CriticalCommonSuspension

Mercedes-Benz GLS: AIRMATIC air strut leaks — a corner that sits down overnight

AIRMATIC air strut leaks — a corner that sits down overnight is a common suspension fault on the Mercedes-Benz GLS on the 2019–2023 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,500 to $12,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 10 documented faults on the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Vehicle: Mercedes-Benz GLS
Years: 2019–2023
System: Suspension

This page covers the Mercedes-Benz GLS as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mercedes-Benz GLS faults10 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Air suspension strut or Shock absorber / strut yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The X167 GLS rides on air, and leaking air struts are the reliability concern owners talk about most. The rubber air spring cracks or perishes, the corner slowly deflates while the car is parked, and the compressor then works harder and harder trying to hold the car up — which is how a leaking strut eventually costs a compressor as well. The classic sign is one corner sitting visibly lower after a night on the drive, sometimes with an audible hiss near that wheel. Caught at one strut it is a manageable bill; left until the compressor and a second strut have gone, a full overhaul at dealer rates runs into many thousands. Early attention genuinely is the difference.

What you would notice

One corner, or the whole car, sitting low after being parked overnight
Hissing from near a wheel with the car stationary
Compressor running for a long time after start-up
Ride height or suspension warning message on the dash
Harsh, crashy ride on one side

How to check it

Where to look. Air struts at all four corners, compressor and valve block, ride-height sensors

The decisive test is free: see the car after it has stood overnight, before anyone starts it, and look at the gap between tyre and arch at all four corners. If you cannot, ask the seller to leave it parked for the hours before you arrive. With the car stationary and quiet, walk around it and listen at each wheel for a hiss. Start it and listen at the back for a compressor that runs and runs rather than briefly. Cycle the ride-height settings and watch each corner actually move. Drive it over a rough road and note whether one corner crashes. If a workshop inspection is possible: ask for the air system to be leak-tested and for stored suspension faults to be read.

Parts involved: Air suspension strut, Shock absorber / strut.

What it costs to put right

$2,500 to $12,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Does it sit level after standing overnight?”
“Have any air struts or the compressor been replaced?”
“Is there any suspension warning message?”

Now check the Mercedes-Benz GLS you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Go-Parts — '2020-2024 Mercedes GLE and GLS AIRMATIC strut failure: noises, leaks and replacement costs'
MBWorld Forums — GLS-Class X167 'Common Problems?' thread
Carify — Mercedes-Benz GLS common problems

Mercedes-Benz GLS buyer questions

Is airmatic air strut leaks — a corner that sits down overnight serious on a Mercedes-Benz GLS?

We rate it critical and common on the Mercedes-Benz GLS. The X167 GLS rides on air, and leaking air struts are the reliability concern owners talk about most. The rubber air spring cracks or perishes, the corner slowly deflates while the car is parked, and the compressor then works harder and harder trying to hold the car up — which is how a leaking strut eventually costs a compressor as well. The classic sign is one corner sitting visibly lower after a night on the drive, sometimes with an audible hiss near that wheel. Caught at one strut it is a manageable bill; left until the compressor and a second strut have gone, a full overhaul at dealer rates runs into many thousands. Early attention genuinely is the difference.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mercedes-Benz GLS?

$2,500 to $12,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mercedes-Benz GLS years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2019–2023 Mercedes-Benz GLS. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.