Self levelling system failure warning.

[Leslie]

This appeared yesterday afternoon shortly after moving off when going over several speed bumps in a row at low speed.The car doesn't look to be down much on any one corner and I have heard the compressor going when getting out so it would appear to be working.
It did clear today but posted up again when parked so something isn't quite right or is about to fail maybe an actual level sensor and it was very wet the day before driving about.
Are there only airbags on the rear wheels as there are springs up front ?

[Leslie]

Above is for an x5 e70 2009 model.

[Emigrant]

Is the compressor loud? Can you Cleary hear it?
Mine was on the loud side. (Can't hear my new AMK compressor)
Took it apart and the piston seal was worn and wouldn't make enough compression.

[Leslie]

That's interesting and yes I could hear it today and I thought it didn't sound that healthy though it was running when I unlocked the car No corners are down after sitting overnight so Id say the compressor is quite possibly the issue ,I guess I will soon find out !

[Leslie]

Update !

Did 2 short runs this morn , both rear airbags were still inflated after sitting 2 days but at start of second run the drivers rear is on the bump stop ,drove a few 100 yards they came back home as lots of speed bumps near my house.
The compressor is not running so checked the 3 fuses:
On a 2009 e70 sd the 3 fuses are :

32 , 107 and 123 with 107 and 123 in the boot right side fuse box and 32 in the front fuse box.
32 which is a 40 amp fuse which I guess supplies the compressor has blown . Walked to Halfords but they don't sell bigger than a 30 amp in that shape, had my old 330d sitting and by chance it had a 40 amp fuse so i robbed it , fitted it and its blown too lol . I think I need a new compressor as it must have siezed !

[Leslie]

Cheapest AMK compressor on ebay is £335 by the look of it ...don't want to be buying crap and paying twice ! Where did everyone buy their new compressor ?

The right side is now down not sure if that is due to the compressor fail as it wasn't down before , will take the wheel off too look at the bag tomorrow .

[Leslie]

Well I received my pump this morn and when i went to fit it there are no threads to mount it to the bracket someone has forgotten to tap them and my studs seem to be m7 not the m8 I expected so even if the holes were tapped they wouldn't fit . The pump I removed was an aerosus aftermarket pump .
This pump in the pic is supposed to be a genuine AMk pump .

[Leslie]

It has AMK cast into the end and the plastic so looks right ! Anybody else had an issue with these studs before ?

[Leslie]

Took the cover of the old Aerosus pump and going by the dent in the lid something has been in there that shouldn't have been and has made a mess ! No date on it to say how old it is .
I've contacted the seller of the AMK pump and they say none of them come threaded when they are new , anybody else found that ? He is sending me some used mounts as the Aerosus ones are too small a diameter ,look like m7 not the m8 needed. If the old one had been an AMK pump I wouldn't have this issue , doesn't always pay to go oe lol

[snrbrtsn]

My response is not directed at AMK pumps, more generic
Over the years I have stumbled and frustrated over many new parts that don’t come threaded, the last being top mounts on my BMW 5 series GT
The said bolts that have parallel holes are for use once studs
The studs are thread cutting

It may be the same with the Compressor ??
Offer the stud and try and screw in

[Leslie]

You might be right but the studs I have are off an aftermarket pump and too small a diameter , once I get the right ones will try and see.

[weirdfish]

My response is not directed at AMK pumps, more generic
Over the years I have stumbled and frustrated over many new parts that don’t come threaded, the last being top mounts on my BMW 5 series GT
The said bolts that have parallel holes are for use once studs
The studs are thread cutting

It may be the same with the Compressor ??
Offer the stud and try and screw in

Not quite sure if I've got this right, but are you saying that you purchased a genuine part for a BMW that you had to tap out holes yourself, and with a stud!!!
Unless holes are tapped out with a hardened tap then you will never get a decent thread, especially in a blind hole.

[snrbrtsn]

Incorrect

The top mount is as described and the mounting bolts are M8 self tapping
The metallurgy is different and the bolt (item 8 )is case hardened whilst the top mount is much softer

I went through all manner of complaint process when the second unit turned up
Myself and the Parts manager raised a Puma to ask and was informed of the self tapping nature of the bolts
The bolt is triangular, I’m guessing to allow swarf cutting up and out
I was bemused as your response initially!

I’m more than sure it’s not the sole used fastener on Bmws

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[Leslie]

I got the pump fitted this evening after nightshift , I did use a bolt to initially cut the threads and then the studs bolted up fine once they got started, I had an m8 tap but it wasn't m8 in the end. All seems to be working fine now and suspension level error is gone and rear is pumped up again. Not much fun fitting this in the dark with a torch on the street though No idea when they don't tap the holes at the factory maybe its to show a pump is new as you can't fit it without tapping them ?
I did run the pump with the 2 lines of the solenoid for 20 secs to blow out anything that may have been lucking there Incase it got back into the pump later as something clearing got squashed by the piston and put the nice dent in the top cover you can see in my other pic. I didn't find anything in there when i popened it so an worried where it is now !

[devm69_x5]

Hi-

just been getting the same error now myself, I had already replaced the airbags few months back and since then have been fine, but last few days compressor is on all the time and both rear bags have dropped down, just above the tyres. not sure where to start with this one, seems like one thing after another with the car- only had a few months. before I start to pull it apart anyone got any fault finding suggestions. symptoms are
compressor comes on till I get the " self levelling system warning "- till today it hadn't dropped but todays its down across both rear tyres- the air bags are only months old and got the arnott a-2642's which were deemed the best after the expensive BMW ones-
feels like the compressor on its way out but anything else to try before replacing it ?
read about resetting the fuse, don't believe its blown as compressor itself is making a loud noise which in itself sort of tells me could be the issue.

thanks