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