Curved rear end in BMW – correct calibration and air system

BMW driver question

The rear of my BMW is standing crooked. The difference between the right and left side is 18 millimeters. The compressor is working and the airbags too. After loading it corrects the height, but the difference remains. After connecting to the computer – zero errors and the sensors are working.

I have been to several mechanics and they all say there must be something crooked. Could the leveling sensor be crooked? I swapped the right one with the left one and it is still the same. After leveling on a jack and measuring in different places with a tape measure and caliper, there are no differences.

One mechanic recommended that I adjust the rear by entering different values in the compressor. However, this might cause it to run too often until it eventually burns up.

Another said he could correct it for me by buying adjustable sensor links to the control arm. Do you have any suggestions? My hands are already falling off. I will point out that I have owned this car for 5 years and the difference was about 7 millimeters, but it was not noticeable. I had a gentle escape of air from one airbag and now that it died completely I replaced both two with new ones and the difference is 18 millimeters.

Have you had a similar case? What could be the reason for this fault? What can I pay attention to ? Or what else to check ?

The problem affected BMW 5 E61, but it can also happen in other models.

BMW 5 E61
BMW 525d E61 | M 93 / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE

BM Cars service response

After replacing the airbags of the air suspension, it is necessary to calibrate the suspension. During this operation, the height of the rear suspension is set , taking into account the type of suspension and wheel size.

Properly performed calibration ensures that the height is consistently maintained with a functioning air system. The frequency at which the compressor switches on is of little importance. The compressor is thermally protected, and if it is switched on too often or if it runs for too long – a leaking system, holes in the cushions or hoses, a faulty measuring system – a message will appear about the system’s malfunction. It will be displayed on the instrument panel and the compressor will be automatically turned off.

Feel free to check the air suspension system and calibrate it correctly.

BMW 5 E61
BMW 5 E61 Front | By Matthias93 (talk) 13:21, 20 January 2009 (UTC) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons

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