Hi all and thanks for the info you have all shared. Definately a unique place to learn. I have been looking for a few days now and cannot find a thread or link to address my issue fully.

I have a 2000 SE, 102K, and a couple days ago, I noticed the back end felt - I don't know - loose?, when taking my normal drive home. I basically just slowed down and took it easy thinking when I got home I'd take a look. Well my car looks like it'* jacked up. That was cool iin high school but the handling is terrible now. Front is rough, back likes to hop. anmd corners causes a left to right repeating rocking front end motion as the car 'sets up' in the corner. Definatley not a nice ride.

It seems as though my ELC thinks the car is too low and because of this has pumped it up to max. I looked on Tech Info but there it mentions (for up to 99) that the adjustments are touchy and the range is smaller than I see. It'* about 5 inches from back tire to bottom of wheel opening at center. This seems out of range of the problems I have read here.

I guess basically I am asking where is the tech info to help (or message threads) or where specifically is (are) the ride height sensors. I can't think of anything occurring to trigger this although I did run over a tree branch at 72 mph last Friday. I didn't notice this until Tuesday, the day after I thought it felt loose and a little wobbly which I thought was hight wind.

Any hel, I'd appreciate. Thanks to all.

Brian

it sounds like the ELC is either stuck on or the sensor is out of adjustment. can you hear the pump running???

not real positive on the 2000+ but there should be a level sensor on one of the rear control arms. The sensor tells when to kick on the pump or relieve the pressure. seems that your lever has either been damaged or disconnected

just wait untill the 2000+ guys check in and let you know what is the deal

I agree that it seems stuck ON.

No I don't hear the pump, but don't know really what it should sound like. I mosly drive hjighway speeds (55-75) so I don't know if I woud hear it. About half-way to work or from work home, I have noticed a hot smell, almost a bit like hot petroleum, but not oil smell, that has occurred the past couple days but it seems to occur in the same area so I think it may be the local flavor of the city I am cruising by - White Bear Lake on 694 for anyone local. Then again it half-way so it may be a temp related issuebeniog roughly half-way.

I have been plastered (15 hour days) at work the past few days (and nights) so I have not even pulled a wheel yet. What should I be looking for under the wheel-well? Or should I be looking somewhere else?

Again, thanks for your help.

i hear mine run on occasion, it sounds kinda like a loud fuel pump, usually hear it when i first start the car in the morning

Now I know what the noise is in the back end about 10 seconds after I start the car. My problem is the trunk lid will not stay up on a small incline. It is unbalanced or something and comes down on my back when I unload things from the trunk. Then I get mad, push it up forcefully and it stays up until a small breeze brings it down again.

I had time to check it out last night. Everything works properly. It seems to me that the height sensor has a spring in it and I think it broke off on the counter-clockewise side of the lever and that shifted the on/off swtich location inside the sensor. The sensor works, but I'd have to shorten the connector between the sensor and the control arm 1.5-2" for it to control the ride hieght properly.

I ordered a new height sensor from gmpartsdirect ($98 +19 shipping) and hopefully I am right and that'* the solution. I'll let you know.

Anyone have an idea on what the gap from the wheel well to the tire should be so I can adjust it when I get it? Or maybe it'* a road test/adjust/test/adjust event?

BTW - I agree the air pump is like a noisy fuel pump, and definately have not heard it before. It'* odd to me I have not heard it before, but I usually have the radio on - not loud but I just haven't noticed that sound before. Maybe I will now.

:? -seems like I read in the shop manuals, that the ELC pump does something like a 5 second "self-check" about 15 or 20 seconds after engine startup. I hear the "self-check" on my '02 every time I start it.

-BUT, I'm thinking there are still other things that could cause the system to not work correctly, just as you have discovered. For example, I'm wondering if mine would ever "self adjust." I think I'll find a bunch of real heavy stuff to put in the trunk with the engine running, and see if it will "kick in" and increase the pressure in the air bags. -hmmm,,,,-just thinking that the quickest test should be to get about 3 volunteers to climb into the trunk !!

I received the height sensor this afternoon and popped it on. Even though I haven't torn apart the old one yet, It seems as though the design has changed fro a dual spring location to a single. In any case, the new part has nice smooth motion, and the old one, well it seems as though it'* motion is holding up almost everywhere. Instead of an incident failure, I'd call this a worn-out failure.
I had to adjust all my mirrors. The ride is much nicer now. Thanks to all for your input. Now the next time it rains, you won't be passing me while I slide around the conrer.

It'* been almost 2 weeks (I ordered about 6 pm on Friday the 15th) since I first ordered the part. Is that normal delivery for gmpartsdirect? I know it'* in their stated window, but I'd much rather have paid 50% more to fix this the next day. Maybe even double. It was terrible in wet conditions. I could actually feel the back end slide a bit when going over uneven areas on the road surface. During a bump - I'd feel it hop into a slide. Not fun.

Thanks again for your input and happy trails. Looking forward to the corners again. ..

I have the exact same problem. I noticed the car feeling weird around turns one day -- when I got home, I happend to realize that the rear end was jacked up. I looked all around for a sensor -- forgot about the GM Parts website that you mentioned in your post.. I'll order one now.

My problem has existed for at least a year. My work around was to remove the ELC mini-relay in the fusebox (i think it was relay #55). Then I opened up the trunk and let almost all the air out of the system via the air-pump connector (i have the 2000 SSEI which has the built in air-pump.. so you can fill tires, basketballs, etc -- apparently its connected to the same airpump and airlines as the system that fills the ELC struts). I don't think the SSE or SE trims have that air feature.