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Audi allroad Suspension Questions

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Comments

  • jchewjchew Member Posts: 4
    I am now ordering 3 more sets of seals to replace all four corners. I will let you guys know if it is sucessful in two weeks.
  • pcsinpspcsinps Member Posts: 3
    Glad I I'll still get alerts from this site. A $2 seal is a lot better than springing $600 bucks. I love my 05, and was painfully considering getting rid of it this month. After reading your message, I decided not too! Thanks for the tip on cleaning too. Maybe we need to make our dealer aware of these tips, so those of us who don't/can't do it ourselves, don't get gouged at repair time. I am.
    Paul
  • dlaustindlaustin Member Posts: 23
    I wish the problem were the $2.00 seals, but I am confident your Audi is no different from the other Audis and your bladders leak, as I mentioned in previous posts. If you use the soapy water method I outlined previously, you would see exactly where the leaks appear and at what level setting. I am very confident your seals do not leak and never will, if installed properly. Replace your bladders!
  • neweynewey Member Posts: 1
    Hi, can anyone give me some advice? the problems started when the battery went flat for no apparent reason. The AA were called jacked the car up (not in jack mode) and then decided to tow it to garage. New battery installed. Some days later i heard a squeaking noise drivers side wheel and then a few days later the suspension warning light came on and stayed on. The noise got worse and eventually was so loud it sounded as if my exhaust was dragging along the floor! Took it to garage and they replaced the drivers side rear lower arm and lubricated the suspension lift pump. Next morning warning light back on and suspension not working just staying on level 1, this got worse and eventually I felt as if the car was below level 1, but don't know if this is possible. Read manual and the info on this website and put the car into 'jack' mode and then back out and this seemed to improve height of car back to level 1 (suspension levels still not working), but warning light still on and the squeaking sound came back?! Pumped up all tyres which were all very low and driving back fromt he garage the indicators stopped working. Are these all individul problems or does anyone think it could all stem from the flat battery. The car is now back in the garage and they are trying to source re-conditioned suspension kits for me. Would really appreciate any feedback. Thankyou
  • d4bjd0d4bjd0 Member Posts: 3
    I've gone through this as well. Now my left front is leaking. Where did you get your parts? Thanks!

    -B

    2001 Allroad
    Replaced:
    - Turbo's $3,500
    - Cat's $1,200
    - O2 Sensors $600
    - Timing belt & Water pump $1,300
    - 1 airspring $600
    - Transmission $5,400
    - Other misc stuff = Repairs total overall about $13,500
    ...I'm in the hole DEEP!
  • pinarellopinarello Member Posts: 1
    I have been reading audi air spring #53. Where can I purchase front left air spring for 2001 audi allroad at a good deal. Im having similar problems with my audi and found the discussion helpful. please email any help. Thank you. :mad:
  • dlaustindlaustin Member Posts: 23
    www.genuineaudiparts.com is the best place for Audi parts. Talk with Craig.

    dlaustin
  • skidreamskidream Member Posts: 1
    Hi, How did your 2$ seal worked out. Iv'e got the same problem on my Front Left suspension. Air seem to leek from Bottom. (I did the soap test). Let me know...

    THANK you in advance.

    From a fan of ALLROAD
  • bfugokbfugok Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2001 Allroad that had the suspension pump that continued to run, become quite loud and then it failed to keep the car at level one. This all started while under warranty but it finally failed outside of warranty and we all know that Audi denied any coverage but they offered to do the work for $1500 for a new pump and installation. I am quite handy and looked into this pump and any type of replacement parts and I found a way to replace the pump for about $350 new if you have a bit of time and are a little handy. The pumps are not made by Audi, nor Continental as the label on the pump states. They are made by a company that makes the same pumps for Range Rover, BMW, Audi and Mercedes as well as others. The pumps are the same except for the exterior mounting plates and air hookups and wire plugs. These are minor. You can find the pump for a Mercedes for $300 on eBay or approx $425 in the internet. The mounting plates on either end of the pump are swapped out in about 30min (2 strange screws on one end, drilling out 4 small rivets on the other and replacing with 4 small screw/washer/nuts). The air hose inlet/overflow and output may be different depending on the model but metric nylon quick connect fittings are available at McMaster for about $3-$8 depending on how many you need. You also may need to swap out the Audi Wire plug connector, wire crimps and heat shrink tubing. I found out a good deal about these pumps and their specs. The pumps are all similar except for their brackets and connectors to your vechile. Oh, you also have to screw in your temp sensor to the new pump and plug it in. I spent a week learning about these pumps and taking it apart. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.
  • jibmaster1jibmaster1 Member Posts: 2
    Interesting. I felt like maybe these pumps could be replaced a little less costly than the dealer! Thanks for the post. So, I have an 02' allroad with a noisy compressor. Can you tell me a little more about the type of pump you bought? Size? And I am curious to know how it is working out for you too... Thanks
  • bfugokbfugok Member Posts: 2
    The pump is working great. Again, these pumps in the Mercedes are the same pumps as in our Allroads, they just have different bracket, plugs, air fittings. Go to eBay and look up auction # 180192983900 and you will see the pump which can be used in our Allroads and it is $300 + $29(shipping). For $10 in supplies it can be made to fit in perfectly as a replacement. These pumps are all made by Wabco (Westinghouse Air Brake Company) in Germany for Audi, MB, BMW, Range Rover and others.
    The pump doesn't have to be taken apart, just the connections swapped out. On each end of the pump is a mounting plate. The one from your Allroad has to replace the one screwed onto the MB version of the pump. There are 2 different wire plugs that have to be cut, taped and shrink wrapped and the Audi heat sensor can be screwed in place. Lastly the Audi uses 4mm high pressure nylon air hose. The various versions of these pumps use 4,6 or 8mm hose (usually 6mm). I got a $2.33 6mm to 4mm quick connect fitting at McMaster.com (item #5449K352). The air inlet used rubber hose on my Audi so I used a different section of rubber gas line to supply the fresh air which is drawn from the spare tire well to the pump. The hose and SS hose clamps totaled $4. Unfortunately I did not take any photos but I have a very good memory of what I did and how the pumps were configured.

    - Brad
  • jibmaster1jibmaster1 Member Posts: 2
    Brad.
    Thanks so much! INVALUABLE information my friend. We all need ingenious solutions like yours in order to not be robbed by our Audi dealers. I knew there was an option for this compressor. Still not cheap; however, it's way cheaper, and a great solution to keeping that plush ride intact! I've owned many Audi's in the past, and this one impresses me the most. I will keep you posted on the fix when I get to it! Take it easy, Brian
  • angus5angus5 Member Posts: 7
    I,ve just bought a 2005 Allroad with 29k miles. Everything was fine until I took it to have a tow bar fitted forgetting to tell workshop about pressing the two buttons etc. I spotted it on a 4 point lifting device in workshop.
    When i got in the car after the job the dash yellow warning light came on.
    What damage is caused by not pressing the 2 buttons.?
    I now have the same problems as others ie front end dumping air within ten minutes and then having to wait while yellow light goes out on restarting. Does anyone know what the problem is?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You popped one or more airbags I'm afraid. Common problem and there is some damage that will need repair. :(
  • augustomaugustom Member Posts: 22
    I have a 2001 allroad, both front air springs have been replaced, tested all four air springs and no leaks. Tested both with soap water and by measuring the height of the car on all four corners overnight. However, when I am driving I can hear the compressor turning on very frequently, sometimes for as long as 30 to 40 seconds. For me it does not feel right, can I have a leak somewhere else, between the compressor and the pressure tank? If I have a leak somewhere else in the system should the suspension drop or does each wheel have a one way valve? By the way where is the suspension sensor, can one of them be bad? Thanks for the help!
  • angus5angus5 Member Posts: 7
    Fortunately it transpired that the auto electrician wiring up the tow bar electrics was using a probe to find correct wires in the loom near the storage tank in the Left hand side cubby locker in boot and he stabbed an air pipe causing a leak.Now its been fixed, car is staying level and holding air. Thanks for the reply though- I will make sure when I have tyres fitted I lock the suspension myself.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Phew! That was mighty lucky indeed. This is such a classic error I thought for sure you were the victim of it.

    How did they ever find such a small leak?
  • angus5angus5 Member Posts: 7
    when another engineer came he knew straight away. you could hear it. I got the labour charge credited -£300 saving!
    No doubt I will need it at a later date. If I had read the forum comments I'm not sure I would have bought an Allroad. do I need to worry?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah probably you do need to worry but NOT NOW! Postpone all worrying until...um....2012!

    I think the happiest Audi owners are the "pro-active" ones, who pay close attention to their cars.

    My friend, for instance, decided he had been neglecting his Audi, so I directed him to a TRUSTED friend and Audi expert, and they examined the car and found about $4,800 worth of urgent or highly recommended repairs, from blown shocks to worn tie-rods to cupped tires to wafer thin brakes to a long overdue timing belt.

    He was skating on very thin ice. HAd the car blown up, would it be Audi's fault? don't think so.

    What he did was defer maintenance to save money, but he ended up spending it anyway.
  • angus5angus5 Member Posts: 7
    thanks for that sound advice. I am a firm Audi/VW fan having 4 cars in the family. One more question-which setting do you recommend for longevity of the airbags? Mostly up to 60 mph rural/urban use- short journeys. Am i right in thinking the ride is firmer on level 3?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm hazy on that one, sorry. Somebody around here might have an owner's manual to verify the correct info. I don't want to guess. I'm getting old and I've started to make stuff up. :P
  • augustomaugustom Member Posts: 22
    I have a 2001 allroad, both front air springs have been replaced, tested all four air springs and no leaks. Tested both with soap water and by measuring the height of the car on all four corners overnight. However, when I am driving I can hear the compressor turning on very frequently, sometimes for as long as 30 to 40 seconds. For me it does not feel right, can I have a leak somewhere else, between the compressor and the pressure tank, or is the compressor getting old and weak? Can one of the sensors be bad? Thanks for the help!
  • buzzcatbuzzcat Member Posts: 2
    In the last two years I have gone through at least four sets of tires on my 2002 Audi Allroad. In all cases, after 5-7k miles, the right front tires begin to act as though they have a bump on the tread. They begin to ride as though they are out of balance, sometimes actually feeling as though they wobble. I've had the tires repeatedly balanced, the front tire rods replaced as well as new airbags all around. The Audi dealer claimed I had defective tires (2 sets Bridgestone, one Yokohama), whereupon I mounted two sets of dealer-spec Continentals. Tires have been rotated on a normal basis.The problem still persists. When I switch the right tire to the left front to test for symptoms, sure enough, the problem seems to shift sides with the tire. The local tire shop says the cords of the problem tires are rolling over internally, creating this increasingly rough ride. The Audi Dealer has basically walked away from the problem. Has anyone encountered this strange syndrome? I'm now just throwing new tires at the problem every 10K miles. Would this have something to do with the chronic alignment problems alluded to in some of the chat rooms? This is driving me crazy....I put a lot of miles on this car and like it a great deal except for this chronic problem. I need to resolve it before I simply get rid of an otherwise pretty good car.
  • brasnpantiesbrasnpanties Member Posts: 4
    The lights for my adjustable suspension come on and go out here and there. I have tried to raise and lower the suspension but it doesn't move. There is an odd noise when I push the up or down buttons that sounds like moaning. The dealer wants to charge me $2,000 to fix it stating it is the self leveling control unit. I called 3 audi parts stores and they don't know of that part. They all tell me there are 4 seperate leveling units for each wheel and a main control relay. The main relay is $ 700 and I don't want to buy it and find out it was something else. Anyone have similar problems ? How did you fix it ? Do I need to have this fixed because it drives fine as it is ?
  • dlaustindlaustin Member Posts: 23
    Your tire problem caught my eye. I have a 2001 allroad. I no longer have a tire problem, but I did when the factory Pirelli allroad tires were installed originally. Since then, absolutely no problems. My car was aligned by Audi on their sophisticated machine. I have to conclude the alignment was excellent because of perfect tracking and no unexpected tire wear. I am using 35 psi in each tire which is 5 psi above the Audi recommendation. It works just great. I rotate every six months - front to back and back to front. I used the Conti's V-rated which gave happy miles. I changed to Bridgestone's which I believe to be better tires - still no problems. I don't expect much over 20,000 miles per set, but I do expect those to be "happy" miles without tire issues. I also expect low noise and comfortable ride from my tire selections. Moving the tire pressure up to 37 psi compromised comfort, so I settled on 35 psi. My car has 16" wheels and my air level system works fine after having to replace the front air bags. Worth mention is that the tie rods on Audi's seem to always be suspect because there is a long history of their seizing for reasons unknown to me - it's worth checking out. Also, I have never had a defective Bridgestone tire (and I have had a lot of them over the years).
  • dlaustindlaustin Member Posts: 23
    Just make certain you have ruled out air bag leaks, especially at the front wheels, before you take any action. You can determine whether or not you have leaks by following the method in my message on this thread of probably a couple of years ago - using soapy water. It's easy, quick and positive.
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    I don't know if anyone is still dealing with the the bad air suspension(allroad)...but I'll take my chance and ask: did anyone try this after market solution : http://www.arnottindustries.com/part_AUDI_Air_Suspension_Parts_yid17_pid124_gid4- 66.html. If so, please let me know...it seems less expensive...maybe have a shop do the labor for a couple hundred $...
  • DondangerDondanger Member Posts: 9
    Hi - this looks great - did you get one or does anyone know if these are good to use? Do you think you can use one or need two to even things up? Seems like a good solution instead of a costly audi air bag bladder!
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    Actually I bought one and installed it myself. On e-bay the same company sells it with free shipping. It takes about 1-2hours to install it(or more if you encounter some issues). The air spring itself comes with 'do it yourself instructions'. Usually people I talked to have issues with the bolt that connects to the upper control arms(tha't step 1 in taking the suspension off), but there's another easy way to remove the suspension...Anyway feel free to ask any questions...I'll do my best to respond quick...
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    You can use one only. On my car the drivers side front spring went bad. And the new Arnott spring works without a problem...
  • scottlscottl Member Posts: 109
    A friend of mine has an Allroad and was telling some stories about how much the car had cost him in repairs, especially the suspension. I thought he was pulling my leg until I read this thread.

    Combined with the insane depreciation hit these cars take, I can't fathom why anyone would bother with one. I looked at resale values, and it appears to me that an Allroad with over 75K miles has approximately the same resale as a comparable Subaru Outback that sold for 1/2 the price when new.

    So visualize this. The Allroad was $45K new. The Outback was $22.5K new. Now, after 75K miles, both are now worth about $12K private party according to what I have seen on Autotrader.

    You lost $10,500 in depreciation on the Outback. You lost $33K on the Audi. The Audi cost you $22.5 K more in depreciation.

    Let's say for simplicity that the 75K miles came from 2000, 32.5 mile trips.

    That means to simulate the Audi ownership experience, you could have bought the Subaru, and every time you started the car, you lit 11 dollar bills on fire and threw them out the window.

    And this is assuming equal repair costs. I'm sure the reality is more along the lines of torching a $20.

    Why would you do this to yourselves?
  • DondangerDondanger Member Posts: 9
    Thanks indoor79. - does anyone know if the suspension is linked to the alarm, like a tilt sensor?

    As regards the allroad and depreciation, I wouldn't or couldn't buy one new anyway, and by your post you'd have to agree you get them cheap second hand. I've had lots of Audi's and there all great but sure, they aren't cheap when they go wrong - as long as you know then fine. All quality marques are expensive, I wouldn't rate Subaru up there though so not really a good comparison! :D
  • scottlscottl Member Posts: 109
    I guess you'll have to define 'quality' for me in the context of what I've been reading about Audis in general, and the Allroad in particular. $2600 for front airbag replacement after 60K miles? That is like 4 cents a mile in operating cost just for the freaking front airbags.
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    The allroad is a good car for 'do it yourself' guys. or at least you need to find a good shop that repairs imports...the depreciation of it helped me own one...so now if I need it to sell it I would loose, but I knew this going in. This is not an investment...it's just a cool toy you want to buy and enjoy...Also this is not a car for the type of guy who buys a car just so he can drive it 6 months and let it go for the same price...
  • buzzcatbuzzcat Member Posts: 2
    Well Scott...apparently you are pretty good at running the numbers but perhaps not so knowledgeable regarding the differences...in ride, handling and amenities. If you are shopping solely for reliability and economy, your point is well taken. However, some folks simply want more than mediocrity. With all the annoying expense, some people want a more enjoyable driving experience and are willing to pay for it. Are you a Suburu salesman?
  • toph007toph007 Member Posts: 1
    I ordered and installed the air suspension from Arnott Industries. Saved $600 CAD on the parts themselves and about 2 hours of shop time. Each side is one piece complete with a new rubber seal and new adapter for the air line that attaches to the top ot the air bag. I found the work pretty basic and the parts from Arnott come complete with step-by-step instructions with pictures. You can view all of this on the website. Hope this helps. :D
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    Yeah, thanks...I did too. A while ago and so far it still works...depending on the vehicle though...the work does not always go easy...some rusted bolt won't come loose...or even the flange nut can be stuck(a little torch used with caution helps a lot). I suggest people to buy the new rubber mount they offer(for the extra $20) just in case you need to cut the old one off...
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    the suspension is not linked to the alarm... it is linked to the automatic adjustment of the head lights...in the sense that when the car is down in 1st level the lights go up a little and so on...But you are not going to mess with the height sensor...So it is all safe if you are a little careful. Hope this helps...
  • DifazDifaz Member Posts: 1
    Did the Arnott aftermarket air spring have the plastic guide for the strut, and the bump stop inside the bag like the genuine audi air sring?

    The shape of the Arnott air spring looks quite different also, does the spring rate feel the same when driving?

    Thanks

    Difaz
  • smiles5smiles5 Member Posts: 2
    Brad,

    Just wanted you to know your information saved me close to $1000. I bought the MB pump for $329 and installed. It took me 6 hours but if I were a real mechanic it should have taken no more than 2. I'm just a gal with some wrenches. The dealership wanted $1300. Oh and BTW the air connection on the MBZ pump was 4mm and matched the Allroad perfectly. No need for any adaptor. Thank you!!
  • indoor79indoor79 Member Posts: 23
    No but you can reuse the old one. I did have trouble removing it since I the excahange during freezing temp but I left it inside(warm) for a while and came loose. The Arnott air spring comes with instructions. If you look at their pdf manual for the air spring you have a general idea of what you need to do. They even supply a new air fitting. All you need is some tools: socket, extension for socket so you can remove the top 3 screws under hood(16mm, 17mm and I believe 18mm, and a torx key for the aluminum top cast). If you do it in cold temp I suggest a small torch to warm up stuck bolts/screws. One guy says he didn't even remove the wheel...I suggest you do remove it. Also the hardest part (if you do it by yourself) is screwing the 3 nuts under hood back after you replaced the air spring. What I did is I lowered the car(with the jack) carefully and slowlyonto the airspring...
    And yes, the airnott spring feels the same, works the same...It functions basically like a tire that is inflated and deflated; and since no rubber will inflate different than another under same pressure the only difference I see is life span..Arnott has lifetime warranty.
  • frankie627frankie627 Member Posts: 1
    Has anyone tried the Arnott coil spring suspension replacement for the Allroad? It eliminates the air suspension. Thanks
  • tpapstpaps Member Posts: 1
    I agree with you there is NO WAY a comparison between the audi and subaru just start with the interior not mention the engine tech, have an A4 an allroad and I cant find in other car better perfomance of this 1.8 what a engine!!!
  • porterhaporterha Member Posts: 1
    so i ran into a problem this weekend, where i lost the top half of my key. I bought the car used and only recieved one key in the purchase. I have ordered a key from audi and it might not come until tomorrow. The unfortunate thing is that where I am parked is city street cleaning tomorrow morning. I am curious if anyone has any advice on the best method of towing. I am thinking of asking AAA to bring a flatbed, but it was suggested to use a self lifting dolly, which would elevate the back tires. Do I need to put my car in jackmode? I cant get into the car, so dont think there is any possible way to have it done. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.
  • cledcled Member Posts: 1
    Some great tips on this thread, thanks. I am about to order the rear air suspension from Arnot. When I called the dealer to inquire about difficulty they said it has to be brought in so they can adjust the air pressure and reset it?. Does this sound right or will the compressor just refill it?

    Any advice would be helpful since I do want to do this myself?

    Chris
  • augustomaugustom Member Posts: 22
    Chris,
    There is no such thing as ajusting the air pressure. What you need to do is to put the car in jack mode, do the changes and then when you are done, lower the car so the wheels touch the ground firmly, only then take the car out of jack mode and the compressor will put pressure on the new suspension.
    I had to change some suspension bushings and had to go through this proceedure.
    Remember to not to take the car out of jack mode when the wheels are still in the air. (by the way maybe it would be a great time for you to check your susp. bushings)

    Dealers like to make it sound harder then it is. Never had any problems with my 2002 allroad, do oil and oil filter changes frequently (4000 miles with mobil1), check fluids (change the steering fluid yearly also) , and remember to warm up and cool down the oil for the turbos and you have a car forever.
  • art65art65 Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone purchased a conversion kit and how does it work and how long have you had it installed? I need it for a 2003 AR
    Thanks Art65
  • mmasnermmasner Member Posts: 2
    Yes, I purchased and installed the Allroad Coil Spring conversion kit from Arnott. I bought it on Ebay directly from Arnott because it was free shipping (saved $30 from ordering direct on their website). The installation was fairly smooth, with the help of a friend. The instructions are pretty straight forward. A couple things you do need is an additional Jack and Strut Compressors, both can be rented from AutoZone. Also, get a 6mm 12-point torx for the bolts on the strut cap. The front spring fork is really difficult to lift and align with the mount because of the pressure from the spring, so the compressors are a must. I installed them after I bolted in the new strut from the top. I had to push down on the whole wheel assembly while by buddy lined up the fork and put the bolt through. I also had to disconnect the control arm from the wheel to get the fork onto the arm. Pretty straight forward.
    The rear is pretty easy although they say to remove the old air spring by pressing down from the top until the mount is cleared from the body, then pull out. This is impossible, so I just skipped that step and removed all of the bolts until the control arm hangs free, then removed the air spring from the bottom.
    Since installation, the ride is super nice, the steering feels a little more responsive and haven't had any warning light appear. I feel like I saved a significant amount doing it myself and replacing the troublesome air spring setup. Make sure to download and read the instructions thoroughly before ordering. You can find them on Arnott's website. Let me know if you have any questions.
  • mmasnermmasner Member Posts: 2
    I just installed the coil spring conversion kit, very nice and fairly easy to install. It completely eliminates the air spring suspension system. You also have to disable the suspension computer in the driver's side rear panel in the back of the car. The instructions are pretty straight forward and their customer service is pretty good if you have any questions. The ride height sits at a little above the normal setting and the ride quality is very good, no warning lights or problems so far.
  • augustomaugustom Member Posts: 22
    I just have a question, I have a 2002 allroad and never had an air spring problem. Without being rude, if someone wants to change the suspension to coil spring isn`t it easier to sell the allroad and buy a A6 avant? Besides the coil suspension you also save weight because the allroad has extra underbody protection due to its `offroad` capability.
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