# Weird e-level issues



## son of planrforrobert (Dec 21, 2009)

First full day driving with e-level installed and I am running into a couple small issues: 

1. When I first did the initial calibration on Wednesday, it got about halfway through before the LR sensor popped red on the touchpad. I aired that corner all the way up to check the wiring, then tried the calibration again....worked perfectly. Fast forward to this morning and the same thing happens when I try to air the car up to one of the presets. I drive a few minutes until the compressor kicks off and turn the car off/on an try again...works perfectly. I then drove all the way to work (15 miles) with no issues. 

2. On my way to work I cruised by the carwash to get the bird **** and pollen off my car and as I made a hard left into the bay, the RF popped red on the touch pad. Turned car off/on again and all was well. 

For the first issue, could it be a lack of air in the tank that is causing my red arrows? I hadn't driven the car (ie; having the tanks fill) since Wednesday and I know that I have a small-ish leak in my system somewhere. I drove the car to work and before I got out, I turned it off/on and tried preset 3 and it worked fine. We will see what happens when I leave at 5 today. 

For the second issue, I just need to adjust the pickup point for the sensor rod upward so it doesn't travel out of range on hard turning. Right?


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## OVRWRKD (Jul 1, 2010)

Issue with the sensor going red is more than likely exceeding the range of travel. Is the rear rod at an angle or is it vertically level between the two ball joints? The rear beam may be flexing during turns causing a hang up. Try flipping the arm so that the ball joint is toward the car. Also check the ecu ground. How did you run the sensor wires, through a grommet or cut and solder?


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## son of planrforrobert (Dec 21, 2009)

OVRWRKD said:


> Is the rear rod at an angle or is it vertically level between the two ball joints? The rear beam may be flexing during turns causing a hang up. Try flipping the arm so that the ball joint is toward the car.


 The rear rod is as vertical as it can be. I followed Kilimat's thread and have the bottom ball screwed directly into the rear beam. There is no where on the rear to swap position of the sensor/arm. But....the red lights I was getting for the right rear sensor only happened on initial air up (car stationary). It seems that once the tank is full (or the sensors have had a chance to cycle), all is well. 



OVRWRKD said:


> Also check the ecu ground. How did you run the sensor wires, through a grommet or cut and solder?


 ECU ground is solid...self-tapping screw is holding it to my spare tire well. As for the sensor wires, I ran them all through grommets and cut-and-butt-connected them back together (I read somewhere that soldering them back together may change voltage readings). 


As for the right front, I again followed Kilimat's install and have a little aluminum tab coming off the sway bar mount on the control arm. I am going to loosen it and move the bottom mounting point up.


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## OVRWRKD (Jul 1, 2010)

For the rear sensor, check the line for leaks. It may be that the small leak is causing the ecu to think the car is not lifting the correct amount for the amount of air it is letting through. To test this theory, tap the fills to put a little air in the line, then the preset and see if it still does it. It's a new one on me. For the front check the sensor for a tire rub maybe. Of its too far forward might have rubbed.


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## son of planrforrobert (Dec 21, 2009)

:thumbup:


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## son of planrforrobert (Dec 21, 2009)

Fired the Jetta up about 45 minutes ago and initial air-up went smoothly. Really feeling like it's compressor pressure related.


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## [email protected] (Feb 10, 2012)

son of planrforrobert said:


> Fired the Jetta up about 45 minutes ago and initial air-up went smoothly. Really feeling like it's compressor pressure related.


 First, I would want to clarify which red lights you are getting: 

Both up and down lights ON solid for a corner = disconnected sensor electrically or reading more than 30% difference from the rest of the sensors (which detects a mechanical disconnection). 

One red light (up or down) FLASHING for a corner = unable to achieve target (possibly due to low pressure, an un-achievable saved height, or a valve / sensor malfunction. 

Whenever the sensor travel or installation is a concern, we usually go straight to looking at the voltage output on the green wire from the problem sensor. You spike into the wire insulation and take a reading when the vehicle is at max and min. The sensor will read between 0.5-4.5 volts. It is critical that the sensor has more than 1.0 volts of change from top to bottom and it is also critical that you stay out of the last 10 degrees of sensor travel because there is an electrical dead-band there. 

Keep us posted, 

Reno


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## son of planrforrobert (Dec 21, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> First, I would want to clarify which red lights you are getting:
> 
> Both up and down lights ON solid for a corner = disconnected sensor electrically or reading more than 30% difference from the rest of the sensors (which detects a mechanical disconnection).
> 
> One red light (up or down) FLASHING for a corner = unable to achieve target (possibly due to low pressure, an un-achievable saved height, or a valve / sensor malfunction.


 Reno, I am getting both up and down lights on solid for a corner. Or, I should say I was...I've had no issues with the car the last few times I have driven it. 

Let me make sure I understand what was probably happening with my RF up and down solid lights: Since it was only happening when I made tighter/faster turns, that would indicate that the suspension geometry on the RF corner changed so much that it fell out of that 30% range you mention...right? 

As for the left rear solid lights on initial air up, I haven't had that problem the last few times I have been in the car, but I have also had a nearly full air tank each of those times. Is it at all possible that when I was seeing dual solid reds for the left rear that, while airing up, that corner did so in a way that made it, too, fall out of that 30% range? Could that be tied to the tank running out of air for it to keep up with the other three corners?


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## [email protected] (Feb 10, 2012)

son of planrforrobert said:


> Since it was only happening when I made tighter/faster turns, that would indicate that the suspension geometry on the RF corner changed so much that it fell out of that 30% range you mention...right?


 It is unlikely to see a 30% variation on a single corner during typical driving scenarios but it is not out of the question. 



son of planrforrobert said:


> Is it at all possible that when I was seeing dual solid reds for the left rear that, while airing up, that corner did so in a way that made it, too, fall out of that 30% range? Could that be tied to the tank running out of air for it to keep up with the other three corners?


 The systems tend to adjust pretty evenly due to similar pressure differentials from side to side. I have never once seen a single corner fall out of range by 30% during an adjustment from one height to another. 

I really think that you are looking for an intermittent electrical connection issue. These can be some of the most challenging to find when it is hard to replicate the problem on command in order to find it. Then again, if you haven't seen the problem in a while than maybe the connection issue took care of itself?


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