Air Suspension Issues

[Cody Pereira]

Hey all, hoping I can find some help here on the forum regarding the recent issues I have been having with the rear air leveling suspension on my 2014 Ram 2500. I tow often on the weekends, so the system does get "worked" going between ALT Trailer mode and Normal mode in addition to the leveling feature when a load is in the bed.

Back in October, I started to have an intermittent issue with the air suspension on a particularly cold night (approx 29 degrees F - nothing crazy.) Started the truck and was met with a message saying "Immediate Air Suspension Service/Repair Required." I chocked it up to being a colder night and maybe the compressor was being cranky. I was not able to change the rear height. From then on, the message would only appear intermittently - no correlation to being cold, warm, rainy or dry. As time went on, the message would appear more frequently until the message appeared every time the truck was started.

I went through and checked all the electrical connectors; each ride height sensor for both sides, both connectors at the compressor itself. Unplugging them, cleaning with electrical contact cleaner and plugging back in. Checked the fuses (all three located under the hood related to the air suspension system) and they checked out good.

Truck is not losing air, the ride height does not change, indicating a presence of a leak in the system, so I am thinking it has to be a sensor or connection? Upon starting, the system will purge the air, but then the compressor will not kick on to adjust.

I am not someone to take the truck to the dealer unless I have to - heard some horror stories during my searches of people having issues with the air suspension and having the dealers just throw parts at it hoping something will work with the most common being throwing a new compressor in which in all cases I have read, does not fix it. I find it hard to think that the compressor is my issue, as if the compressor was locked up, it would be blowing the fuse repeatedly.

Can someone lend a hand here? I am at a loss, and there is not much information regarding these systems for the HD trucks (much more on the 1500's.)

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Travelin Ram]

I can’t help directly, but have a suggestion. Get a copy of the factory service manual or sign up for a month of subscription from Alldata or Mitchell. Then you’ll have the diagnostic procedures in hand.

 

[Douglas Walouke]

So I have a 2014 Laramie Longhorn and I get the message as well, but it's only when it's really cold and it's very intermittent. Maybe 1/2 dozen times in the past year. I'm like you...I hate going to the dealer for what could end up being a glitch. I may try what Travelin Ram suggested.

 

[Douglas Walouke]

Didn't take me long to find this:

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ram/1500/2014/suspension/suspension.shtml

 

[BossHogg]

Didn't take me long to find this:

https://www.carcomplaints.com/Ram/1500/2014/suspension/suspension.shtml

You found a list of complaints on the 1500's four-corner air suspension system. The rear air leveling system used on the HDs is very different.

OP - I have a2015 3500 with the rear air leveling system. It showed the service message you are seeing last year. Turned out to be a seized compressor and a failed left rear ride height sensor. The cost to fix was $1,900, fortunately, my MaxCare covered the costs.

 

[Hunter Hickman]

Thank you for writing on this. I have a 2014 Laramie Limited with over 187000 miles on it. Bought it last year with virtually not other issues. But this winter, it seems to be much worse. Before winter, it may go out on me at various speeds once every other month and fairly quickly come back up and autocorrect. Now, this is happening to me nearly every drive. Seems to be worse with longer drives. After seeing that many are having these same issues and the dealer has no idea what to do, I have been diligent in changing only certain variables to see what could make the difference. I have found when I put it in the garage each night, it takes a lot longer to act up the next day. If it is outside and cold with snow on the ground it does seem to act out more. I watched some Canadian men throw an electric battery heat blanket over it and hook it up in their cab. I wonder if anyone else has had success with this as a solution? I want to make mine a little less, "trashy" if I have to do this permanently to get this to work so I was thinking about heat tape and running strait to an open fuse where the electric start will turn on the heat. What does everyone think? Very curious if others have attempted this, if others think it will work or not, will it hold up to the elements? ???