Air suspension????

[NY Blue Streak]

After driving my car this morning about a 100 miles I parked at the 3 hours. When I got back in the car to go home I pulled out of the parking spot and I felt like I had a flat tire. I got out to look and no tires were flat. As I was driving the truck felt like a bucking Bronco. Even the slightest dip in the road shook the truck.
I didn't see any warning lights on but I'm wondering if it could be the air suspension system. The car hasn't lowered at all or looked tilted. Is there any way to diagnose whether that is the problem or not? Thanks in advance

 

[Randy Grant]

After driving my car this morning about a 100 miles I parked at the 3 hours. When I got back in the car to go home I pulled out of the parking spot and I felt like I had a flat tire. I got out to look and no tires were flat. As I was driving the truck felt like a bucking Bronco. Even the slightest dip in the road shook the truck.
I didn't see any warning lights on but I'm wondering if it could be the air suspension system. The car hasn't lowered at all or looked tilted. Is there any way to diagnose whether that is the problem or not? Thanks in advance

If it was the air ride, it SHOULD show a warning in the DIC or a check engine light. Something.

 

[Nick@GotExhaust]

Have you checked the tires for a bubble or anything like that? Have you looked under the truck for anything broken on the suspension like sway bars, links, etc...?

 

[rule18]

@NY Blue Streak Do you have the four corner air suspension? I do and although it's def had it's issues, I've never seen what you're describing. I'd look at the front end components as Nick mentioned.

 

[NY Blue Streak]

Have you checked the tires for a bubble or anything like that? Have you looked under the truck for anything broken on the suspension like sway bars, links, etc...?

It appears now to be on the driver rear. Heard a loud thump when that wheel went over my driveway bump. All looks good underneath. Will have to get it on a lift for a closer look

 

[chopperman1]

Bouncing is typically a shock or strut issue.

 

[Bandit517]

It seems to be more common in my research that the driver rear air bag leaks down. Mine does occasionally if parked off camber over night. No codes or error messages. It will inflate eventually but takes longer than I'd like sometimes. But it's usually VERY obvious that the suspension is down from normal ride height. Old pic from when it first happened you can see the rear wheel gap is less than the front and the truck is leaning. It's been like that for almost 3 years now and I haven't worried about it because it's not an everyday problem. I'd suggest checking your bags, lines and distribution block for leaks.

 

[NY Blue Streak]

It seems to be more common in my research that the driver rear air bag leaks down. Mine does occasionally if parked off camber over night. No codes or error messages. It will inflate eventually but takes longer than I'd like sometimes. But it's usually VERY obvious that the suspension is down from normal ride height. Old pic from when it first happened you can see the rear wheel gap is less than the front and the truck is leaning. It's been like that for almost 3 years now and I haven't worried about it because it's not an everyday problem. I'd suggest checking your bags, lines and distribution block for leaks.


View attachment 520569

Can the bags be filled?

 

[NY Blue Streak]

Thanks. If that's the case can the bag be refilled?

 

[Randy Grant]

With nitrogen, I have seen a post somewhere where someone refilled the system. With regular air, no.

 

[rule18]

Right, what Randy said. It is a nitrogen system. The problem with refilling them is, where'd it go in the first place? Once they start leaking they need to be replaced as I did with mine a year and a half ago. Mine turned out to be a bunch of micro-leaks so it would take a few days after the recovery from the sag to drop down. In my case, it was the front bags that showed the first symptoms. It was cool the first time I noticed it - I opened the garage and the truck was kneeling before me. LOL!

 

[Bandit517]

Can the bags be filled?

With nitrogen, I have seen a post somewhere where someone refilled the system. With regular air, no.

Yes when the right rear fender liner is removed you can access the service ports. You have to vacuum the system and charge it with nitrogen. Similar to an A/C system, just using Nitrogen instead of Freon.

 

[Zac1]

You are describing my 2017. It is your air ride. There are many components that can go wrong. Moisture in the system, low N2. N2 compressor, sensors valves, air bags, lines, level switches, compressed N2 tank, etc. I dumped mine. Bad, unreliable design specially in cold climate below 32 F. Simply put, it is a junk. Good luck.

 

[BWL]

It seems to be more common in my research that the driver rear air bag leaks down. Mine does occasionally if parked off camber over night. No codes or error messages. It will inflate eventually but takes longer than I'd like sometimes. But it's usually VERY obvious that the suspension is down from normal ride height. Old pic from when it first happened you can see the rear wheel gap is less than the front and the truck is leaning. It's been like that for almost 3 years now and I haven't worried about it because it's not an everyday problem. I'd suggest checking your bags, lines and distribution block for leaks.


View attachment 520569

That's what my truck looks like in the morning now.

 

[Jeepwalker]

Air ride systems pretty much use the same design philosophy since the late 80's-90's: air compressor, tubes, valves, sensors & shocks. Little details have changed (like computer control) but overall pretty similar.

Get used to it ...a lot of (but not all) electric cars/trucks do and will continue to employ the weight carrying capability of air suspension systems due to heavy batteries. Not just pickups, but SUV's too. Although I think I read the Ram electric truck was going to use steel wire springs...

But yeah ..more stuff to go wrong for sure. People are going to hate it when their expensive electric SUV air suspension system goes wonky and the dealer gives them the expensive run-around. All the money they saved in gas, and here it's the air suspension system that drives them crazy!

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