Air Suspension - possible problem

[Barry14UK]

Hi folks,

I know most here shy away from air suspension like Covid but there must be a few here that have it as it's standard on Premier 3rd Gen and an option on some others.

The evaporator was damaged in the recent accident on my car but was replaced.  However, I have noticed that the compressor cuts in every morning and again intermittently after a few miles whereas I didn't hear this prior to the accident.  I don't bother with altering the ride height as is possible by pressing the appropriate switch which of course can activate the compressor, so I am wondering whether the accident has caused a leak or has damaged an air bag.  You need to add air to your tyres occasionally but not several times on a journey (unless you have a puncture, porous tyre or poor seal), so I don't think air should need to be be added  so frequently to the air suspension system unless there is a problem.  I should be grateful if somebody with air suspension that is in good condition would provide an idea of whether they hear the compressor start after the car has been left overnight and intermittently on a journey.

[Ian M]

Yes and yes.  Certainly the compressor starts if it's been left a few days, and it's especially noticeable while everything is quiet before the engine starts. 

The other place I occasionally notice it is if I have to stop at traffic lights at the end of a motorway slip road.  Remember that at higher speeds, the air suspension lowers the ride height to improve the aerodynamics.  So if you stop very shortly after a higher speed cruise, the engine won't be running either but the compressor needs to run to bring the ride height back up to normal. 

All that said, what you are describing does sound as if it might be running too often so there's be no harm in getting it checked out when they fix the tailgate. 

 

[Stefan213]

I think you have a problem, on my 2011 the compresor starts when i change the ride hight or in the morning once a month maybe if i dont use the car for a few days. 

[The-Acre]

In my experience with air suspension there seems to be no pattern to when it kicks in. Some mornings the compressor would run regularly, sometimes I wouldn't hear it for a few days.  As has been said, the compressor will kick in when you slow right down from speed (it will always do this) or when passengers get in or out, if you park on uneven ground or on a kerb etc.  Leaks usually get worse so I would maybe monitor it for a few weeks to see it it's stable.  Obviously if the vehicle drops over a day or two it's likely to be an air leak so that's another area to watch.

[Barry14UK]

Thanks for prompt replies.  I will ask for this to be checked when work is done on the tailgate fitting. Also, they must check why air is no longer coming from the central air vents on the dash even with fan full on, so that definitely is a fault that was not picked up. Hopefully, all may be got to work as prior to shunt.  I expended a lot of time sourcing this car and by my normal budget it was a lot of money. But after a heavy accident, there is a concern what might not have been found and might fail prematurely.  Perhaps physiological but somehow the car doesn't feel the same.

My grand daughter bought an almost new Yaris Hybrid but thieves jemmied a door which needed replacement along with repairs to the roof.  They body shop couldn't get an acceptable colour match after two attempts and ended up painting the whole car and even then the shut lines are not quite as before.  For her this car has lost some of it's appeal so she knows how I feel.    

[royoftherovers]

6 minutes ago, Barry14UK said:

Thanks for prompt replies.  I will ask for this to be checked when work is done on the tailgate fitting. Also, they must check why air is no longer coming from the central air vents on the dash even with fan full on, so that definitely is a fault that was not picked up. Hopefully, all may be got to work as prior to shunt.  I expended a lot of time sourcing this car and by my normal budget it was a lot of money. But after a heavy accident, there is a concern what might not have been found and might fail prematurely.  Perhaps physiological but somehow the car doesn't feel the same.

My grand daughter bought an almost new Yaris Hybrid but thieves jemmied a door which needed replacement along with repairs to the roof.  They body shop couldn't get an acceptable colour match after two attempts and ended up painting the whole car and even then the shut lines are not quite as before.  For her this car has lost some of it's appeal so she knows how I feel.    

What about sending an email Barry to the Lexus U.K. Head Office for the attention of its Technical Services Director explaining your predicament following the unfortunate incident involving your vehicle and asking him to explain in writing to you the characteristics to be displayed by a fully functioning air suspension system as fitted to your vehicle ? If you provide the V.I.N. number, he will be able to determine precisely the expected outcomes of your system.

Such an email will prevent you being fed information from an infinite number of well intentioned Lexus technicians who have either no knowledge or have been trained inadequately and you being in a worse position than you are now.

On a different,but associated matter concerning the scumbags who tried to gain entry into your Grand Daughter`s Yaris; this is the only occasion that I am aware of where anybody has tried to break into a small car which is so anonymous as to be invisible. Did she by any chance leave something inside in full view ? Such a thing happened to my wife`s anonymous Volvo 440 many years ago.

I hope that my contribution might be of some use.

[Barry14UK]

I appreciate the thought about asking Lexus HO for an opinion which I will adopt.

As regards my granddaughter's car, it was one of three broken into on the same evening.  They got about £60 that was not on show.  In return she was left with a jemmy and a reduced 'no claim' discount and increased premium.  There was some grainy CCTV but Police not interested in following up. (I believe this was because the value of what was stolen was less than £200, although I am not sure on this.)

Many years ago I left a car with a garage for work on the autobox.  Somehow the car was used in a crime and it was returned to me in a filthy condition with a load of rubbish in it.  I remember the Police dusting it for fingerprints.  I had done quite a bit of work on that car personally, including replacing the sills (that Americans call rocker panels), and respraying the whole car, so I cared for that car, but after what had happened I just had to sell it, another example of not feeling the same way about it.