ABC fault - Not as serious as it looks/sounds? Opinion required

[lordgaz]

Hi All.

We love an ABC fault, right?
Vehicle - W220 S55K - 2003

I have had the ABC pump replaced, and everything was expensively back to normal - Prior to the pump issue, I could not be sure, but it felt like the car had dropped on a corner momentarily during a drive- but dismissed it as a depression in the road or something and it did not reoccur.

Today, the white ABC visit workshop warning came on, and found the car had slumped on the rear drivers side wheel - Immediate thoughts of strut replacement /valve blocks costs came to mind..

So I have scanned for codes, and would like to share the info with you, and what I have deduced. Can anyone concur with me at this stage before I start sending it off to MB

A scan shows the following trouble codes:


C1136 (Fault in Component B22/10 Right rear level sensor)


P113602


C1134 (Fault in Component B22/7 Left rear level sensor)


P113402


C1133 - (Fault in Component B22/9 Right front level sensor)


P113302


C1132 - (Fault in Component B22/8 Right front level sensor)


P113202


Voltage readings for each sensor:


Front left - 1.75v


Front right - 2.59v


Rear Left - 2.25v


rear right - 0.73V


The rear right sensor also gives out a height reading of 90mm constantly (with car in dropped position and also in fully jacked up position using the jack on that corner) which is clearly inaccurate as the wheel is right up in the wheel arch


Now, we all know that 4 sensors cannot fail at one time -right? So this is surely just a frazzled O/S/R ride height sensor (the other 3 showing fault as the computer is interpreting their output as wrong due to the inaccurate 90mm reading from the rear right)

There is no leaking fluids anywhere from the strut in question -

Is sensor changing a simple job to do - or anything to think about -
Would I need suspension recalibrated after changing the sensor
Is the voltage reading on the Front left a bit low? (could it be on its way out also?)
I had in the back of my head these sensors may be a little hard to find - is that right?

 

[Craiglxviii]

I think the travel and plunger sensors on the 220 are service parts. They are on the 230 but not 215- all three cars have different ABC strut types!

edit. No they’re not, sorry. Just looked and there are no sensors shown separately.

 

[lordgaz]

I think the travel and plunger sensors on the 220 are service parts. They are on the 230 but not 215- all three cars have different ABC strut types!

edit. No they’re not, sorry. Just looked and there are no sensors shown separately.

Many thanks for the reply - Could you expand - Do you mean you cannot get the ride height sensors without buying something more costly?

 

[lordgaz]

Many thanks for the reply - Could you expand - Do you mean you cannot get the ride height sensors without buying something more costly?

The ride height sensor is not part of the strut

 

[LostKiwi]

A common issue is the ride height sensor arm seizes then snaps.
The good news is they aren't prohibitively expensive.

 

[lordgaz]

A common issue is the ride height sensor arm seizes then snaps.
The good news is they aren't prohibitively expensive.

I'm hoping for good news - I will have a better check tomorrow in daylight - The sensor arm seemed complete on quick look - maybe a wiring fault also.. I think I may swap over 2 sensors and see if the problem follows the sensor

 

[lordgaz]

Just coming back on this - I spoke to Mercedes about this issue, and they wanted the car in to put on their diagnostics which would have meant a trip on a flat bed lorry - So I had the courage of my convictions and bought the vehicle level sensor which they luckily had in stock - Fitted it and problem solved.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

Glad you got it sorted - the fact that they had it stock tells it’s own story

 

[Craiglxviii]

Great news!

 

[lordgaz]

Glad you got it sorted - the fact that they had it stock tells it’s own story

Good point!

 

[Naraic]

Just coming back on this - I spoke to Mercedes about this issue, and they wanted the car in to put on their diagnostics which would have meant a trip on a flat bed lorry - So I had the courage of my convictions and bought the vehicle level sensor which they luckily had in stock - Fitted it and problem solved.

As a matter of interest...how much was the part?
You are fortunate. There's the external level sensor, which you changed, and an internal plunger sensor (which I think Craig was referring to) which cannot be changed.

 

[Craiglxviii]

As a matter of interest...how much was the part?
You are fortunate. There's the external level sensor, which you changed, and an internal plunger sensor (which I think Craig was referring to) which cannot be changed.

Yep. Although only on the 215 can the plunger sensor not be changed; I think MB engineers were having a down day (“look guv, this is the third set of ABC struts you’ve had me work on…”)

 

[lordgaz]

As a matter of interest...how much was the part?
You are fortunate. There's the external level sensor, which you changed, and an internal plunger sensor (which I think Craig was referring to) which cannot be changed.

Hi - It was £137inc VAT - They were offering to fit it for £156 inc VAT, but I did it myself in about 30 minutes - Yes, I figured Craig was referring to something else, but he did manage to worry me haha

 

[Craiglxviii]

Hi - It was £137inc VAT - They were offering to fit it for £156 inc VAT, but I did it myself in about 30 minutes - Yes, I figured Craig was referring to something else, but he did manage to worry me haha

I do my best!

 

[lordgaz]

As a matter of interest...how much was the part?
You are fortunate. There's the external level sensor, which you changed, and an internal plunger sensor (which I think Craig was referring to) which cannot be changed

Hi - It was £137inc VAT - They were offering to fit it for £156 inc VAT, but I did it myself in about 30 minutes - Yes, I figured Craig was referring to something else, but he did manage to worry me haha

Further to that, I don't think the price was too bad - The parts website in Germany is showing it as about £157 - https://originalteile.mercedes-benz.de/geber-9798

 

[Swampfox007]

Pretty crazy I just found this thread. I'm having the same issue. My car is out of level and I pulled the codes and found all 4 level sensors were throwing a fault code. I also thought it was obvious that all 4 sensors did not go bad at once. I was able to get the wiring diagram for active body control and was tracing all 4 sensors go right to the module. I was almost thinking the module might of been bad. I'm now thinking it could just be one bad sensor like on your car and it just makes the system throw a code for each? I don't know but I'm glad I found this thread. I'll be ordering and replacing my level sensor as soon as possible. Now I just need to figure out what one is bad, or maybe I'll just replace them all depending on cost.

 

[Swampfox007]

Pretty crazy I just found this thread. I'm having the same issue on my w220 s55. My car is out of level and I pulled the codes and found all 4 level sensors were throwing a fault code. I checked the voltages and all 4 level sensors are between 2.4-2.6. I also thought it was obvious that all 4 sensors did not go bad at once. I was able to get the wiring diagram for active body control and was tracing all 4 sensors go right to the module. I was almost thinking the module might of been bad. I'm now thinking it could just be one bad sensor like on your car and it just makes the system throw a code for each? I don't know but I'm glad I found this thread. I'll be ordering and replacing my level sensor as soon as possible. Now I just need to figure out what one is bad, or maybe I'll just replace them all depending on cost.