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marvinmeier2

Viano air suspension problem

My 2005 Mercedes Viano with a gasoline engine is giving me grief. I've got about 73033 km on the clock. The air suspension seems to have given up the ghost. The vehicle refuses to lift, and it's noticeably leaning to one side. I'm also getting an error message plastered across the speedometer, and there's an error stored in the diagnostic memory. Needless to say, the ride quality has deteriorated significantly; every bump feels like a crater. I suspect it might be a defective bellows valve on one of the air springs. Has anyone else experienced similar issues? Any insights would be greatly appreciated before I start tearing things apart.

4 comment(s)

friedhelm_tiger4

I have a Mercedes Viano and had a similar issue with the ride height. The symptoms you describe suggest an air leak in the air suspension system. A faulty bellows valve is a plausible cause. Have you inspected the air springs and the connecting air lines for any visible signs of damage or heard any hissing sounds indicating an air leak? Also, did you check the shock absorber?

marvinmeier2 (Author)

Thanks for the quick reply. I did a cursory visual inspection, but I didn't spot anything obvious like a tear or a gaping hole. I haven't specifically listened for hissing, but I will definitely give that a try. When you had the issue, was the leaning of the vehicle consistent, or did it vary? Also, did you have to replace the entire air spring assembly, or were you able to just swap out the bellows valve itself?

friedhelm_tiger4

In my case, the leaning was consistent. It turned out the bellows valve was indeed leaking. I recommend having it professionally diagnosed. While it may be possible to replace just the valve, I ended up replacing the entire air spring assembly. Given the age of your vehicle, you might be better off doing the same, and replacing the shock absorber at the same time. It will save you labor in the long run.

marvinmeier2 (Author)

Appreciate the advice. After a thorough inspection and some careful listening, I confirmed the air leak was indeed coming from the bellows valve. Spoke with the workshop and they quoted 590€ for the replacement. Given your experience, I have asked them to replace the entire air spring assembly. Thanks again for the help!

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