Air suspension failure: which cars have them

Short answer: among vehicles with US sales figures, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has the most complaints about air suspension failures per 10,000 sold. Across all 1,408 federal complaints about it, owners reported a median of about 68,000 miles.

Federal complaints

1,408

Typical mileage

68,000 mi

Typical repair

$590–$1,780

What it is

Air suspension replaces steel springs with rubber air bags fed by an electric compressor. It rides well and can level the vehicle, but the bags crack with age, lines and valves leak, and an overworked compressor fails.

What owners notice

One corner or the whole vehicle sagging, often after sitting overnight
Compressor running constantly or loudly
Suspension warning light
Harsh ride or bottoming out

Vehicles with the most air suspension failures

Complaints about this problem per 10,000 sold, for each vehicle’s model years old enough to judge. Each vehicle’s years start at the first model year with a cluster of these complaints, so a vehicle that got the part later isn’t diluted by years without it. Only vehicles with at least 25 such complaints are ranked (1 vehicles).

1. Jeep Grand Cherokee 0.29 per 10k sold

72 complaints, 2011–2022 models · typically around 53,500 mi · most in 2011–2012 and 2014 · estimate costs

Common questions

Which cars have the most air suspension failures?

Among vehicles with US sales figures, the most complaints about air suspension failures per 10,000 sold come from the Jeep Grand Cherokee (0.29). Rates cover model years old enough to judge.

At what mileage do air suspension failures usually show up?

Across 1,408 federal complaints, the median mileage owners reported was about 68,000 miles. It varies a lot by vehicle; see the table.

How much does it cost to fix air suspension failures?

Typically $590–$1,780 at a national-average independent shop, from book labor hours and parts pricing. Your state's labor rate changes this; the cost estimator on each vehicle page uses it.