4.8is ... completely resting on front tires... Problem????
 

I have been noticing lately that the front of my truck after being parked for a couple of hours is pretty much completely slammed and sitting on the front tires. I can't even get a finger in the wheel well.

However, when I unlock the car or turn the key in the ignition if the truck was open it raises back to standard setting.

I have noticed the suspension appears to be very stiff... as in no give what so ever when I try to push down on the front fenders/hood etc.

Have any of you guys experienced this? I don't think it is normal because I haven't noticed it before on my 4.8is (2004 only 33K miles).

any suggestions?

Thanks.

Curtis

do you have adjustable ride height? sounds like something is wrong there... possibly a leak

Search for threads created by user Steved.

I do have adjustable ride height etc.

I will track down the posts that you suggested. Thanks.

if mine's sitting for a week or so it does the same thing, it's an airbag leak, yours seem much more serious than mine

:iagree:

well here's an update mine just started doing the same thing, the car was literally resting on the front tires, what did you find out / dealer say before I make an appt?

Hey cue03, did you ever get this resolved?

Yep. I got it resolved. The dealer kept the car for almost 2 weeks trying to figure it out. They pretty much replaced everything (bags, sensors etc) and after each part they replaced, they tested again and it kept doing it. They ended up changing the shocks and that resolved finally resolved the problem.

Wow. What's your production date?

Same thing happened to me in 2007. :( Goin' strong for 2 years now. :D

Same exact problem I have. There is a hole in my strut and over an hour or so the car will let the air completely out.

I have the same exact problem as of 3/15/2009
I was told by the dealer that my air suspension module was faulty. I foound used one for 395.
Anyone replace their module?

Im dealing with this now. First is happened on Saturday morning, and now this mornign it is slammed again. Lovely.

One dumb question that I have though, my tire pressure light has been coming on intermitently for the past few weeks and everytime i check the pressure, it's fine. ANy chance they are related?

Same issue with the low presure light on my 4.8is when the front drive side suppension sagged during driving. Going back to the dealer this week for the third times. The dealer already replaced the air suppension module. Might have the same problem as cue03 with the shocks.

I hope you get it resolved. I am curious to see if your issue is the same as what I had.

My car is going into the shop tomorrow night, so that it can sit overnight and they can observe it sinking down. I will say that on the phone, my service advisor told me that they just fixed another X5 with the same issues, and that it was all do to some type of hole in a strut.

We shall see!

well that is the down side of owning a 4.8, with my 4.4i the only air suspension issues id have to deal with are the back wheels.... =P

Full front/rear air suspension was an option on the 4.4i.

I had the same problem... after doing my research, I ended up this both front struts chandged and a control module... Now car runs smooth and suspencion works fine with no virtual roll.

I hope that does it! I haven't been happy with the ride for some time now. When on a smooth highway, you can feel a bumpy ride for some reason. New balljoints and stuff didnt fix it.

off topic, but your X is SO NICE..

if you feel that you suspension sometimes works fine, but sometimes its bumpy - thats a control unit... I had same issue... you can get all parts much cheaper than from dealer (www.getbmwparts.com.... I saved around 1500$ only on parts, when decided to change my front struts)

Thanks Naz... too bad the darn full air suspension is so temperamental. The only problems I've had with my X involve that system... She's in the shop now, so far: new air strut, module, sensors. :( Even at discounted prices the parts add up fast. :rolleyes:

Well, no update yet from the shop, but mine is CPO and that stuff better be covered! Yeah, my ride has felt bumpy for a while. I will be dirving on a beautifully flat stretch of freshly paved highway and i will feel a ton of bumps where there shouldn't be any. I sure hope that this fixes it!

So a quick update, they are replacing the front struts. If there are still issues then they are going to replace the control module. Also, they continue to blame the BUMPY ride on worn tires. It may just be me, but i fail to see how evenly worn tires give a bumpy ride feeling. So, I decided to say screw it, and ordered 4 Vredesteins and had them shipped to the dealer!

So now there are no excuses, it better be smooth as butter when i pick it up next week!!!:thumbup:

Update on my 4.8is...3 days at the dealer and they have not found the problem yet. I am dealing directly with the service manager to get this problem fix. Probualy won't get the X back until next week.

On a side note, my X suppension does feel stiff/bummpy before the height sagging. Seem like common issue with others on this forum.

Maybe the stiff/bumpy feeling has to do with the fact that the bags aren't holding the right pressure, so the module cant work properly?

I'm having the same issue with my 2004 4.8is with 38K on it. I've had the notorious "self-level inact" message come up on it and just had the module replaced. I just got my X5 back on Saturday and now the front suspension is sagging almost resting on the front tires (this is new, it did not do it before). Also the up or down level will not work, it blinks but does not move. It worked when I picked it up on Saturday. I no longer have the error show up on my vehicle. I just don't understand why the dealerships with all their technology cannot figure out what is causing this issue?? One - thousand dollars later for a module (part and labor) and still having issues is truly disheartening! Especially since this is my first BMW. Anything to do with the air suspension is not under my warrantee so I’m at a cross road, not wanting to keep sinking $$ in my new to me vehicle, what should I have them look at first, the struts for a possible hole, air bag for a leak, or one of the ride height sensors? Does anyone have any advice on this issue?

Thanks
Dejay

Dejay, I will keep you posted on what the dealer finally fix for my X5. It has been in the shop for over a week now. They are having the BMW reps check the database for history of similar issues. What I know so far is they replaced the module, reprogrammed the software, trace all the lines with soap, etcs... and nothing have fixed it. I have make a big deal with the GM that this is the 3rd times going back and I don't want the X5 back until they are absolute sure it is fixed.

I am also supprised to see many owners from this forum have similar issue and the dealer are having a hard times finding the source of the problem.

Well, I finally found that I have an air leak on my driver side airbag (the bag appears to have dry rot causing cracking). I should have the new part in this week and I'm in high hopes that my air suspension will be fixed. Other than the whole self leveling suspension ordeal, I absolutely love my 4.8is. I've owned lots of other vehicles in the past, however, BWM is by far the most fun to drive. I'm really surprised on how well it drove on snow from recent storms even with low profile tires!!