Air suspension strut and compressor failure
Attaches to 955/957 at chassis level · Suspension · carried by 2 variants across 1 chassis
Overview
Air suspension strut and compressor failure is a common fault recorded against 955/957 at chassis level, typically from 90–180k km. It shows up as the car sitting low overnight, a suspension warning on start-up, a compressor that runs for a long time, or one corner that won't lift. Where it's documented, the repair runs €700–€3,500 (one strut at the cheap end, all four plus a compressor at the dear end, costs dated 2026-07), and it can be checked before you buy. 2 variants across 1 chassis in this database inherit it.
What happens
Symptom. The car sitting low overnight, a suspension warning on start-up, a compressor that runs for a long time, or one corner that won't lift.
Cause. The air struts perish with age and leak, which makes the compressor work harder until it fails as well. Cars that have stood are worse, because the bags crack where they've been folded.
How to check it
Static checks
Look at the car before it's been started, since one that's sunk overnight has told you already. Then cycle through every ride height and confirm all four corners respond at the same rate.
Engine off, ideally on a lift.
Every variant that carries this
| Variant | Chassis | Body | Years | Risk | Good buy | Cost as % of good buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.2 V6 M02-2Y | 955/957 | SUV | 2003–2007 | R4 | €7,250 | 29% |
| 3.0 TDI CASA | 955/957 | SUV | 2009–2010 | R3 | €15,000 | 14% |
The last column is the point. The same repair is an inconvenience on one variant and a reason to scrap the car on another. A failure costing a quarter of the vehicle's value changes the purchase decision regardless of how rare it is.