VW Sharan Air Suspension Failure, Symptoms & Solutions

I had almost the exact same air suspension malfunction on my 2012 VW Touran last winter. Having some experience with suspension systems, I first suspected a major compressor failure, but it turned out to be much simpler. The workshop found that the issue was actually just a faulty cable connection to the level sensor. The symptoms were identical, car sitting unevenly, air suspension not working, and those annoying warning lights. The headlight aim problem was also present because the system uses the suspension height sensors for proper headlight leveling. The repair was straightforward, they identified air leaks around the connections, and found the root cause was a damaged wire harness. Total cost was 95€ for diagnosing and fixing the cable connection. To help diagnose your specific case more accurately, could you share: Does the compressor make any noise when trying to adjust height? Have you noticed any gradual decline in performance or was it sudden? Are there any other warning lights besides the suspension warning? When was the last time you had suspension system maintenance? This could be something simple like in my case, but proper diagnosis is important since air suspension issues can vary widely.

Last service was done at 74358km and they found no issues with the air suspension system. I can confirm the compressor isnt making any noise when trying to adjust. The decline was quite sudden, worked fine one evening, next morning the car was sitting low with all the warning lights on. No other warning lights besides the suspension malfunction indicator. Based on your response, I will check the cable connections first. Could you share how the damaged wire harness looked in your case? I have a basic scanner tool and would like to check mine before taking it to a workshop. Also, did you face any issues with the air struts themselves? The car seems to be sitting lower on the passenger side, which makes me wonder if one of the struts might have a leak too.

After checking the wiring harness on my car, I noticed visible wear near the level sensor connector, the outer insulation was cracked and some wires were exposed. This matches your symptoms, especially since your malfunction appeared suddenly and the compressor is completely silent. However, the uneven sitting you describe on the passenger side wasnt present in my case. This could indicate air leaks in your suspension components, particularly in the air struts. When air suspension systems develop leaks, they often show up first as uneven settling on one side. Using your scanner would be helpful, the error codes can point to whether its primarily an electrical or mechanical issue. In my case, the codes specifically indicated a communication error with the level sensors rather than a compressor malfunction. Since your system was fine at the last service, focus first on checking: All sensor connections for visible damage, Air lines near the struts for any signs of wear, The strut mounting points for corrosion or damage If you find the wiring is intact, you might be dealing with both a sensor issue and air leaks in the suspension system. The repair costs can vary significantly between electrical fixes (around 100€) and full strut replacement (500€ or more). Let me know what codes your scanner pulls, this will help narrow down whether your issue matches mine or points to something more serious in the suspension components.

Thanks for sharing those details about your car and maintenance history. The lack of compressor noise definitely matches what I experienced, though my car didn't have the uneven settling issue you described. I did some testing with my scanner tool based on your guidance and found something concerning. While I can see the sensor connection errors you mentioned, I also got codes pointing to problems with the passenger side air strut. The wiring around the level sensors looks intact from what I can tell, no obvious damage or exposed wires like you described. Given that my car is sitting lower on the passenger side and showing strut-related codes, I'm thinking this might be more than just a wiring issue. I'm going to have it checked by a workshop since replacing air struts is beyond my skill level. The 500€ estimate you mentioned for strut replacement is helpful for budgeting, I was worried it might cost even more. Do you recall if your suspension leveling started working immediately after the wiring repair, or did it take some time for the system to reset properly? Just want to know what to expect once repairs are done.