Audi Allroad

dub7_2010

Hi all

Sorry, ive double posted in tech help also. Not sure where this belongs.

I have a 02 Audi Allroad with an air suspension problem.
Compressor and control unit have been replaced and i need to carry out basic settings to the control unit.
Anyone got experience in doing this?
Can it be done without specialist tools and diagnostics?
Im looking for a solution without having to go to Audi so need to know if settings can be done manually or at a non dealer in Dublin.

Thanks in advance

Matt Simis

dub7_2010 wrote: »

Hi all

Sorry, ive double posted in tech help also. Not sure where this belongs.

I have a 02 Audi Allroad with an air suspension problem.
Compressor and control unit have been replaced and i need to carry out basic settings to the control unit.
Anyone got experience in doing this?
Can it be done without specialist tools and diagnostics?
Im looking for a solution without having to go to Audi so need to know if settings can be done manually or at a non dealer in Dublin.

Thanks in advance

Its not clear what you mean by "basic settings" but get yourself a VCDS (aka VagCom) Code Scanner and then look up the Allroad "402 Mod". Just follow the steps and you can recode the ride height to your liking. I would not call VCDS a "specialist tool" as it works on all VAG cars (VW, Audi, Seat, Skoda etc), I highly commend anyone with one of these cars gets a (legit) copy. You could borrow one either, but better to own so you can check and reset car systems anytime.

I had an Allroad and a VW Phaeton and I used to recode the ride height all the time. Would be the same on the Touareg and Cayenne (on models with Air Suspension) too.

dub7_2010

Thanks for you help.

When i say basic settings i need to calibrate the control unit.
Are the vcd's expensive?
What else do i need...laptop and OBD connection?
I know AUDI have a jig to set height while doing this. Is it really needed?

Thanks again

dub7_2010

Hey Matt

Would you know which VCDS package will do for air suspension....afew different versions available.
This will be a once off so dont want to spend a lot.
Do you know of any garage in Dublin that can do it for me?

Thanks

VeVeX

dub7_2010 wrote: »

Hey Matt

Would you know which VCDS package will do for air suspension....afew different versions available.
This will be a once off so dont want to spend a lot.
Do you know of any garage in Dublin that can do it for me?

Thanks

Any of the hexcan vagcom cables will do. A shareware one off ebay will not.

VCDS is nothing special really. Most good garages will have a system that can do anything vcds can.

Celtic Stent

Hi Guys
Would be interested to know how you got on with your Allroad? I'm in the midst of a similar problem with my 02 Allroad. Had wheels aligned last week and garage didn't lock the suspension before lifting it. After driving off the yellow light came on the dash and the suspension went below level 1. drove it to a garage who ran the diag. compressor still running and showing 4.8 bar of pressure in the system. Cleared all the faults. Car wouldn't lift. Tried to help it up with jacks. Still wouldn't lift. Drove it slowly to MSL Dun laoighaire and rented a car. They took it in over night and cleared faults and still couldn't lift. I'm still in rented car and down the country. Allroad is in Dublin. Will probably have to go up tomorrow and get it to an Audi Centre and get fleeced. Not looking forward to that. Seems like it needs a software calibration? Or else control unit? I assume that the diag should have picked up the latter if it was faulty?? According to MSL everything appears to be working. Any help would be gratefully accepted. Thanks

Nissan doctor

Celtic Stent wrote: »

Hi Guys
Would be interested to know how you got on with your Allroad? I'm in the midst of a similar problem with my 02 Allroad. Had wheels aligned last week and garage didn't lock the suspension before lifting it. After driving off the yellow light came on the dash and the suspension went below level 1. drove it to a garage who ran the diag. compressor still running and showing 4.8 bar of pressure in the system. Cleared all the faults. Car wouldn't lift. Tried to help it up with jacks. Still wouldn't lift. Drove it slowly to MSL Dun laoighaire and rented a car. They took it in over night and cleared faults and still couldn't lift. I'm still in rented car and down the country. Allroad is in Dublin. Will probably have to go up tomorrow and get it to an Audi Centre and get fleeced. Not looking forward to that. Seems like it needs a software calibration? Or else control unit? I assume that the diag should have picked up the latter if it was faulty?? According to MSL everything appears to be working. Any help would be gratefully accepted. Thanks

There is no reason the wheel alignment would have effected this as for wheel alignment the whole car is driven onto a ramp and raised up, the suspension remains unchanged from when its on the road.

With regards to programming your ride height settings(and I know this is an old thread), that can be done no problem with vag-com or other suitable diagnostic software but if you have replaced the control unit, you will need the coding from the old unit to reprogram the new unit to the same settings.

Celtic Stent

Thanks for your email Nissan Doctor. I don't know what went on in the tyre shop. Apparently one of the front wheels was removed during the tracking as it wasn't properly balanced. The garage I went into subsequently told me NEVER jack up the car without locking the suspension. Doctors differ and patients die. I haven't replaced the control unit or anything else so far as nobody seems to know whats wrong with it. The diagnostics haven't identified a fault. Surely MSL would have reprogrammed the ride height if they were able to! Seems to me that it needs to be recalibrated??
Thanks

Matt Simis

Celtic Stent wrote: »

The garage I went into subsequently told me NEVER jack up the car without locking the suspension.

Thats the recommended practice on all Air Suspension cars, but realistically no one does that (picture the average driver at the road side changing a tyre) so no, it wont cause this problem.
The reason to do it is more a safety concern as the car sometimes starts lifting the other side up as you jack it up, which may cause it to fall off the jack.


I assume someone has tried setting it in Jack Mode since? Also my understanding was Suspension Failsafe mode was not below Level 1, it was level 2. Below level 1 is what it does when your suspension Airbags (or compressor) are knackered.

Anan1

Celtic Stent wrote: »

Thanks for your email Nissan Doctor. I don't know what went on in the tyre shop. Apparently one of the front wheels was removed during the tracking as it wasn't properly balanced. The garage I went into subsequently told me NEVER jack up the car without locking the suspension. Doctors differ and patients die. I haven't replaced the control unit or anything else so far as nobody seems to know whats wrong with it. The diagnostics haven't identified a fault. Surely MSL would have reprogrammed the ride height if they were able to! Seems to me that it needs to be recalibrated??
Thanks

Why are you dealing with this, and not the tyre shop who caused the issue? Apart from that, the only advice I can give is to get the car away from MSL and bring it to someone who knows what they're doing.

Celtic Stent

Thanks Matt. I agree with you. The Tyre shop never did it before and never had a problem. They do it with the newer models OK.

Yes Have tried to reset using the jack mode. No good. Diagnostics show expected faults which can all be cleared. Bags and compressor appear to be OK according to MSL

Celtic Stent

Anan
Its not so straight forward. The tyre shop is in Cork. My business in Wexford and I was on my way to a meeting in Dublin . So MSL was the nearest option at the time. Im now back in Cork in a rental and will go to Dublin tomorrow to try and get it sorted. I'm posting this to try and get some advice

Anan1

Celtic Stent wrote: »

Anan
Its not so straight forward. The tyre shop is in Cork. My business in Wexford and I was on my way to a meeting in Dublin . So MSL was the nearest option at the time. Im now back in Cork in a rental and will go to Dublin tomorrow to try and get it sorted. I'm posting this to try and get some advice

Sorry if my post came across as unhelpful, that's not how I intended it. Re the tyre place, i'd trust Matt Simis's advice in this instance over my own. I understand that MSL were convenient for you at the time, but I genuinely don't believe you'll find anyone here who'll advise you other than to get your car back from them ASAP.

Tropheus

I've an 03 allroad and have worked on the suspension myself. I have it from new and have covered 160k miles. The only work I've had to do is replace the front air springs (twice each at this stage) when they started leaking. I've never had to do the rears. The fronts tend to go quicker as most of the weight is on the front of the car.

I've had the suspension drop down below Level 1, but it's always been due to leaks and generally happens over night.

Putting the car in jack mode does two things, it shuts off the compressor and ignores any signals from the ride height sensors thus to not have the suspension control unit trying to level the car when it's jacked up.

When getting work done, sometimes I remember to put it in jack mode, sometimes I don't. I have never had a problem when the car was jacked up and not in jack mode and that's happened a fair few times at this stage.

The most common problems with the AR suspension are leaking air springs, knackered compressor or faulty control unit. The ride height sensors (there's one on each strut) can also go faultly, but you can usally pick that up on VAG-COM/VCDS.

By the sounds of your symptoms, I'd guess either a faulty compressor (common) or a faulty control unit (less common).

The faulty compressor is usually picked up on VAG-COM/VCDS as it showiing as having being shut down due to being over temperature - i.e. it's working away, but not getting enough pressure built up and shuts down due to overheating. A severe leak in an air sping or somewhere else in the system can also cause this symptom.

The 402 mod that was mentioned above is done using VAG-COM/VCDS to adjust the ride height. Basically you're fooling the control unit into thinking the car is riding higher than it actually is. If you can access the control unit and do this mod, then it may signal that the control unit is ok.

The AR is a great car, but the suspension is definitely a weak point and gets worse as the car gets older.

lomb

Stick the allroad on a set of coilovers and delete the air suspension, that should fix it:D

Celtic Stent

Thanks for the posts. The diagnostics were showing 4.8 bar. Don't know what it should be? Seems reasonable pressure. Replaced the front bags on this last year. When they go they usually let you know a week or two in advance by falling to one side overnight. I'll make a few calls in the morning before I head up to Dublin to see whats the best solution. Otherwise a great car

lomb

Stick the allroad on a set of coilovers and delete the air suspension, that should fix it:D

Tropheus

Celtic Stent wrote: »

Thanks for the posts. The diagnostics were showing 4.8 bar. Don't know what it should be? Seems reasonable pressure. Replaced the front bags on this last year. When they go they usually let you know a week or two in advance by falling to one side overnight. I'll make a few calls in the morning before I head up to Dublin to see whats the best solution. Otherwise a great car

I can check mine and see what it reads. If it wasn't raising the car, then it isn't enough. 4.8 bar about 70 PSI, IIRC, the air springs hold around 150 PSI.

Are you sure there isn't a leak in the system somewhere? It's a pretty serious leak if it stops the suspension from rising. It would be bad enough for you to hear a hissing noise.

Try not drive the car with the suspension below Level 1. You may get the tyres rubbing off the arch liners and it also stresses the CV joints.