Do you guys meaure rear ride height when you suspect Airbags going out

[jsoto]

I dunno....
I'll have to look more closely at the rear ridge height (air springs in back).
For the last week, I've noticed the compressor kicking in almost every time I start the car. Compressors in the back , lid closed and all - and I can hear it working. I've eyeballed the rear height and it looks fine before I start the car.

Maybe it's a slow leak....on the bags.

[BavariaTexan]

I never measured but it became noticeable that it was lower. If the compressor is coming on often you may blow a 30A fuse. If that happens then it will obvious. The 30A fuse is located in the back fuse panel. The bags are really easy to replace and usually get tiny leaks in them. I have replaced both of mine.

2001 x5 4.4

[jsoto]

What did you replace them with.....
been doing some reading of old threads.
The arnotts seem to be about 50/50 on the reliability record..

[BavariaTexan]

The part that leaks on air suspension is part 1

01 Pneumatic spring, left 1 37121095579 $187.40
01 Pneumatic spring, right 1 37121095580 $187.40

[jsoto]

Correct. I meant did you go OEM or aftermarket..

[BavariaTexan]

It could be worth researching but I replaced with OEM. I never considered an aftermarket purchase for that part.

I have never had another issue with them.

[BigBlack48is]

I too have noticed my compressor running for a minute after I turn the car off in the garage. I am suspecting the bags as I have 100k miles on the clock and they are original. Here is the best deal I have came across in the my searches.

Air Suspension Pros | Find Quality Suspension Lowering & Lift Kits

It's a DIY thing with no fancy schmancy BM& program required.

[Ricky Bobby]

Originally Posted by jsoto

I dunno....
I'll have to look more closely at the rear ridge height (air springs in back).
For the last week, I've noticed the compressor kicking in almost every time I start the car. Compressors in the back , lid closed and all - and I can hear it working. I've eyeballed the rear height and it looks fine before I start the car.

Maybe it's a slow leak....on the bags.

measure the ride height for sure, sometimes the compressors kicks on when I start my car but that is normal sometimes to level out the height.

if it is lowering somewhat overnight (I would say a few mm or more) then you may have leaking bags. get under the car, do you see any hairline cracks in the bags?



And to the above posters who said they replaced with OEM only, go to www.arnottindustries.com they make high quality replacements for our airbags, I have used them in my front air struts and quality is superb. Many of the members on this forum have used Arnott for their front and rear replacements. For the rear air springs, they are $200 for the pair, and you should replace both if you are replacing one (the other isn't far behind if one is leaking now)

Only thing you have to figure out is if you have sports suspension or not, there are 2 different air bag part numbers for that.

[jsoto]

Ride height seems to be normal...been measuring it every other day.

Every once in a blue moon, like today, I'll get the SLS error. Turn off the engine, turn it back on, and SLS is gone.

Just short of getting it scanned (which I will at some point), or throwing parts at, any other suggestions or similar issues and your resolution

[fmugur]

I had the same on/off airbag light happening on mine until the light stayed on all the time.
I blamed it on the seat ocupancy sensor and I even tried the bypass trick and I couldn't fix the light. When I tried to clear the error with inpa or gt1 I get an internal error which cannot be cleared and translate to a faulty module. I got a 'new' air bag module which I am going to replace but because it's under the central console I will have to find time to do it.
So, if you have inpa check the status of the ocupancy sensors and also the errors the airbag module reports and go from there. If you cannot clear the errors the it might be then an internal module error.