I'm new to the Forum, member about two weeks and sharing an extremely cold weather event with 05 XJR. The temperature dropped for two days and remained at or below -10 degrees with winds exceeding 50 MPH, in the Southwestern United States. With the Jag garaged, I stated the car to let it warm up. Three minutes later, the dash reflected "Air ride suspension malfunction." The next day the temperature rose to 20 degrees and the car had no air ride issues. Being new to the air ride system does cold weather effect the system?

 

I live in Colorado and had similar problems with my 2008 XJ.

My front air shocks had been replaced with an Arnot unit by the previous owner but the rears were original.

In cold weather the seals in the shocks retract just enough to allow air to leak out and cause the air suspension fault code. In my case, the fronts held strong but the rear original shocks would leak air in temperatures under 15 degrees and the car would look like a low rider in the rear. You should be able to hear the air leaking out in the cold weather. If they are leaking air and the compressor runs for too long it will shut it off and pop the air suspension fault code.

In my case, I got through winter and ran the rear shocks all summer without any issues. In the late fall I replaced the rear air shocks with new Arnot units and have not had a problems at all this winter in the cold temps.

 

Having issues myself with with cold weather...Over the past month or so the front would sit down just a bit when it was under 30 degrees overnight but raised right up when started with no faults. Last night it was around 8 degrees and the front was slammed to the ground this morning. Started the car and took it around the block and it drove well with no fault codes. Was actually surprised I didn't get a warning. Hopefully the car will make it through the winter OK and I can deal with it when the weather breaks. Have to decide if I want to put air struts on the front or just go coil conversion. I have to replace some other suspension parts (control arms, bushings, etc.) so might just go with a conversion and be done with it.

One question - When the car drops all the way down does it cause any issues as long as it raises when started? Just hoping to make it through the winter and don't want to cause any damage before then. I thought about cutting some 4x4 or 4x6 lumber to put under the jacking points when I park the car for the night just so it doesn't drop all the way, but probably unecessary. It's mostly just annoying to look at, not a fan of lowered cars and a sagging Jag just looks broken to me. I guess technically it is broken, but you know what I mean.

 

It's common to have the car low before starting in very cold weather. Air spring rubbers contract and harden in cold, leading to leaks and downing of the car overnight.
Now either the springs and compressor are still in good enough shape and the car will get back to normal stance upon starting the engine and running the compressor, either the compressor will not be able to do it during the couple of minutes alloted by the system and you will get the error messages.

In emergency situations when you need to use the car, one trick I found is to let the engine warm up (typically 20 minutes) until the spring rubbers get warm under the hood. Stopping the engine and restarting it then resets the compressor and may allow it to inflate the warmed springs.
That will allow you to drive the car if the wearher is not too chilly, otherwise the spring rubbers may cool down again and leak along the ride... Time then to consider replacing the air springs.
Of course that works only for the front springs! (but they are the more prone to wear and leaks upon ageing)

 

thanks, your comments are very informative to me as someone who was a long time Jag owner (XKR and FType R) who woke up and got rid of the Hot Rods and settled in tor a comfortable cruiser with an Air Ride System that I knew nothing about.

 

Great information! thanks

 

thanks for the quick trick. It is filed.