air suspension EXPLODED
Yep. I was referring to jack mode. Still sorry this happened to the original message poster.
UOTE=Rico.Adams;4796489]Hi 4KB ... you mean jack mode, even if it was left in jack mode it wouldnt make a difference + once one drives the car in jack mode it disengages ...[/QUOTE]
UOTE=Rico.Adams;4796489]Hi 4KB ... you mean jack mode, even if it was left in jack mode it wouldnt make a difference + once one drives the car in jack mode it disengages ...[/QUOTE]
that is my understanding and experience as well. the EXPLOSION (literally) happened about 15 minutes after parking the car after a test drive. and, yes, he did active the jack mode, he has been taking take of the car for several years.
It would be good to know what failed & how if you can take it apart & investigate ...
Its not the Jack Mode that did this, If you had a fault on the Jack Mode the light in the dash would have flashed up saying its still in Jack Mode, but as I mentioned even if your guy left it in Jack Mode the mode disengages at over 5 miles an hour if my memory server me right, its in the hand book ...
It would be good to know what failed & how if you can take it apart & investigate ...
It would be good to know what failed & how if you can take it apart & investigate ...
What he may be suggesting is that the tech didn't put it in jack mode - then when the car was lifted it continued to inflate the air suspension to try and reach down for the ground, and some overload occurred.
But I never heard of that ever happening. The air boot suffering some damage in the accident which weakened it would be my best guess.
All the above are contributors. Tire blowouts are not that common anymore either. The air bellow is just above where the protective shroud hole is. The air bellow is inside an aluminum encasement. Perhaps the strut took a torsional hit in the accident. Albeit amazing that nothing happened sooner. Also the vibration at 90 miles per hour may have stressed the system. Perhaps once the unit is removed the problem will be more apparent. Please post photographs once the strut is removed.
I would appreciate your thoughts.
Last edited by rooks; Aug 27, 2019 at 08:01 AM.
Yah Rooks, one can see the damage would be great to find out what caused it, If I can recall some did mention the rubber detriating over time but lets see what you find ...
Hello Samhain,
That is not how the system works, when "Jack Mode " is used it stops the system from working, meaning the compressor will not run, nor do the level sensors work.
Also, the system works the total opposite of your comment, when the vehicle is lifted not using jack mode, the wheels / suspension are hanging down, therefore the suspension system sees the vehicle as too high, and if NOT in jack mode it would release the air in the air bladder struts to lower it, (although it does not lower because it is hanging, but depletes the air in said struts) then when the vehicle is lowered to the ground on the lift it will fall to the ground making it not possible in most cases to get the lift arms pulled out from under the vehicle, you then have to wait for the system to refill and lift, jack mode is also mostly for use when changing a flat tire as to not have the suspension system kick on while jacking up one wheel and have vehicle movement, I had it happen late one rainy night on my W12 A8l, thankfully I had put the flat under the side rail of front passenger door, as I was lifting the spare into place the vehicle fell, the Audi A8L has a very cheap unsafe jack as it is, and not using jack mode allowed just enough movement for the jack to fall over.
That is not how the system works, when "Jack Mode " is used it stops the system from working, meaning the compressor will not run, nor do the level sensors work.
Also, the system works the total opposite of your comment, when the vehicle is lifted not using jack mode, the wheels / suspension are hanging down, therefore the suspension system sees the vehicle as too high, and if NOT in jack mode it would release the air in the air bladder struts to lower it, (although it does not lower because it is hanging, but depletes the air in said struts) then when the vehicle is lowered to the ground on the lift it will fall to the ground making it not possible in most cases to get the lift arms pulled out from under the vehicle, you then have to wait for the system to refill and lift, jack mode is also mostly for use when changing a flat tire as to not have the suspension system kick on while jacking up one wheel and have vehicle movement, I had it happen late one rainy night on my W12 A8l, thankfully I had put the flat under the side rail of front passenger door, as I was lifting the spare into place the vehicle fell, the Audi A8L has a very cheap unsafe jack as it is, and not using jack mode allowed just enough movement for the jack to fall over.
What he may be suggesting is that the tech didn't put it in jack mode - then when the car was lifted it continued to inflate the air suspension to try and reach down for the ground, and some overload occurred.
But I never heard of that ever happening. The air boot suffering some damage in the accident which weakened it would be my best guess.
But I never heard of that ever happening. The air boot suffering some damage in the accident which weakened it would be my best guess.
Hello Rooks,
Just to give you some insight as to what you may think caused this failure, I do not see any damage around the blowout area, and if the damage came from the prior accident, you or your guy working on the vehicle after said accident should have seen some marring or a tear in the accordion section that is now blown out, if you had no marks in the area then this is simply a blowout of the strut bladder which is very common on the D3 A8, A8L, and S8's 2003-2010 which you can see over on Audiworld in the A8 D3 forum, I have also seen this here before in this forum, it happens at all stages of milage and age.
Just to give you some insight as to what you may think caused this failure, I do not see any damage around the blowout area, and if the damage came from the prior accident, you or your guy working on the vehicle after said accident should have seen some marring or a tear in the accordion section that is now blown out, if you had no marks in the area then this is simply a blowout of the strut bladder which is very common on the D3 A8, A8L, and S8's 2003-2010 which you can see over on Audiworld in the A8 D3 forum, I have also seen this here before in this forum, it happens at all stages of milage and age.
Hello Samhain,
That is not how the system works, when "Jack Mode " is used it stops the system from working, meaning the compressor will not run, nor do the level sensors work.
Also, the system works the total opposite of your comment, when the vehicle is lifted not using jack mode, the wheels / suspension are hanging down, therefore the suspension system sees the vehicle as too high, and if NOT in jack mode it would release the air in the air bladder struts to lower it, (although it does not lower because it is hanging, but depletes the air in said struts) then when the vehicle is lowered to the ground on the lift it will fall to the ground making it not possible in most cases to get the lift arms pulled out from under the vehicle, you then have to wait for the system to refill and lift, jack mode is also mostly for use when changing a flat tire as to not have the suspension system kick on while jacking up one wheel and have vehicle movement, I had it happen late one rainy night on my W12 A8l, thankfully I had put the flat under the side rail of front passenger door, as I was lifting the spare into place the vehicle fell, the Audi A8L has a very cheap unsafe jack as it is, and not using jack mode allowed just enough movement for the jack to fall over.
That is not how the system works, when "Jack Mode " is used it stops the system from working, meaning the compressor will not run, nor do the level sensors work.
Also, the system works the total opposite of your comment, when the vehicle is lifted not using jack mode, the wheels / suspension are hanging down, therefore the suspension system sees the vehicle as too high, and if NOT in jack mode it would release the air in the air bladder struts to lower it, (although it does not lower because it is hanging, but depletes the air in said struts) then when the vehicle is lowered to the ground on the lift it will fall to the ground making it not possible in most cases to get the lift arms pulled out from under the vehicle, you then have to wait for the system to refill and lift, jack mode is also mostly for use when changing a flat tire as to not have the suspension system kick on while jacking up one wheel and have vehicle movement, I had it happen late one rainy night on my W12 A8l, thankfully I had put the flat under the side rail of front passenger door, as I was lifting the spare into place the vehicle fell, the Audi A8L has a very cheap unsafe jack as it is, and not using jack mode allowed just enough movement for the jack to fall over.
Glad this didn't happen while driving. Confirmed firsthand struts explode. Now someTLC: time labor cash.
Yes my car. Happened last night in the garage.
Oh sorry to hear that mate, but the pictures are from Rooks car.
These failures can happen at anytime without warning, you going to have them rebuild or replace all 4 or just the one ...
These failures can happen at anytime without warning, you going to have them rebuild or replace all 4 or just the one ...
Last edited by Rico.Adams; Oct 1, 2019 at 12:25 PM.
His car was the right side with the green vacuum line. My picture is the left side with the red vacuum line. I should have been more specific. In any event it is what it is and that picture was taken today.😉
Well as you say its another job & money hope you get it sorted mate, sorry to hear ...






