Unusual behavior: automatic lowering after leaving vehicle

[rpavlicek]

This only seems to happen since the 5.9 patch (it may have happened before 5.8 which removed air suspension lowering, but I can't be sure).

I drive somewhere and park (put the car in park). The vehicle height is on standard. I get out the vehicle and close the door -- at that moment, I hear the air compressor and see the car lowering a slight amount. This seems to happen around 50% of the time. I haven't figured out what triggers it.

This isn't a big deal, except the other day I parked over a curb -- with clearance. When I got back I didn't realize the car had lowered itself to be touching the curb. As I departed it scraped the underside (rear) of the car, causing minor damage to the underbody fins.

Does anyone have experience with this and know what causes it? Is there a way to disable it?

(If this is a duplicate thread please merge -- thanks)

 

[Ditpixs]

Yes, I also have noticed this and was wondering why this is happening. It appears to be a 5.9 thing.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I was told that it is just auto-leveling the car (don't believe, since I did the same thing with the nose)

 

[Merrill]

Yes this is new with 5.9 and I have experimented with this, so had the car set to lower at 55. When I get out of the car and shut the door the car definitely lowers both front and rear. So I decided to go with always in low setting and it does the same, if you park on a hill or if the car is not on a level surface it will not do the sound and lower. So the my assumption is it cannot self level if it is not parked on a level surface. But it is obvious that when you are driving in always low the car only goes so low, but it will go lower when parked on a level surface. Going in for the yearly service and will ask them about that. Never had this with 5.8.

 

[yobigd20]

It's not lowering, it's leveling, and it's always done that. This is nothing new. Maybe you just noticed it now.

 

[Merrill]

It's not lowering, it's leveling, and it's always done that. This is nothing new. Maybe you just noticed it now.

I can tell you this is new, never did this. Even if it did not make the motor noise before, I pay attention to the car when I leave it and it has never lowered after getting out of the car. You can visually see it, lowers at the front then lowers at the rear.

 

[Shumdit]

It's not lowering, it's leveling, and it's always done that. This is nothing new. Maybe you just noticed it now.

My car never did this before 5.9 and many others on the 5.9 thread have indicate the same thing. It's 100% something different than before. If it was leveling before it was not powering on the compressor for the suspension to do it. That much I can say for sure. If it was lowering/leveling without powering the pump then it's possible I could have missed it, but this is certainly a change in the suspension operating characteristics as of 5.9

 

[woof]

I've noticed this since 5.9 as well.

I would really like a way of preventing the car from raising/lowering/leveling when it is "off" and when the doors are open. Yesterday I opened the driver's door and it just cleared the curb. Then my wife stepped out of the passenger side and the car leveled/lowered/something and the car settled with the driver's door stuck on the dirt of the curb. I had to use the console to raise the suspension to get the door closed. No damage that I can see, but the tip of the door did dig into the mulch. Good thing it wasn't concrete.

 

[Seven7]

Same here, ever since 5.9 when I park, the car will lower itself just a bit. Car is set to the always low setting.

 

[bradhs]

+1

Seems to be a 5.9 thing. That's when I noticed it too. I'm curious where this thread goes.

Btw, I like the car low when it is parked but can definitely see issues when parking, getting out of the car, etc.

 

[Merrill]

+1

Seems to be a 5.9 thing. That's when I noticed it too. I'm curious where this thread goes.

Btw, I like the car low when it is parked but can definitely see issues when parking, getting out of the car, etc.

I guess my question is will this function of always lowering when leaving the car cause premature wear on the air suspension.

 

[RichardL]

I always set 'very high' to get into my garage. I hear the pump going for maybe 10 seconds when I exit. But the height does not change. I am on 5.9

 

[yobigd20]

I can tell you this is new, never did this. Even if it did not make the motor noise before, I pay attention to the car when I leave it and it has never lowered after getting out of the car. You can visually see it, lowers at the front then lowers at the rear.

Well I've had this car since march 2013 and it's always done this. Perhaps they just changed the timing or how it works such that you notice it more obviously.

 

[brianman]

The behavior and sounds described here are new in my car with 5.9 and I've had my car since Nov 2012.

 

[riceuguy]

The behavior and sounds described here are new in my car with 5.9 and I've had my car since Nov 2012.

Agreed...over a year in and while the car has definitely leveled itself in the past, something is different now. I definitely had a close brush with a curb but noticed it and raised the car. I can't put my finger on it, but definitely a change in behavior.

 

[kevincwelch]

My car has done this for the past year. I notice it more now, but I am not sure it does it more frequently now.

 

[andrewket]

I can tell you this is new, never did this. Even if it did not make the motor noise before, I pay attention to the car when I leave it and it has never lowered after getting out of the car. You can visually see it, lowers at the front then lowers at the rear.

Same here. It's new with 5.9.

 

[highedu]

Does anybody know if the low setting under 5.9 brings the car to the same low height pre 5.9? Anybody do measurements pre and post?

 

[bluetinc]

I've had mine since December 2012, and it's never done this before 5.9, and it's very noticeable.

Well I've had this car since march 2013 and it's always done this. Perhaps they just changed the timing or how it works such that you notice it more obviously.

 

[gnychis]

+1 my car never used to do this, and always does this now. It concerns me when I set the car to "Very High" and I did so to clear some obstacle. I am nervous it will level itself down on to the obstacle after I park and get out of the car.