How to Fix Air Suspension Problems in the WK2? (Easy Troubleshooting)

In this brief article we are going to discuss the Jeep WK2  air suspension, the different common problems this system faces, what causes these problems, and tips on maintenance.

Most common Jeep WK2 air suspension issues

• Suspension warning message
• Vehicle Sagging Overnight
• Air line leakage
• Failed Air Strut

Jeep Cherokee Wk2

The Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 was the fourth generation made between 2011 and 2017. It featured the QuadraLift Air suspension which was a closed loop system using Nitrogen as the circulating gas (very similar to the Mercedes Benz Air Matic)

Suspension Service Warning

• “Immediate Service/Repair Required” warning message light in the Display

• The message does not go away by restarting the vehicle after waiting 15 mins

Troubleshooting Suspension Service Warning

• The Jeep’s Quadralift system runs with Nitrogen in a closed loop and does not draw air from the atmosphere like other OEMs
• Over a period of years, the Nitrogen pressure in the system could run low
• When the pressure is low, the lifting and lowering operations take longer than expected, and the air springs do not raise to the expected height
• The error would not appear immediately after a minor pressure loss
• The error is displayed by the Quadralift diagnostics after it detects that the system crosses and certain amount of time that it was expected to carry out the lift operation
• The remedy is to get the Nitrogen Tank Recharged at an authorized Jeep service outlet

• Compressor running noisily longer than average
• The “Nose dive” warning message when the front end of your Jeep Cherokee dips down while braking.
• Failed air spring. The air springs in your Jeep are soft rubber components that can puncture, tear, disintegrate or wear out
• Punctured air lines. Air lines complete the circuit for the air suspension system. These lines could get punctured due to impact from stones.
• The rear of the vehicle sags. This happens because the rear suspension is unable to maintain the correct ride height

Vehicle Sagging Overnight

• Long hours of parking the vehicle lowers the vehicle, especially when parked overnight
• In some cases, a Suspension warning message appears

Troubleshooting Vehicle Sagging Overnight: Leakage

• In the Cherokee WK2, sometimes the air suspension cannot be lowered using the height controls

The display shows that the suspension is raised, when it is actually not.

The issue could be that the Nitrogen reservoir has lost pressure and maybe needs to be checked and recharged.

• With the accumulation of mileage, your Grand Cherokee Suspension components like the Air Springs and air Connectors start to wear with passing time. These would be the first potential leakage points.
• If you are more inclined to troubleshoot on your own, here are 2 methods of diagnosis

First Approach: 

• Scanning the OBD for DTC fault codes to identify which specific component has either failed or malfunctioned.

Second Approach: 

• Trace all the lines from the reservoir tank to compressor to air struts/springs inspect them for any possible leaks.
• The Grand Cherokee reservoir tank is located under the rear seats/cargo area. And the air suspension compressor is located in front of the passenger wheel well.
• Use a simple soap solution to spray on all connectors, air lines to check for bubbling. Especially look at the Brass Connector found on top of the Air Spring
• Wherever bubbling is found, you may have found the source of leak. 
• You would then need to either replace the Connector Fitting, air line or fix the damaged portion.

• Check the air suspension system 40-amp fuse located under the bonnet. If this has blown then it is very likely your compressor has seized or is on its way out. 
• Other common issues are compressor related especially during freezing temperatures, or simply a premature failure.
• Timely troubleshooting of issues that come up can help avoid issues with other components failing prematurely. For example, a leakage in the air spring or any of the air lines can cause the compressor to function all the time in order to maintain gas pressure in the system, which could eventually lead to a compressor burn-out.

Troubleshooting Vehicle Sagging Overnight: Air Strut Leakage

• Any air suspension strut that has crossed 60K miles is getting very near to its end of life
• Due to weathering and wear out, the air springs develop cracks and tears that soon become leakages

• The only way to rectify the problem is to replace the strut
• Before starting the removal work, make sure that the battery has been disconnected. This is done as a safety measure, because, as soon as the vehicle senses movement of the wheel through the height sensors, it signals the compressor to run. This compressor would then pressurize the spring you are working on and cause potential injury due to the high pressure.

• If you find that the Nitrogen pressure is way below the recommended, it would be best to get the filling done at a local dealership since the filling procedure is a rather complicated one.

Conclusion

In this brief article we have discussed the JEEP WK2 air suspension, the different common problems this system faces, what causes these problems and tips on maintenance.

Please feel free to ask in case of any questions or comments.

References

CarComplaints.com

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 

How do you reset the air suspension on the Jeep Quadralift System?

The Quadralift air suspension can be reset by doing the following:

• Disconnect the positive terminal of the battery cable and leave it disconnected for at least 5 minutes.
• Disconnect these fuses:
  • F05 Air Suspension Comp*
  • F50 Air Suspension Mod*
  • F87 Air Susp/TT

• Reconnect the above fuses
• Connect back the battery’s positive terminal
• Switch on your car’s ignition and start the engine
• Change the ride height setting to test whether the Quadra Lift system works

Sometimes because of changing weather conditions, the lift system does tend to get stuck and throw an error.