Mercedes Vehicle Rising Malfunction (Causes & Solutions)

In certain Mercedes vehicles, there is a feature called Vehicle Rising. This feature raises the clearing heights of a vehicle by at least 20mm. Some models can go as high as 40mm. When the Vehicle Rising feature malfunctions, it is usually due to a bad fuse, a bad relay, or a leak in the air suspension system. 

Issues That Cause The Vehicle Rising Feature To Malfunction 

There are about three common issues a Mercedes-Benz owner could have to deal with if their Vehicle Rising feature does not work.

A Faulty or Bad Fuse

The fuse that controls the vehicle Rising feature will differ in Mercedes models, but the 40A fuse is likely to be the right fuse. You can replace the fuse yourself as long as you have the manual and a bit of patience. You can swap out the fuse with another fuse. The fuse helps buffer the electricity from the battery.

Relay Issues

Vehicle relay issues are common. Ultimately, a relay issue happens when there’s either a very low amount of power coming from the main battery, the fuse is not buffering the power from the battery to the system, or one of the components in the Vehicle Rising system is not getting enough power. 

When it comes to relay issues with the Vehicle Rising feature, it is most likely the compressor that is not working correctly. 

The compressor inflates its suspension with air. If the compressor does not receive enough power, it cannot fill the suspension with air, so the vehicle will not rise. 

Unfortunately, fixing a compressor in suspension can cost around $1,000 to replace.

Suspension Issues and Air Leaks

When a Mercedes-Benz vehicle rises from its lowered state to its heightened state, it should take less than 15 seconds to complete. If you notice it takes your vehicle 20 or even 30 seconds to rise to its full height, then there is an issue with the suspension. According to the Mercedes-Benz forums posts, a slow suspension rise is likely caused by an air leak.

Along with a slow rise, other signs that there isn’t a leak in your air suspension system are the suspension will not rise to its full height and when the suspension is actively rising, you’ll hear squeaky or blowing noises coming from the bottom of your vehicle.

In order to fix an air leak in the suspension, you’ll have to visit a mechanic. It is not a job for someone who does not know their way around vehicles. The cost to fix an air leak in a suspension can be up to $1,600. Driving your Mercedes-Benz with an early cleaner suspension is not safe.

As you walk towards your Mercedes-Benz, you realize that it just seems a little bit lower than you remember it. Did something happen to it? 

You’ve been gone for a few days and now your car is lower than you remember.

So you just got back from a 5 day or two-week trip and your vehicle is sitting in the garage. 

No, nothing happened to it. When a driver does not drive the Mercedes-Benz vehicle for a few days, the vehicle will allow the suspension to fall. It’s just a way of preserving the suspension. Just press the vehicle Rising button and your Mercedes-Benz vehicle will rise back to its normal suspended height in 15 seconds or less.

However, your vehicle should stay at the same height it was if you were only gone 24 hours. If you see that you park your car in the garage at night, and then in the morning it is back to its lower state, the Vehicle Rising feature could have a glitch that causes it to drop back down or it has an air leak.

What is Vehicle Rising and Why Would Your Vehicle Need It?

In order to activate the vehicle Rising feature, you can press the vehicle Rise button. It is located either on the driver’s door or near the air conditioning and radio.

When the vehicle rising feature is active, a message may appear on the dashboard or on the screen of your vehicle’s infotainment system. The message will say Vehicle Rising, please Wait. This message will not appear on some Mercedes models. 

On other Mercedes-Benz models, Vehicle Rising light will appear on the dashboard or on the screen and Flash until the vehicle is at its full height. Then it will disappear.

When the vehicle raising feature raises the vehicle to its full height, the vehicle will be at least 30mm higher.

Is It Safe To Drive At A Lowered Height?

Let’s say you have to wait for at least a week before visiting your mechanic to have your vehicle Rising feature fixed. Your Mercedes-Benz sits at a lower suspension level and it cannot rise. 

Is it safe? 

Yes, it is perfectly safe for your Mercedes-Benz at the lowered height. You will have to watch out and make sure you don’t run over any obstacles. Also, you are likely to scrape the bottom of your Mercedes-Benz if the ramp into a parking lot is too high and the road is too low.

Conclusion

The Vehicle Rising feature raises the height of a Mercedes-Benz vehicle by about 30 mm. This provides the vehicle with more clearing space. It should take 15 seconds or less to raise the vehicle from its lowered state to its heightened state. If it takes longer than 15 seconds, then there’s an issue with the suspension like an air leak or a faulty or damaged compressor. While it is perfectly safe to drive a Mercedes-Benz at its lowered height, it is not safe to drive that vehicle with an air leak in the suspension.

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  • Eric Williams

    I'm the founder of Daily Car Tips. I wrote articles in the automotive industry for more than 10 years, published in USA and Europe. I love sharing my knowledge and insights with fellow enthusiasts. Join me on this journey as we explore the exciting world of cars together!