Ray Magliozzi
Dear Car Talk:
The air suspension is not working on my 2010 Buick Lucerne CXL. What do you think the problem is?
— Jeff
Is your Buick listing, Jeff? Like the S.S. Minnow? Maybe it thinks it’s on Lake Lucerne? Listing is typically what happens when these air suspensions fail — with the passenger in the left rear seat, for instance, suddenly looking up at the passenger in the right front.
This system essentially works with balloons. There’s a balloon, or rubber bladder, at each wheel. And a compressor sends air into each bladder as a firmer suspension setting is called for. And then a solenoid-controlled valve lets air out of the balloons to soften the suspension when, for instance, your mother-in-law gets out.
And after 15 years, it’s pretty likely that one or more of the rubber bladders have dried out and cracked and are leaking. But that’s not the only possibility.
There’s a compressor that sends air to the bladders, there’s a regulator, hoses, valves, solenoids and other parts. And a leak from any of those would cause the compressor to shut itself down, so it doesn’t run continuously and burn itself out.
So, a mechanic really needs to get under your car and figure out what’s leaking. If it’s something simple, like a bad hose or a bad valve, you could get off pretty cheaply for now.
If it’s a bladder, those are likely to cost you a good $500 each to replace. And the problem is that if one has failed, it’s a good bet that — due to age and similar use — they’re all on their way to failing. So you can also opt to replace the entire air suspension system with a conventional shock and coil spring suspension. That’s not cheap either, though. Probably $1,500 to $2,000.
Given the age of the car, I’d start by getting a real diagnosis. If it’s one bag that’s leaking, I’d put $500 into fixing it, and then see how you feel about the car when the next one fails. But if you’re listing on three sides, well, then listing might be the better option — Craigslist-ing. Good luck, Jeff.
Got a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.
