absolutely necessary. This vehicle is defective and dangerous to operate. Also, consumers should not spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on defective parts. By the way, this vehicle has always been serviced by Mercedes Benz dealership technicians. I would appreciate any additional information or support from the NHTSA as I pursue viable recourse options. Thank you!.

The contact owns a 2005 mercedes-benz Sl500. While driving 40 mph, "car too low stop driving" message appeared on the display panel. The contact coasted the vehicle into a fuel station, looked under the vehicle, and noticed that the frame was resting on top of the front driver and passenger wheels. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the hydraulic pump leaked into the reservoir and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 87,000.

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The vehicles suspension erratically lowers and rises while driving causing the driver to lose temporary control of the vehicle. This occurs unexpectedly at all speeds. The vehicle has been towed to the mercedes dealer 4 times. The dealer has flushed the hydraulic fluid once, replaced one strut twice, and 3 suspension acceleration sensors and 1 send unit. The vehicle was returned to me several times and condition continued and was returned back to the dealer. Currently the dealer has the vehicle and is not sure how to repair it. The vehicle computer does not indicate codes, but dealer has driven the vehicle and witness this unsafe condition. A formal compliant been filed with mercedes USA. The vehicle is unsafe to drive based on current condition.

I was driving an 03 Sl500 and from the start the battery light (white stayed on) replaced both front and back battery and voltage regulator, now the red battery light is on and stays on. On last night, while driving down the highway, I heard a pop, car dropped and warning came on saying car was too low and fluid is leaking from the front driver side look like by the front wheel. Mechanic did a lot of guessing and still not fixed.

The contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz Sl500. While driving 65 mph, the contact heard an abnormal noise coming from the vehicle as it lowered to the ground. A "too low to drive" message displayed across the message board. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the accumulators needed to be replaced. A complete diagnostic had not been performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 84,000.

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 mercedes sl 500. The contact was driving 25 mph when she smelled smoke coming from the engine. Then the abc and stop vehicle to low warning lights came on. As the contact was driving the front end of the vehicle started to scrape the groung. Once the contact was able to pull the vehicle over she noticed that it was leaking fluid. The vehicle was towed to the contacts home then to the dealership. The contact state that her vehicle wa not included in NHTSA campaing 07v263000 engine and engine cooling , suspension. The dealer told the contact that the vehicle has also shown failure signs of NHTSA campaign 05v133000 service brakes, hydraulic. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure miles were 86,998. Bl.

Driving along the freeway at 65 mph when the whole front left side drops to within inches off the ground!! mercedes is well aware of this lemon feature on there vehicle and is some how still allowed to sell them in the us, much less not do a damn thing about the lemons they have sold.

This car has had abc problems from day one. First we had hydraulic leaks, we replaced struts, then the pump went out and had to replace that. Now the car lowers on it's own when ever it feels like it. If I park the car it lowers and when I reverse the low front end will get trapped and drag, now the front bumper is ruined. . . This will be my last mercedes. They need to recall this terrible system,. I never have any problem with my Lexus. . Ijs.

Red abc warning light on. Suspension system in failure mode reducing road handling and vehicle control below minimum safety levels. Mb repair costs exceed blue book car value even though vehicle use less than half life. Lic. P. E #6274 notes mb design/engineering failure--intentional mal-design scheme set-up to defraud consumers of billions $. Severe graft/ over charge in process in that airbus aircraft and nuclear design /engineering by mb facilitates pathway to appropriate scaled down costs for ground transportation vehicles. Mb also needs to respond this mb car owner so that elevated discontent is a non occurrence.

Tl-the contact owns a 2004 Mercedes Benz Sl500. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with a compressed air suspension system and while driving approximately 35 mph, the active body control warning indicator illuminated. In addition, another indicator displayed that the vehicle was too low as the passenger's side ride height was lowered. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed that the active body control system or sensor would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000. Js.

Abc failure at 70 miles. Ridiculous for a car of this precise.

Suspension drops overnight and has dropped while in motion on the expressway. Red warning to limit speed constantly comes on especially if low on fluid and on bumps. The dealer cannot isolate the cause of pressure or excessive hydraulic fluid leaks. Front bumper damaged as a result. Over $8000. 00 spent and problem not resolved. No confidence in the car unless the supply of fluid is carried in the car at all times. Dealer wanted $16,000. 00 to diagnose and possibly repair but offered no warranty for work.

Abc system failure.

Abc and convertible are not functioning as its supposed, while the car not benn dring nor using the features. The keyless remote key entry is not working!.

The abc vehicle height control system caused the car to drop very close to the ground making the car undriveable, however after pulling to the side of the road and allowing the car to sit, then re starting the car went up to its normal height, what if I was in the expressway?.

I bought in france this vehicle without documents about life car (accidents, repairs etc) so I need all informations on my used car.

Started car and got message: "abc malfunction, car too low". In actuality, car elevated. The ride of the car has changed. It has a soft and floaty feeling compared to its normal stiffer ride. I have seen the above complaint on the internet multiple times. It seems this is a wide problem. I haven't heard any recalls from mercedes.

Driving on freeway and hit bump on freeway the abc lights come on vechicle hard to cotrol here rubbing , vehicle to low flashes went straight to dealer.

The contact owns a 2004 Mercedes Benz Sl500. The contact stated that the suspension was leaning lower on the driver side. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,000.

The left side (driver's side) of my vehicle suspension system will lower itself. The will occur when the vehicle is parked for a perlong period of time and on any type of surface or grade. I was informed that my vehicle has zero defects. To raise the suspension, I am require to press the abc suspension button and the suspension raised to the proper height.