rbaron

2004 CS here, mostly trouble free, low mileage since new. I live in Oklahoma, average altitude about 1200 ft. Last weekend I made a quick trip to New Mexico, average altitude 7000 ft +. About 75% of the time when I started the car out there I would hear a chattering under or around the passenger seat (I think) and then I would get a warning light: Air Suspension Faulty, Workshop. Since I returned yesterday the warning has not reappeared.

Is it possible/probable this was altitude related?

Any suggestions, thoughts or ideas?

I've got an appointment to take it in to the dealer next week but if they can't reproduce it this may be just one o' them things....

--Bob

Reborn996

I bet this is related to your compressor for the air suspension. I had the same issue but not with the altitude. I went to my local VW dealer and had the compressor rebuilt kit installed for about $350. No more issues. The compressor piston and rings are replaced with newer upgraded parts. The compressor in high altitude probably had issues keeping compression in the air suspension, early sign of compressor piston failure.

mudman2

Agree

rbaron

Thanks. I was thinking/hoping maybe an inexpensive seal was going out, but this makes sense.

Why VW not Porsche dealer?

--Bob

mudman2

Because Porsche do not sell the refurb kit and VW do. Its the same compressor, HOWEVER its cheaper to buy the complkete compressor from Porsche, go figure

ltc

Quote of the week.

Reborn996

Mudman, where are you seeing a Porsche compressor for less than the VW rebuild kit??? I was quoted around $800+ for a new compressor versus less than $350 for the rebuild kit installed.

mudman2

"HOWEVER its cheaper to buy the complete compressor from Porsche", I should have added compared to the complete compressor price from VW

Reborn996

ahhh, makes sense now.

rbaron

Finally got it to the dealer yesterday; my schedule and the availability of a loaner at last coincided.

The tech, who I trust, checked it out and found no fault codes nor evidence that anything was not right.

He suspects the altitude may have contributed to its failure to fully compress and thus the fault warnings while I was in New Mexico,.

I guess I'll just do what I've done with my various Porsches over the last 40+ years: wait for it to completely break. Or not.

In the meantime this is just another data point in the ongoing adventure.

Thanks for your suggestions.

--Bob

mudman2

we'll see

I got the intermittent error for 4 years with dealer NFF. The a strut blew up, literally.

rbaron

Thanks! This will give me something to look forward to.

medtech

I've been getting the same intermittant error recently...seems to be on extremely hot days...and of course the dealer can find no logged events.

Using the same wait and see approach.