markben
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2017
- Messages
- 227
- Reaction score
- 305
- Location
- Bristol UK
- Your Mercedes
- w220 2004 S320L CDI
Greetings and apologies for this long post, but I hope you will understand (Please read on..).
I won’t go into chapter & verse (again!) here about the long-running ‘mystery’ / as yet un-diagnosed Hard Damping (HD) issue in Comfort setting on my otherwise immaculate & impeccably maintained 140k mile 2004 S320L cdi. Only to say ‘BUMP / THUMP / OUCH’!
as if the ADS is 'stuck' in any or all of Sport 1, 2, or Level 4 Hard Compression & Rebound at all 4 struts & solenoid damping valves simultaneously at low speeds over even minor road ruts & ridges. And no, I’m not imagining nor exaggerating the symptoms.
If you’ve been following my HD saga, you might see why I’m now reaching out further despite many helpful ideas from members here (thanks), and after several (un-named) local Mercedes ‘specialists’ and an intrepid but terminally puzzled local auto electrician have either given-up on my HD problem or (worse still - in the case of certain Indies) claim ‘it rides ok’. Grrr…
As a result, I’m seeking a Mercedes Specialist (ideally within a 100-mile radius of W-s-M North Somerset) who has:
1. Please express your provisional interest and I will send you a detailed history of the car & previous extensive work done (new OE MB struts, level sensors, compressor, ‘False Negative’ SDS results etc but with no difference to the HD problem). To save time & space here, please contact me via PM and I will send you full details by e.mail + my contact telephone numbers if you want to discuss the problem further.
2. If still interested (?!), I will then visit & ask you to Test Drive the car over a mix of smooth & ‘lumpy’ (but not ‘war zone’) roads to establish whether you agree (or not) with my description & synopsis of the HD problem / symptoms. I will travel to you by prior appointment & pay for your professional time either way.
3. After a test drive (& crucially...), If you agree about the HD problem have some ideas about the possible cause(s) + are still willing to take- on this advanced Dx work (which might include a thorough strip-down & inspection of the possibly corroded / damaged / shorted wiring harness & circuitry & underfloor SAMs etc etc), I’ll be happy to discuss a ‘Plan’ & schedule to fit in with your other workshop commitments (e.g. I can travel to you, leave the car for, say, a week and receive progress reports about your investigations & further comparative test drives etc).
4. Re. the (potentially open-ended) costs of your investigations: I’ll be happy to discuss & agree Terms ££ which ensure that you are paid promptly stage-by-stage, e.g. hourly / daily or weekly regardless of the result - if that makes sense? And IF.. you successfully & reliably Dx & Fix my ‘mystery’ HD problem, I will be happy to pay a generous ££ Bonus as a Thank You for your efforts.
The most important thing:
After many disappointments, I need to be absolutely confident in an Indie / Specialist who is capable of, and willing to take-on my ‘mystery’ HD Dx challenge - and who knows from personal experience how supremely smoothly & comfortably W220s should ride in ‘Comfort’ mode when all is ‘right’. My S Class is simply too good to give-up on, even if other ‘Specialists’ have done. The Cost ££ of Dx & a Fix isn't important within reason - I just want my treasured 'S' to ride as smoothly as it left the factory nearly 20 years ago. 'Mission Impossible'.. some of you might ask? But we put Men on the Moon decades ago so, surely, fixing my 'mystery' HD problem in 2024 isn't beyond the scope of a competent, capable & (above all..) interested Mercedes Indie / Specialist. I rest my case..
Many thanks & I look forward to your responses.
Mark Benjamin - Bristol area.
(Ex Mercedes Benz UK Head Office senior sales training consultant who knows-well how smoothly Airmatic / ADS equipped Mercedes cars should ride. Enuff said?).
I won’t go into chapter & verse (again!) here about the long-running ‘mystery’ / as yet un-diagnosed Hard Damping (HD) issue in Comfort setting on my otherwise immaculate & impeccably maintained 140k mile 2004 S320L cdi. Only to say ‘BUMP / THUMP / OUCH’!
as if the ADS is 'stuck' in any or all of Sport 1, 2, or Level 4 Hard Compression & Rebound at all 4 struts & solenoid damping valves simultaneously at low speeds over even minor road ruts & ridges. And no, I’m not imagining nor exaggerating the symptoms.If you’ve been following my HD saga, you might see why I’m now reaching out further despite many helpful ideas from members here (thanks), and after several (un-named) local Mercedes ‘specialists’ and an intrepid but terminally puzzled local auto electrician have either given-up on my HD problem or (worse still - in the case of certain Indies) claim ‘it rides ok’. Grrr…
As a result, I’m seeking a Mercedes Specialist (ideally within a 100-mile radius of W-s-M North Somerset) who has:
- Hands-on Experience in advanced fault finding on Airmatic / ADS equipped W220s or similar Mercedes models with similar problems.
- Full SDS Dx kit + other advanced testing equipment + working knowledge of Developer Menu & applications (Live-streamed Data etc).
- (Important!) The Willingness, Interest & Patience to ‘dig deep’ into what is most probably an ‘erroneous’ / hidden electrical fault in the circuitry which effectively disables the ADS 98% of the time - but evades SDS. (The car can & does ride softly / ‘Magic Carpet’ etc - but only sporadically. The difference is Night & Day when it happens).
1. Please express your provisional interest and I will send you a detailed history of the car & previous extensive work done (new OE MB struts, level sensors, compressor, ‘False Negative’ SDS results etc but with no difference to the HD problem). To save time & space here, please contact me via PM and I will send you full details by e.mail + my contact telephone numbers if you want to discuss the problem further.
2. If still interested (?!), I will then visit & ask you to Test Drive the car over a mix of smooth & ‘lumpy’ (but not ‘war zone’) roads to establish whether you agree (or not) with my description & synopsis of the HD problem / symptoms. I will travel to you by prior appointment & pay for your professional time either way.
3. After a test drive (& crucially...), If you agree about the HD problem have some ideas about the possible cause(s) + are still willing to take- on this advanced Dx work (which might include a thorough strip-down & inspection of the possibly corroded / damaged / shorted wiring harness & circuitry & underfloor SAMs etc etc), I’ll be happy to discuss a ‘Plan’ & schedule to fit in with your other workshop commitments (e.g. I can travel to you, leave the car for, say, a week and receive progress reports about your investigations & further comparative test drives etc).
4. Re. the (potentially open-ended) costs of your investigations: I’ll be happy to discuss & agree Terms ££ which ensure that you are paid promptly stage-by-stage, e.g. hourly / daily or weekly regardless of the result - if that makes sense? And IF.. you successfully & reliably Dx & Fix my ‘mystery’ HD problem, I will be happy to pay a generous ££ Bonus as a Thank You for your efforts.
The most important thing:
After many disappointments, I need to be absolutely confident in an Indie / Specialist who is capable of, and willing to take-on my ‘mystery’ HD Dx challenge - and who knows from personal experience how supremely smoothly & comfortably W220s should ride in ‘Comfort’ mode when all is ‘right’. My S Class is simply too good to give-up on, even if other ‘Specialists’ have done. The Cost ££ of Dx & a Fix isn't important within reason - I just want my treasured 'S' to ride as smoothly as it left the factory nearly 20 years ago. 'Mission Impossible'.. some of you might ask? But we put Men on the Moon decades ago so, surely, fixing my 'mystery' HD problem in 2024 isn't beyond the scope of a competent, capable & (above all..) interested Mercedes Indie / Specialist. I rest my case..
Many thanks & I look forward to your responses.
Mark Benjamin - Bristol area.
(Ex Mercedes Benz UK Head Office senior sales training consultant who knows-well how smoothly Airmatic / ADS equipped Mercedes cars should ride. Enuff said?).
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