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.

- Norfolk, CT, USA