MB Medic Mercedes-Benz Repair Guides, Service, How To DIY
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In this guide (5 sections)
If you are looking for a cheap S-Class air suspension strut (airbag shock) or coil spring conversion kits, this article is for you. 1998-2006 S-Class (W220) owners, at some point during their ownership, will experience air suspension problems. Air suspension is great, but problems with it can be expensive. If you do your homework, you can save hundreds using aftermarket air springs or completely convert your W220/215 to coil springs.
If you are experiencing air suspension problems, you have two options. You can replace the failed air strut with an aftermarket air strut or convert your S-Class/ CL-Class to coil springs. To replace one single air strut at the dealer, you will be looking to spend anywhere from $1000 to $2000, depending on the problem, year, and location. On the bright side, aftermarket air struts for an S-Class cost between $250 and $500 per air strut. Or the second option is to swap the whole air suspension to conventional coil springs for the cost of one air strut at the dealer. This may be worth considering if you don’t want to worry about air struts leaking or air compressors failing.
Option 1: Aftermarket W220 Air Struts
Average Cost per strut: $250-$500
Replacing the leaking air strut is the cheapest fix to keep the air suspension on your S-Class. At the Mercedes-Benz dealership, one air strut costs around $800-$900. Don’t panic! There are a few aftermarket S-Class air struts at a fraction of the dealer price.
- Arnott AS-2605 Air Strut W220
- DEDC S430 Air Shocks S430 Air Struts REAR Air Shock Absorbers Suspensions Air Spring Struts Fit For Mercedes Benz S Class W220 S430 S500 S600 S55 AMG 2000-2006 2pcs
- YINTATECH 2x for Mercedes S Class W220 S500 S600 2203202438 Front Air Suspension Struts
When replacing struts, it is recommended that you try to keep all struts the same brand and, ideally, replace them all at once. If that’s not financially possible, keep both front and rear struts matching brands.
Option 2: Airmatic to Coil Spring Suspension Conversion Kits
The average cost for a conversion kit is $800-$1500
Many W220 owners love their S-Class but hate the air suspension problems. That’s why they convert their S430/S500/S600/S55 to regular suspension by removing the air suspension completely. It makes sense to convert an S-Class to springs if you have a high-mileage car or if different air suspension components fail. Also, if you have two failed air struts, you should seriously consider converting the system to coil springs.
Here are some popular airmatic to coil spring suspension conversion kits. These kits include replacement struts for all four wheels. An air compressor is no longer needed.
- Airmatic to Coil Spring Suspension Conversion Kit S-Class W220 with Suspension Light Disable The price range is between $1000 and $1500. It is one of the most popular conversion kits for W220. Arnott has been manufacturing aftermarket replacement air suspension products for over 20 years.
- Touring Tech Airmatic to Coil Spring Suspension Conversion Kit S-Class W220 If you are looking for a cheap S-Class air suspension conversion kit for around $1000, this is it. The Touring Tech W220 air conversion kit includes all the hardware to convert your S-Class from air suspension to conventional shocks. It also includes instructions to help DIYers save money by installing the system.
How much does replacing an air suspension strut on a Mercedes-Benz cost?
In September 2017, we requested a quote from a Mercedes-Benz dealer to replace a front air suspension strut on an S-Class. We were quoted $860 for a new air strut and $630 for labor. The quote was for one strut. The cost to replace the air suspension strut will vary based on your location, year, and model of your Mercedes-Benz. The typical cost will range from $1200 -$1800 to replace one bad air suspension strut.
Symptoms of S-Class air suspension problems
- If your Mercedes-Benz (S430, S500, S600, S55 AMG) is sagging at one corner, the problem is often caused by a leaking air strut (also known as air shocks or airbags).
- If your Mercedes-Benz S-Class/CL-Class has lowered to the ground at all four corners, the problem is often due to a defective air compressor, relay, or valve unit.
Read this article for more help troubleshooting Mercedes air suspension problems.Â
This guide will also help owners of the C215 chassis, CL-Class (CL500, CL600, CL55 AMG), which uses the same air suspension as the S-Class.
Which Part Is Actually Failing
The two symptoms above narrow it down without settling it. One sagging corner usually means that strut, and a car sitting low at all four corners usually means the compressor, the relay or the valve block, but “usually” is carrying a lot of weight in both sentences, and the parts differ by several hundred dollars. The suspension control unit has already recorded which one it is.
Airmatic faults are not engine faults, so a basic OBD2 reader will not see them at all. A scanner that reads the suspension control unit, such as the YOUCANIC UCAN-II Pro, tells you whether you are buying a strut, a compressor or a valve block. On a car where the cheapest of those is a few hundred dollars and the dearest is a set of struts, that is worth knowing before you order anything from the lists above.
Before you buy parts, scan every control module, not just the engine. It shows the root fault behind the warning lights and tells you whether the problem is still active. See how to do a full health check.
