nell

Just a thought, is there a filter at the end of the air intake hose? If not, can one be fabricated?

Patrick E61

The hose that comes with this new compressor (from Miessler in Germany) does have a filter on it.

Check the unit out from here:

http://tinyurl.com/6k9cors

Bingle

That's good news - thanks for the link. Having had the compressor replaced recently, I'm hopeful this issue is resolved.

nell

Where is the hose and filter fitted... I need to search it out on mine. Is the filter fitted under the cover beneath the passenger seat? Or can it be found inside the trunk side. I saw a hose sticking out near the fuse box.

ian_alex

I also had a look at this compressor after reading all the comments. When the plastic undertray was removed the compressor was surrounded by a foam shield which was stuck to the underside of the battery tray and pinned to the plastic tray so of course its torn! Of more concern it is made of porous sponge so collects and retains water, so the compressor lives in a nice wet environment which doesn't seem like a good idea. I have just left it off at present but any views would be appreciated. What is its function? Sound insulation? I think not as the compressor is already very flexibly mounted and if it is intended to prevent dirt getting in then OK but why absorbent?
My compressor was clean and hose OK by the way!
Regards

vesil

Patrik, Do you know, if coding is required, if you replace the compresssor? It seems to be quite easy DIY-project, but I'm worried by coding...all parts in this car with cable are somehow connected to computers and Progman.

By the way, did you already ordered and got the parts? I'll have to do it soon and i'm looking for alternatives for local dealer.

vesil

No comments from Patrick yet - Does anybody else have practical experience about compressor change? Was coding required afterwards? I saw from realoem parts diagram that control box is separate part, but better make sure, before starting this DIY-project. Local dealer might be not so co-operative, if there comes any coding issue with 3rd party compressor...

karman1977

in my situation i change compressor to another brand, and rebuild system, i take only OE air drayer, without any coding and till now it works...

BeamerSchwagon

Good Afternoon!

This morning the @ss-end of my car dropped. Seems to be primarily coming from the rear passengers side, which makes me think it's the same as the other postings in this thread.

Crazy question, but I'm 20 miles from my house with no other means of transportation. Should I drive this home? The tires are not touching the frame in the wheel well.....



This is what it normally looks like (got rid of the chrome wheels that the previous owner bought!)

Graben

I have an '06 Wagon US ver. (2005 build) with 42,000 miles. I had intermittant 'level control system failure' messages, especially immediately after loading heavy items. These are classic symptoms of the compressor being worn out and not being able to provide the pressure necessary to raise the car to the required height. I could hear the compressor running for at least a minute after shutdown. Went to the stealership and they diagnosed a bad compressor. Of course the part was not in stock, so I paid the $100 diagnostic fee. Estimated cost of repair was $1,200USD. Wanted to save some $$ and do this myself so I went on ebay and bought newer version of the compressor from seller -zahn. As mentioned on these forums, -zahn (a.k.a. Oliver) ships fast. Compressor arrived with a slightly bent mounting bracket but it was easy to straighten.
I did not have ramps and was able to work under the car no problem at only 'jack height'. Removal of the tray and wheel arch cover revealed that I have the older tray that has the sponge foam. It was in fine shape but could see from the road salt lines that is absorbs road moisture. I did not have hardly any gravel or mud on the tray. I am not sure where people are driving when they say they found pounds of sand held up by the tray. My hoses were all 'old school' non-braided types and they were in fine shape. I did not replace the hoses or the relay. I removed the old compressor and hooked up the new one. No coding required so far. (I did not even disconnect the battery for this project). It was a smooth and easy project. Simply disconnect the electrical connections and the large diameter inlet supply line and the very small diameter high pressure outlet hose.
The -zahn compressor was not the same manufacturer as the one I removed. Since it is a newer part number, I am not sure if it is OEM. The connector layout and air inlet location is different, but it all hooks up fine. Because of the longer inlet line, I zip tied this to the compressor so that it would not be bouncing around.
I will take -zahn's advice and check the system each year for leaks and hose health.
I think I did OK with a solid 5-6 years out of my compressor. Not a 'recall/BMW designed the system wrong' viewpoint for me. I like the performance and adaptability of auto-levelling suspensions. They are complex systems, so unfortunately they do not last perhaps as long as we would like. An afternoon and $600 is not a bad price for 6 years of riding smooth and level no matter who or what is on board. Still love my car.
My two cents.