First thing to check is the fuse for the air pump. Once you start the car the ride height should go up to normal, if the pump is working. If not then the pump may have gone bad.

If the car sits for a while and lowers itself, then you may have a leak in the air springs. Pretty common issue.

For new springs I got mine from tischerbmw from there online parts store for $160 each. To change the springs is very easy. DIY instructions can be found online by doing a search.

GL

 

A great big thanks goes to you for posting this. Although I do have an air bag leaking, replacing the fuse got us going again without the cost of a diagnostic.

 

Thanks so much! I'll give it a try and see what happens.

 

Hi,
I pruchased an X5 03' lately and it is showing the message "self leveling Suspension inact" also the car is very low. I took it to the mechanic and he said that a computer board which controls this issue is missing. the car has been stopped for a long time "say one year" and the battery was flat. I had to install a new battery. some relays were missing also. Could this be the cause? or is it true that the computer is missing coz i think this mechanic is bul****ting me.
could you give me some advice plz and fast before I go back to this mechanic. my email is khaledhajj@hotmail.com. if u could sms me to 00971508491301. I would be greatfull.
One more thing where can I download the GPS maps for mea or gulf for my DVD navigation system?

Thanks a lot in advance.

Khaled

 

If you are indeed missing some parts, you may consider converting the rear suspension to a traditional coil spring set up. I spent $750 to have this done, and it was money well spent. No more worries about the air suspension acting up.

 

Thanks my friend

Thank you my friend for your reply. But my question was whether there exist a component like that or am I being fouled? Any way I am certain now that there is. Moreover, the air suspension is far more superior is performance and comfort than the traditional suspension provided that it is working well. I also have front and rear air suspension which will cost me more to convert to traditional than the cost of the computer.
But thanks any way for the advice.

Khaled

 

There is indeed a computer module that controls the air suspension, but I don't see how your car is missing this part if the suspension was working previously. The most common cause is a bad air spring, which is easy to replace.
If you want a cheap way to test this, you might try using tire slime, or equivalent in your air spring. Simply follow the easy diy procedure to pull the air spring out, and work the tire slime (or any tire sealant) around the air spring. I did this just out of curiousity on my 01, and it ended up holding my car up. I never found out how long it would hold because I converted to coil springs 1 week later. Surprisingly, I have noticed absolutely no difference in driving or handling after converting to coil springs.

 

Hi RPH74,

Thank you for your reply. Probablyy the part was stolen from my car when it was at a repair shop. I noticed that the car is down and I did not know about the cause until lately. I only have the car for almost 1 week. I have also came to know that replacing the all 4 air-system with conventional would cast me more than just buying the missing part. hope that after installing the new computer, everything would be alright. Ant way with the conventional system, you can not adjust the heigth of the car nor does it conpensate for loading some heavy stuff in the back, it would rather go down.
regards

Khaled

 

Oh, I see now. Hopefully you can find a replacement for not too much money. Good luck, hope that you get your car in order soon.

 

hi rph74,

I got the control module, installed it at a repair shop. programmed it at another place. But ounce I drive off, the car lowers at the front left wheel and the lights of the suspension buttons turns off and the message "Self-level suspen inact" appears again. I took it to another wise mechanic with a laptop and all. and after programming few times and having the same situation again and again he came up with the discovery that my "Booster pump" has to be replaced cause it is faulty. He came up with this after he found an error "Pulsitation error" after he digged deep in his laptop trying to read the fault. Does any one know what this is? cause I am not convinced that the booster pump is faulty since it is working.

 

Hi khaledhajj,

I just fixed the SELFLEVEL SUSP. INACT issue for my BMW X5 today.
09/14/2010 - My 2002 X5 4.4i has the same message "SELFLEVEL SUSP. INACT". All I did is open the rear side panel and replace the very last 30AMP fuse (green color) near the right tail light. After I replaced the fuse, I just turn on the ignition not even turn on the engine. I hear the air pumping immediately and the rear end is rise higher and higher to original. The message is also gone. If you can't tell the fuse is burned or not. Just replace it with a spare fuse in the glove compartment. Hope this help and save you tone of money.

 

30 AMP FUSE fixed mine as well

The below helped me the most. I had an aftermarket stereo and somehow the 30amp fuse (slot 87) in the rear panel got removed. This caused the air pump to deflate.

I replaced the 30 amp fuse the next day and it fixed it immediately.

 

Self levelling suspension inactive

Hi Porschecrest,

Thank you for your reply. I tried changing the fuse you reffered to. I even checked all the other fuses and the ones in the glove compartment. The thing is that it sometimes works and then again the message comes back and I loose level on the left front wheel only. I suppose there is something wrong with the front left wheel. Could you give me some guidance where to check else. Maybe some sensor is faulty (on the front left suspension). I even thought of purchasing a Carsoft with OBDII connection to look for the error code myself since I am not getting much help from the mechanics shops except for paying money every time they reset the problem and after I leave it comes back. Would this software help? Please advice.

 

Replace on or two backside levelswitch obove the rear wheels


I had the same probleem, we change the two level sensors on the backside wheelbase (between the wheelbase and the car floor) total price for the two was 90,00 Euro
:thumbup:

 

Thanks my friend, I 'll try it

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. I will take it to the mech shop and have the sensor replaced.
Regards

 

Has anyone actually do the coversion from air to coil springs? I also want to lower my x5. Any help will be apreciated.

 

I got the inactive message a few days ago myself. then the next day the radio stopped turning on. now i have a dead battery! i took the back apart and my battery box is full of water!! radio module, leveler module, and 2 other modules were under water!. I took them all out and apart. dried them carefully and put back in. still no radio and still have the leveler warning. the vehicle is level so i dont think any air leaks. radio module is $600 used!! any ideas where the water came from? sunroof? nothing is wet (carpets, headliner). check all fuses in back and in glove box. all good. any ideas? did the water fry those boards? i left all the modules disconnected overnight and battery held so atleast i found why the battery is dead. i dont want to replace everything til i find the cause.

 

hey guys theres another thread on here about the x5 dead radio and inactive suspension. the water comes through the sunroof and into where all the relays and modules are. if u take it to BMW they'll charge you loads unless you got a great warrenty. its a build fault.

 

i see, the drains look like they come out the top of the rear hatch? do the drains break or just clog? i've lived thru lots of these "build faults" like the 75000mi tranny swap for $6000. 3 steering column motors. 3 drivers window motors. 2 alternators, 2 ac pumps, water pump, a navi unit, my rims peeling. and now this! not bad for a $62000 car with 90k easy driving miles? i'm ready to strip it down and part it out and buy a chebby.

 

I'd say you're having a spot of bad luck there old chap!

 

Ok i poured water in the sunroof. it came out front drains and rear drains and down inside of rear posts right onto the subwoofer fuse block dvd player amp nav unit and ipod. trickled right down to the battery box. motherf-----r. now after i go to the uconn game i'm gonna take the inside of the ceiling apart and trace the drain gutters. got the kid sersors working again. still have level light on. (not so worried about that) but i need my tunes! now im wondering if it's the radio or amp or both.

 

sounds like too much work?

 

wow thats a lot of (build faults) ye. i think they just clog up with ****e. i'm gunna stick to my E36 325i se auto. its 1 of the very first 1991 models and it going strong, it drives like a new car.

 

Its prob the STEREO

 

of course the radio? near the battery? thats $600 used the amp i can get for $100. im just wondering why the power wont come on on the dash? hate to spend $600 for nothing. im calling insurance company tomorrow see if theyll cover it.

 

can you say class action against bmw? any lawyers on the site?

 

it'll be 1 of the modules, not sure where they are on urs but your looking at around £300 each.

 

theyre under water in the battery box.

 

oh dear. u can try drying them out but i think theyre stuffed my friend. try taking it to a good BMW dealer (hard to find) and get them to have a look and try an get the work done on your insurance. or their insurance.

 

im trying to file an insurance claim. ill find out thursday. guy says if i broke a window and say a tree did it . it would be covered no problem!