California Lemon Law- Air Suspension Problems

When the air suspension fails the effects can be startling beyond what happens with an ordinary coil spring suspension system. Because these systems can adjust the suspension to three different ride heights another computer control system is required. This complex suspension control system is added to vehicles that are already over-burdened with software and computer modules.

Air suspension failures may range from delays while the system tries to figure out if the car is level to truly life-threatening defects. At Norman Taylor & Associates we interview consumers every day who are trying to cope with cars and trucks that just can’t be repaired who may have recourse under the California Lemon Law. An example on the scary side occurred to one of our clients recently. While driving on the freeway in the fast lane both right side elements of the air suspension sagged to the lowest ride height. Without warning the consumer was trying to drive a car that was leaning to the right. Just getting it over to the side of the freeway safely was more excitement than any one needs.

You might be surprised at how many models have an air suspension system installed. The following is a partial list. Not all manufacturers have air suspension systems on some of their models. As you can see, it is more often in use on higher end vehicles.

• Rolls Royce
• Lexus
• Mercedes Benz
• Land Rover
• Audi
• Lincoln

The kinds of failure are fairly predictable. At the heart of the air suspension system is a rubber airbag or bladder. Air bag or air strut failure is usually caused by wet rot, due to old age, or moisture within the air system that damages it from the inside. Air ride suspension parts may fail because rubber dries out. Punctures to the air bag may be caused from debris on the road.

Air line failure is a failure of the tubing which connects the air bags or struts to the rest of the air system. This usually occurs when the air lines, which must be routed to the air bags through the chassis of the vehicle, rub against a sharp edge of a chassis member or a moving suspension component, causing a hole to be formed.

Compressor failure is primarily due to leaking air springs or air struts. Note: To date this is the defect we have seen most often with lemon cars. The compressor will burn out trying to maintain the correct air pressure in a leaking air system. Compressor burnout may also be caused by moisture from within the air system coming into contact with its electronic parts.
This list is by no means everything that can happen. For example, as noted earlier, the chances that a software error can cause serious problems, has to be included.

We see it over and over, technology for the sake of technology, because it is a cool thing to do and gives the maker and opportunity to one-up the competition gets out of hand. It is too early to know whether this is a technology that is here to stay or just one of the technological flavors of the model year.