SL500 dropping

[Sl500 2003]

Hi all,

When I purchased car a month ago it used to drop in height automatically after couple min of car bring off. I assumed it was a program set by pervious owner. Iv now noticed it sits lower at front then rear and also driver side is a inch lower then passenger side.

Has any had the same issue before?

Thanks

 

[Craiglxviii]

Yes, so very many of us. You need your ABC system calibrated. Whereabouts are you?

 

[LostKiwi]

As above. You may also need new seals in your valve blocks.

 

[Sl500 2003]

i live in slough. Is the calibration a cause for the car dropping in height automatically?.

Thanks

 

[Craiglxviii]

i live in slough. Is the calibration a cause for the car dropping in height automatically?.

Thanks

It can be potentially. The suspension system in your car is extremely sophisticated, if it thinks it is out to its datum point (per wheel) it can adopt some weird heights.

As LK says, it may be that your valve blocks or nitrogen spheres are leaking oil back to the header once the engine is turned off, which would cause the level to drop. However, your calibration needs doing regardless of that.
Star Motor Services are your closest ABC- experienced Indy @star calling Ian!

 

[Sl500 2003]

Thanks for reply. I will call them on Monday. This car is meant to have a lot of tech. So would plugging car into star diagnostic show actual fault with suspension system?.

 

[Craiglxviii]

Thanks for reply. I will call them on Monday. This car is meant to have a lot of tech. So would plugging car into star diagnostic show actual fault with suspension system?.

Yes it would. But this isn’t a fault per se. Your car will need periodic suspension recalibration, maybe every 2-3 years. By the way, you’ll also need to plan for a suspension fluid flush every 2 years or 20k miles, whichever comes sooner.

The good news is, ABC has become much cheaper to maintain and repair over the last couple of years, thanks to this forum.

 

[flowrider]

What does a suspension recalibration do? My last ABC flush was 3.5 years ago and the fluid is still good.

 

[Craiglxviii]

What does a suspension recalibration do? My last ABC flush was 3.5 years ago and the fluid is still good.

It may look it but after 2 years of use it will be starting to break down. Some time ago Pentosin themselves released details of their recommended service interval into the US market- that’s the 2yr/ 20k thing.

A recalibration gets the ride height per wheel spot on. Tyre and suspension component wear can all affect it; my last recalibration was a proper eye opener both in terms of how the system works, and how the car responds to it. Turns out that my CL can set its own level side to side better than the floor of the workshop (the car was 0.2 degree out to level each time, the floor 0.6 degrees..!)

 

[flowrider]

I let my indy decide when to change the ABC fluid, he has a lot more experience of this than me.

 

[Wighty]

Hi all,

When I purchased car a month ago it used to drop in height automatically after couple min of car bring off. I assumed it was a program set by pervious owner. Iv now noticed it sits lower at front then rear and also driver side is a inch lower then passenger side.

Has any had the same issue before?

Thanks

Did you buy from a garage ? Warranty ?

 

[Sl500 2003]

Did you buy from a garage ? Warranty ?

Private sale.its a 2003 car I purchased.no warranty etc

 

[peterws1957]

Surely we must be now running out of Sl500's which have just been bought and are proving to be an instant nightmare, or are there still loads out there to catch out unsuspecting and unprepared owners?

 

[Craiglxviii]

Surely we must be now running out of Sl500's which have just been bought and are proving to be an instant nightmare, or are there still loads out there to catch out unsuspecting and unprepared owners?

3134 on the road with another 1000+ SORN’d according to the interwebz

 

[ajlsl600]

It may look it but after 2 years of use it will be starting to break down. Some time ago Pentosin themselves released details of their recommended service interval into the US market- that’s the 2yr/ 20k thing.

A recalibration gets the ride height per wheel spot on. Tyre and suspension component wear can all affect it; my last recalibration was a proper eye opener both in terms of how the system works, and how the car responds to it. Turns out that my CL can set its own level side to side better than the floor of the workshop (the car was 0.2 degree out to level each time, the floor 0.6 degrees..!)

I found when doing mine, with star it took a few attempts to capture it exactly. There is a tolerance of +, - a few mm

 

[Craiglxviii]

I found when doing mine, with star it took a few attempts to capture it exactly. There is a tolerance of +, - a few mm

The mega- session I had with Welwyn Merx was eye opening, for both of us.
My car just wouldn’t take the calibration settings at all, Phil’s introduction was “Hello Craig, your car hates me today!”

Each wheel arch set to exactly 70.0cm, nope wasn’t having it. 4-5 attempts and still no. Then we noticed that the car was finding a level, independent of calibration (and it’s own stored settings) once the Star calibration screen was exited. That’s when we realised that it’s own internal level sensors were more accurate than the floor- which, despite being apparently flat and level, wasn’t, it was 0.6- 0.8 degrees out across the length and width of the car.
So, with that in mind, Phil and I worked out a way to set the wheel levels and then the corrected associated sensor angle settings to take that into account. It did, worked first time, not only that but the car now doesn’t clip its rear tyres on the arch as it always has done before.
I’m not going to give away Phil’s secret, but safe to say we were both gobsmacked that a) what we did using our own “fuzzy logic” worked at all, b) that the car’s systems were so sophisticated they auto adapted our inputs to our desired reality and c) the end result is such a totally superb ride quality.

 

[ajlsl600]

Manually lifted opposite side a few mm, then set it??

 

[Craiglxviii]

Manually lifted opposite side a few mm, then set it??

No, way more involved than that unfortunately! The car was doing that automatically and that was part of the problem.

 

[ajlsl600]

I went thru the process about 10 times before it finished up level. It started about 1 3mm down on p/s rear after it stayed right until I sold it. Another expensive issue is pipes you can't rely on a ten yr old hydraulic hose that constantly gets up to working temp/press.
Imagine a burst pipe on route mid Europe for hols. One on my ex vdoz would be eng out job, or leave and run replacement a different route. Either way not cheap and no fun.
Of little concern on a new car under makers, always on my mind when distance traveling. In ten yr old car.