Suspension complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The airmatic warning came on my vehicle without prior incident. While driving normally last week, I suddenly noticed the panel flashing this warning. The car did not completely fail, but the car is much lower than it needs to be. When I searched this on-line I came across a forum called benzworld.org or com. There are hundreds of complaints about this problem and many people are calling for mbusa to recall this item. I called the corporate hq and was told to take the car in to the dealer, I was to ask the service manager for a" after warranty assistance". I am not sure what this means, but this is a very expensive item to repair and there May be many things contributing to this problem. Mbusa should stand behind this faulty feature and recall this item. I will take the car in on 07/28/08 and see what the outcome is. I suspect this will cost me close to 1K on a car that has 73K miles. …
My suspension is horrible!! Without warning my s430 airmatic light displayed "visit workshop", I pulled over and noticed my vehicle was riding extremely low...almost touching my front and back tires. Furthermore, there is a rubbing sound when the wheels are being turned. I contacted 4 dealers and they all claimed the suspension and/or airmatic system has been a common problem ...my concern is why wasn't I notified about a recall? Secondly, after scheduling an appointment for this week, mb is claiming that I will be charged for service a. This is unbelievable>>>why is Mercedes loosing their reputation for poor customer service? Please contact me...I need my vehicle in operable condition and will expect to be reimbursed by Mercedes once this recall matter is approved and/or active. I'm glad to know that NHTSA cares...thank you.
I have a 2002 430s Mercedes Benz with only 69,000 miles on it. I have replaced the airmatic pump and paid $641.89 on sept 25, 2008 at rick hill imports in kingsport tn and my car is again lowering to the ground while driving speeds of 40 to 50 MPH. I have to pull off the road to air my car up which is dangerous. I took it back to rick hill imports they tell me the shocks are leaking air and that is a common problem with these cars. I have started doing research online I have found that their are several issues with this car yr make and model. I am told that I will have to spend another 3000-4000 to get my car in the running condition it needs to be in. My car has not been driven hard or that much. The yr of my car should have about 100000 mile on it, and it does not. I also found where there is an investigation already in place for the airmatic system. …
2002 Mercedes Benz s500 sport. After vehicle was shut off a very load growl came from under the hood on the right side. It was apparently the air compressor and it wouldn't shut off. The grumble or growl shook the car and smelled of electrical. The height of the car did not change. The growl stopped after about 10 minutes. I have parked the car outdoors as to not tempt fate with the possibility of a car fire in the garage in the middle of the night. There is obviously a failure in the air ride system. While I realize everything mechanical has the chance to fail I am deeply concerned that this component was running and has a chance to start a fire with the ignition in the off position. If this component fails while driving and drops the vehicle ride height on the highway the results could be catastrophic.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Mercedes Benz s 500. When the vehicle is parked, the airmatic remains lowered when it should not. The contact stated that corrosion occurred in the inner steel portions of the active body control's (abc) high pressure distribution hose due to extensive exposure to humidity, which caused deterioration of the hose. The manufacturer stated that his VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 07V263000 (suspension), although the failures were identical. The failure mileage was 129,000 and current mileage was 129,500. Updated 10/03/08 the left front strut was blown and leaking oil. Updated 10/06/08.
Went to my car in the a.m. To go to work. Turned car on, a red light came on that said vehicle too low. Sensor came on and said airmatic system was not operating properly. In April 2010 I paid about $2500 to fix this issue. The dealership says part are only under warranty for one year and this happens. As my car is very well maintained, and this is the second occurrence, and most likely another $2500, I have given up. I would Mercedes would stand behind their product.
As I was driving my 2001 Mercedes Benz s500. My airmatic suspension fail and my car front went down as I was driving on the freeway. My tires start rubbing into my wheel well and started smoking. The problem left the front end damage. I had the problem fix by a Mercedes dealership. Six month later the problem arise again. I don't drive the car for fear that I might get into an accident.
This car has an air suspension system which has a severe problem. The car has no springs, instead each shock absorber has a pneumatic system that supports the weight of the vehicle. When both rear shock absorbers fail at the same time the whole rear of the car drops down and the car has to be stopped, posing no hazard. But when only one of the rear shock absorbers develops a small air leak, the car does not loose much height and there is loss of traction in the tire in the involved side because there is not sufficient vehicle weight being applied to it. This loss of traction in only one tire causes the tire to spin on light to moderate acceleration, but worse, it causes the tire to "lock up" on braking. …
NHTSA investigations
Air suspension system failure
The subject s-class vehicles contain a compressed air suspension system that uses air struts on each of the four wheels in lieu of traditional springs and shock absorbers.these air struts use compressed air to support the weight of the vehicle and control ride height.in the event of the loss of air from the system, an alert will flash on the instrument cluster warning the driver to either drive carefully or to stop…
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercedes-Benz S Class years have suspension problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2000 (21), 2002 (19), 2003 (7) and 2001 (5) model years. Suspension complaints make up 26% of all complaints for the 2000.
Is there a recall for Mercedes-Benz S Class suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for any Mercedes-Benz S Class model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz S Class suspension problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles; 19% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front (14 mentions), followed by the front › springs › air suspension system (12).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.