adaptive suspension busted

[marioz4]

***UPDATE: Changed all springs + shocks with standard Sachs suspension, now car sit 10mm higher than with my M suspension, ride is much better even if i have 19" and run flat. M active suspension + 19' + run flat is simply to hard ride, now happy with my "new car" standard suspension



Well, recently bought 35i with 53.000 miles and week after when i took wheels off i realized why the ride is not as good as it should be, both front shook leaking big time.. so i decided to change all 4 of them with normal ones, this fronts one are prone to failing and with price tag of £500+ each just for the part...

So car is going to independent professional garage on Monday, changing all 4 + front springs + alignment etc , all for £1400. as i understand M active suspension only work in sport mode...i dont think i will miss a lot active suspension as i had Z4 before without and its was just fine.

Cost of replacing adaptive shock is not justified with marginal benefit and poor readability.

Have anyone chnage theirs or have maybe different view on this, would love to hear from you!

 

[Silverstar]

This might be of interest to you:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274008540015?ViewItem=&item=274008540015

New B¡lstein B12, the chaps been trying to sell it for a while, I have seen it resisted 3 times now. Each time only gets one or two bids around 160 GBP. Might be worthwhile sending a message to the seller if you fancy upgrading the handling.

 

[keving1]

OP if you change the adaptive suspension for non-adaptive then you will have a suspension warning on your dash permanently (large shocks warning sign where the time & temperature is).

You can cancel this by following the How-To at the following link and coding it out
https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=101129

Or you can buy a kit that plugs into each of the 4 connectors, this is not cheap and doesn't always work. The kit you have bought may have this already.

 

[Cees Klumper]

Unless this car was driven off-road a lot, then for the shocks to terminate with only so few miles is pretty disappointing. Sounds like the swap to conventional is the best option. Glad my own car does not have adaptive suspension. Good luck with the install, and hope you can avoid the permanent warning light, that would annoy me to no end.

 

[keving1]

Unless this car was driven off-road a lot, then for the shocks to terminate with only so few miles is pretty disappointing.

Normal shocks only last 60k miles

 

[tintoverano]

I had mine fixed https://z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=112876&p=1628061

 

[marioz4]

Thank you all for very useful info, i had a look on Bilstain website and they have several options, full Bilstein B12 - Pro-Kit Suspension Kit 46-181268 - but i am unsure if this kit actually lowers the car, something i am not keen doing or there are other ones; Bilstein B6 - Sport Damper 35-170631.

Tmrw morning i need to speak with the garage to find out what made of dampers they included in their quote.

Yes warning ling will go on, thank you very much for post how to switch it off, i will pass this on to the garage. I am so keen to sort this out, i drove the car today and it felt more like a boat, jumping over the bumps and not being stable at all...

Thanks guys will keep you posted!

 

[Silverstar]

Thank you all for very useful info, i had a look on Bilstain website and they have several options, full Bilstein B12 - Pro-Kit Suspension Kit 46-181268 - but i am unsure if this kit actually lowers the car, something i am not keen doing or there are other ones; Bilstein B6 - Sport Damper 35-170631.

Tmrw morning i need to speak with the garage to find out what made of dampers they included in their quote.

Yes warning ling will go on, thank you very much for post how to switch it off, i will pass this on to the garage. I am so keen to sort this out, i drove the car today and it felt more like a boat, jumping over the bumps and not being stable at all...

Thanks guys will keep you posted!

The B12 Pro Kit includes Eibach lowering springs so yes it will lower the car somewhat.

 

[Cees Klumper]

Unless this car was driven off-road a lot, then for the shocks to terminate with only so few miles is pretty disappointing.

Normal shocks only last 60k miles

Wow. I replaced the original shocks in my Volvo C70 after double that, and it wasn't even necessary. Pretty sure the shocks on my 95K miles 35i are still the original ones and they are still in super shape.

 

[keving1]

Unless this car was driven off-road a lot, then for the shocks to terminate with only so few miles is pretty disappointing.

Normal shocks only last 60k miles

Wow. I replaced the original shocks in my Volvo C70 after double that, and it wasn't even necessary. Pretty sure the shocks on my 95K miles 35i are still the original ones and they are still in super shape.

How do you know that they are still in super shape?

 

[Cees Klumper]

Well, the car corners like it's on rails, it's surprisingly comfortable despite riding on 19 inch rims and just in general rides like a dream. Then there's the good old bounce test - all good. I validated my approach, for me at least, when after installing new factory shocks on my Volvo I really noticed no difference in ride characteristics. To each their own of course, if you want to replace shocks as a rule after 60K miles then fine.

 

[keving1]

Well, the car corners like it's on rails, it's surprisingly comfortable despite riding on 19 inch rims and just in general rides like a dream. Then there's the good old bounce test - all good. I validated my approach, for me at least, when after installing new factory shocks on my Volvo I really noticed no difference in ride characteristics. To each their own of course, if you want to replace shocks as a rule after 60K miles then fine.

I find the bounce test on the Z4 doesn't work because the springs are so hard.

If you remove the bolt from the bottom of the rear shock you may be surprised how easy it is to push up the shock absorber and then it won't come back

 

[Bodben]

Hi OP

Did the garage code out the warning light for you too? I have adaptive suspension, and had to get one of the front struts replaced, albeit at the cost of the garage I purchased the car from (Rose Specialist and Performance, huge shout out, Jack is a legend and absolutely stands behind the cars he sells, massive respect to him).

I feel however that one day I will have to go down this route.....

Cheers!
Ben

 

[GDeth]

Any update on this?

I just found out today that my front struts are bad (leaking) and checking out the bmw adaptive m struts - about $720 each. As far as I can see, there are no non-bmw struts available. I am seriously considering going the standard strut route (although when I contacted Bilstein, they said they do not recommend it as they have not tested it and it is not supported).

 

[enzed4]

Any update on this?

I just found out today that my front struts are bad (leaking) and checking out the bmw adaptive m struts - about $720 each. As far as I can see, there are no non-bmw struts available. I am seriously considering going the standard strut route (although when I contacted Bilstein, they said they do not recommend it as they have not tested it and it is not supported).

See the OP's edit at the top of the thread - he has changed to standard Sachs suspension

 

[marioz4]

Any update on this?

I just found out today that my front struts are bad (leaking) and checking out the bmw adaptive m struts - about $720 each. As far as I can see, there are no non-bmw struts available. I am seriously considering going the standard strut route (although when I contacted Bilstein, they said they do not recommend it as they have not tested it and it is not supported).

i changed to standard and all ok. I got Sachs for all 4 of them + 4 new springs all for 1400 ( in UK)

 

[Epinephrine]

What did you do about the alarm light?

 

[marioz4]

What did you do about the alarm light?

guy did recording so that error dos not show, now no warning light that adaptive suspension is not working. All good except that with new suspension i have front of the car sitting higher than what it should, so investigating this...

 

[keving1]

What did you do about the alarm light?

guy did recording so that error dos not show, now no warning light that adaptive suspension is not working. All good except that with new suspension i have front of the car sitting higher than what it should, so investigating this...

Have you fitted standard springs as the M Sport which are fitted with the adaptive suspension are 10mm lower?

If you have fitted M Sport springs then it could be settlement and bedding in, otherwise have they been fitted correctly?

 

[marioz4]

What did you do about the alarm light?

guy did recording so that error dos not show, now no warning light that adaptive suspension is not working. All good except that with new suspension i have front of the car sitting higher than what it should, so investigating this...

Have you fitted standard springs as the M Sport which are fitted with the adaptive suspension are 10mm lower?

If you have fitted M Sport springs then it could be settlement and bedding in, otherwise have they been fitted correctly?

Its a long story, but they fitted M sprig rear and standard at front... so took few weeks to realize that garage did mistake, so i got M springs ( and yes u r correct they r 10mm lower) and had them installed yesterday in another garage, to my horror car sit again to high, it needs to be 621mm and driver side front is 631 and passenger side 635. I have no clue have they been fitted correct, garage did the work...i read somewhere that lower arms should not be tightened while car in in air...


I also had bit of problem with the rear, M spring installed, driver side sit at 600mm - and it needs to be at 609 and passenger side rear sit at 610 - i am happy with 610 as i know this 1mm dos not chnage anything... so yesterday garage inserted 10mm spring pad rear driver side ( it had 5mm pad) so this should put the car at 605mm, will measure latter on today, i am so focused at front being to high at the moment.