Rx300 2004 rear air suspension fail

Stephanie Hand · April 26, 2019

Hellooo everyone,

I've had my rx300 for just over a year and today the rear air suspension failed, but light on dashboard is showing normal can't hear compressor working and its completely low on the back end now. Front has been replaced with springs and shocks before I purchased it.... Please help thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'm waiting on parts to replace air suspension with springs and shocks.

Herbie · April 26, 2019

Hi Steph and welcome to the club.

You may have a better chance of an answer if you post in the proper RX forum (I'm not really sure what purpose this "New Members Area" serves to be honest).

If you can't hear the compressor working it may be a power issue so I'd check all fuses and/or relays associated with the compressor and air system. I'm afraid I can't be of any help as I've never had air suspension on any of my cars (I've actively avoided it for the reason that it can be extremely expensive to fix when it goes wrong) but I'd say you're doing exactly the right thing in converting to springs and shocks.

The-Acre · April 27, 2019

22 hours ago, Stephanie Hand said:

Hellooo everyone,

I've had my rx300 for just over a year and today the rear air suspension failed, but light on dashboard is showing normal can't hear compressor working and its completely low on the back end now. Front has been replaced with springs and shocks before I purchased it.... Please help thanks in advance for any suggestions. I'm waiting on parts to replace air suspension with springs and shocks.

Do you mean you have air at the rear and springs at the front?

Stephanie Hand · April 27, 2019

19 hours ago, Herbie said:

Hi Steph and welcome to the club.

You may have a better chance of an answer if you post in the proper RX forum (I'm not really sure what purpose this "New Members Area" serves to be honest).

If you can't hear the compressor working it may be a power issue so I'd check all fuses and/or relays associated with the compressor and air system. I'm afraid I can't be of any help as I've never had air suspension on any of my cars (I've actively avoided it for the reason that it can be extremely expensive to fix when it goes wrong) but I'd say you're doing exactly the right thing in converting to springs and shocks.

Thanks herbie for the advice on checking the fuse/relays

Stephanie Hand · April 27, 2019

Yes it has shocks &, springs on the front and air at the back, just waiting for parts coming Monday so I can covert the rear to springs. It's been ok for a year and all of a sudden nothing with the air suspension, its sitting completely low even though the dash light is saying its in normal mode and there isn't any noise coming from the compressor

ColinBarber · April 27, 2019

Moved to the correct forum and duplicate removed.

I don't understand what advise you are looking for if you already have replacement parts on the way and intend to convert the air suspension to traditional springs?

Stephanie Hand · April 27, 2019

I'm trying to locate what has failed and if it's an fixable as I'm 50miles away from home and whether I can fix it to get back or if the air suspension has gone completely, I've looked in the manual and it says any system failure on the air ride and it will stay in the normal ride position and it hasn't its completely flat on the rear. Obviously I don't want to drive it home in this position causing more problems. Herbie said check fuses/relays but it doesn't mention in the manual if there is any to check.

ColinBarber · April 27, 2019

The air suspension main fuse is in the engine bay fuse box. I believe there is also a separate relay for the compressor.

There is also a smaller fuse in the cabin fuse box - the fuse positions should be shown on the inside of the lid.

Stephanie Hand · April 27, 2019

Thanks Colin I will check them in the morning, keeping everything crossed that it's a fuse til I can get back home

The-Acre · April 27, 2019

2 hours ago, Stephanie Hand said:

Yes it has shocks &, springs on the front and air at the back, just waiting for parts coming Monday so I can covert the rear to springs. It's been ok for a year and all of a sudden nothing with the air suspension, its sitting completely low even though the dash light is saying its in normal mode and there isn't any noise coming from the compressor

The reason I ask is that we discussed this on another model and came to the conclusion its not possible to have half air and half springs, so it's interesting that you do!

Stephanie Hand · April 27, 2019

Yes apparently one of the front air had a leak so he changed it to springs but the back was ok, all the pipes are still there if I wanted to change them back, I've driven it over 15k miles in just over a year no problems until yesterday but I have been on about changing the rear to springs to match the front as never had air ride before. I'm not sure why the person didn't change them all at once as that is what I would of done, if one goes then the others will surely go in time!!

PCM · April 28, 2019

12 hours ago, The-Acre said:

The reason I ask is that we discussed this on another model and came to the conclusion its not possible to have half air and half springs, so it's interesting that you do!

Is it safe? It sounds rather unusual...

Stephanie Hand · April 28, 2019

To be honest I've never know it before but like I've said I've drove it for over a year and over 15k miles and it's been sound upto now, I always had intention to change them over to all springs but other things always cropped up.

Stephanie Hand · April 28, 2019

It passed its M. O. T aswell with both air and spring suspension last Oct

ColinBarber · April 28, 2019

5 minutes ago, PCM said:

Is it safe? It sounds rather unusual...

I don't think safety is an issue, and with the rear adjustable you can compensate for a heavy load in the boot.

The issue with only half a system is that you need to fool the ECU that the front is working correctly otherwise you will get a bunch of error codes. You could either move the front height sensors to the rear and extent the wiring or wire the front ECU sensor inputs into the rear sensors, that way when the rear suspension moves the ECU thinks the front is correctly moving too.

Stephanie Hand · April 28, 2019

The guy who had it before has left all the wiring and pipes in the front so it's all there to change it back to air at the front if wanted.

I went to check the fuse this morning but unfortunately I couldn't get it out, started the car and still nothing tried everything it said in the manual, so I have moved the car to face the right way for recovery. Turned everything off that I could electrical wise ( heaters/ stereo) started the engine and the compressor kicked in so at the minute he's at normal air ride thank goodness, keeping everything crossed he's stays there so I can get back home 🤞🏻🤞🏻

Stephanie Hand · April 29, 2019

Thanks everyone for your comments, he got me home without failing and compressor seams to be working OK now, all parts have now come and over the next few days me, my dad & bro will be doing the change over and then no more suspension failure... Fingers crossed 😊😊

The-Acre · April 29, 2019

2 hours ago, Stephanie Hand said:

Thanks everyone for your comments, he got me home without failing and compressor seams to be working OK now, all parts have now come and over the next few days me, my dad & bro will be doing the change over and then no more suspension failure... Fingers crossed 😊😊

Good news, and please update on how it drives when the work is done👍