Front air ride suspension system dropped while at a new mechanic’s. Seeking ideas for repair.
Front suspension dropped
Lovemytreg
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
Joined
·
17 Posts
Front air ride suspension system dropped while at a new mechanic’s. Seeking ideas for repair.
Joined
·
17 Posts
Awaiting diagnosis. Any chance the entire assembly is intact and the airbags can be reconnected to the compressor and inflated?
Joined
·
17 Posts
He broke a strut.
Joined
·
17 Posts
Was at the muffler shop. Broke an air strut that was only two years old. Suspect it was put on the lift improperly. Didn’t want him to do the repair work given that no one ever before has done this kind of damage to my car while in the shop. It’s a shame. I feel badly for him that he did this.
Joined
·
20,262 Posts
Did you tell him to lock the air suspension when putting the car on a wheels-free lift?
If not, he'll bugger it up again.
Please update your user name with your car model and your location. It helps both you seeking, and others offering, advice.
If not, he'll bugger it up again.
Please update your user name with your car model and your location. It helps both you seeking, and others offering, advice.
Joined
·
17 Posts
That’s not my responsibility. Everyone other technician who has worked on the car has done so. It’s a massive inconvenience for us, but I do feel very sorry for him.
Joined
·
1,858 Posts
How do you break a strut? Have him pay for the work at another shop. jesus!
Hey Nooby when i put my 04 in jack mode the wheels still drop when lifted so i haven't been bothering to do it, am i missing something?
Joined
·
17 Posts
Has anyone had one of their front struts, control arm, level sensors, strut mount, stabilizer bar, knuckle, etc replaced under VW warranty. I’d be curious to know for what price a VW dealership could do the job?
Joined
·
20,262 Posts
Joined
·
17 Posts
In the 12 years that I have owned the car, not once have I needed to tell a technician how to put my car on a lift. In the decades that I have owned any car and had them serviced has damaged been done to one of my cars. With such a good track record, I hardly expected when I handed over my keys and entrusted the shop with my car for a minor repair that my day would end with having my car out of service, requiring it to be towed, and having to have it repaired for thousands of dollars, nor could I have ever imagined that the shop owner’s resolution to repair the one broken air shaft would be for me to pay him to remove the broken air strut along with my three remaining fully functioning air struts and convert them to steel, because according to him people have problems with their air struts. You can imagine how quickly I declined his offer of services.
And, *I* am the one should do the decent thing?
And, *I* am the one should do the decent thing?
Joined
·
17 Posts
Noobytoogy, as you aren’t aware of all of the circumstances to know, I can assure you that in spite of the upsetting nature of this event, I am indeed showing him grace and generosity in many ways. Decency.
Joined
·
17 Posts
Has anyone had one of their front struts, control arm, level sensors, strut mount, stabilizer bar, knuckle, etc replaced under VW warranty?
I’d be curious to know what a fair and just price is for a VW dealership do the repair.
I’d be curious to know what a fair and just price is for a VW dealership do the repair.
No. I must respectfully disagree. I will bet you that if you take a air equipped car to most shops, they will just lift it without putting it in jack mode.
My best guess is that you have been lucky until now.
I have two oil drain plugs on the AXQ V8. I sure as h.e. double hockey sticks do not think I can just drop it off at any jiffy lube and get a proper change.
The TDI guys will tell you (especially the V10 guys) that they can't just stop at any oil change shop. They require an oil so specific that we have had freaking VW dealers that accidentally put in the wrong oil and even listed the wrong oil on the invoice. At least then, it was just a quick second oil change with no harm done... assuming the owner checked the invoice.
We agree they put your car on the lift. Now, the way that I see it, here are some of the possibilities that happened.
The air shock had been lifted without jack mode before and was damaged. The air bag blew. This could have happened if it was put into jack mode or not at this point.
It could also been that it blew and was in perfect shape before today. If I have to bet, I would say that this is unlikely. My experience with air bags is that air bag tends to take damage and blow later.
If you want the convenience of being able to drop off your current car at any local shop, then you need to relocate to Germany.
If you remain in North America, then you need to get a Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, or Chrysler. It is also best to just get a basic car, without any complicated options, no fancy non mainstream options. Those vehicles, you can drop off anywhere.
If you think you are upset now, wait until the dealer tells you what they are going to charge you. I recommend you find a good European mechanic and let them replace just the air bag.
Joined
·
17 Posts
My experience is that when the air strut bladder is damaged, it deflates *immediately* (within one second).
Joined
·
20,262 Posts
I'm sorry - I thought I had posted a reply to this earlier this afternoon.
Yes, you are quite right - now you've posted chapter and verse I can see why you're not happy and I stand corrected.
I hope it all gets sorted ASAP.
Joined
·
17 Posts
I’m not here to complain about the incident, rather to seek advice on a resolution.
If anyone knows what a fair and just price is for a VW dealership to repair a front air strut, control arm, level sensor, strut mount, stabilizer bar, knuckle, etc *under VW warranty*, I would be very grateful to know.
Thanks all.
If anyone knows what a fair and just price is for a VW dealership to repair a front air strut, control arm, level sensor, strut mount, stabilizer bar, knuckle, etc *under VW warranty*, I would be very grateful to know.
Thanks all.
Honestly Lovemytreg, This is the information you have provided. I don't know the model year or anything else from the above. All I know is that the air bladder blew on a lift. There is an old saying in computer code. Garbage in = garbage out. If you don't put in any useful input, don't expect any useful output.
First, you do not need to supervise the tech. You just ask if they have experience and are comfortable with air suspensions. If they say yes, then ask if they would like you to point out the way to put it into jack mode or say "I left a photocopy of jack mode procedure in the seat, just in case."
There is no fair and reasonable price for this service at a VW dealership. Get the quote and be prepared for the $$$$ repair bill. IF VW charges over $1000 per axle for brakes, what the frack do you think a specialty air shock is going to cost?
First of all, is your air suspension under warranty today? If not, then consider that you are asking for something additional, above and beyond what you had when you entered this shop. And that is assuming that they did do the damage. As of right now, I have no information to say that the damage is due or not due to something the shop did.
There is already a lot of information about air suspensions and dealer pricing on this site. If you ask the Club Touareg regulars, I am usually one of the few that links directly back to the thread with the information requested. But, I do not do that when the OP does not bother to provide good input. My first response had more words then you had provided as input. Nothing personal here. When you provide more information, you get better answers.
For reference, I have owned and operated vehicles with rubber air bladder shocks since the mid 1980. That is 30 years of personal experience with these designs. And yes, I can and will guarantee you that the sudden "one incident and it blew" catastrophic failure is the abnormal one.
I still stand behind my statement that air shocks usually fail due to many short term insults that compromise the air bladder. Eventually the air bladder fails in a catastrophic explosion at a very different location from where the initial damage happened.
The point is that a good air bladder will not normally break even if it is lifted while not in jack mode. But it is an insult to the bladder and makes a weak spot. Eventually a weakened air bladder will blow.
We all like to think shocks are this really tough item that lasts, perhaps shocks gets weaker and weaker, but it just doesn't go "pop" like a headlight bulb. But, that is incorrect. An air bladder will go "pop", just like a headlight or just like a balloon will. Think about it.
I also never did say that the shop did not break it. Just that we have very flimsy evidence. In a jury, I would have to vote Not Guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Go digging thru the old threads. You will find the air shock pricing information has already been posted.
Joined
·
17 Posts
NickyT, do you misunderstand and think that I am asking you to assign blame or responsibility? I assure you that that is simply not true.
Secondly, my experience with air struts is when the housing is severely impacted by force, becomes compromised, and the air bladder becomes torn, then the air strut fails immediately. I find your philosophy rather inconceivable. But what does it matter?
Secondly, my experience with air struts is when the housing is severely impacted by force, becomes compromised, and the air bladder becomes torn, then the air strut fails immediately. I find your philosophy rather inconceivable. But what does it matter?
1 - 20 of 39 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
