Air suspension bmw x5

FAULTY BMW X5 AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM – FULL DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS

Whether it’s pneumatic, hydraulic or air, the suspension system on your car is designed to give you and your passengers the smoothest ride possible from your vehicle. Air suspension is found mainly on heavy-duty vehicles, including trucks and buses, but it is also popular on large passenger cars, including 4×4’s, like Mr L’s BMW X5.

Mr L, a BMW X5 driver from Newbury noticed a problem with his rear air suspension system when he would come out of his house in the mornings, ready for work, and the rear end of the X5 was almost on the ground.

The client brought the X5 to our team of expert BMW Service Technicians at Fergies because of our reputation as German Vehicle Specialists. At Fergies BMW Garage, we work hard to diagnose and understand your vehicle before completing any work thoroughly. We want our clients to receive that first time fix every time. Following our 15 step process and with only using genuine parts for all our BMW repairs and servicing, we maintain the integrity of your vehicle. Just as the manufacturer intended.

Mr L advised that he had taken the BMW X5 to another garage and had them replace the air compressor for his air suspension system. Unfortunately, this didn’t solve the client’s problem. His self-diagnosis had left the client out of pocket for a costly air compressor, and he still had a faulty air suspension system.

Explaining the benefits of our diagnostic evaluation process meant that the client finally decided that this was the way forward to get to the root cause of his problem.

INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM

We wanted to get the diagnosis right for the client, get the BMW back on the road and allow the client to enjoy the premium ride he has come to expect from the BMW brand.

Our BMW specialists needed to carry out a complete system check. The system check didn’t provide any fault codes, and with the system that was still able to raise and lower the vehicle, we needed to dig deeper into possible causes. Our expert technicians completed a full global fault code scan using our BMW specialist equipment, but this revealed no fault codes again.

So with no fault codes recorded, we went back to the suspension system itself to complete a full system leak test. With the help of leak detection spray, we confirmed that both rear suspension airbags were leaking. The driver-side airbag was the worst, but both were still leaking, and these leaks would be causing the BMW to lose pressure overnight. We had found the problem, and then having explained our findings to Mr L, we went on to complete the remedial work needed to get the client back on the road.

BMW AIR SUSPENSION FIX

When the client came to Fergies German Vehicle Specialist, he advised us that he had already been to another garage and had them replace the air compressor for his suspension system.

And even though the work was carried out on the client’s self-diagnosis, replacing the compressor is still an expensive business.

Had the client come to Fergies in the first instance and taken advantage of our 15 step diagnostic analysis, our BMW specialists could have saved the client the time, money and headache of unnecessary repairs.

Having found leaks within both rear air suspension airbags, we were able to replace the airbags with genuine BMW parts and return the vehicle to the client within 24 hours.

A fully operational air suspension system is key to the enjoyment of your vehicle, and the fix was instantly noticeable within the drive quality of the BMW X5. Mr L was happy with the results and that we had been able to resolve the problem and confirm that there were no other underlying issues with the BMW because of our complete diagnostic process.

Our team of expert BMW specialist technicians means that your vehicle will always receive the premium BMW service it deserves. Our care and dedication to clients have awarded us the title of UK Top Garage 2021 and the reputation as the place to go for all your BMW Service and Repair needs.

If you are having issues with your BMW, or your BMW service is due, contact Fergies – your local BMW garage and let one of our team help you today.

Fergies – your German Vehicle Specialist based in Thatcham and Newbury.

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How to do BMW X5 Air Suspension Reset

X5 is regarded not only as one of the most famous medium-sized SUVs in the world but as BMW’s first SUV as well. This luxury vehicle was first produced in 1999 under the E53 model and is still in production. With each new model, this SUV keeps getting better. But what makes it more luxurious is its air suspension system. With many BMW X5 users attesting to how comfortable their rides have been with the air suspensions, you can be sure that your rides will be enjoyable.

Still, this air suspension, like other suspension systems, could develop problems that would require resetting. That’s why this article will guide you through the process of resetting the air suspension on a BMW X5.

Here are other things discussed in this article:

• What is BMW X5 self-leveling suspension?
• How does the BMW air suspension work?
• How to turn off the air suspension on a BMW X5?
• How to fix common BMW X5 air suspension problems

BMW X5 Air Suspension Reset

Resetting your BMW X5 air suspension is easy. This is something that you can do on your own. Hence, there is truly no need to drive your car to the mechanic nor is there any technicality involved here. All you have to do to reset the air suspension is follow one of the two methods below.

Method One

You can only begin resetting the air suspension when the engine is off. However, ensure that the ignition is kept on.

To turn the suspension switch, you need to locate the air suspension toggle on the center console. Pull down/up the toggle for about seven seconds. Note that once you start pulling, the air suspension would keep flashing green light on the dash-line. Once the green dash line stops showing then the air suspension is off.

You cannot proceed unless the air suspension is turned off. If this has been confirmed, leave the car for a few minutes before advancing to the next step.

Using the same toggle, turn the air suspension back on.

It is expected that once you turn on the engine the air suspension should have reset itself.

While on the drive, monitor your car. Check if things are working properly after the air suspension reset.

Method Two

This method involves disconnecting your car’s battery. However, note that while this would reset the air suspension, it would equally reset the entire vehicle’s system.

This is the same as the first method. The test drive is to examine the car’s suspension by monitoring the ride quality. Just check if things are working better with the air suspension after your reset.

What is BMW X5 Self-leveling Suspension?

The self-leveling suspension is regulated by Electronic Height Control (EHC). This is a type of automotive suspension that works by using airbags and air compressors to keep the vehicle at a standard ride height. That’s why your BMW stays comfortably on the road without slogging regardless of the load/weight in the rear.

BMW’s self-leveling compressor makes use of an electronic sensor that is placed in the vehicle’s chassis. This electronic sensor is positioned in important parts of the vehicle’s chassis to maintain a leveled ride height at all times. So, the self-leveling suspension is triggered whenever the sensor senses an unleveled attitude on any part of the vehicle, especially the rear part of the chassis. This activation of the self-leveling suspension is what causes the airbags to raise or lower in whatever area needs raising or lowering.

The air suspension compressor does the raising and lowering of the chassis. The work of the air compressor is to pump air into the airbags. So, whenever a part of the vehicle’s chassis needs lifting, the air compressor would pump air into the airbags which then raises the chassis area. The same thing applies to lowering the vehicle and the good thing about this self-leveling suspension is that it gives handling and ride balance.

Ultimately, self-leveling suspension ensures that both the rear and the front of the vehicle’s chassis are balanced and of adequate ride height. This also applies to the left and right of the vehicle thereby maintaining great ride quality and stability.

How does BMW Air Suspension Work?

The air suspension system comprises some key components like the air compressor, airbags, air springs, height sensor, electronic control unit, air shocks, and airlines. These key components are responsible for the work the suspension system does. Since the suspension system has moved significantly from the stock system to the air ride system where coil springs have been replaced with air springs, things have gotten a lot easier to understand and manage.

Beginning with the air compressor, the primary part of the air suspension system, we see that pressurized air is pumped into the airbags via the airlines. It is the airbags that take in the air produced by the compressor and use the air in maintaining ride height. If the ride height needs to be raised, the airbags have to lift the chassis from the axle.

There is also air shock acting as a shock absorber to absorb the road impacts. This component reduces or eradicates bumpiness and vibrations. Regardless of road changes and potholes, the active air shocks or dampers in the BMW X5 would use air supplied to reduce the harsh impacts of the road. If you’re interested in exploring more about air suspensions, check out our Vigor Air Ride passenger car air suspensions.

All in all, each part of the air suspension system works to ensure that ride height is maintained, handling is firm and stabilized, and that the rides are smooth, bump-free, and noiseless. Using the compressed air that is stored in the tanks, air reaches the needed area, and the drives in your BMW are comfortable.

How to Turn Off Air Suspension on BMW X5?

On your BMW X5, every setup and adjustment can be done manually via the center console. There are also air suspension setup options on the key fob. However, the air suspension toggle on the center console is what lets you turn off the air suspension on your BMW X5. Here is how it is done.

While the engine is turned off, ensure that the ignition remains on.

You would have to pull the toggle up/down for about seven seconds till the green dash line light goes off.

If the dash line green light is still flashing, the air suspension is still on. The moment the green light disappears, the air suspension turns off.

How to Fix Common BMW X5 Air Suspension Problems

Your BMW X5 could develop suspension problems due to faulty components or total mileage (old or degrading air suspension). When this eventually happens you may spend a huge amount of money on multiple trips to the mechanic. To save you stress and money, here are some common BMW X5 air suspension problems and how to fix them.

When the rear end of your vehicle sags, it means that the vehicle’s ability to hold weight is compromised. Also, a sagging rear end means that the ride height of the vehicle is lost. This is mostly caused by a faulty air compressor or malfunctioning valve block. So, to fix the problem, you would have to check if the compressor is working or if the fuse is blown. Once that is done, you can replace them if they need replacing.

Based on user complaints on Car Problem Zoo , a noisy ride is a common problem of a bad air suspension system in the BMW X5. One of the potential causes of this problem is a broken suspension component. It could also be that the air suspension system is worn and needs replacing. So, to fix this problem, you would have to first find out where the noise is coming from. The most practical way to do this is to go on a test drive or walk around the vehicle listening to the noise. Once this has been discovered, replace any broken parts of your air suspension.

The air shocks are in charge of absorbing the bumps from the road. If your BMW X5 is incapable of withstanding and dampening road impacts, then you can only fix this problem by replacing your air shocks.

Your air spring/airbags can start leaking due to time and usage. To be sure of any leakage in your air suspension, you can try spraying soapy water on the area. If it bubbles, then there is air leakage. Once this is ascertained, you should replace your airbags or air springs.

Conclusion

Your BMW X5 has a great air suspension system which increases the vehicle’s luxury. However, despite the air suspension and EHC self-leveling suspension, the vehicle could still develop some suspension problems. The problem is not with the BMW but with the air suspension itself. So, for what it’s worth, such a crucial part of your vehicle must be inspected and tested regularly. Also, whenever a part needs replacing, replace it as soon as possible.

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