Have a 2002 430 Ultra with air suspension and 186 K on the odometer. Recently the compressor thumps when it kicks on for air suspension. Car is so quiet that this is noticeable when you first start the car or sitting at a stop light. Is this the first warning sign that I may have to replace the compressor? Have been driving in sport mode to minimize the load on the compressor.
The car has been trouble free since I purchased it. Have done scheduled maintenance and have been extremely pleased with the reliability and ride of this car.

 

How often is the compressor kicking on? If you have a leak it will cause the compressor to run quite often and degrade the lifespan. With no leak it should only turn on maybe once every 24 hours in the summer and about every 12 hours or so in cold weather. Check your air-shocks for signs of oil under the protective boot. Also, putting it in sport mode makes no difference with how often the compressor kicks on. The height sensors control this. I bet your leaking somewhere and it's ruining the compressor.

Take a look at these pics:
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls4...uspension.html

 

Mine has been running a lot lately too, I hear it at every stoplight. Shocks have only 40k miles on em. How could I locate an air leak, if there is one, somewhere in the system?

 

That's not good for the compressor. Look at the link above. When air-shocks leak hydrolic oil begins to come out of the air bag itself. Take wheels off and inspect air-shock for any sign of oil and grime buildup. The chance that there is a leak anywhere else is slim.

 

I've checked the shocks and haven't found any oil leaks.

 

Are you sure you are hearing the compressor? Does the car sag when left overnight? Did you check under the protective boot and you checked all 4? If you park on uneven ground sagging or the car may look uneven and this is normal. The weight of the vehicle will push air to one side or the other when parked for extended periods of time on uneven ground. The car has to be parked on totally flat even ground for this test.

 

I park on a level surface and never notice any sagging. Just wondering if there could be a leak on a hose or fitting somewhere. I took another look at the shocks today while the car was on a lift and didn't see any oil anywhere.

 

I definitely think it's possible but I have never seen this before. When your air-shocks were replaced were the done by a dealer or knowledgeable mechanic? There are rubber gaskets or something along those lines that need to be replaced where the airlines attach to the air-shocks. You are sure you are hearing the compressor and not something else right? Could also be a failing height sensor.

 

Yes it's definitely the compressor. The shocks were done by a Toyota dealership 3-4 years ago. I've only started noticing the compressor being very active in the last couple weeks.

 

It definitely sounds like a leak somewhere. I think it's worth paying to have diagnosed and hooking up the car to the Techstream software and have the air suspension tested. I wish I would of brought my mini vci cable with me because I'm in South Beach working for the week.

If you want you could pick yourself up the Techstream software and cable for about $30 and I'll show you how to use it.

Edit. Here is a link.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00C9B...&robot_redir=1

 

Thanks for the info. I'll stop by my DIY garage in Miami, the owner of the garage is also an LS$#) owner, he has all the diagnosis stuff and can hook it up and check the system. I was there Friday, I replaced my inner tie rods. I was going to check out the suspension system but ran out of time before I had to get to my alignment appointment. What kind of work do you have here in South Beach?

 

I work in cooperate audio visual production management as an account executive. Conferences / trade shows and such.

 

I am having similar issues with my '02 UL. I hear what I believe is the air compressor at start-up or at lights when stopped more frequently and at a louder volume. Question is, can anything be done about it. If nothing but replacement is the answer, it probably makes more sense to just replace the air shocks with regular and be done with it. Just asking.

 

What happens is that the compressor is working overtime trying to keep the car at its correct height. This is wearing out the compressor prematurely and is not the root of the problem. More often then not it is because of a leak. As LS's with the air-shocks age this will become a more common issue. Replacing with coilovers or standard coils and and shocks is significantly cheaper then purchasing new air-shocks. Just remember to leave all the height sensors in place unless you like annoying warning symbols on your dash.

 

Aftermarket air is an option as well; airrex, air runner, airlift, UAS.