Can You Still Drive When the Air Suspension Light Is On?
3 Answers
You cannot drive when the air suspension light is on because if the air suspension is damaged, the vehicle body may collapse, making it impossible to continue driving. Air suspension is commonly used in many high-end vehicles and consists of air springs filled with compressed air and shock absorbers with variable damping. Unlike traditional suspension systems, air suspension offers several advantages: 1. It can adjust its stiffness based on road conditions—becoming firmer during high-speed driving to reduce aerodynamic drag and enhance stability. 2. When the car is driven at low speeds for extended periods, the control unit interprets this as driving on rough terrain, softening the suspension to improve ride comfort. 3. During high-speed cornering, the air springs and shock absorbers on the outer wheels automatically stiffen to reduce body roll.
Last year, the air suspension warning light came on in my Land Rover. I stubbornly drove another 20 kilometers until it completely broke down. This is something you really can't take chances with—when the light comes on, it means the system has detected an abnormality, which could be due to an airbag leak, compressor failure, or sensor issues. Driving until the suspension suddenly collapses is extremely dangerous: the steering can go off, the chassis can scrape the ground, and on highways, you could lose control. If you're just moving the car a short distance in the city, it might be manageable, but you should keep it under 30 mph and avoid speed bumps or heavy loads. I ended up spending 20,000 yuan on repairs—had I called a tow truck right away, I could have saved half that. Now I've learned my lesson: as soon as the light comes on, I pull over, take a photo of the fault code with my phone, and send it to the repair shop for advice.
It's best not to continue driving when the air suspension warning light comes on. My Mercedes-Benz S-Class had this issue before, and it felt like riding a boat with all the swaying. Unlike mechanical springs, air suspension relies on air pressure to support the vehicle's weight, and when faulty, the car body will gradually sink. Once, while climbing out of an underground garage, the rear wheels scraped against the ground and got stuck. For short-distance movement, you might manage with the suspension at its lowest setting, but driving on the highway is absolutely not advisable. I remember last year, a driver took their faulty suspension onto the highway, and the airbag suddenly ruptured, causing the entire rear suspension to collapse—how dangerous! Modern vehicle diagnostic systems are very precise; if the light is on, it means there's a stored fault code. You should immediately read the fault code to determine whether it's an air leak in the lines or an electronic control issue.
