thesteve

I recently started getting intermittant workshop exclamation point messages about the air suspension, after which the car throws up its hands and refuses to change the height.
I'm pretty sure nothing is wrong but a sensor signal not being seen for a split second, because all is well if I turn the engine off and restart.
Started happening this week, once every day or two, and only once per 1 hour trip.
Anybody ever come across this?
03 turbo
Steve

thesteve

Update: when the error appears, the car will still lift, just very slowly. There's about a minute of nothing and then it s l o w l y lifts to the desired height.
After cycling the ignition it pops up in a few seconds like usual so I know it's faking it.

Also, it's related to motion and acceleration. This morning, just as I sped up with some boost the error appeared (about 40 minutes into my hour commute).
Then, as I was driving spiritedly around a sharpish curve near my job entrance, the AIR BAG light came on.

When I bought the car, the airbag light was on and the dealer had his mechanic reset it but the bad connection is obviously still there.

So I need to find out where these questionable wires are. Any ideas where an airbag wire runs near a wire for the air suspension? This sucks.

Steve 03 turbo

Wisconsin Joe

First off, to answer the question about diagnostics that you asked a few days ago (in the other thread):

There are 2 common tools for this. Durametric and ICar Scan. Both have pluses & minuses. A search will give you lots of info to digest. Personally, I use a Durametric enthusiast version. It suits my needs well.

No real ideas on the suspension issue. I think you are on the right track, though. It sounds like an broken wire or bad connection.

The airbag light coming on when taking a corner fast is a known issue. There's a connector under the passenger seat that can short out against the seat frame.

I had this happen, and the records I got with my car showed that the PO had it happen once too.

Airbag light will not reset by itself. It had to be done with a scan tool.

Proper fix is to replace the connector. I haven't bothered yet because it's only happened once.

thesteve

Thanks a lot for replying.
Quick question, is the scan tool to reset the airbag a separate item from the Durametric or ICar thing?

Never mind that question, I did some research.

I think this iCarsoft Porsche POR V2 looks very good for my needs.
I'm annoyed that I can't roll my windows down with my remote, but I think that's the only coding I really care about so maybe nothing more than the POR V2 is needed by me.

Please someone talk me out of this if there's a better device before I click the purchase button. Thanks.

nodoors

it seems to be the best, but it has been really buggy for some of us. I have all kinds of issues with their DRM security routines on the EZDiag software. The third option and may be the most powerful is the VAGCOM for VW and shorting pins 7 and 11 on the cable. It thinks it is talking to a Touareg and pretty much everything works. There is something nice about going wireless and easily being able to store the device in your glovebox. You will probably end up like many of us and buy several different scanning options as different problems arise. They pay for themselves before one single visit to a dealer, so it is easy to justify.

thesteve

Thanks. Is this the unit you have? https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/vchn_10/

Did you buy from Ross-Tech? What about this one with a wire? https://store.ross-tech.com/shop/vchv2_ent/

Might be cost-effective to buy the wired one and use an old laptop. (?)
Am I correct in gathering that it's the software that is the heart of this thing and knock-offs are available on ebay? (I see some on ebay with a CD and in the description it says to disable anti-virus software. From experience, I believe this is absolutely malware.) Sorry for going off-topic, I'm not so cheap as to go down that route... just trying to absorb a lot of info in in a short time.
Steve 03 turbo

gibbsy

Steve, I also have the random fault you speak of. Through a series of coreections I have finally identified a damaged wire on the front left.
items done.
compressor ring rebuild. Bagpiping andy kit
battery replacement
individual sensors unclipped and contact cleaned,the diametric grease applied and re installed.
finally after the front left was cleaned I located the fault. Hence further inspection here resulted in the damaged wire.

thesteve

Thanks. Hopefully if I get a diagnostic tool I can narrow things down.
As an update, now the error comes on every time within seconds of starting. One good thing is, the car still lifts fine... it just takes a long time.
It always goes down quickly like normal.

playskool1

I get the random 'Chassis System Warning' message like 1-2 times a month and I drive my car everyday. It's very intermittent. When restarting the engine it goes away and functions as normal.

I've noticed this happens during left-hand turns and usually within the first 10 mins of engine start-up.

When the message pops up, I can hear a very light pop sound and the car feels like its driving uneven levels from the front left-to-right suspension of the car. Feels lower on the front-passenger side. After restarting the engine, it is back to being leveled.

gibbsy

Steve,

If it is taking a long time to lift, then I would think the compressor is not operating at optimum performance. If it were me I would be installing the compressor ring & O'Ring kit from bagpipingandy.com as this is an economical repair.

thesteve

It's only slow after an error is declared. If I cycle the engine, it raises immediately like new. -Until the error comes up again. It's like it goes into limp mode.

gibbsy

Ohh I see, this is something I have not seen or heard of before. Thanks. good luck with the trouble shooting.

thesteve

Thanks for that link. I'm guessing the compressor refurbishment is not so difficult? Good to know. I don't even know where the compressor is. I assumed it was buried somewhere.
Actually, I'm still troubleshooting... There are a few sequences I could run to really rule out a weak compressor for sure.
Steve

Brainz

The air compressor is underneath the vehicle approximately below the front passenger (RHS) seat. There's a long plastic splash cover along the sill that's held on with torx screws. The compressor is obvious after you remove that cover. The compressor is held on by 3 or 4 bolts, if I recall. You can replace the o-ring in under an hour (probably only 15 minutes if you've been in there before. There are 2 or 3 allen headed bolts that hold the "head" of the compressor on -- undo those and slide the head off. You do not have to undo any of the air lines to do the o-ring. And only use the Bagpipingandy.com replacement o-ring -- the eBay kits are garbage.

gibbsy

Has anyone changed out the height level sensors on an 03 CTT with the VW Toureg option as they both carry the same part number, yet I am curious as to the arm configuration on the VW being different to that on the Porsche.
Thanks in advance