PASM issue or reliable?
 

One car I am looking at has the sport chrono, not plus, but then has a shock absorber and a height button below that on console. I believe that to be the PASM. I had heard issues with that system and wondered what everybody thinks on here? What else do I need to look at with 50k miles on a 2012?

I might get blasted for saying this but in my opinion its not If but when you will have a issue with that system. My front left air bladder went at 30k miles, both fronts were replaced. Control arm bushings seem to be even more common failure

The struts on my 2010 are original (at 60k miles) but I did have to replace my original compressor at 50k miles. This system is certainly likely to be more problematic, but it also helps define the character of the car. You should try driving examples with and w/o PASM to determine if it's the right choice for you. If low ownership costs were my primary objective I would have acquired an Accord.

Just a clarification... PASM is the active suspension management system (w/ shock absorber button) and Air Suspension is a separate option/feature (w/ high height button). PASM only is reliable. It is the Air Suspension system (with air bladders) that is a concern for owners. That is, not all PASM equipped vehicles have air suspension.

Many thanks for this clarification as I assumed they were bundled (PASM, PDCC and air suspension)

Yes, all the options can be confusing. If you have PDCC with PTV+ (on 970 models), you have the trifecta! Because... PDCC with PTV+ requires Air Suspension which requires PASM.

PASM, yep, PDCC, unhuh, air suspension, check, rear wheel steering, roger, PTV, sure, I checked every performance option box because I hate myself. All kidding aside I did get all the performance options but IMO a question any prospective Panamera owner should ask before they buy is whether they want to own the car out of warranty and they should certainly take into account their financial thresholds when making this assessment. I'm old and pathetic so for me it was easy to decide on getting what I wanted with a warranty and leave the tasting pain thing to someone else.

You have to replace shocks on most cars in that 40,000-60,000 range. A $190,000 Panamera Turbo is going to cost more to maintain than a 2008 Subaru. Yes the air suspension goes bad because its a wear part. Truth be told some people have had issues with the system itself as well, and it can be expensive to fix....because its in a $100,000+ car. There are some do it yourself troubleshooting threads and even web sites that are very useful to saving hundreds if not thousands.

There are more people that drive 60,000 miles with no issues with the trifecta of PASM, PDCC, PVT, as their are with people that have issues, BUT these are certainly a frequent WTF complain in threads and one of the more common things that go wrong with the car. Yes its a matter of when, just like other shock systems, and brakes, and brake lines etc etc etc. **** wears out!

I wanted to experience the car in its fully form, so I checked all the boxes and got a warranty. I love the air suspension and use it all the time. Good luck.

We had the full boat optional suspension in our Cayenne TT which I liked but it also had me spooked as we approached 40k miles. I figured we were at the point where something may go wrong but due to other factors, sold the TT before the 40k mark & it was perfect at that point.

Our Pan has steel suspension and from my POV, it works perfectly for our needs.

The basic air suspension design and its components have been around for a long time - long enough for rebuilders to get into the act. Hella is a supplier for many manufacturers. Check out eBay for air suspension components - you will see mostly front struts and compressors, simply because these two parts most often wear out. Rear struts may be bullet proof as they are rarely mentioned on eBay.
R&Ring struts and compressor is EZ/PZ and can be done by any competent indy shop.

As I'm getting some recalls addressed on my 2016 4S, I've got a 2018 4S loaner. Is PASM with air suspension stock on the 2018 4S?

Aaron whats your thought on the newer 4S

No on the 4S. It is on standard on the GTS.

At the risk of hijacking the thread (sorry, Foreste1), I'll give a quick rundown after a day with the loaner. I'm getting Sport Plus installed on my 2016 (in addition to addressing recalls and some regular maintenance), and the dealer (who've been excellent so far; it's my first experience with them, as I purchased at a dealer out of state) are waiting for the software coding from PCNA:

• Compared to my 4S, the cabin tech is, of course, in a different dimension. Minus the air suspension, there's a lot of parity between the build in my 2016 and the 2018.
• I really like the surround/front camera when parking
• It sits lower (noticeably so, IMO), but mine drops very low with the suspension in full sport mode
• The exhaust is noticeably louder when in the cabin. I'm not sure if this changed with the new generation, or if there's another reason for the noise. I happen to like the quiet cabin in my car since it's my highway commuter
• Paddle shifters! Man, I wish I had these
• Voice control is handy, though I haven't used it much
• Ditto for the Matrix LED/PDLS+ lights; I haven't driven it at night
• The PAS behaves differently in this car than mine, making me think it's not functioning properly in my vehicle. The warnings come on when travelling too closely on the highway, which I rarely see in my car except for extreme cases
• Rear console controls/display is great for backseat passengers. I'm wondering if it's possible to play media (audio/video) on this for backseat passengers?
• Aesthetics: I'm not keen on the color, and I don't like the wheel design or color (mine are color matched to the paint, which I've come to love). And I know this is controversial, but I really like the look of the 2014-2016 rear end over the new generation
• Soft close doors are a nice touch

The dealer is very generously letting me keep the car for another day while the work on my car gets completed, but I don't think it will see any more miles until I return to do the swap.

If I could have my 2016 with the upgraded dash/infotainment, I think I'd have my ideal mix. As it stands, the 2018 is probably the more practical daily driver, though I don't think I could justify the price premium over mine. The CPO 2018s are going for about $20k more than what I got my 2016 for with comparable (~10k) mileage at time of purchase.

Here's the build sheet for the 2018:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...0c57bdbec1.jpg



Here's the build sheet for my 2016 4S:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/rennlis...cd3083975f.png

Is LED still an option and not standard for the 971?