Should you be wary of air-suspension systems?

To improve ride comfort and road-holding, automakers have developed various suspension systems, such as air or pneumatic suspensions. Adaptive and electronically controlled, these allow the vehicle, including its ride height and flexibility/firmness, to be adjusted to road or terrain conditions by varying the pressurized air contained in their springs - or cushions if you prefer.

It may be something you're looking for, or something that will be in your next vehicle, whether new or used, but is there any reason to be wary of it?

First, you need to know that the vast majority of vehicles equipped with air suspension these days - from pickup trucks like some Ram 1500s to many luxury vehicles - rely on complex electronics and a large number of components to operate. The chances of one or more components failing or breaking down are correspondingly high, so reliability is a big question mark.

The key is rigorous and meticulous maintenance, which means more expense - in parts and labor - than with a vehicle equipped with conventional spring and shock absorber suspension. On the other hand, it's worth mentioning that air suspension smoothes the ride and reduces vibration, which can reduce stress and wear on other components.

Over time, automakers have fine-tuned their systems, so that you don't have to worry so much about air suspension on a late-model vehicle as on one that's a decade old. Of course, it can happen that the sensors are faulty, causing the system to level out incorrectly.

Air leaks are extremely rare, especially if maintenance is carried out properly. In this respect, cleaning and greasing the air cushions helps the rubber to remain supple for as long as possible, preventing cracking. It's also a good idea to empty the fuel tanks once a month.

You've been warned!