harrietrogers
New member
Hoping someone can tell me if I'm about to make an expensive mistake. My 2016 Mercedes GLE 350 has developed this soft hissing sound from the front passenger side every time I turn off the engine. It lasts for maybe 5-10 seconds and then stops. The car doesn't sag overnight, no warning lights, and the ride quality still feels fine. I took it to a local garage and they immediately said I need a new air strut for 5,500 dirhams plus labor because the "internal seal is leaking." But here's my concern: if the seal was really leaking, wouldn't the car sink overnight? And why would it only feel right after shutdown? Another mechanic suggested it could just be the system equalizing pressure or a dirty solenoid valve that needs cleaning. I found a place that does trusted Mercedes shock absorber replacement at Suspension Repair Dubai and they said they can smoke test the system and check the valve block before condemning the strut. Has anyone here had that post shutdown hiss on their Mercedes and found it was something simple like an O ring or a valve instead of a full strut replacement? I really don't want to spend five grand if I don't have to. Any real experiences would be really helpful. Thanks.