Air suspension 2010 Audi A6 Quattro 2.7 tdi, 190ps

Hi,
As always when shit happens with cars, I am offshore. My wife just said car sinks down immediately after car is shut down. She hears "whistling" noise from left side, and can kind of feel air next to engine cover, very close to oil fill cap. When started, the car will raise, although she is unable to raise car to and above Allroad mode.
I suspect the air bag for suspension is ruptured, or at least severely leaking. Does anyone know it there is a repair kit for this, or do I need to buy the entire strut? Recommendations?

What is expected lifespan for original bags, car has 153.000km?

Help or tips would be appreciated

Part number for my suspension left side is : 4F0 616 039 AA
https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a6+allroad+quattro/a6ar/2010-603/4/411-411000/#1

I have seen a video of removal/installation, and posting link for You if some one wants to have a look at how easy this is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoawP3ByVrA

PS! Unable to send the auto-scan as car is on-shore, and I am off-shore :-)

Regards
Gremling

Based on the description, that's almost certainly a leak, but I wouldn't assume it's the strut or bag itself until you verify where the leak really is; it could also be in the air line to that strut.

A scan is somewhat pointless when you have an audible leak.

-Uwe-

PS: Moving to General VW/Audi repair.

Agree with the scan comment, but when not put in, we're told to attache it, so just ahead of those comments :-)

Thanks Uwe, I´ll talk to a helpful friend and ask him to verify source of leak.

Regards
Gremling

Hi again,
Jupp they say its the air spring /air bag on damper, need to purchase a new. As far as I have found out, its not possible to you only bladder and o-rings. Need to purchase
entire shock or at least the complete spring assy. Might end up with that last option, or a new set of Arnott shocks, but they recommend to change both as a pair.

Anyone know of good place to buy such shocks from? My current shocks p/n confirmed from tag was 04F0616039T.

Regards
Gremling

An update,
Removed dust bladder on damper, observed a 2cm hole, problem found for sure.

Replaced with an Arnott AS2817, had some issues getting it in. It is NOT as easy as shown in Arnott video, but task is fully doable for an average skilled person. It is an idea to have a helping hand during installation, and read/see videos of the dredded top link bolt. It is a bastard to get out, if using heat, do this very gently, as bearing house (entire long body that the whell bearing) is made out of Al, and will take damage if overheated, see item 13 in hyperlink https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a6+allroad+quattro/a6ar/2010-603/4/407-407000/ also check Arnott video, found on Youtube, not sure if I can place hyperlink for that video here.
There is a tool for this, but I used heat (very controlled), and only up to +60deg C (boiling water can be used, but ensure it will non drip directly to bellows below). Al heats up faster and expands more than steel.

A couple days ahead, I started to spray penetrating solvent onto bolt, every now and then, this did not help, see later in text below.
I un-did the nut from bolt, than tried to rotate bolt, but it was stuck, so broke head on bolt off, see item 11 in hyperlink https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a6+allroad+quattro/a6ar/2010-603/4/407-407000/, took little bit force but it gave in. Than I fitted a few washers on threaded end, and installed nut. and tightened, when nut bottomed out, I took it off, installed more washers and re-placed nut and turned until bottomed out, hope you get my point here. Work like a charm, bolt out.
Getting the old strut out was fairly easy, but getting the new one in took more effort. The lower support strut bushing jammed in strut fork, took some manipulation to sort that out. Finally got it intsalled and tested ok. Did a re-calib using VagCom and following this instruction -> http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/cars/levelcontrol.html it is also a link here for depressurizing system if You want to do so link-> http://forums.ross-tech.com/showthread.php?1996-Level-Control-Bleeding-Charging

As mentioned it is better to be two doing this, having said that, ensure evrything is put back as per manual for Audi. I had a lesson learned here, as when job was finished and took car for a test run, it threw fault codes, for ESP, steering wheel sensor and levelig system. Steering wheel became off set as well. Drove back and started to investigate, found out that the track rod end that was fitted from top down, insted of from underside and up, see link https://audi.7zap.com/en/rdw/audi+a6+allroad+quattro/a6ar/2010-603/4/422-422010/ item 8. This was enough to get a differential lenght of rod ends to missalign steering wheel. Corrected issue, mocked the assistant tech and not to forget myself, deleted fault codes and car fully functional.

Happy wife, and therefore again happy life.

Hope this helps others,

regards
Gremling