millatyme34

Hello all,

New here at Audiworld. I'll start with I live in Minnesota. I bought this car (2005 A8) because it is a beast and puts my mind at ease in the winter months. Never felt so much in control in a car in the snow (grew up in Iowa). Never really been a huge fan of trucks or SUV's, so a sedan w/ AWD was a must.

I have been having a issue with my amber and green air suspension lights coming on in my 2005 A8. I have delved into a lot of posts on here and endless google searches, but haven't found one is in line with what is happening to me.

To preface, my air bag light came on shortly before this started happening as well.

When I start my car, both lights flash on and off until I drive for about a minute. Then they go away momentarily until the both come back on as constant. Once I park I can still hear it decompress but it is noticeably lower on the front end. I started by adjusting my suspension to the highest lift before I back out and there is no lights at that point. Before I back out, I can see my front end rise. Then about 5 minutes into my drive the lift and dynamic settings gray out and are no longer options. My amber light will come one with a flashing green for about 5-10 minutes and then just solid amber and green lights. Everywhere I've called doesn't have an VCDS diagnostic system. I've even tried import shops. I am worried about taking to an Audi dealership as I've only heard horror stories. I found a place that with use a diagnostic system to diagnose but I'm not so sure it's a VCDS.

What should I do at this point? How much would Audi charge for the diagnostic? The place that is looking at it said the last 3 times they've seen this it was 4-$5000. I don't want to get taken for if it's maybe just the compressor or something else. I have my 1st child on the way and money is very important at this point. Can anyone help me? Any advise would be very very appreciated. Thanks in advanced if anyone is willing or able to help me out with some answers or opinions. Sorry , I'm an extreme newbie.

Mister Bally

Per the sticky at the top of the thread; Buy the Ross-Tech diagnostic interface to diagnose problems. Or, borrow someone else's. Alternate, pay a shop to diagnose. Dealer is an option. In the Twin Cities, Audi labor rate is about $130.00/hr so allow .5/hr for a diagnostic scan by a dealer.

You mentioned money's tight; I'm turned off by those who tell me how to spend my money or preach if a car is affordable or not. Heck, I've been laughed at here for putting Regular gasoline in my A8. That said, with a baby on the way and money tight, You must have the capability to do your own repairs including tools, service manual, a garage (heated really helps in the Northern climates), jack, jack stands, impact wrench and the knowledge of standard automotive troubleshooting techniques etc.

A reserve of $2k for parts is advisable. $5k if you are not able to do repairs yourself.

Otherwise, I'd have a spare car or maybe, just maybe a used A8 is not right for you. Subaru makes AWD sedans that are lower in cost to maintain.

My oldest child was 11 when I bought my A8. He now has his own TT. Here's what we did to it this past weekend as he was not happy with some "ticking" noises. A few valve lifters needed replacing....

Incaico

I can tell you that when my S8 started doing the same thing earlier this year, it needed both airbags replaced. I am under warranty but each cost about $1200 + labor...

mishar

Starting with the sticky is a good advice, VCDS absolutely necessary. But to keep this forum better than many let's try to help right now.

Put it in the Jacking Mode when parked overnight and check all four corners heights. One is leaking air. Also in Jacking mode lift one corner at the time (start with front ones) and listen to the extensive air flow sound. You may also perform soapy water test to find which air strut is leaking air. Replace it with refurbished strut. They are much cheaper than new ones and have shock absorbers closer to the rest of yours. Also replace compressor relay. It is just above your left foot under the trim. Do that ASAP before you burn your compressor. If it is already bad replace it with eBay new one from Germany.

Hannibalacp82

I see the compressor relay replacement mentioned alot. Is this an ongoing issue or just the originally supplied one? I.E. should one replace the relay as soon as they purchase a used car and/or on a regular basis?

MP4.2+6.0

+2 on Misha's and Bally's input.

You need a scan. Actually maybe more for the airbag issue than the suspension. As noted you have a suspension leak most likely. May not find any codes for it, though soon you could find some new ones if you keep driving... A guess toward where Misha was going is leak is in front since it is dropping more. Keep watching it to see if one front corner is dropping more than other. They will both drop to an extent, but if leak is only in one, that corner will go down more--like basically all the way down to where it looks slammed. Can also be air valve distribution block, but if you isolate it to a corner AND have no codes connected to air block, then it is most likely that strut, whether or not you can leak test it successfully in the car.

A warning is if you persist w/ driving and not fixing you will (not might, will) burn the compressor. That will cost you more than buying your own VCDS cable... Again a guess of what is going on now is as you drive it is pumping up, but then compressor is overworked and is cutting out with a temp. sensor or something like that. After a while it will just be fried...

Airbags... so, which one...? Dart throw now of any of 8... Thus, VCDS. Issue should be unrelated to suspension. Here VCDS will tell you which one without a doubt, and is likely to isolate the component. Suspension is actually an exception to the norm, where it can have a common failure (air leak in a strut) with no codes. A guess on airbags is it won't even be an airbag, but rather a wiring/electrical related bug. Leading suspect there will be what is called the clock spring--the connection point behind the steering wheel. The area most subject to mechanical stresses in the car. Could just be the connector, or could be the part. Multi hundred dollar part if that, dealer only. Recurring refrain...need VCDS...

millatyme34

Did this solve your suspension problems?

MP4.2+6.0

To be honest, when I see this I suspect you are looking for the "magic pill." I don't think anyone can tell you and without even a scan, oh, its the x2 3y prime variant of the franistan issue with the dilithium crystal tweak, therefore go in and surgically replace this singular part and presto, nirvana. Statistically, ain't going to happen. More so in the air suspension with its 4 struts and two other primary components (valve block and compressor), plus assorted relay, 4 corner sensors, wiring and air lines. Even more so when the minor issues can be the ones that you find code verification for, but the biggest and $$--basic strut failure--can leave no codes.

If you don't want to get in there and thoroughly diagnose it, I'lll move on and not waste further time. As I already cautioned, it will also likely cost you the compressor statistically if you don't get to the bottom of it quickly. Add another $500ish or more for part, plus labor on top for the low cost supposed OES (WABCO) suppliers in EBay land--much more from some others or dealer. Unless that is you have the expertise to try to rebuild it and it isn't a melted pile of junk by then. All unnecessary if issue starts with other failure points but it gets driven to further secondary issues.

MP4.2+6.0

Any time you replace (or service) compressor, I would replace relay. Audi says that in a TSB too IIRC. Of course if it fails--compressor trying to run full time even with car off--it needs to be replaced pronto (and power disconnected meantime). Otherwise compressor quickly fries. If system was badly overworked with a lot of cycling before a strut gets replaced, I would probably do it too. And yes, this thread kind of sounds like that. Too much compressor run time, sounds like it is shutting down with overheat cycling, etc. Relay only costs about $20, so it's kind of a no brainer, but labor is the real issue--buried under dash or nearby carpet depending on exact year.

Thus, I have a new relay on hand--as do a few of the other long timers I think. But my system is all in order and when a strut failed I diagnosed it pretty quickly and had only driven a few hundred miles and pumped it back up from its modest (overnight) leak maybe 10 or 20 times total. Nothing like the constantly pumping up, light on a lot type stuff I see in a variety of recent threads. I do plan to do it preemptively when some other repair causes me to drop the driver's lower knee panel. That's more work than you first think because of how it ties into the mid dash trim.

Mister Bally

+2. Have Silicone adhesive/Silastic/RTV handy for the change/card drawer face as the holding pins like to snap off.