VW Polo Air Suspension Fault Causes Uneven Ride

Had similar symptoms on my VW Golf TDI 2015. The air suspension malfunction started exactly the same way, uneven ride height and warning lights. Initial diagnosis revealed faulty wiring connections to the suspension pump, which was causing intermittent failure of the leveling system. The air struts themselves were fine, but the electrical connector at the compressor was corroded and had some damaged pins. This caused the system to lose communication, leading to those suspension error messages and the vehicle sitting unevenly. In your case, before replacing any major suspension components, have the electrical connections checked first. The symptoms point strongly to either a wiring issue or suspension pump malfunction. A competent shop should first diagnose: All connector plugs at the compressor, Wiring harness condition, Air suspension control module connections, Pressure sensor readings The repair ended up being less severe than initially feared, though the diagnostic time was substantial to pinpoint the exact issue. Getting the complete air suspension system properly diagnosed is crucial before replacing parts. Let the shop know about the headlight misalignment, its directly related to the suspension height sensors and will resolve once the leveling system is working correctly.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the air suspension issue. My Polo had nearly identical problems, really helpful to know it was the wiring in your case. Did you remember roughly what the final repair cost came to? Just trying to budget for my own fix. Also wondering if youve had any other suspension problems since getting those connections sorted? The compressor failure symptoms you described match mine exactly, especially the uneven ride height, so Im hoping its also just electrical rather than needing the entire system replaced.

Thanks for asking about the follow-up. After getting the air suspension system properly diagnosed, it was indeed just a bad connection causing the compressor failure. The mechanic found a damaged plug connection that was disrupting communication with the suspension components. The total repair came to 95€, which covered fixing the faulty cable connection. Much better than having to replace major suspension components or the entire compressor. Since getting that electrical issue resolved, the air suspension has worked flawlessly for over 8 months now. No more malfunction warnings, uneven ride height, or suspension system errors. The headlight alignment also corrected itself once the proper suspension height was restored. Looking back, getting a proper diagnosis of the electrical connections first saved a lot of money compared to just replacing parts. Most suspension component failures turn out to be wiring or connector related rather than actual mechanical issues.

I finally took my Polo to get checked out after seeing your responses. Really glad I did, as it turned out my malfunction was similar but slightly different. The suspension pump had a crack in the housing causing air leaks, plus some corroded wiring that needed fixing. Total repair came to 280€, more than your case but still way less than I feared. They replaced the pump housing and cleaned up all the suspension system connections. The mechanic showed me the damaged parts and explained everything clearly. The suspension components are all working perfectly now. No more leaning, warning lights are gone, and the headlights are properly aligned again. Really relieved it wasnt a complete system replacement. Thanks for helping me understand what to look for, made me much more confident dealing with the repair shop.