liamthunder1

Seat Cordoba Air Suspension Problem

Need some advice. My 2004 Seat Cordoba, gasoline engine, is giving me grief. Mileage is just shy of 200000 km. It's got air suspension, and recently the front end has completely dropped. The car won't lift anymore, sits lopsided, and the ride is like a stagecoach. I'm getting an error message on the speedometer and there's an error stored in the memory related to the suspension. I suspect a defective bellows valve on the shock absorber is the cause, but wanted a second opinion before I start tearing things apart.

4 comment(s)

From your description, it does sound like a faulty bellows valve. I experienced a similar suspension issue with my old Audi A6 Allroad. The car was leaning to one side, ride height was all over the place, and the ride was incredibly bumpy. The error message on the dashboard was also a constant companion. Have you checked the air lines for any leaks? Sometimes a small leak can cause similar symptoms before the valve completely fails.

Thanks for the quick reply! Air lines look okay on first inspection, no obvious cracks or hissing. When you had the same issue with your Audi, was it obvious which valve was defective, or did you have to do some more in-depth troubleshooting?

In my case with the Audi, the leak was very subtle at first and difficult to pinpoint without proper diagnostic tools. Eventually, the valve failed completely, making it more obvious. Given your description and the error codes, I would lean towards confirming the valve issue. If you lack the diagnostic equipment, a workshop might be the best bet to avoid further complications with the air suspension and the ride height.

Took it to the workshop, and you were spot on. Bellows valve on the air suspension was indeed the culprit. Cost me around 590€ for the replacement. Thanks a bunch for your help!

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