Air Ride

2007 SV6 with air ride.

Compressor works great.
Air ride is ok, except, after the van is unloaded, it takes days if not weeks to come down and be level. Then it's fine, until you add a load in the van, and we start the problem all over again.

It fills the shocks so much that the van thumps over bumps cause the shocks are maxed out.

Paul

If I remember right, the air system is tied into the PCM or BCM(this should set a code)...... scan tool can read what the level of the car is, and if the vent solenoid is being commanded off/on......

One thing you can try is pop the lever from the level sensor from it's attachment to the body, and move it to the extreme ends.....one way commands the pump on, the other should shut the pump off and open the vent solenoid.....if you hear the solenoid click open, but the car does not drop, then that is your problem......there will be a delay of up to 20 seconds when moving that lever......

Unfortunately, without an expensive GM scan tool, you can't read where the problem is.......the level sensor, or the vent solenoid......in some cases, the solenoid is integral to the compressor and the whole unit has to be replaced....

To get that rear end down, just remove one of the air lines to the air shock/strut, and this will lower the vehicle......usually is a silver clip that you rotate 90 degrees and then pull the line off......rotate it back and push the connection back on the shock/strut....

Lol. Never occurred to me to try to move the lever manually...

Thanks. I'll give that a shot.

If the relay clicks to lower, but it doesn't, would that likely be a blockage then..?

I'll report back


Paul

Could be a bad vent solenoid....like I said, I am not sure if it is integral to the compressor.....if it is, the whole unit has to be replaced....

So tested it out.

I am able to get the compressor on, but not drain the air.

Any ideas where the solenoid may be?



Paul

Think about it......air lines come out of the compressor to the shock/struts.....no place else....

It has to be in/near compressor.....but like I said, the bad part is, it may be "integral" to the compressor.....but remember, it has to get a signal to open.....

Ah I c.

I was able to pull a code from the inflator.

DTC32 - which is the inability to return to level from full inflation.

Looks like the exhaust solenoid is built into the head of the compressor.

Bummer..



Paul

You still have to examine the circuit to the ex solenoid, before you condemn it.....

Time to get down to business.http://htcf.info/5.jpg

Yup.

Just gotta get my hands on some schematics..


Paul

OK, looking at the wiring diagram, with key on, if you disconnect the harness from the compressor, and jumper harness connector "C" to terminal "C" of the compressor, and then jumper harness connector "G" to compressor terminal "B", this powers and grounds the vent solenoid......if the vehicle lowers, there is nothing wrong with the solenoid....chances are it's the level sensor or the wiring/connections to it.....

http://repairguide.autozone.com/znetrgs/repair_guide_content/en_us/images/0996b43f/80/7d/b5/13/large/0996b43f807db513.gif

Wow Tech II.

Thanks. That's way more than I expected.

Will work on that as soon as this freezing rain is outta here.


Paul

Here is an alternate test......key "on"....


Disconnect the level sensor.....jumper harness connectors "A" to "C"(this grounds the solenoid, it is powered by the ELC fuse).....when you do this, you should hear the air exhaust.....

2007 SV6 with air ride.

Compressor works great.
Air ride is ok, except, after the van is unloaded, it takes days if not weeks to come down and be level. Then it's fine, until you add a load in the van, and we start the problem all over again.

It fills the shocks so much that the van thumps over bumps cause the shocks are maxed out.

Paul

I know it can't be this simple, but ours started doing what you describe after about 6 years on the road. It would continue to pump up, but not exhaust the air. By the time I had dropped my daughter and her friend off at Canada's Wonderland and drove home the shocks were close to fully extended. I was looking down at the road the back end was so high.

When I crawled underneath, the rod that connects to the leveler sensor was disconnected. Actually, it was broken off and I had to clean both of the balls that it snaps into, repair the socket ends and then grease them.

Your problem does sound different though.

So, finally pulled the connector off the levelling module.

When I short across a and c I can hear the relay click, but the air is not released.

When I reconnect to module, I expected to hear the relay click but it doesn't.

Checked resistance of exhaust solenoid. And get 17.4 ohms.

When you disconnect the level sensor, and jumper "A" white to "C" black, the click you hear is the solenoid clicking, not a relay.......since you don't hear a corresponding hiss with the release of air, it looks like the solenoid is not working.......the reason why you don't hear a "click" when you reconnect the harness, right away, is because the level sensor has a built in delay function, that buffers the signal...if it didn't have this, with every movement of the vehicle, the ex solenoid and compressor would be constantly working, against each other....

Ok. Took the compressor out.

Took a reading of just the wires going to the solenoid on the compressor, and it is stuck open. (ie the ohm meter was not able to get a reading).

Based on all the info you and this forum have provided me, I've ordered a new compressor.

Too bad, I actually took the solenoid out with some work. But putting a new one in looked to be fairly simple.

While I had the solenoid out I tested it again with the meter. It's definitely dead.


Paul

Checked resistance of exhaust solenoid. And get 17.4 ohms.

I had checked the wrong solenoid in this step. I had measured the resistance of the solenoid inside the van for tire inflation. My bad.

I'm also thinking I was tripping that solenoid, since a bench test with a 12 volt battery on the compressor solenoid did nothing.


Paul

Yeah, have seen those exhaust solenoids fail......like I said, unfortunately, they are integral to the compressor and not replaceable.......you'd think they would be.....

Yeah, have seen those exhaust solenoids fail......like I said, unfortunately, they are integral to the compressor and not replaceable.......you'd think they would be.....

Yeah.. You'd think. :(


Paul

Just wanted to say thanks for all the help and assistance.

Installed a new compressor assembly, and we are working great again.

50637
50636
50638


Paul

Glad you figured it out. Is the part serviceable, or did you get one from a donor?

So that's what the compressor looks like inside. Not a lot to it really.

Was curious to know, but mine is '99 vintage and a lot more corrosion on the brackets and bolts that hold it on. If it falls off, I'll do an inside look like you have done. Thank for sharing.

Oh and hey, your bench looks a lot like mine. Are you right or left handed? Just asking. I'm a lefty.:smile:

The solenoid is serviceable on this pump. As you can see here:
50643

It is externally removable.

50644

FYI. I'm right handed, and the brackets etc only look so good cause I painted them.

Paul