Porsche Air Suspension (PASM)
It’s a very complex system. Your Porsche Cayenne has an active suspension that uses pressurised air to support the weight of your vehicle. Ride height sensors at each wheel are constantly measuring the height of your chassis from the road. They send these readings to a central computer called a suspension control module. This module then instructs the compressor on how much air to generate and where to send it. Then, the compressor pushes this air to inflate the air struts to smooth out the ride. If it sounds complicated — it is!
Moving parts and breakable materials. The active suspension system in your car depends on a series of moving parts and components made with materials that are prone to wearing out. For example, the rubber bladder portion of your air springs begins to rot, crack, or tear over time — especially in cold environments.
Parts that rely on each other. In an air suspension system like the one in your Cayenne, each part depends on the entire system working flawlessly. One part malfunctioning could cause the other components to deteriorate early. For example, if your control module has a small malfunction, it could cause the compressor to work overtime and fail early.
Porsche Panamera With Dropped Air Suspension
A Porsche Panamera was towed to our factory with air suspension failure and the car is totally undriveable. The owner tried to source the original parts at first and he was shocked by the price and stock availability issue. In order to fix his car, he needs to bear a huge cost and he needs to wait for the parts to be imported from overseas.
Then, he was searching for the second choice and he found us. we recommended our Titan SP3 Porsche Air Suspension Conversion Kit with coding to remove the error code in the instrument cluster. He was surprised that we could convert his air suspension to a conventional coil spring type to solve his car’s problem and the cost is affordable without waiting time.
This solved his problem permanently and he doesn’t need to worry about the air suspension failure anymore. With our SP3 Conversion Kit, he can now enjoy the enhanced driving dynamics and still maintain the comfort level he wants.
Here’s the list of compatible Porsche vehicles for our Porsche air suspension conversion kit :-
- Cayenne 955
- Cayenne 957
- Cayenne 958
- Macan
- Panamera 970
Porsche Air Suspension (PASM) Structure And Failure
Air Compressor
One of the most common failures with Porsche Cayenne air suspension is the air compressor. The air compressor doesn’t constantly run as the suspension is making adjustments, but only to resupply the air storage tank. The Porsche Cayenne air compressor location is up at the right front corner wheel housing/door hinge area, underneath the underbody plastic. As it’s an electric motor, the pump can simply fail and no longer operate, requiring replacement with a new or remanufactured unit.
If your Cayenne is no longer able to maintain proper ride height, it could be a symptom of a bad air suspension pump. Since the tank holds residual pressure, this doesn’t happen all at once but over a more extended period. You will see a chassis system failure fault if your air compressor fails. There is a power relay that can also fail and make it appear as though the compressor is bad, so it’s important to verify it’s receiving power before simply replacing the compressor.
Valve Block
The valve block is the physical control hub for the Cayenne air suspension. After the compressor fills the air tank, the air tank supplies air to the valve block, which physically sends the air to each individual air strut. As an electro-mechanical component, the valve block can fail in terms of a physical air leak or an electronic failure.
If your Cayenne air suspension valve block fails, you will have a chassis system failure fault, along with a loss of ride height control on one individual corner, the front or rear axle, or all four corners.
Air Shocks and Struts
The Porsche Cayenne air suspension shocks and struts are robust and don’t fail with great regularity compared to some other makes and models, but it is a possibility over time. Typically they will develop a leak at the air hose connection, or very rarely, at the airbag itself. Check the airbag for signs of serious dry-rotting and cracking. The pressure relief valve can also fail, causing too high a ride height, but that is less common.
Signs of a bad or failing air shock or strut on a Porsche Cayenne include a loss of ride height at one corner of the car, typically over time or after the car has been sitting. You may notice a slight air leak more quickly by paying attention to how often the air compressor runs. If the compressor is running more than usual, it could be a sign of a small air leak in the system. It will be highly unusual to see a pair of air shocks or struts fail simultaneously, so if both left and right sides at either the front or rear seem to be affected, it’s more likely some other issue. You will typically see a chassis system failure fault when you have a bad air strut or shock.
Ride Height Level Sensors
As 955 and 957 Cayennes continue to age, certain components are starting to become more common in terms of routine failures. The ride height level sensors are one of these components, especially in terms of how and where you drive your Cayenne. If you live in the Northeast or any other area with lots of road salt and snow-melt chemicals, the level sensors live a decidedly hard life. Physical and electronic failures can result in total failure of the sensor or incorrect readings being sent to the control module.
If one of your Porsche Cayenne ride height level sensors fail, you will typically see an incorrect ride height at the corner with the bad sensor. Depending on if it’s a total electronic failure or just sending wrong information to the control module, this could be too low of a ride height, or it could be too high. Keep in mind that since the controller is not necessarily aware that it’s seeing the wrong info, you may not see a chassis system failure fault with a bad ride height level sensor. Double-check everything on that corner, including the level sensor, before assuming you need to replace the air strut/shock or some other component.
PASM/Electrical Connection Failure
The Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) system is integrated with the air suspension system and controls, so it is possible to have Cayenne PASM failure on an air shock or strut and not have any issues with the airbag or ride height. Porsche Cayenne PASM dampers are electronically controlled by the suspension control unit, and damping is able to be increased or decreased as needed or set by the in-cabin controls. The Cayenne PASM electric harness can be damaged and need to be replaced, or the connection at the shock can also fail.
Symptoms of a bad shock absorber or bad electrical connection include PASM and chassis system failure faults, along with a loss of damping control or adjustment, but not any loss of ride height. This can be caused by corrosion inside the PASM connectors, so it’s important to check those before replacing an entire shock or strut.
Air Line & Hoses
Since they are physical components, the Cayenne air lines and hoses can sometimes be damaged or fail, causing a loss of air pressure and therefore ride height. If you take your Cayenne off-road frequently or you’ve been working on or near any of the air lines or air shocks and struts, it’s important to give a good visual inspection and look for signs of damage or impact.
A bad air hose’s signs and symptoms are the same as a bad air shock or strut, or valve body. Loss of ride height, especially at one corner or after sitting for an extended period, is the most common issue. The air compressor running more frequently is another common symptom as the pump works to keep the tank built up with an air supply. Just as with any other issue that results in uneven ride height, you’ll probably see a chassis system failure fault if you have a bad or leaking air line.
The Ultimate Solution For You – Titan SP3 Porsche Air Suspension Conversion Kit.
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