Hello all,

I am having issues with Jaguar XJ8 L 2005 (rear) suspensions. A few weeks back, the rear side started to go down if I don't use the car for more than 2 days. When I unlock the car then it goes to the normal position and keeps this position if I drive everyday. When I called the repair shop, they wanted to charge the same amount (big expense) to replace either two air suspensions or four coil suspensions.

I did change front suspensions ~9 yrs back.
I have been using this Jag like this for more than a month and am still deciding if I want to spend such a big amount.

Do you have any suggestions? Is it possible that the position sensor is not working? Which type of suspensions do you recommend?

Thanks.

 

If you're not reading codes from the air suspension controller, then you're just guessing when you throw money at it and hope it works. Any suspension messages on the dash? If so, you have to get those codes to troubleshoot.

If it does need new air struts, they are expensive, especially if you go with the OEM-style Bilsteins (which are the only ones that have the CATS electronic valving adjustment.)

The air systems in these cars are getting well beyond their design life, and keeping them working is a never-ending battle. Going with coilovers made economic sense for me when I found how much water intrusion I got in my system; I would have needed a compressor, struts, valve bodies, and some way of draining and resealing the reservoir. or for less than half that money, install coilovers and forget about it forever. It's still the best-riding car I've ever owned, and spending over half of the purchase price just to keep the air suspension working, maybe, just didn't make sense.

Getting the air system working properly will give you an unmatched experience with the car, but it will need similar maintenance again within a few years. With coilovers, it's done and dusted, forever, and it's not the horror story of bad ride that I keep seeing people state on here. Whether the air is worth the $$$ is up to you.

 

I didn't receive any codes on the dash other than the ride height that goes away once the air is filled.

Thanks for your reply. Last time, I stayed with the air suspension. This time I will compare different repair shop quotes and decide.

 

See, that "last time - this time" is exactly what I'm talking about. It never ends.

 

It's working then! Might pay to monitor it for a while before jumping in.
Sometimes mine might go down overnight, then a month later it never goes down. Till the next full moon anyway.
I don't know how to differentiate between a leaking strut or a leaky valve. If it's intermittent, my X-ray imagination sees a bit of grit in the valve block. Or something.

Had my car 5yrs, air suspension has always been "slightly intermittent", never done anything. Never bad enough to get a light.

 

Although it can be a pain to get to (due to removing trunk trim, etc.), perhaps try applying a little soapy water around the airline connection at the top of the strut and seeing if it produces bubbles. May prove or eliminate one possible leak-point. Good luck.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

If one does go for the complete conversion eliminating the air ride, do you have to remove all of the associated parts, i.e. compressor, tank, distribution valve & hoses to prevent computer warning alerts? Is it just a simple computer adjustment?

 

Before a certain model year, although I don't remember which year (I think '04 and '05,) you just disconnect power to the Air Suspension Module. In years after that, you will have a permanent yellow light and CATS error on the dash, unless the manufacturer of the conversion kit supplies the electronic doodad that connects to the harness to mimic the CATS signals. Arnott provides that item with their coilover kits, but they do not sell it separately.

 

When I converted my 05 I simply tied off the hoses and removed the relay plus a 10 amp fuse under the hood. Sorry I can't remember which fuse but I think I got the info somewhere on this forum. No dash lights although I'm not sure about the auto headlight adjustment.

 

If you install the Arnott spring conversion they provide a module that's installed in place of the factory one behind the rear seat. This satisfies the computer so no dash lights anymore. Nothing else needs to be removed or changed. I left all hoses, compressor, air tank and block valve in place.
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Mine's a 2007, and required installation of the module that came with my Arnott struts. I think a 2006 would require that as well, but 2004 and 5 simply need power removed from the Air Suspension Module by pulling that fuse. Tying off the air hoses is irrelevant unless you think somebody someday might want to go back to air springs. That module is simply a tiny box that splices into 3 or 4 wires at the Air Suspension Module connector. For the OP's 2005, I think simply pulling that fuse is sufficient to kill any warnings from the air system.

 

Well this is exactly what I thought becoming the problem after a while . Depending on usage of the car those dessiccant beads seem to be best when exchanged or at least cured in an oven every 2 years 15thousand miles . Let the air out of each airstrut to release humidety and let the compressor fill up again .

 

Full Conversion Kits are as low as $410 on Ebay. I used those yellow ones 5 yrs ago and they are fine. Albeit I've only gone 7k since then.

 

I have a 2006 XJ8 VDP that I just replaced all 4 air shocks. Purchased on ebay, I think from Asia. They work really well third of the price.
I was going to switch to coil but decided to go with the smooth ride of air shocks. I was told that air ride on the Jags could be troublesome
so I decided to go new before something bad happened, I did keep the originals, as I could not find anything wrong although the ride is much better
with the new ones. I do find that if the car is not driven for at least a week the shocks are sitting low, but as soon as i start her up they rise.

 

As long as your air ride restores itself after sitting to its normal height, you are good to go. All of your components are working. I converted to Arnott struts, and while they provide confidence that I don't have to worry about the myriad of air ride component failure, the ride is noticeably stiffer and no way match the smoothness of air ride.