The car is already at my independent's, but I was looking for some Johnny help or anyone else. Valet drove it up, it had "Too Low" red warning on the dash. Suspension is low over the tires.

Checked the Ross-Tech scanner, only code was "lower limit exceeded". I tried to put it in jack mode but got interrupted and I may have let up on the switches prior to it entering jack mode, or it wouldn't do it at all.

The car hasn't been jacked, it was just parked in a parking garage. I got the warning, then hooked up the Ross Tech, cleared it, then it didn't come back for my drive home. Two days later, the valet brings it up and the warning is back and the front suspension is collapsed on the front wheels. I got it (carefully) to the independent and told them to try jack mode first, (from this forum) but I don't think that's the long-term solution.

Any thoughts? Why do I only have a simple error code?

 

Might be a broken level sensor.

 

I would focus on finding the leak. Once the system parameters are satisfied then you can look into codes.

 

listen for air leak by the wheels when you have your ignition on.

You have to change out the suspension. There are some rebuilt ones from RMT (florida) they ship it to you and you send the bad one back.

If you prefer OEM quality, go for aerosus.

The error would clear out when you have the suspension installed.

 

Check the level sensor first. Might not even be an air issue - might be a level sensor issue.

If you need replacements I'd hesitate to do RMT. I ordered their fronts for my Phaeton. Worked fine but I've never been able to get ahold of them to get a return authorization for my cores. They owe me a few hundred dollars.

 

Blown out strut, no surprise. Changing the control arm bushings too.

 

Well that blows...
So I understand, I thought that when you carefully drove it to your independent, that it lifted and was put in jack mode,, did it collapse again while in jack mode ?

Johnny

 

No, it died in an airport parking structure I couldn't get a tow truck into.

I carefully exited, then parked it and tried jack mode (didn't work) and plugged in my trusty Ross Tech to see what it said. Right then, a cop pulled up and told me if the car could move, I had to get it off airport property to wait for the tow truck (I was in a bus lane, but he was also being a bit officious) so I started to drive and there was nowhere good to stop, so I just drove it to the independent like it was since it was just straight down the highway with no turns. I probably damaged the bushings by doing that, but nothing else was affected. Not a great choice, but last time I waited for Triple A it took more than three hours and I had nowhere to wait.

 

Understood now !

Isn't it nice how he was so nice and helpful...

Johnny

 

Replaced first air strut, it was blown apart. Came back to get the car, it was collapsed again. They found a leak in the second unit, we spent some time trying to figure out why the second one would start leaking at the exact same time.

Independant offered his thoughts, with the first blown out, we over-pressured the second unit. Johnny, any thoughts?

We changed out all of the control arm bushings, that made the ride slightly better, only marginal, but it does feel a little nicer over the road. Maybe that was the two new struts as well.

Apparently the struts had been replaced previously, they weren't OEM.

 

Hello @British ,
I can not say for sure as I did not see it in person, nor did you post any pictures of the blown out strut/s, my first thought is a misdiagnosis as to the fault code 01400, instead of checking 01299 first, 01299 is a data error in the bus, as in a wiring issue maybe at any of the 4 level sensors, plugs, or a faulty suspension control module, or a wiring issue at the control module itself, or any of the wiring to and from in the suspension system.

I just don't buy both front air bags on each strut failing within hours of each other, I think it may be possible that they misdiagnosed which side was actually leaking, if it was indeed leaking, or did the data bus error allow the vehicle to vent and drop both fronts, or did the data bus error allow for over inflation of each strut, your indy would be the one to tell you if the vehicle went super high mode at any point after he replaced the first strut.

Johnny

.

 

I completely agree with your about how weird that is. The strut that failed…failed. As in they had a picture of it actually separated, it was physically destroyed and would hold no air.

The second strut had a very slow leak, I have a video of it bubbling the detergent spray right at the brass fitting that attaches the side of the strut, where the air line comes in.

There certainly wasn't a computer issue with this, the only fault I got was "too low" and it was…too low. I drove it for 30 minutes (very carefully) on the collapsed strut because of my story (above) about not having a good place to wait for a tow. So the air pump was running full blast for 30 minutes or more (more, since I was in a parking garage trying to figure out the Ross-Tech readouts).

One other issue that seems a bit far-fetched, but the timing is right: I had a detail shop give it an expensive exterior wash and I INSISTED that they get the undercarriage and suspension really well, since I drove it through a huge amount of salt and I wanted special attention to getting all of it out (it was even under my hood, white everywhere).

The front suspension quit immediately after.

I have been wondering if they power-sprayed seals or fittings causing both sides to have leaks. It sounds far-fetched, but the timing is exact. I had a power steering hose changed out, the detailer took it and blasted all the salt off, I got it home and one strut came apart and the other developed a very slow leak.

But that is probably crazy. However, the slow leak was new since I never had an issue previously and the bad strut was really bad, it came apart.

 

Your thoughts are not so crazy, high pressure power washing may have gotten water into the level sensor plugs causing a temporary shortage of the wiring, just enough to cause error 01299.

As to the minor leak of the other strut at the brass fitting, depending on how old, or the mileage on this matching pair of front strut were/was, I may have just replaced the fitting as shown below... But on the other hand you now both new struts at the same time, and Bentley and many others always require or suggest that both fronts be replaced at the same time, even if just one is faulty.

Johnny


.

 

The fitting on the left was where the leak was on the right side. On the right side of the fitting it was bubbling through.

I don't mind replacing the whole strut rather than the fitting. Do you know how the fitting is sealed?

 

The seal is the black rubber part on the right in the picture,
and then the left center piece with the o-ring.

Johnny