I walked out to my car yesterday to find that her rear end was up higher than usual. Looking at the wheel well gaps, the rear is about 2 - 4 inches higher than the front. When I turned the car on, the load leveller kicked in, as usual, but it sounded as if it were straining...and it took around 20-30 seconds, instead of the normal 5 - 10 seconds. Even after the leveller is done, the rear end hasn't moved a bit.

Anyone have this problem or hear of this problem? Anything I can try before taking it to the dealership?

I imagine my scantool wouldn't be able to detect a load leveller failure?

Thanks!

Depends on your scantool, but I would think yours only gets drivetrain codes. i do not have a whole lot of experiance with may auto-leveller but you might try the manual switch behind the rear wheel (not sure which one). PontiacDad may be able to junp in here....

The sensor is located behind the drivers side rear wheel, it sounds like the sensor is working as you say you can hear the compressor working but the car is not going down. So that leaves the vent tube and solenoids, check that its not plugged with devris or blocked with ice (is it cold out?). Check the connections of compressor and solenoids.

from the gm service site.

I trust that the sensor and vent tube are outside of the vehicle (as opposed to inside the trunk)? Can you describe it, or direct me to some place with more info and/or a picture? Sorry, I'm not familiar with the load leveller at all, so its location and appearance are totally new to me.

I'll try and check things out at lunch time.

Thanks for the info!

More than likely its the Exhaust filter or tube that is restricted. Could also be the sensor, try adding weight to the back end ( have a couple of buddies sit on it), does rise back up?
Heres a pic of the compressor with the bumper removed, its tuck up there out of the way.


This is the exhaust tube routing from the rear shocks to the exhaust filter.


Here is where the exhaust tube fromt the rear shocks connects to the air filter, just behind or to the left is solenoid control pack and underneath is the compressor itself.


If you have to get at the level sensor you have to remove the rear tire, there is a series of linkages and mounting points, if this slips down it would make the car think it was loaded and had to jack up the car to level it.



Hope this helps out

If your ELC sensor is malfunctioning...start saving, I had the same problem. My compressor would kick in and not lower the car, the sensor was not detecting the sensor arm position and the car jacked up.

I had to disconnect the power to the compressor in order to deflate my air shocks. You may need a new ELC sensor or sensor arm. :?

That last picture is the ELC, electronic level controller.

Had the same problem, but don't know if it'* the same cause as you might be seeing. (Mine turned out to be the actual position sensor)

To diagnose the problem, I reached into the driver side rear wheel well, and disconnected the airline with the car off. There is a little metal Hairpin Clip that holds a Plastic clip onto the shock. Pull the clip, pull the line, and the airline will come off the shock, allowing the air out of both sides. (Lines are common, so both shocks will bottom out)

With my car, after doing the above, and rehooking everything, as soon as I started the car it would slowly fill until they were over extended, pointing towards that fact the sensor was feeding the controls the wrong level.

I would think that you would be able to use the same testing to determine if it'* the sensor, or a blocked air exaust filter. ( I would guess that a blocked air exhast would cause it to slowly over pressurize over several hours, rather than a bad sensor which will over inflate the shocks in less than 5 minutes)

Side note: The fuse for the air pump is under the rear seat. Until I got the new sensor, I depressured the air shocks, reconnected the lines, and started the car. When the shocks got to the level I could live with, I pulled the fuse. The system must be fairly airtight, because I didn't have to add a extra bump of air in the two weeks that it took me to get it fixed.

Side note 2: (which you probably have noticed) The newer bonne'* absolutly drive like crap with the Air Shocks filled up. Rides like crap, corners like crap, and really screws up the traction control "kick-in"

Hopefully this is helps in some way.....

Good Luck!

Thanks for the info guys. I was going to look at it after work, but forgot that I had a late-night meeting. Ugh.

Freddi, I may try that tomorrow. And yes, they DO drive like absolute crap with fully filled shocks. Hate it. :(

Now, as far as answers to your questions go:

1) Tried adding weight in the trunk (a buddy of mine). Nothing changed. The rear end is still way up.

2) It COULD be blocked with debris. I doubt there'* any ice involved, though. It'* been below freezing here, but we've had no precipitation on the ground lately. Besides, the car sits in a heated garage, so 6+ hours of 50+ degrees every night should melt any bit of ice in there...right?

Again, thanks for the continued information. I'll post what I find when I look at it.

Thanks!

Late night meeting = Beer?