self-leveling 1993 500 SEL
 

The asr & abs lights have been coming on after touching the brake pedal after starting the vehicle. This has been happening for about a year. Recently the ride has been getting rough. If you push on the fenders, the rear end has no free movement in the shocks but the front does. Any suggestions?


Also, what type of hyudraulic fluid is used in the system and do you have to use an MB product? I inadvertantly got some power steering fluid in the hydraulic resevoir yesterday, is this a problem?


Thanking you in advance for your help.

Jack

Self-leveling 1993 500 SEL
 

Realized that I have two problems. The self-leveling problem was alleviated by bleeding the hydraulic system at the control valve above the rear axle between the center of the axle and the left rear wheel. Before bleeding, the rear suspension was solid with no bounce. There was a lot of air in the system, don't know why. It might have been caused by being low on fluid. After bleeding, the ride was normal.

I still have the asr/abs lights on the dash which come after starting the car, sometimes before the pedals are touched, always after the brake or accellerator is touched.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Don't know much about the 500SEL self levelling, but if it's anything like the W124 E-class then it sounds lke your gas spheres are shot. I expect the ride will become harsh again in a few days. The air you bled out will be what should be trapped behind the now ruptured diaphragm.

W124s use ZH-M fluid (part No 000 989 91 03) in the suspension, which is different from the steering (000 989 88 03), not sure about yours, but if you are changing the spheres you'll be replacing the fluid anyway.

That's a self-bleeding system; no bleeding required. Bleeder valve is there solely to relieve the pressure when servicing. I think your spheres/air cells/nitro cells are gone:(

Plus you'll need to flush the system to clear out the steering fluid. Like others have said, the "air" you bled out was likely nitrogen.