2004 Mercedes-Benz E500 Suspension Problems

AIRMATIC SUSPENSION DROPPED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. RED LIGHT WARNING FLASHED THAT VEHICLE WAS LOW. TRIED TO RAISE CAR BUT IT WOULD NOT RAISE. CAR WAS VERY CLOSE TO GROUND AND WOULD NOT RAISE..BEGAN LOOKING UP, IF OTHER SAME MODELS AS OURS HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DO. READ SEVERAL CONSUMERS COMPLIANTS/ CONCERNS WHO ALSO OWN A MERCEDES BENZ THEY SEEM TO HAVE THIS SIMILAR PROBLEM. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX AT A DEARLERSHIP. LOOKS LIKE THIS VEHICLE MAY HAVE A PROBLEM/DEFECT WITH THEIR AIRMATIC SUSPENSION AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY UNKNOWING THAT YOUR VEHICLE IS DROPPING TO GROUND.THIS REALLY NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED TO SEE IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR AIRMATIC SUSPENSION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11123939

Incident

Aug 31, 2018

Mileage

103,154 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE SUSPENSION SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT. IN ADDITION, THE 'STOP DRIVING/VEHICLE DRIVING LOW' WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 104,000.

NHTSA ID

11112749

Incident

Jul 19, 2018

Mileage

104,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" MY MERCEDES BENZ E500 BACK AIR SHOCKS STOPPED LIFTING THE CAR WHEN I STARTED IT IN THE MORNING AND THE RED INDICATOR LIGHT WANT GO OFF UNLESS I STOP IT WILL LIFT UP AN THEN GOES BACK DOWN.

NHTSA ID

11103451

Incident

Jun 22, 2018

Mileage

175,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE SUSPENSION AIR BAGS FAILED ACTIVATE TO LIFT THE VEHICLE. THE MESSAGE "STOP CAR, PARK TOO LOW" REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. *TT

NHTSA ID

11089029

Incident

May 1, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

CAR WAS AT A STOP AND BACK END OF CAR WENT DOWN, STOP CAR TOO LOW CAME ON THE DASHBOARD

NHTSA ID

10983760

Incident

May 4, 2017

Mileage

121,359 mi

SBC UNIT HAS A LIMIT THAT IS SHOWING A FAULT YET BRAKES SEEM FINE NOW MUST FIX AND ALL THAT IS AVAILABLE ARE REMANUFACTURED UNITS.

NHTSA ID

10965857

Incident

Mar 10, 2017

Mileage

99,000 mi

RED LIGHT CAME ON STATING THAT THE CAR WAS TOO LOW

NHTSA ID

10956716

Incident

Feb 23, 2017

WHILE D IRVING HOME FROM WORK, AFTER STOPPING FOR LIGHT, WHEN LIGHT CHANGED AND I PROCEEDED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, I SUDDENLY COULDN'T HARDLY TURN. IT TOOK ALL I HAD TO MAKE TURNS, THEN AFTER ARRIVING HOME MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE SUSPENSION HAD DROPPED ON THE VEHICLES AND WAS RESTING ON THE LEFT REAR TIRE. POWER STEERING RESOVIOUR WAS EMPTY AND WHEN HE PUT SOME IN. IT ALL RAN ON THE GROUND. V ECHO LIE WAS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

10864238

Incident

May 4, 2016

Mileage

76,933 mi

WE HAD JUST STOPPED THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING SPACE AT A GRCCERY. AS WE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WERE WALKNG AWAY FROM IT WE HEARD A LOUD POP AS IF A TIRE HAD A BLOWN. WE LOOKED AROUND BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANY LOW TIRE FROM LOSS OF AIR. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE AFTER GROCERY SHOPPING MY WIFE NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WAS LOWER THAN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE I NOTICED THE RED WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH INSTRUMENT PANEL "STOP, CAR TOO LOW!" I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEE IF THE WHEEL/TIRE WOULD RUB AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL AND IT DID NOT, SO WE DROVE HOME WHICH WAS ONLY ONE MILE. I PARKED THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE. AFTER READING A NMBER OF OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, IT APPEARS THIS MALFUNCTION SHOULD BE A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR A DEFICIENT PART OR ENGINEERING DESIGN FLAW FOR THE MALFUNCTION.

NHTSA ID

10758694

Incident

Aug 23, 2015

Mileage

112,699 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE "SUSPENSION IS TOO LOW DO NOT DRIVE" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10683191

Incident

Nov 10, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER LEAVING MY HOUSE TO WORK THE RED SIGN CAME ON ( BRAKE MALFUNCTION STOP VEHICLES ) I STOPPED THE CAR AND AFTER 5 MINUTE STARTED IT AND IT WAS OK HALF WAY TO WORK RED SIGN CAME ON (BAKES LONGER STOPPING DIST START ENGINE ) AND ITS WAS DOING THAT ALL DAY THE NEXT DAY THE WHEN I STARTED THE CAR RED SIGN CAME ON (BRAKE MALFUNCTION STOP VEHICLE ) AND NEXT SIGN WAS (ESP MALFUNCTION VISIT WORK SHOP )CALLED MERCEDES DEALER AND TOWED THE CAR I WAS TOLD THE CAR NEEDS( BRAKE PRESSURE PUMP MODULATOR AND AUX BATTERY ) I LOOKED UP ONLINE THERE WAS EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR MODULATOR AND THEY IT WAS EXPIRE A MONTH AGO THE ONLY THING THEY CAN DO 10%DISCOUNT I THINK IT IS NOT FAIR SINCE THE WAS SERVICED AT THE SAME DEALER FOR LAST TEN YEARS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FREE AND ITS BRAKE MALFUNCTION AND THE CAR SHIFTS TO SAFETY MOOD IS UN SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10639700

Incident

Sep 1, 2014

ON MY WAY BACK FROM VIRGINIA, AFTER PARKING MY 2004 E500 BENZ CAR AT THE WELCOME CENTER IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, FOR A BREAK, A BIG POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLAT TIRE, BUT I SAW THE FRONT OF THE CAR LOW (ALMOST TOUCH THE GROUND) THE ONLY THING IS THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS NOT AS MUCH LOW AS THE DRIVER SIDE. THEN WHEN I STARTED THE CAR ENGINE, FROM THE CAR CONTROL PANEL, I RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING ERROR MESSAGE: "STOP, THE CAR IS TOO LOW TO DRIVE" AS A RESULT, I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOME FOR NEARLY $500.00. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCE THIS AIR SUSPENSION ISSUE; AND EVERY TIME THAT HAPPENED, I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. THE TWO PREVIOUS TIME THE ISSUE HAPPENED, THE CAR WAS UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY; AND I DID NOT TO PAY ANY OUT OF POCKET MONEY TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED. NOW THAT THE CAR NO LONGER UNDER ANY EXTENDED WARRANTY, I KNOW IT'S GOING TO COST ME A LOT OF MONEY TO GET THE ISSUE FIXED BY THE DEALER. BASED ON MANY REPORTS I HAVE READ FROM PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, I, AS THEY DO, STRONGLY BELIEVE MERCEDES SHOULD HAVE A RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. AS IT IS COMMONLY AGREED, THE CAR IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS CONSTANT HEADACHE THAT COMES WHEN IT WANTS TO WITH NO WARNING. LUCKILY FOR ME, DURING THE TIME OF THIS RECENT INCIDENT, MY CAR WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN. OTHERWISE, I HAVE NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THE CAR WOULD GO OUT OF CONTROL AND THUS CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE HELP TO GET THIS ISSUE ADDRESS BY MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURT OR DIE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607582

Incident

Jun 29, 2014

MY AIR SUSPENSION IS LOW ON THE CAR. WHEN I LEAVE THE CAR PARKED FOR A DAY OR SO AND COME BACK THE CAR SITS VERY LOW. WHEN I DRIVE IT GOES BACK UP BUT NOW THE CAR WON'T GO BACK UP IT JUST STAYS LOW. I HAVE SEVERAL FRIENDS WHO HAVE MERCEDES BENZ WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10595451

Incident

Jun 14, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi

WARNING MESSAGE: [STOP, CAR TOO LOW] APPEARED IN THE INFORMATION CENTER. WALKED AROUND THE VEHICLE CHECKING ALL WHEELS. DISCOVERED THE FRONT LEFT SIDE NOTICEABLY LOWER THAN FRONT RIGHT SIDE AND THE WHEEL ALMOST TOUCHING THE PLASTIC LINER UNDER THE WHEEL WELL. CHECKED FUSES. PRESSED "RAISE" AND ADS BUTTONS BUT IT DIDN'T REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. POSSIBLE DEFECTIVE HYDROPNEUMATIC SHOCK ABSORBER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10553292

Incident

Nov 20, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING NORTH ON I-5, AT APPROX. 65 MPH, DISPLAY SHOWED RED LETTERING "VEHICLE TOO LOW STOP CAR". MADE MY WAY OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD WHEN MESSAGE DISAPPEARED. PROCEEDED WITH TRIP. AFTER A COUPLE OF MILES, MESSAGE APPEARED AGAIN. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN CAR HANDLING OR PERFORMANCE FELT. MESSAGE AGAIN, DISAPPEARED. THIS CONTINUED UNTIL ARRIVAL AT HOME. THOUGHT FAULTY RELAY OR SOME ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. ONCE HOME, I GOT OUT OF CAR AND HEARD A SOUND AS IF AIR WAS ESCAPING FROM A BALLOON. NOTICED LEFT FRONT HAD DROPPED ALMOST ON TIRE. CAR NOT DRIVABLE. TOWED TO SHOP. BLADDER BURST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10534472

Incident

Aug 7, 2013

Mileage

85,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, CAR JUST LOWERED OUT OF NO WHERE SPEED AUTOMATICALLY DECREASED, AND RED LIGHT CAME ON SAYING CAR TOO LOW STOP CAR, IT SCARED ME THAT IS SO DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE GOING AT A CERTAIN SPEED AND THEN IT DROPS OUT OF NO WHERE. THEN I HEAR AIR LEAKING FROM BACK BUT NOT OUT OF TIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10492284

Incident

Jan 11, 2013

Mileage

105 mi

THE CAR LOWERED TO AN UNACCEPTABLE POINT TO WHERE THE CAR IS A VERY ROUGH RIDE AND ANY BUMP IS HIT HARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10467007

Incident

Jul 9, 2012

Mileage

130,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING MY E CLASS HOME FROM WORK MY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIT UP AND DISPLAYED "VEHICLE LOW DON'T DRIVE". I WAS AT THE ENTRANCE WAY TO MY HOME AND PROCEEDED TO MY GARAGE. UPON GETTING OUT OF MY VEHICLE, THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT FENDER WAS LOWERED DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE TIRE. I REALIZED THAT THIS WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE AIR MATIC STRUT ASSEMBLY; WHICH IS A COSTLY REPAIR. MY RIGHT SIDE WENT OUT AT 88,000 MILES. MERCEDES SHOULD ON UP TO THE FLAWS IN THIS SYSTEM AND FIND A CHEAPER FIX FOR THE VEHICLE OWNERS. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS MATTER I FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10459018

Incident

May 18, 2012

Mileage

98,500 mi

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF FRONT LEFT SUSPENSION STRUT ON A 2004 MERCEDES E500 STATION WAGON. THE CAR HAS AN AIR RIDE SYSTEM WHICH MAINTAINS THE RIGHT HEIGHT OF ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE CAR. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY BY MERCEDES SINCE PURCHASE. THE AIR BLADDER INSIDE THE STRUT BLEW OUT WHILE PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOME. THIS RESULTED IN THE RIDE HEIGHT OF THE FRONT OF THE CAR DROPPING IMMEDIATELY WITHOUT WARNING TO THE POINT WHERE THE FRAME WAS BARELY 2" ABOVE THE PAVEMENT. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT SPEED ON A ROUGH ROAD OR ONE WITH CROWN OR AN IRREGULAR SURFACE, OR IN HEAVY SNOW, THE FRAME COULD CONTACT THE GROUND CAUSING ANY NUMBER OF POSSIBLE OUTCOMES INCLUDING SEVERE CHASSIS DAMAGE AND TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. *KB

NHTSA ID

10416557

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

78,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE WARNING LIGHT "BRAKE FAILURE AND ESP FAILURE" WERE DISPLAYED AND ALSO INDICATED THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES; HOWEVER, WHEN HE WAS ABLE TO STOP IT BY DOWNSHIFTING AND ENGAGING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE CONTACT STATED THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO WAS PERFORMING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE CONTACT HAD ALSO VIEWED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS VIA THE INTERNET REGARDING BRAKE FAILURE FOR HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL BUT WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000. UPDATED 01/13/11*BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THERE WAS A SMELL OF GAS. IT WAS DETERMINED THE GAS TANK WAS CRACKED. ALSO, THE FRONT BALL JOINT BROKE. THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE TRADED THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 01/24/11

NHTSA ID

10364069

Incident

Nov 2, 2010

Mileage

67,000 mi

THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES - FIRST IN MARCH 2010, THEN APRIL 2010, AND NOW MAY 2010. IT HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE FOR THE FIRST 2 INCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME, THE CAR DROPPED TO THE GROUND WHILE PARKED, THE SECOND TIME IT WAS SLIGHTLY LOW, AND THEN WHILE DRIVING THE REAR DROPPED AND THE CAR BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE. IT IS NOW DROPPING ON THE RIGHT AGAIN, AND PULLS STRONGLY TO THE RIGHT. SERVICE WAS COMPLETED AT THE DEALER. EVEN THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THE SYSTEM FAILS, AND FAILS IN A MANNER IN WHICH THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS LIKELY TO GO IN A CHAIN REACTION FASHION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330982

Incident

Mar 16, 2010

Mileage

108,000 mi

E500 4MATIC SUSPENSION FAILURE - FRONT AIRMATIC SUSPENSION COLLASPED. CAR CAN NOT BE DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10282914

Incident

Aug 31, 2009

Mileage

36,000 mi

DROVE CAR FINE ALL DAY ON SATURDAY. SUNDAY AM, PUT SON AND WIFE IN CAR, STARTED OUT DRIVE WAY AND CAR GAVE NOTICE THAT CAR WAS TOO LOW. WALKED AROUND EXTERIOR OF CAR AND FOUND THAT RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION MECHANISM HAD LET AIR OUT ITSELF AND TIRE WAS WELL INSIDE THE WHEEL WELL. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE. DTB (DAIMLER TECHNICAL BULLETIN) P-B-32.22/15A FEB07 VEHICLE LEVEL DECREASES AT FRONT AXLE. IN EXTREME CASES THE AIRMATIC COMPRESSOR WILL NOT ACTIVATE TO RAISE THE VEHICLE. IT IS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE COMPRESSOR IS NOT ACTUATED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RESIDUAL PRESSURE IN THE SUSPENSION STRUTS. ANY AFFECTED STRUTS WILL BE REPLACED AND THE COMPRESSOR WILL BE ACTUATED WITH STAR DIAGNOSIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10205342

Incident

Oct 7, 2007

Mileage

80,000 mi