Gen 5 AS problems?

[A4Owner]

Hey have any of you Northern Ontario or for that matter ANY part of Ontario, with early vintage Gen 5s had issues with your air suspensions yet? I guess Gen 5 is still kind of new but theoretically if you bought a '19 you're rig's AS would be on Canadian winter No. 3. Not enough time to test failure of components?

 

[Goldsy]

I'm in Nova Scotia, it doesn't get as cold as Northern Ontario, but we go through a constant freeze/thaw cycle every few days, all winter. Zero issues so far on those -25 days though. No, I would say not enough time to failure test the components, but it showed no signs of running slow in the cold.

 

[A4Owner]

I'm in Nova Scotia, it doesn't get as cold as Northern Ontario, but we go through a constant freeze/thaw cycle every few days, all winter. Zero issues so far on those -25 days though. No, I would say not enough time to failure test the components, but it showed no signs of running slow in the cold.

GOOD to know. By the way is this failure in the sense that once it fails, even once, you're screwed? Or like can the system "fail" if you leave it parked in freezing weather for days without driving it...and then make a recovery once stuff warms up or the truck gets some heat into it? And is it the bags that fail? No, right? I did some research and isn't the main culprit some stupid valve that gets condensation around it, which

 

[A4Owner]

Sorry typo. Is THE failure a valve that gets condensation around it, which when frozen obviously limits/prevents use and then the air compressor what has to keep punching in new air into the system and which overheats it and then that's the failure? I get that a compressor would be a bit of $$$ but a valve? Could they not just run a wire through the valve to heat it?

 

[Goldsy]

The system has overheat protection. The compressor will shut off before it overheats and give you a warning message. Once it cools, it will start pumping air again. It will not burn itself out.

 

[A4Owner]

The system has overheat protection. The compressor will shut off before it overheats and give you a warning message. Once it cools, it will start pumping air again. It will not burn itself out.

Gotcha. So is it the valve or the air bags that get rocked by Canadian winters and then fail?

 

[Goldsy]

Gotcha. So is it the valve or the air bags that get rocked by Canadian winters and then fail?

That I'm not 100% sure of as I've never had it happen.