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Pontiac Montana Air Shock Problems
I have a 2000 Pontiac Montana with 100k miles. As of today, the air ride rear shocks are extended in the highest setting. When I turn off the ignition I can hear the air ride compressor kick in but the rear shocks do not disengage and the rear of the vehicle remains "jacked up" Any suggestions?
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Any suggestions??
I have a 2005 with the same problem.
He recommended pulling the fuse for the compressor, so I did. The rear suspension has been fine, and I haven't thought about it since. Its in the fuse panel inside the passenger door, a 20amp fuse marked "ELC".
Disclaimers and notices:
I will run through what can go wrong and hopefully this will help. Make sure the fuse in the fuse panel is removed when doing all repairs on the air compressor. At 25amps the shock may do some real harm to your hands or electrical system.
Also do not get under your car unless the air bag system pressure is released. Do not decapitate yourself!
Online Help
The electrical diagram is available at autozone.com. Just look up the Relay and look for the additional info button. OR Link: http://www.autozone.com/shopping/repairGuide.htm?pageId=0900c15280095d90
Parts:
Axle sensor switch-
Attached to the rear axle via a small linkage. This part can be crushed or hit by on-coming debris and other unforeseen items when driving. It can also be water logged when driving through deep water or say putting a boat in the water.
Make sure linkage is in good condition and using a continuity tester can be tested to see if it is still functioning. You will have to remove the linkage and harness.
Replacement difficulty = easy =
Rear shocks-
Using an air bag reservoir these are simple shocks with a built in air bladder that lifts the car. Works similar to a coil over setup and uses a secondary spring for added support.
They usually ware out at 85k to 100k.
Any oil visible around the bottom of the rubber bag or air inlet = shock failure. $50 bucks for a replacement pair.
Replacement difficulty = med. to easy =
Rear Air lines-
Only using a clip for attachment, a dental tool or pair of needle nose pliers will take them off as they are very similar to a compression fitting. When inspecting clean all the rubber o-rings at the end of the connector with Windex and grease with silicone or die-electric grease. This will help keep the o-rings supple and air tight.
**Check the driver’s side lines for abrasion by the wheel-well. All or most of the line failures occur here.**
If it is bad it can be replaced with a $8 kit from the parts store.
Replacement difficulty = easy =
Air compressor-
To remove, disconnect all wire harness connections and 4 bolts holding the bracket cradle that isolates the compressor from the chases of the vehicle. Loosen and remove all air connections from the dryer and pull the air feed tube and filter from its hole in the frame.
Use wd-40, or your favorite lube, to insure you do not break off any of the bolts.
By disassembling and removing the 8mm bolts you can clean out all the ports in the head and re-grease the various moving valves and such. The side panel can come off and with a large flat-head screwdriver. You can take off the crankshaft screw that holds the piston in. Be careful, the piston has needle bearings do not lose them. The grease used is high quality silicone based grease. Contact your local air compressor repair-shop and see what they use. Castrol makes a high quality silicone bearing grease that I used but for the amount used; it’s a tad pricey.
You can with some degree of difficulty remove the back shell of the electric motor by prying it open. You can then, clean and lube it with light oil for better performance. Make sure you use a good sealant putting it back together.
You can service the whole compressor, but usually if they fail. The bearings then are burnt and there is nothing you can do.
Replacement difficulty = easy =
Overhaul cleaning and re-lube = medium =
Thanks
Garbrel makes a better version but you will need to splice lines and make adapters as the air fittings are different.
No change in load cap.
When I drive my van I feel ride an mule.
BTW, I wanted to replace both shocks and so ordered quantity 2. The packaged shocks came in pairs and so I have an extra pair now. I wonder if I should buy another Montana to use the other pair on? Or anyone need a new pair? 30% off dealer price.
I think you got water in the compressor feed hose.
Read my note above.........onthe rear axle small black, in the middle, can't miss it.
Does the compressor work at all? You may have burnt it out.
New compressors are 500 or so. Used from the junkyard are 100
Why would you EVER buy from the stealer ship. You would have saved a ton of cash if you bought them from Autozone. For a "set" they were like 40 bucks or so.....
They sold you the wrong ones. the Monroe makes the 2000 to 2004 OEM model year shocks. I will assume they sold you units for the New Blazer or other light truck. The shock valving is different.
If they are OEM from GM, THEY SHOULD LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE ONES YOU TOOK OUT. Same valve, Same bolts, Same bladder, Same diameter.
Take them back and ask for your money back.......if they say no then start yelling and throw down the Old shock if you still have one and say you tell me this is the same shock.......I can't believe this. etc.
and then go to store and get the Monroe
2 things
Get a small space electric heater and place it in your cold garage and let it blow toward the middle of the rear axel. I'm not 100% sure on the 2007, where the sensor is located, but I will ASSUME, it's in the middle as is all the other years.
Look to the rear axle for a little black box with a little arm on it attached to the Axel bar and the body of the van. Point it there.
So come back after 2 hrs. to make sure nothing has caught fire and and to see if the heater isn't melting anything. Please use you or your husbands common sense.
Check again before going to bed to make sure it is actually melting the ice.
Take it for a drive the next morning and see if it is still doing it.
If the problem stops then the ice is causing the issue with the sensor.
In order to stop this keep using the heater OR Jack up the car once it is dry and clean and then douse the living crap out of it with Silicone Lube spray. This will displace water and make the ice fall off easier. If that doesn't work a plastic shield may be in order. You would have to make one.
If the problem continues after the unit is thawed and de-iced have them check the sensor for a fault. He should have fixed it in the first place.......
Hope this helps
**** If anyone has had similar issues, or has suggestions feel free to E-Mail me your responses... : dj_nikki@verizon.net
>> just write "montana troubles" in the subject line.
This request expires after September of 2009 ! ~ Thanks, Have a good one.
You probably don't want to hear this but my van has been doing this for over a year now. I am NOT an expert but have done much research and this is what I know. It is likely, not garanteed, that the primary pressure selunoid in the transmission is worn out or it is dirty. It controls the presure on trany plates. The computer detects transmission slippage and after a certain amount of times it sends a signal to the selunoid to go FULL PRESSURE as a safty measure to save your clutch plates from slipping and burning up which can hatch your trany really fast. Either your plates are worn badly or your selunoid is worn/dirty causing an incorrect amount of fluid pressure which in turn creates slippage which in turn the computer sends a signal to go full pressure. Depending on how you drive, hard shifting can really strain your transmission. The dealership/trany shops will want to replace rather than fooling around with the amount of time it takes to take appart transmissions and "miss" something in the process... rebuilds are probably a good option when you really consider this. I am waiting for mine to physially fall off the van as i'm driving taking precasions to ensure if i'm on a family holiday that I know exactly where I can have the van towned (AMA coverage) in order to have it replaced and how much it will cost.... about $2500 in Alberta/BC. The effort to replace the selunoid is ~$200 parts and about $700 labour (estimate) - I am also considering this but to the transmission is hours of work taking things off and dropping from
van. I know, probably not what you want to hear. Once it is opened up you never know what they are going to find and you'd actually have to trust them b/c you/I don't know crap about what really needs to be replaced. There are pics on the interest of the selunoids worn for the montanan but took awhile to find them.
Let's keep the discussion here so everyone will benefit. Thanks!
Steve, visiting host
did you find any adapters for the air hose connectors?
Best regards,
Ivar
Stockholm, Sweden
good luck