audi 2004 allroad 2.7t level controller

I have an interesting issue. The level controller fails too often it seems. Over the past 3 years I'm on my 3rd, and possibly fourth level controller. The units fail after a problem with the suspension. The first one happened after a right rear suspension sensor went and was replaced. The second after a leak in a Voss fitting where the air line exits. After replacing the voss and correcting the leak the controller failed in the testing process. There are a couple more. In every case, after the repair and the replacement of the level controller, all worked well - until the next failure. I believe I am facing the replacement of the level controller again. No fuses have blown at any time.

ANY IDEAS?

My next step is to go with Blauparts or Arnott shocks.

What were the failure symptoms? When were the controllers made? Even if you replace one with a new one now, it's never been used, but chances are it's been sitting on a shelf for 12-15 years. If there are, for example, electrolytic capacitors on the circuit board, those can have a "shelf life". If you've got any of the old, failed ones, it would be interesting to see what caused them to fail.

-Uwe-

PS: Not really VCDS related. Moving to General VW/Audi Repair.

Easy solution.

Add a load reduction output relay, so the relay fails and not the controller.

Don't drive around with suspension problems, and fix the actual underlined issues or make manual controls or Schrader zones.

Oh the good old days when I would just pump up the air shocks in my old Chevelle or Monte Carlo.

KISS......

Post an auto-scan


The controllers fail due to high load pump circuit being driven by internal relay; & past the inappropriate over run set point of the over heat temp sensor in the pump for time out!

Bad programming!

Did some idiot bypass the temp sensor in the air pump or is the sensor bad/wrong?

That you can log with VCDS adv blocks in controller.

Thanks for the responses.
Hi UWE - units built in 2002 and 2003 according to the label on the metal enclosure. Also probably not the caps for all. Doesn't look like Audi/Continental/Hella used cheap stuff. Probably shelf life is 50 or more years.

Hi Jack - looks like some good thoughts re: the pump overheating circuit. Let me provide some info. I didn't drive the vehicle for extended periods while it had problems - had to get to the garage to diagnose. Most of the problems were slow leaks and in spring summer fall were not bad. After the leaks were repaired and the system had to be refilled is when the controller failed. With this last repair, I noticed that the pump was running even though its VAG-COM reported temperature was above the cutoff temp. Here's an explanation:
From a cold start, the compressor would run and then stop. VAG-COM would show that the compressor reached cutoff temp - code not cleared. After a short period of time (seconds), the compressor would run and VAG-COM would report a compressor temp above the cutoff. The level control dash light would turn off (Level 1), button lights off but level1 light on and the pump would stop. Temp still over cutoff. Error message = none. Then the controller would try to reach level 2, the compressor starts (still over temp) and and stops very quickly, VAG-COM error is Control level not reached.
I haven't run any recent Level control tests as not all measuring block groups are reporting.

It is my personal opinion this pump and the temp sensor are cheap junk......... even OEM.

I retrofit them to a cheap all metal compressor and additionally add an accumulator tank with check valve and additional Schrader.

This way for cars that sit you can pump it up from car externally....... manually, or with other pump.

A backup of the backup.

The all metal pumps are virtually indestructible I buy from harbor freight, with a duty cycle possible of continued use being over 30 minutes.


http://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...100-psi-high-volume-air-compressor-69284.html