BMW 530d F11 Air Suspension Problem - Fixed for £2!

[@TeamJelen]

A huge thank you to you. BMW dealership quoted me £1400 for a new compressor. I asked what was wrong with the compressor (after paying their charge for a diagnostic test), and they said "it needs a new compressor". Having the knowledge from your video allowed me to get my compressor out and dried (it too was soaked through), and lo and behold, the problem is fixed. Shame on BMW dealership I say, but huge thanks to you for posting this.

[@Nut_Job.]

That’s brilliant! Glad to hear it helped you out 👍👍

[@colmgillard6374]

Great video. My 2016 F11 520d with 145km had the same issue. No error codes, just sitting on its ass after being fine the day before - I had replaced both bags only a few weeks ago so I knew it wasnt likely to be a bag issue. I could hear the compressor running but it wasnt raising the car when I opened the door. No fuses blown either. I tested bags by pumping up with a bicycle track pump and they held air and lifted the car. Took out the compressor, dried the beads, they were moist but not soaking and took the solenoid out and gave it a few whacks as it may also have been locked open. It looked brand new even though its 5 yrs old. Reassembled, and refitted pipes and connectors but not the airbag pipes - opened door to let compressor run and I could feel air being pumped out of the compressor (I stuck my thumb over the outlets to see how much pressure was being forced out) through the solenoid valve so both appeared to be working. Refitted airbag pipes and once the compressor ran it lifted the car - 24 hrs later its all still good. Thanks a lot, your video hopefully saved me an expensive replacement unit and didnt cost me a penny. My advice for anyone tackling this is to take your time and work through things logically - if the compressor is running thats good...if it isnt try fuses or relay first - they are cheap ! If it is running - disconnect airbag pipes and see if any air gets pumped out when you open the door. If thats not pumping out then its likely either the solenoid or the dryer so try both. Everything comes apart, just dont force anything. Thanks Nut Job

[@Asserti]

How exactly did you connect the bike pump with the airbag line?

[@colmgillard6374]

@@Asserti From memory, once you disconnect the airlines from the compressor there is a brass valve at the end ( i think its an 8mm or 10mm spanner to do so ) of the air line which runs to the airbag. You can insert that into the end of a bike ( track ) pump like a normal schrader vale and pump it that way. Hope that makes sense ?

[@SaLi-dh3vm]

Just got mine done, finnaly back on the road! After lots of research, DIY and taking my car to the garage ,Here is what the problem was : the air compressor is very unlikely to fail by itself , when is fails , it is most likely causing by leaked air bags first and making the compressor working constantly, at the end it would fail( these compressor are not supposed to be working hard every time you start your car) . If you see your car was sagging on one side or both sides , quickly get the air bags changed, before the air compressor fails, after market parts on Ebay works very well, both compressor and the air bags ( where I got mine from) , thank you for the video again, it gives me the desire to work this out myself , and I hope my comments will help fellow bmw car owners with the same problem.

[@Nut_Job.]

Feels good to work it out, doesn’t it? 👍

[@SaLi-dh3vm]

@@Nut_Job. absolutely , Almost sold the lovely car at a fraction of the price one time , don’t let the garages fool you, they won’t just tell you to change one part , they will change every possible thing for you , do your research, get your hands dirty , you could save yourself lots of money, look after your car , it will look after you, thank you for the video.

[@Thanos.m]

I have to say the patience you have with this car is admirable it just seems that every time you fix something another thing brakes

[@alanbrand7681]

thanos mousios thats what happens with german cars

[@86andyw]

andy brant not really. This bmw s an ex police vehicle. Don’t assume it’s been well looked after because it was a police vehicle. Used and abused from the moment the key is turned.

[@dennij]

Not sure that UK police vehicles get serviced by main dealers Each force has its own vehicle maintenance team that carry out repairs so it’s possible that all servicing is carried out by them Helps keep the costs down

[@alanbrand7681]

86andyw yes im very well aware thanks

[@alanbrand7681]

A S they dont get serviced by dealer they are serviced by the police they only go to dealer for warranty which is 3yrs /100000miles

[@buchanans4771]

I was having the same problem with my personal 750i. You Saved me thousands. Okay just hear me threw here. I took my car into the dealership (Century BMW) because someone told me the compressor maybe under a RECALL/TSB WARRANTY FOR CATCHING ON FIRE!. $150 Diagnosis Fee which I was okay with until they came back 10 minutes later telling me I needed to replace my bags, compressor assembly and vent valve. Well, the 20 year old kid that the BMW dealership claimed to be their “Master Technician” said. As we say in the Automotive field, “He was throwing the basket at it”. I own my own Automotive Repair shop here in Alabama. I knew it WAS NOT the bags. I tested they, they held pressure over the weekend, NO LEAKSI You did an AMAZING JOB at explaining the process and steps to repair the system. This repaired my car. Thanks

[@Nut_Job.]

Great stuff! Glad to hear it helped you out. The more I read about compressor problems it seemed that nearly everyone was being charged massive amounts to (usually) replace the compressor, plus whatever else they ‘recommended’. I was intrigued... so I took mine to pieces to understand how it worked. I’m convinced that most people would be able to fix their compressor with a bit of perseverance 👍😀

[@JurisKankalis]

Yeah, This is a proof that people shouldn't be afraid of air suspension in vehicles. THIS EXACT compressor (with really minute design/fitting changes) goes into many cars - int al Range Rovers, Mercedeses, Audi Allroads, Volvos, Fords, etc, etc. It's made by Wabco - who generally specialize in heavy truck air systems - brakes, suspensions, etc. Passenger car compressors/systems is just one of their components in a loooooooooong line of air components. 4 or 5 years ago I ordered a repair kit (consists of mainly the piston ring made from some witch-craft material - with two bolts and a seal) for my C6 generation Allroad - and the producing guy is from Britain no less, has his own ebay shop (can't remember the name now for the life of me). He manufacturs the seals in the garage - at least he says so in the webpage - should come up after googling "air compressor wabco repair kit made in UK", or it ought to at least. The kit was really easy to install - however, this compressor, as is said in the video, also has an electric motor, which should be cleaned after a while. It is a brushed motor - meaning, the carbon brushes deteriorate after a while and create a mess in the motor windings. The four rivets on end of the motor housing can be drilled open - and the holes can then be tapped with M4 (I think) and bolts can be installed later to close the body - it even has space for additional washers and nuts just for safety's sake (on top of the tapped thread in the housing). Also - the deseccant can be replaced. I found loads of it - for cheap - in heavy truck air brake filters/dryers. There are shops who specialize in air parts for trucks/trailers - and they sell large filter-looking things that are actually dryers - full of the granules. If you cut such a thing open - it will be full of this desaccant, like several jars worth of. No need to bake it - just throw it out and pour in the new one (the large filters/dryers cost next to nothing, I think I bought the largest available for EUR 16,00 or something). This friday I'm collecting my "new" 2012 F11 530d xDrive - and the car's equipment says "no air suspension" - which to me seems a bit suspicious, as I thought all of them (Tourings) come with rear air shocks. Either way - good to know that even if it has air susp, it's the good old Wabco that I've rebuilt years ago on my audi. Thanks for the video, greetings from Latvia.

[@desmclaughlin]

Followed this video to the letter and my filter was wringing wet. All dried out, no more blown fuses and suspension working a treat. Thanks nut job. My assembly had a plastic filter lid not steel like yours. It looked like a sealed unit but eventually I got some pliers in and yanked it out. Can't believe that BMW make something so fault-prone. I also had a water leak last year thru the bulkhead, filling up my rear footwell, another design fault.

[@Nut_Job.]

Great to hear this worked out for you 👍

[@andrewpowell82]

Great video. I completed the same procedure today and my F11 is now sorted. Thanks!

[@spread04]

Cant thank you enough. Away in Morzine for Christmas and pump started making a terrible racket before giving out. Recovery unable to find garage given time of year so started to look in to possible fixes and came across this video. I found pulling relay (in tyre well next to battery) before replacing the fuse seemed to reset and pump fired up again later in the day, however clearly an issue. Stripped down (hardest part locating all the trim retaining screws and nuts) and whole pump saturated. I suspect mine had actually frozen as we had -8 overnight making it impossible to draw any air through the ice and overload the motor/blow fuse. Having used the drying room for pump parts overnight and low oven bake for the beads she is now purring and fully inflated.

[@Nut_Job.]

Awesome 😎 👍

[@DIZZYDAZZLER2011]

Im an engineer but have to admit this guy knows his stuff!! fair play buddy, not many people know how compressors work and why there is desiccant in there to remove the water from the air to avoid corroding air bag internals etc......keep it up.

[@Scwirral]

Thanks, nutjob. Mine died this morning. I did the bags a couple of years ago but this time it was the dryer on my compressor. Fixed it after work. Saved a fortune. Hero.

[@Nut_Job.]

👍

[@TheDaf95xf]

Fantastic video 😄 Your not scared of tackling any job on that Beamer or Range Rover 😊 What I like Nut job is that you share what your doing to fix the faults and give other people confidence to fix cats them selves 👍🏻 Well done Stevie 😎

[@ar4732]

Fantastic video and fix. Having said that it worth changing the exhaust solenoid while you have everything stripped. This is bound to get stuck again as it's been exposed to a lot of moisture and rusted internally. They're only about £25 and saves the extra work and stress for the expensive compressor down the line when it randomly seizes.

[@henriksimonsson6285]

Had the same symptoms on my f11. Followed these instructions and now it works perfect. Thank you!

[@robertwilliams-gg1zq]

Fantastic piece of diagnostic work, rewarded with a £2 cost.. well done

[@vp5]

Excellent video. Keep them up. Should be compulsory viewing for all members of the public so that people become more mechanically inclined and fix things themselves, like people did 50+ yrs ago etc

[@ClaytonsTunes]

Great content. I had the same issue, soaking wet beads and filter. Followed your process of drying all components. However it did not fix the issue. Taking everything apart again, having a good look at all components I discovered that the venting solenoid was heavily corroded which resulted in the pin not being able to move when given an electrical signal. 3 days, £24 solenoid from eBay and some patients it’s all fixed!! Thanks again for this content very helpful.

[@Nut_Job.]

Brilliant 👍

[@nickdunkley]

Just about the best 'how to' guide I've ever watched, thanks so much for this video!!

[@Nut_Job.]

Hope it helped you out 👍

[@leighdamian]

Have to say you are a legend. If that had been me I would probably be at stealers getting ripped off for new rear suspension.Great video as always.

[@toast6135]

This is a top top video as like you say the compressor is silly expensive. Coincidently I replaced my air suspension bags at the weekend but one was leaking and pulling the other side down. This type of video makes you not be afraid to have a go before looking into expensive parts. Brilliant thank you!

[@jaynusmui5786]

I had the same problem with my F11, a car from new for 6 years, and had the problem twice. The first time the BMW garage charged more than 3000euros and the second time I fixed it myself for 0euros! Amazingly placing the beads in the microwaves for a few minutes fixed it! I was advised by an engineer to change them to silica gel ones as they are more resistant comparably to the ones used by BMW. Unbelievable how a high prestige company has such a fault! - for info I live in the north of Sweden (snow and cold temp)

[@Nut_Job.]

Yeah, in cool & wet climates like ours I think this is a common problem. I bet people are often advised to replace their compressor too…

[@MrSeanlogan]

0:04 Great video and I wish I had the technical skills to do all this myself, but I don’t. Your problem in this case suggests the car was sitting down and unable to rise at all? In our case, a 2013 BMW5 Touring 530d M Sport, it’s more frustrating in that it works fine for perhaps two weeks and then, usually overnight, sinks again. The problem first arose in 2018 and was eventually fixed by two new air springs. This year a local garage put in a new block valve, which seemed to improve matters but didn’t stop the problem. They couldn’t find a leak in the air springs so they replaced the compressor. They reset the control box and said there were no error codes. But it continues to sink unpredictably. It always rises when you turn on the ignition, sometimes more slowly than at other times, but this problem is driving us nuts. Our BMW dealer also couldn’t find a leak in the air springs and say they can’t get these parts at the moment anyway. Does such an unpredictable pattern suggest the vent solenoid sticking, or something else? Btw it’s a fantastic car otherwise which is why we’re reluctant to give up on it. 150,000 miles.

[@Nut_Job.]

Every technical problem needs to be broken down & investigated in a logical order. At the end of the day, it’s just an air leak, and needs to be found. Step 1 is to check if the compressor is starting to try & pump up the system when the ignition is switched on. Step 2 is to check if we’re building sufficient pressure. If these things are happening then it’s just a leak somewhere downstream of the compressor (and could include the vent solenoid). Vent solenoid is easy to remove & inspect, and also not expensive to replace. As a ‘mini-gamble’ that could be worth a try. After that, it’s a job of finding any leaks with soapy water spray bottles - a pain, but sometimes necessary & does work. Washing up liquid in water spray bottle 👍 Focus on the most likely leak-paths like tube connections, rubber/plastic seams etc.

[@MrSeanlogan]

Thanks very much for the speedy response! I suppose what puzzles me most is that if it’s an air leak, why doesn’t the car sit down every night when parked? Instead of occasionally. We parked it at Heathrow recently and when we returned two weeks later we fully expected it to be on its haunches, but it was fine. So if there’s a leak, which suggests something continuous, why hadn’t it happened in those two weeks?

[@Nut_Job.]

That’s why I think it’s worth a punt to replace the vent solenoid. Not guaranteeing that’s the problem, but a sticky vent solenoid valve would give intermittent (unwanted) venting. From memory they’re about £50 and worth changing in wetter climates like the U.K. as it rusts.

[@MrSeanlogan]

Great, many thanks for your advice.

[@MrSeanlogan]

To close this out, my local BMW garage was unable to obtain new air springs and couldn’t say when they would be able to because of supply issues. So I ordered two Arnot air springs from a local Euro Car Parts store, they arrived in two days and a local garage put them in two days later. That was almost a month ago and it’s been absolutely fine since. That’s with two garages, including a BMW dealer, being unable to detect a leak! Why on earth doesn’t BMW simply change or improve the air suspension system to avoid this very common problem?

[@chrisskrabski1375]

Man this totally saved me! Exact same problem, 2 mins in the microwave and the beads were all white!

[@Nut_Job.]

Awesome 😎

[@grantwest545]

Thank you a heap. Was just about to order some new bags (just assuming that was the issue). Dried out the desiccant and it all seems good. Love the fact that you can help me out and you are 12000miles away .

[@Nut_Job.]

Glad it helped 👍

[@2FTermination]

Hey Nut Job, you seem to be having all three issues an F11 530d owner could possibly have. Thank you for sharing all your findings and adding your guidance to it!

[@lh4884]

I have fiddled a great deal with my Mercedes air suspension and it is more or less the same WABCO compressor used in Porsche, Landrover, BMW, AUDI, Jaguar and Mecedes. They have a slightly different design of the bracket, but essentially they are identical. But it is not normal that the dryer gets wet like that. That is a sign of serious problems When that happens it is pretty sure that you have a lot of moisture in the rest of your suspension system and that is a killer for the solenoids, valve blocks and even in the Bellows. I had that problem with my airmatic suspension on my Mercedes S211 and I ended up changing the compressor and a few other parts and rerouting the inlet air from a hose under the car (Everybody knows how much water and moisture there is under a car) to leading the hose up into the engine compartment after the logic: Id rather have hot dry air than cold moist air going in to the compressor and that did it for me. I did not have any problems with my air suspension on that car for the next 6 years :-) My wifes Mercedes had som issues with a droped tail end and I used a century (Mercedes) tester and found out, that the pump had gone bad due to wear and tear. It simply did not supply enough air and pressure to keep the car up but instead of using a small fortune on a new compressor, I searched the internet and found a guy in Scotland who makes new plastic piston rings and supply new gaskets (O-rings) and long bolts with lock-tite for very little money and you know how easy it is to dismantle and put together again. An one hour fix and the car worked and still works like clockwork after 5 years and 75.000 km You can get parts alot of places, but I prefer getting them at a guy who knows more about the WABCO compressors than most people and Andy is a very nice and helpfull guy www.bagpipingandy.com/

[@Nut_Job.]

That’s a good idea to re-route the compressor inlet tube 👍

[@lh4884]

@@Nut_Job. Yub...And pretty easy on a Mercedes. The compressor is located in the front bumber. But it is at different story on BMW 5-series located in- or outside in the rear of the car :-/ But maybe you can let the inlet tube breath from inside the car ?

[@tjaubz8644]

Had the exact same problem with mine however upon taking the compressor apart I found that the piston itself had seized up! Worth looking out for if you're having this problem. Excellent video mate 👍

[@Nut_Job.]

Thanks 👍

[@senjalars]

Awesome video. Seems like taking the compressor apart to dry it out would be a good preventive mainteinence job.

[@haranandrei9993]

You are the statement that everything can be fixed at home,only if you are very ambitious. i like your videos, cheers for them. 👍🍻

[@albertonunez851]

Just happy you did film what you did. Very helpful great work.

[@willhatton2792]

I've got the exact same symptoms - my F11 has sunk down on both sides at the rear. If I drive it, after a couple of minutes it is back up to normal ride height, but after a couple of days just sitting on the drive it drops down to the wheels again. I don't honestly have the skills to remove, dismantle and replace the compressor myself, but I can at least point a garage to this and hope it doesn't cost me the earth

[@Nut_Job.]

There’s a good chance it’s the vent solenoid sticking. I was going to replace mine (you can see it’s corroded in the video) but I gave it a few minutes of careful banging to free up the internal movement & it’s been fine for months now. No parts needed, just a little time 👍

[@willhatton2792]

@@Nut_Job. Thank you, i will definitely look into that!

[@PompeyMatt17]

Dessicants normally need to be changed regularly, so I'm a bit surprised there isn't a more accessible way of doing this. In other industries there's a drier inspection window where you see a dessicant indicator (blue turning pink when moist). Just something to check annually here I think..

[@Nut_Job.]

Absolutely right. Industrial compressors often have a regeneration cycle (heating/drying cycle) to release the captured water from the desiccant. I think it’s just too complex for these little vehicle compressors & they don’t think it’ll happen during the cars warranty period.... 😒

[@martincook2908]

Inspired and admired mate, you have balls my friend, and obviously an understanding wife, have a BMW myself and the wife just hates it now with the money I have hemorrhaged on it, Keep making the video's brilliant!

[@DashDriver-z1r]

Martin Cook yeh when you run older cars you get these issues from time to time. I was looking at a new bmw 5 and your talking 500 plus a month in payments. Why people say older cars are money pits, when new cars still cost a shed load in payments or depreciation.

[@bastaboom163]

I like how calm this guy is no matter what 👍👍

[@thejoneseys]

Really nice fix (again). To be honest this is what put me off getting an F11 the air suspension on the rear. Those compressors are the same as the Land Rover units and someone reminded me BMW briefly owned LR so they obviously raided their parts bin. Check out Tosh Lubek on KZbin and his video "Wabco Air Suspension Compressor Repair Kit for Range Rover - BMW - Land Rover" he sells piston rings he manufactures for the compressors and explains why they fail (basically they don't ride straight in the bore). Hopefully that might be of use to you with two cars running air suspension. Great video again, I do admire your patience with repairing stuff!

[@paultaylor9652]

Lovely Jubbly, its posh bangernomics, if you weren't able to do it, imagine what a BMW dealership would charge.

[@capmoq]

Great information. This is exactly what I have been looking for online and the information is scarce.

[@Nut_Job.]

Hope it helps you 👍

[@stunicholson3921]

Great video, love your ability to fix issues at little or no cost (apart from broken timing chain of course). Looking to the catch can mod!

[@gumis56tfcx]

Just had this happening to me. Car dropped suddenly and displayed fault. Done all same as you did and...... well didn't work. It was wet and Ive dried it all but no help. I've start to checking all (in rain) and right away noticed it was cutting off too quickly. Noticed it didn't suck much of air in so gone dipper, took outlet pipe and compressor was pushing strong therefore knew it's last 2 possible options block valve or bags but chances both faild at the same time are small so block valve. After this I found it's known to faill causing bags to deflate.

[@Nut_Job.]

Yes, when you see it dropped on both sides it’s a good idea to check common components. Such as; block valve, compressor outlet tube, vent solenoid, water/saturated desiccant 👍

[@jarnokarjalainen2668]

Ive seen this happen. Coinsidently last time when we repaired air suspension issue, it was white f11 that had the issue 😄 The trouble with it was that the same fuse had blown. This was not due to the system itself, as the bags had been replaced 3 months earlier, and the compressor about 1 month earlier. We've had few of these in the past 2 years where only the fuse is blown. Replace the fuse and everything works, and they dont come back for the same reason. Never figured out what the cause was, apart from possibly the fuse just reaching the end of its lifeperiod. Nice to see the compressor apart, ive never taken one apart. Ive got one sitting at garage now, waiting to be sold. Its pretty mint so havent taken a closer look on it.

[@vlat18]

Hi! I have similar problem, today i changed both airbags on my f11 and now after 1 hour airbags deflates. Before changing it took 10-14 hours. Do you think i should check fuses on my car?

[@Bob-nu3xe]

water build up fault is a inbuild design , just ready for the dealerships to charge the panic stricken owner for a new compressor and £500 for a fix that shouldn't be there in the first place. good video thanks

[@rogiervdheide]

Thanks a lot! That is such a nice video. Now that's when the rear of the car stays low because the compressor does not work. But what's wrong when the car "sinks" after about two days or so of not driving, and comes up within two minutes after one starts the engine? Are the air bags leaking in that case? How do they then stay pressurized during the drive? Thanks in advance.

[@Nut_Job.]

Something is slowly venting down the air system. It could be a few things… possibly the solenoid vent valve like in my video, or a leaking joint or an air bag which has developed a crack/tear leak. If you fancy hunting for the leak I would suggest using a spray bottle with some soapy water (washing-up liquid in some water). Spray it on likely areas for leaks when the suspension is fully pumped up & look for bubbles!

[@rogiervdheide]

@@Nut_Job. thanks so much for your effort to answer! That makes all perfect sense.

[@voodoocars2134]

My e53 X5 blows the 30a air suspension fuse regularly...normally when I’ve had 8 bags of plaster in the back..

[@SaLi-dh3vm]

Great video, my 520D rear was completely dowm, followed the video step by step, inside was soaking wet, dried everything, problem did not fix, I think there is no power going into the air compressor, going to take the car to a bosch service to have a look, hope they won't rip me off!

[@MrTwister86660]

Great vid mate

[@rchwha]

Thanks for a really helpful video. Would this be the possible cause if the suspension drops overnight but as soon as i start the car, the suspension goes back to normal height ?

[@CATPLAYING]

Looks really good low, perfect height

[@StephenHartleyBrundrett]

You just saved alot of people alot of money, hats off to you 👍

[@williamhow4297]

Any ideas why it got saturated and how to prevent a recurrence?

[@Nut_Job.]

Well, if you live somewhere with a fair bit of moisture in the air (like the UK) I’d say it’s mostly just a matter of time before the desiccant becomes saturated. Industrial air compressors usually have a means of heating up the desiccant to regenerate it, but that’s too complex for a little vehicle unit.

[@lem0n]

There's a seller on eBay that sells rebuild kits for these, called "BagPipingAndy". Has all the filters/gaskets and piston o-rings. Recommend doing it if you're taking the compressor apart.

[@Nut_Job.]

Yes, I came across his stuff. It’s pretty easy to get the compressor out again for a proper rebuild/service so I’ll save it for next time now that it’s working again 👍

[@glcs2000]

That looks fantastic and relatively easy although I'm completely useless at that kind of thing so have to resort to the professionals who no doubt will want to simply replace compressor. But you have provided me with ammunition to mount an argument. Question - would you expect such a failure after only 36k miles? Many thanks

[@Stop..carry-on]

You’ve certainly had your fair share of problems with that car.

[@bickmeister4453]

You didn’t explain how the desiccant got wet? What have you done to prevent a repeat of the problem?

[@Nut_Job.]

It gets wet because it’s job is to absorb moisture from the ambient air used in the compressor. Under ideal conditions it ‘self-regenerates’ when the weather warms up, and the desiccant drys out… however in countries like the U.K. this can be difficult due to the excessive wet weather & lack of hot days. In these conditions the desiccant retains a high amount of water and cannot continue to dry the compressor air - this can lead to drops of water forming in the inlet chamber & this can block the tiny outlet hole (which blew my fuse) 👍

[@Nut_Job.]

There’s not much you can do in temperate climates like this, but it’s relatively easy to dismantle the compressor & dry the desiccant manually if it gets very wet. It shouldn’t happen often though, even here 😄

[@inandoutwithRK-rajeshkeshav]

Brilliant video 👌

[@Relaxationwithmeditation]

My 730ld just blew the fuse yesterday, 182 so hopefully this will fix it! Thanks a lot!

[@bmcc719]

Thanks so much for this!! Also, 10:37

[@Cxkarabulut]

did it never raise, when you started the car? I have a problem, that it losing air, after you turn off the car.

[@bertbasjanssen]

Great job! Just wondering did you disconnect the battery before you took out the pump? Your vids help me a lot just to get to know my bm that i just bought. Thanks.

[@Nut_Job.]

Actually, no I didn’t - although I should probably say that is best practice 👍 My 40A fuse was blown, so no real power to my unit in this case anyway.

[@woodgeorge1]

That was great for your watchers to see it might save them a lot of money

[@marinejim165]

I have this problem on one side the rear drivers side sometimes it’s down and other times it stays up the other day I heard air release when I got out I drove home and then it stopped and the air release had stopped and the ride height was back to normal, what could this be due too.

[@Nut_Job.]

There is a small valve block with a solenoid controlling the air to either side of the car, so this could be sticking open/shut. These are not expensive to replace (£30 aftermarket), so I’d have a look at that. It is mounted right next to the compressor & you’ll find it if you follow either of the air lines back from the wheel 👍

[@bartlomiejbury6813]

I've got a similar problem but when I start the engine everything is perfect. Please tell me it is normal?

[@Adam0uth]

Air compressor delete.. use a 4mm t peace and 1 meter length of 4mm tubing. With a 4mm adapter and the end off an air hose fitting connect a tyre valve extension and pump the air bags up.. holds pressure for days and its easy pumped up if you wire it through to the boot.... I can't show picture's on this so hope its understandable!! 😁

[@Nut_Job.]

Why not just get the compressor working? 😂

[@tomaslindqvist1644]

Thanks! It worked perfectly on my 2016 520d!

[@Nut_Job.]

Brilliant 👍

[@marc8345]

Did it not crush you when you were under there disconnecting it if it dropped

[@martinskamla6789]

Great video ..... except that Hand over top of vacuum example...... if you put your hand over a vacuum cleaner you can hear the motor go up in revs that is because it has less resistance... the reason for it is that the air is not actually moving anywhere just rotating in the turbine hoisting which takes less energy than actually moving it down a tube .... so a vacuum actually draws less current blocked because it is not performing any work

[@Nut_Job.]

Good point 👍

[@stufletcher2082]

i have a f11 and a l322 seems like your f11 has had a few problems but what a lovely car they are thanks for the vids and i also admire how you take it all in your stride i think i would now attempt the timing chain if it ever fails but fingers crossed i dont get that problem thanks again regards and hats off

[@Nut_Job.]

Thanks Stewart. They are two lovely cars! 👍

[@astuteventures]

Not sure if you will reply in time, as im going back to bmw tomorrow. 2 months ago, i noticed car was lowered. I turned engine on and it rasied itself back to normal. This then continued, could lower after an hour or sometimes days and then every time i start engine it would go back to normal. So i bit the bullet, took to bmw and then diagnosed as it needing a new air compressor which i paid around £1.3.k to have sorted. Got car back and week later, it lowered. Gutted i am, because i go back tomorrow for them to take car back and look again and tell me know what they think is wrong. Ive suggested they got it wrong and they relaced a part which dodnt need replacing. They are digging heels in and saying a new fault has happened which is causing it to lower again. Have you got any ideas on how i can approach this. Thanks

[@AndreasLindahl]

Great video! I have the exact same problem so I think I will give this a try. A question; were you able to loosen the compressor without having to jack up the car?

[@Nut_Job.]

Yes you can get to the compressor without jacking up. Except if the system has lost ALL air & is sitting extremely low, you might be better to jack up the rear then 👍

[@AndreasLindahl]

@@Nut_Job. Removed and disassembled the compressor today and sure enough it was soaking with water. Followed your instructions and now the desiccant beads are baking the oven. Would just want to thank you for a great video. And have a merry Christmas!

[@Nut_Job.]

Absolutely fantastic! Good job 👍 😎

[@nordmedia3493]

Did you pull out the battery before taking out the compressor ?

[@Nut_Job.]

Actually, no because you can just unplug it at the compressor. I’m sure the workshop manual would say it’s best practice to disconnect the battery though 👍

[@allygow8674]

Came across a similar issue with my 5 series estate. After a couple of phone calls to bmw and a local garage, the highest quote was £1000+( bmw)and the lowest was £800( local garage). After watching the video and thinking it didn’t look too hard , I thought I’d give it a go myself. long story short I’ve saved myself plenty of cash , the only thing bought for this a new fuse and a £20 tool kit from Halfords. I saw this video was made last year , have you had any problems with it since?

[@EddieRyce]

I fukin wish I had seen this a couple of years ago before I bought a new compressor! Thanks for this, I will defo check this next time

[@timmedcalf1357]

Great video thanks. Mine has a slightly different fault. I had driver's side suspension unit replaced a year ago. Suspension pumps up OK and pump switches off, car drives fine. When left, the driver's side suspension unit will hold air for a few days or just a few hours - there seems to be no rationale. The passenger's side stays pumped up, no problem. Does anyone know what could be causing that issue - I am wondering if there is a common intermittent fault maybe in a seal or part of the plumbing that I could check. I'm not getting any error codes and the car isn't making any strange noises (e.g. when the suspension unit failed last year it was very obvious!).

[@Nut_Job.]

If it’s only going down on one side, and you’re sure the bag isn’t damaged/leaking then it could be the valve block which both air lines connect to on the compressor unit. These can be replaced if faulty and aren’t too expensive (perhaps £30-£40), but it would be best to track down the leak properly. A product like ‘snoop’ is useful for finding air leaks - it’s a soapy liquid you spray on to joints or the inflation bag & if it bubbles you’ve found your leak. You can just use washing-up liquid too though 👍

[@timmedcalf1357]

@@Nut_Job. Many thanks, a big help.

[@malpracticesurf]

@@timmedcalf1357 Mine did the same thing. Was fine for weeks then several days in a row would randomly drop on one side. It seems the bag had a hole (could hear air escaping sometimes) but would sometimes re-seal itself in certain positions. Could not find a leak with soapy water, but worth a check. In the end got a new bag and 9 months later been fine ever since.

[@timmedcalf1357]

@@malpracticesurf Thanks for the reply. Yes, mine is very similar and I have thought a lot about whether the angle at which the car is parked makes a difference as sometimes the bag holds for days, and at other times just a few hours. It never deflates while I am driving and the pump isn't actively trying to inflate it except for a brief period at start up. The pattern I have noticed is that when I stop the car, the suspension drops maybe 10-15mm (not much) and then holds firm. I wonder if this is actually because the action of the bag sagging a little causes the hole to seal almost completely but not completely enough to be 100% air tight. I have checked the two key fuses F182 and F152 and all is well so I'm hoping the pump itself isn't the issue. The suspension on the other side of the car is also perfect so I agree with Nut Job's view that I should check the airbag and airline including couplings next. I bought my replacement bag from Aerosus and purchases two so I have one available for my indy garage to fit if needed. Thanks again for the feedback, great how the internet can pool knowledge!

[@anthonywhite721]

Good work dude I was never really a bmw fan but watching this I am looking at the 5series in a different light 🤔🤔

[@Stop..carry-on]

South London really? Even though he’s had endless problems with the car

[@williamoakes664]

Do one.....it’s a high mileage ex police car and I’m sure the price reflected that when purchased.....the car will do another 200k once the main issues are rectified.

[@Nut_Job.]

I must say it’s running very nicely now. There’s a few more areas where I expect to replace wear items like bushes etc, and I may remove the DPF and give it a damn good clean. But really I’m hoping to go well over 200k 👍

[@buchanans4771]

I own 3 BMWs. No to any 750. 2011 newer 535i. Great car. I have mine turned up a bit. All bolt on and programmed. 550 HP to the Ground. My 2006 530 is a monster. It’s tuned and what little bolt on I can get. I have 260k hard miles on it. The lifters make noise but I’m to lazy too replace them. But of my 5 series BMWs are solid cars. The 750i is not. When my 530i goes, I’m installing an LSX motor and 6 speed manual transmission. But I can’t seem to blow it up. I hope you have good luck buy one. Nut Job is a great Tech from what I can see. Keep the great information coming. Thanks!

[@martingoransson6711]

Excellent video, has it kept working or have you had any more problems with it? I have a problem where the air seems to "leak" out after it standing still for 2-3 days. Do you have the same problem?

[@Nut_Job.]

That leaking problem may be corrosion on the vent solenoid valve. This valve is electronically opened the reduce air pressure in the suspension system, but after time in damp weather it will stick slightly open. You can get a replacement for around £50 in the U.K. (aftermarket part, not OEM). Pretty easy to replace too 👍

[@martinoptilon9915]

@@Nut_Job. Thanks for your answer, so when the pandemic is over bring the replacement over to Sweden and we'll make a new video ;-)

[@aaronhajzyk]

I’d get some more of them beads and replace them in the future mate as them inside have done some work over last few years being a police car just a thought great video

[@Nut_Job.]

Yes, that’s what I’d do next time 👍 A large bag of the desiccant is only about £15 I think.

[@Flyerman38]

Hi, I was fascinating by your BMW compressor video especially as I am someone who doesn’t know one end of a screw driver from the other. Either way, I wanted your advice. I had a Chassis Restriction warning on my dashboard and then a month later the airbags collapsed, and I had them both replaced for £1,300! The chassis light came back on again a few weeks later and I took it to another garage who said I would need to replace the compressor pump although they suspected the valve in it might be faulty - quote to replace the entire pump: £1,300 plus labour. They did suggest I take a look on eBay to see if i could find the valve which I did, for £30 but also found a brand new compressor pump for £200. So the big questions I have is - would buying this cheaper pump be a fool’s errand? Is the BMW version an actual BMW manufactured part or is the one I found actually the same one just not supplied through BMW and therefore a 5th of the price? If not then do you think buying a cheap Chinese made replica of the compressor pump a risky option and should I bite the bullet and go for the BMW supplied one? They don’t seem to think its worth taking it apart and servicing and drying out the beads and filters. Would really appreciate thoughts on this.

[@Nut_Job.]

I’m sure they don’t think it’s a good idea! 😆 And that is always the advice you will get from mechanics who are trying to give you their most ‘professional’ advice…. that doesn’t always mean it’s your best course of action. Just beware that if you give them the chance they’ll spend your money like there’s no tomorrow, so I always like to investigate things myself.

[@knulleriboy]

One question which may be dumb. But if the bags are holding pressure, why is the car sagging? Once they are filled, they should not sag if they hold pressure?

[@Nut_Job.]

The system has a solenoid valve to allow either/both sides to vent air & lower the car. If this vent valve gets stuck (due to corrosion from moist air) then it leaks out from there. There is also the possibility of leaking from the ‘valve block’ which is used to decide which side to sent the air when the compressor is pumping.

[@moyhaq]

Great video. Just had both airbags replaced due to same issue. Next day car is back down again. It does go up once the engine is fired up but would come down within 2hrs or so after shutting the car down. No errors or messages on idrive. Drive side always seems lower than passenger side. Could it be a compressor issue? My battery is currently very low so not sure if that could play a part.

[@Nut_Job.]

If you’ve replaced both air bags then there must be a leak somewhere else on the system. I would look at 3 places; 1) check the air lines from the bags to the compressor in case there is some damage - spray soapy water on everything when pumped up to look for leaks. 2) it could be a failing valve block - this is a small unit that is connected between the compressor & air bags. Not expensive to replace either. 3) it could be the vent solenoid like in my video. Easy to check if you can remove the compressor like in my video & look for corrosion (very common in U.K., Europe & some parts of US)

[@inspired_by_bimmer267]

What type of tyres are you usuning-run on flat or normal tyres???

[@nashushography3636]

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I TEMPORARILY FIX IT FOR FREE BY SWITCHING IT WITH FUSE 186 (START STOP) TO GET ME HOME! literally felt like I was riding waves in the ocean - galloping down the motorway head bobbin like Mr bobbin. Stopped at service station my jaw dropped as the backside looked like I just got back from Silverstone race track day. My brains thinking FFS new compressor? New air bags.. Watched your video and it was a bang my head on the wall moment.. Have I check the F'in fuse? 181 blown swapped out with 186 (start stop which is usually turned off anyway 😂) which I'll be replacing tomorrow.

[@Nut_Job.]

Awesome job 👍😎

[@Nut_Job.]

Feels terrifying when driving like that doesn’t it? I was at 70mph & felt like I was on a mechanical bull 😬

[@nashushography3636]

@@Nut_Job. 😂 I know exactly what you mean.

[@shakeysteventon4197]

I’ve just bought a 2012 520d touring at auction for personal use and the rear suspension has collapsed both sides, there is an orange chassis warning light on the dash, would this rule out the compressor? Or would it still be worth checking the fuses and removing and testing the compressor or could both air bags require replacement. Your thoughts would be welcomed

[@Nut_Job.]

I’d definitely check the fuses first because it’s easy. If both sides are deflated then it’s unlikely to be the bag(s). When you unlock the car the compressor should kick in to try & raise the height - listen for the sound under the rear bumper. If it’s not a fuse I’d bet it’s either a compressor problem, a ride height sensor or maybe the control module is damaged.

[@shakeysteventon4197]

That’s brilliant, thank you. Hoping I haven’t bought a pup. I have a lease car going back soon and with the Corona thing I thought it wise to buy a cheaper car as I don’t know how work will pan out. It’s been neglected but I can see there is potential,...but it’s bloody filthy, needs servicing, set of tyres etc

[@Nut_Job.]

I’m sure it’ll be fine if you’re prepared to check over the neglected bits. Those compressors are pretty good & I hate it when people say they were sold a replacement... they can almost always be repaired for cheap 💷

[@sv5626]

Hi, I’ve just changed the compressor on my F02 and the car doesn’t want to raise up despite the compressor working. Did you have to reset it somehow or I have a different problem? Thanks!

[@burdelmadalin5800]

I have the same issue with my car( compressor running few seconds but nut raising the level)..Can i drive it up to nearby workshop without air in the bags? Thanks

[@Nut_Job.]

Technically it does drive, but if they’re very deflated then the ride could be VERY bouncy… mine deflated on the way home once & I was traveling about 70mph - got some intermittent bouncing from the rear which got pretty extreme. It helped once I slowed the car down, so I’d advise not going too far or too fast 👍

[@SaLi-dh3vm]

I got the exactly same car , same problem, just not the skills myself, took it into two garages , none of them fixed the issue, they had a re-set on the ECU or sth, they use the computer to adjust the wheel to the right height , and after one or two drives the chassis code came back again. I went to BMW to get a quote, it was 160 to diagnose to start with, around 500 pounds for each compressor, if the pump needs to be changed, it is over 1000 pounds, I don't know what to do, do you run a garage , can you get mine fixed please ?

[@iancugabor6345]

Hello I have buy air compressor for Bmw E61 2008 but dis compressor still running is no stop msybe you chem help plz thanks

[@sameogedd6402]

Hi mate, i have an issue with a 530d f11 , the auto level comes on and it says can't enable comfort mode . Once i stop the car for a while the error goes off and comes on after a bit of driving like 1 mile. Any idea where to start, i would really appreciate it. Also it doesn't sagg

[@testgod6614]

great job ... but wich kind of beans do you use? in italy i never seen these beans can you explain me?? many thank s

[@mohammadunus1389]

Baked beans

[@devondabbler1355]

Nut Job Thank you for sharing your video. I was resigned in buying a new compressor however now watching your video, I will check fuse 152 and fuse 182 firstly and then strip down the compressor to dry it out. You uploaded the video in September 2019, have you had any problems since?

[@Nut_Job.]

Hi there, I actually had other (engine) problems with the car so I sold it. But actually the compressor worked fine after this 👍

[@guyemmott4009]

Surprisingly similar unit to that on my 2000 LR Disco Td5...

[@Nut_Job.]

Yes, they both use similar wabco units 👍

[@guyemmott4009]

@@Nut_Job. I did try to recon with a new piston ring from a chap on ebay who made them but it was short lived as the cylinder was scored.. The compressor and the the rear airbags were on there for 13 years so nit bad at all really.. Incidentally, how is the engine running/performing since the major works?

[@Nut_Job.]

The engine seems very smooth & all the power it should have I think. Quite a relief after all the hard work I had to put in really 👍

[@eminem2]

I just replaced my solenoid valve as per your video and cleaned the beads. When I put it back together, it cuts off after working for 1-2 seconds, every time it turns on. All electric and air lines are connected, do you know what could be the reason?

[@Nut_Job.]

So, are the suspension air bags pumped up or not?

[@Nut_Job.]

If not, then I’d be looking at electrical parts. For example; are all fuses ok, check the ride height sensors on the wheels as this might be telling fibs to the control unit so it turns off the compressor. Things like that

[@eminem2]

@@Nut_Job. it worked after reconnecting the valve plug properly, thank you for the tutorial 🙌

[@comnol158]

A nice piece of work matey

[@anzesfiligoj93]

Is this pump in bmw f07 gt??

[@KukjansProduction]

Hi. Is it big air pressure have to go from motor? From mine going very very low pressure.

[@Nut_Job.]

If the air pressure from the compressor is low then your piston rings may be worn. I think you can buy compressor rebuild kits for these units not too expensive.

[@FiscalWoofer]

Brilliant repair! Love your attitude, just take it apart and fix for £2! There are two f11s up my road with same problem, so looks to be common fault (in my limited experience) how do you think it got so wet? Keep up the good work. I’m going to take the plunge doing the next repair on mine now, e61 with blocked rear washer and rear screen de-mister. Looms, blockages and fuses - scary!

[@Conservator.]

I have had the same problem. The shop that repaired the looms didn’t take of the battery during the repair and managed to fry the antenna amplifier (I don’t know if it’s called like that but I hope you understand what I mean). So now have been warned! ;) It shouldn’t be very difficult but it is a LOT of work.

[@williamoakes664]

It gets wet as any compressors receiver (tank that stores the compressed air) will, any compressor works the same: they draw in air from their surroundings and all air contains moisture...underneath a car will be wetter air than most places. Furthermore most receivers have a stopcock on them so you can release the build up...this of course doesn’t so when it gets wet it stays wet....and most people have to rush out and buy a new one!

[@Conservator.]

William Oakes This compressor does have an over pressure valve that is used to purge the moisture as well. Otherwise these compressors wouldn’t last more than a month in a climate with only mild humidity. “Diagnose Dan” has done a video on this compressor. At the very end of it he explains how the compressor gets rid of captured moisture. I’ve posted a comment with a link to the video.

[@adyx86yt]

Hi mate, any updates on this... did it worked on long term? Thank you

[@Nut_Job.]

All going fine so far - no issues 👍

[@adyx86yt]

Nut Job thank you, i’l try this tomorow. Let you know what i do. Cheers

[@timh7165]

Hey Nut job just wondered how thi GS are going as not seeing any BMW content recently, do you still have the car? Also wanted to ask how you jacked up the rear end when the compressor had failed, can't work out how you got a jack under there? Also if you disconnect the conpassor under load will it be explosive?? Your feedback welcomed before I attempt mine! 👍

[@AndyK.1]

Bigger compressor than landrover. But does it include tank?

[@Nut_Job.]

No, the land rover compressors are the same but no pressure vessel on a BMW

[@kkomarica810]

Great video and a big help. I saved this video over a year ago and unfortunately now I got back to it, since I have air suspension problems on my F11. Can you please help me diagnose the problem ... I had intermittent failure of rear air suspension for 2 years (found it deflated 2-3 times in 2 years). During the last two months it deflated 4-5 times. Sometimes it deflates within 24 hours, but sometimes it is ok for several days (between drives). It seems to be deflating more on the left side. For now it always inflated very quickly. It is a 520d LCI (2014.) Thanks in advance for your opinion and help!

[@Nut_Job.]

I would be looking at 2 parts of the air compressor: 1) the valve block - this splits/sends the air to each side of the car. Not expensive to replace, you’ll even find them on eBay. 2) the vent solenoid - as shown in my video. It will most probably have some corrosion causing it to stick open sometimes, meaning the system deflates when parked. These can be bought for around £50 👍

[@kkomarica810]

@@Nut_Job. Big thanks! I will take a look at these things (a professional will, I am not so skilled), and I will report back so that others can also benefit.

[@kkomarica810]

@@Nut_Job. While waiting for my mechanic/electrician to be available I noticed a strange behavior of the air suspension. When the car is parked (for 24-36 hours) in a garage with a compleatly level floor it does not deflate. On the other hand when I park in a garage where the floor is not compleatly level (front end is a bit higher) I get the the "german tuning look" over night. Could that indicate a problem with some sensors that determine the car ride height (I don't know if there are specific sensors for the suspension or are the headlight height sensors used). Thanks!

[@vlat18]

@@kkomarica810 Hey, did you fix your problem?

[@kkomarica810]

@@vlat18 I did fix the problem. At the end there seemed to be a small leek on one of the airbags (air springs). I had to replace both of them. Arnott was the brand that was suggested by everyone. They seem to have made some modifications to the air springs and they look and feel a lot more sturdier that the BMW original parts.

[@mikkelhou9687]

Hi great video. Is it still holding up? I have the same issue with my F11. The 40amp fuse blows. When I replaced the fuse, I works around a month, the I can i the compressor running after I have stopped the Car. After short time the end is lowered and fuse is blown again. Thanks

[@mikkelhou9687]

*hear

[@shakeysteventon4197]

Been working on my car for a a couple of weeks, managed to get it back together tonight and it appears the air compressor is not working. Replaced the 40 amp fuse and boot relay. Fitted new air bags, old ones looked okay. Cleaned the air dryer which was very wet. With the car still on axle stands and no weight on the rear suspension I started the car and I could not see or feel any signs of life in the compressor. With engine running I could feel no vibration or heat from the compressor and the air bags remained relatively soft. Would you recommend compressor replacement or would you first replace the solenoid, can only see cheap Chinese solenoids on eBay. Would welcome your opinion.

[@Nut_Job.]

You might be able to get your existing vent solenoid to work again (even just for a little while) - if it works then you know you need to replace it. If you remove it from the compressor you can bang it gently but firmly all around the silver barrel to get it moving again. If you have a 12v supply you can apply power to the terminals on it - if you hear a definite ‘click’ sound every time you apply power then it should be working now. You could try this - it worked for me after I’d dried the compressor out 👍

[@shakeysteventon4197]

Nut Job thanks for the tip I’ll give this a try tomorrow👍👍

[@Nut_Job.]

There’s a great video from Diagnose Dan on this exact topic: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g5C5qYdsnZqVh6c definitely worth a watch 👍