Mercedes-Benz CLS500 Shocks & Struts
The Mercedes-Benz CLS500 model is a four-door sedan with the look of a coupe. Replacing worn struts with factory-equivalent parts ensures the comfort and safety you expect from a Mercedes. With a wide selection of shocks and struts to choose from, you can find what you need for your Mercedes-Benz CLS500.
What are shocks and struts?These components form part of the car’s suspension system. This Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class uses an air strut assembly on each of the front and rear wheels. Air struts use a canister of compressed air to cushion the ride and support the chassis of the car.
The system Mercedes uses on the CLS500 is called Airmatic. The strut assembly self-adjusts on each rim to give the optimum dampening effect for the road surface. You may select the sporty or comfort option from inside the car to vary the performance of the suspension.
The Airmatic system also automatically adjusts the height of the car. It keeps the vehicle level on almost all road surfaces to maximize fuel consumption. The strut assembly on each rim can adjust independently to compensate for the load in various parts of the car.
What function do struts perform on the CLS model?- They control how much weight is on each rim. This ensures that all four tires are in contact with the road.
- They absorb bounce to give the car’s occupants a smooth ride.
- They control roll, sway, squat, and dive. All these terms describe the way your car’s weight shifts when you corner, accelerate, and brake. Keeping the weight of the car over the rims preserves steering and braking control.
In general, you know your car’s suspension is becoming worn when you feel excessive bounce on rough patches of road. You may also feel unusual vibration in the steering or excessive swaying when you corner or brake.
The air strut system on this Mercedes-Benz gives you even stronger clues. It has a sensor on the instrument panel that tells you when the air pressure in a strut assembly is low. You may also hear a hissing noise coming from the wheel area if the air pressure is decreasing. If the pressure is too low, the chassis will not be supported and may be resting against the tire. In this case, you can probably see the car sitting low on one corner, and the car will alert you that it’s inoperable.
What struts are available for the CLS500?OEM and aftermarket replacement parts are available for the CLS500. Be aware that the struts for the front are side-specific. That is, one is specific to the passengers side and one is specific to the driver’s side. The strut assembly for the rear is interchangeable.