Active body control failure on Mercedes Benz sl (model R230) causes the car to lower all of a sudden, loss of control and steering locking. Car's abc suspension is pressurized, and it has a history of failures. Documented on NHTSA site. The abc hose has a recall already, but the abc pump itself can go bad anytime without warning. There are many documented cases, which I have from other Mercedes owners. Mine occurred traveling 35 mph in northern Virginia in a neighborhood road, and luckily I pulled over but noticed my car's rear was dropped 4 inches nearly touching the ground. Some sl owners have been driving at highways speeds and suddenly abc malfunctions causing serious damage and potentially deadly results if immediate precaution is not taken. Mercedes Benz usa and it's dealers are well aware of abc issues effecting their line of models including: Sl, S class, and cl class. No recalls on the abc pump has been issued, but the dealers politely tell owners it's a known issue and it will costs $5000 to fix. That's unacceptable. I beg the NHTSA to investigate and if need be, I can gather more data and facts from owners and testimonials for dealer service advisors who know of this issue.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

Addendum info to original complaint #10308437 shows that mb service advisor J. steach advised M.B. not responsible as driver should "miss" potholes. Engineering analysis shows that it is not possible for driver to steer around potholes. At 70mph mb SL500 travels 103 ft/sec and it is not possible to observe the pothole hazard and categorize as safety risk at speeds of 70mph(103ft/sec) react physiologically and actuate steering system -all in less than one second-one half second each for human response and same for mechanical actuation-insufficient time to avoid pot hole hit. Dark or low light conditions render pothole miss impossible. In any case, the improperly engineered soft low strength alloy wheel design leads any prudent vehicle driver into a crash trap. Wheel, tire, suspension damage evident-needs corrected immediately at expense of mercedez-Benz.. wife whiplash due to severe abrupt unanticipated forces in bringing vehicle to safe stop. I have neck soreness and aggravation of previous neck injury likely.

- Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA

In 12-06 I bought a 2004 Mercedes Benz S500. Since than I took the car back the dealer more ten times the latest was 1-09 for the same reason the air matic defected orcompressure leak, pressure sensor malfunction, air matic valve block defective. Some time they found the air matic compressors w/ external leak cause the suspension to be low. In May 2008 for leak in the compressor they told me it was fixed. Again in July 2008 air matic compressor again leak. Aug 2008 they told me it relay defective the airmatic pump was stuck and the airmatic pump did not pass pnumatic test again they told me the dealer charged $821.03.jan2009 airmatic valve block defective again charged $765.89.I think some completely wrong with this car, but the dealer and the head of the Mercedes Benz do not want to hear me the car cost me alot of moneys and every other month I must find money to fixed the same thing over and over again that not fair.

- Wyandanch, NY, USA