Air suspension failure

[crykey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close crykey]

Hi all
could any1 advise me on what would cause air suspension to fail. there is no height adjustment, car travelling on rubbers took it to toyota and they advised me to replace shockers as they have gone, but y would this cause the air bags not to work. vehicle is a 2004 prado grande petrol
Thanks

[Guest Close Guest]

The shocks and airbags are different things. Replacing the shock would not cure the problem with the airbag. Are you sure Toyota told you the right thing?
The shocks may have failed because the car was driven on the bump stops (just guessing here).

It sounds like you may have a leak or air compressor failure.

[crykey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close crykey]

yeh i realize the shockers and air bags are different but according to toyota (who want to charge me 1685.00 to replace the shocks) they need to replace the shocks to find out the problem with the air bags. would the air bags still work if the shockers failed. The shockers have the electric comfort control system. can you replace the existing shocks with standard shocks (ie no comfort control) Is there also a way to replace the air suspension with a raised kit any info would be good
thanks again

[Guest Close Guest]

Yes you can replace the shocks with normal ones and it won't affect the airbags or the height adjustment. You just lose the damping ratio settings (comfort, sport).

Search through the 120 suspension section and you will see a cecent thread on upgrading the Grande's suspension.

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...ension-Upgrade

[Peterpilot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Peterpilot]

yeh i realize the shockers and air bags are different but according to toyota (who want to charge me 1685.00 to replace the shocks) they need to replace the shocks to find out the problem with the air bags. would the air bags still work if the shockers failed. The shockers have the electric comfort control system. can you replace the existing shocks with standard shocks (ie no comfort control) Is there also a way to replace the air suspension with a raised kit any info would be good
thanks again

You don't need to replace shocks to diagnose a problem with the airbags, and yes the airbags would still work even if the shocks had failed, unless the failure was so catastrophic that an airbag or air line was taken out by the shock. The TEMS (Toyota Electronically Modulated Suspension) shock absorbers are expensive, I've been quoted $560 each for them, so it is common to replace them, usually with Bilsteins for about 1/2 the price. As Andrew said, you lose the sport/comfort adjustability of the TEMS system, however if you drive with the switch constantly in "sport" mode, you won't miss it.

There is an aftermarket airbag replacement available for about $900, but if the problem is in your compressor or air lines, this won't help.

Is there any evidence of shock absorber failure? Oil leaking? breakage? Does the compressor (located under the left rear guard) actually run when the engine is started? If so, can you see if the air lines to the airbags are all intact and connected?

Where are you located? There may be someone local that can give you a second opinion.

[Guest Close Guest]

Sounds like your getting bad info. Either one or the other has failed.. By the price I would suggest bag or more likely compressor or lines. been a while since we have heard of one of these failures.. Be interesting to see the outcome.

[crykey Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close crykey]

Thats exactly what i thought. I am thinking that the air compressor has failed and then the shockers may have failed because they werent able to support the weight of the car. I can't hear the compressor running when the car is started which leads me to think that the problem is actually the compressor. There is'nt any oil leakage or breakage that i can see so i dont know if what toyota have told me is correct. Does any1 know if there is some1 local that could give me a 2nd opinion? Narre Warren Vic is my location (sth east melbourne)

[Peterpilot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Peterpilot]

Try Darren McRae at Auto-Craft: http://auto-craft.com.au/ in South Geelong. He has some experience with airbag suspension.

[Guest Close Guest]

I wonder if there is an aircompressor fuse?

[nnarcosis Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close nnarcosis]

sure will be a fuse, you'd think toyota would have check that first thou being a 10 sec job......hang on some 1st year apprentices hav'nt heard of fuses thats 2nd year stuff ; )

[Peterpilot Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Peterpilot]

crykey,
How did you go? Any word on what went wrong yet?

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

I have a modified Grande with air suspension. As suggested above Darren Macrae may be able to assist. (he did mine indirectly through Total Traction Tyres in SA)

However I was recently talking to the guys at Opposite Lock who were questioning why I did not upgrade my air suspension when doing the mods. They seemed pretty cluey and a quick call may be worthwhile.

Regards

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

OH, as your vehicle is out of warranty, I would give Toyota the flick and get use the opportunity to get better and cheaper gear than their brand name crap. Look at my rig build, the only thing I have lost is the comfort setting which I used once. My ride is firm BUT much better! Can still raise and lower the rear as I need.

[narrabeenjules Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close narrabeenjules]

Does anyone have a view about having arb air bags fitted to their Prado 150 rear suspension? I tow a 1000kg camper trailer off road cheers

[404pug Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close 404pug]

I have used Polyairs for years in 3 different cars. Never any issues in 250000+ Km. Air bags have the advantage that if you are not doing anything else to your suspension you can run them at sub 5psi most of the time and just pump them up as needed when loaded or towing. A few different brands so check prices..BUT if you plan to put a raised suspension in at sometime you will need to change to a longer airbag at that time.