How Air Springs Work and Why They Fail (Cut Open to See Inside)
About this video
Ever wondered what is inside an air spring and why air suspension fails? In this video, a mechanic explains how air springs work, what goes wrong with them, and what to look for when diagnosing air suspension problems. We even cut an air spring open so you can see exactly what is inside the air bag, the rubber bladder, the piston, and where these springs typically crack, dry rot, and leak.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How an air spring (air bag) works and how it replaces a traditional coil spring, how the compressor, valve block, and ride height sensors work together, the most common reasons air springs fail, and how to inspect your air suspension for leaks before replacing expensive parts.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF A FAILING AIR SPRING
Car sitting lower on one side or one corner, vehicle dropping overnight after parking, sagging rear end, compressor running constantly or running too long, hissing sound from a leaking air bag, bouncy or harsh ride quality, clunking noise over bumps, and the suspension not raising or lowering when requested.
WARNING MESSAGES AND LIGHTS YOU MAY SEE
Depending on the vehicle, you may get messages such as Air Suspension Fault, Vehicle Too Low, Suspension Fault Normal Height Only, AIRMATIC Visit Workshop, Ride Control Fault, or Air Suspension System Service Required, along with a suspension warning light on the dashboard. A scanner may show suspension related fault codes for ride height out of range, pressure too low, or compressor performance.
DOES THIS VIDEO APPLY TO MY CAR?
Yes, the principles shown here apply to almost any vehicle with air suspension, including Mercedes-Benz AIRMATIC and Airmatic DC (S-Class, E-Class, GL, GLE, GLS, ML), Range Rover and Land Rover EAS, Audi adaptive air suspension (A8, Q7, allroad), BMW rear air suspension (X5, 5 Series and 7 Series wagons and SUVs), Porsche Cayenne and Panamera, Volkswagen Touareg, Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe with Autoride, Ram 1500 air suspension, Jeep Grand Cherokee Quadra-Lift, and Tesla Model S, Model X, and Model Y with adaptive air suspension.
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