Air suspension - rear end tends to lift up as the compressor finishes a cycle

[dapiya]

I have noticed quite often that my car’s rear end tends to momentarily bounce up as the compressor finishes a cycle, possibly a longer than normal cycle. It’s like a burst of air made it in as the system shut off. You can also faintly hear what sounds like a flap or valve closing. It’s only noticeable to me when I’m at a stoplight/stop sign, but it’s a somewhat common occurrence. I brought it in to the service center and they said they could not duplicate what I was describing. Has anyone else noticed this?

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[getsometom]

I've noticed it occasionally at a stop light that the rear end moves up slightly. It almost feels like someone bumping into the truck.

 

[HaulingAss]

I have noticed quite often that my car’s rear end tends to lift up as the compressor finishes a cycle, possibly a longer than normal cycle. It’s like a burst of air made it in as the system shut off. You can also faintly hear what sounds like a flap or valve closing. It’s only noticeable to me when I’m at a stoplight/stop sign, but it’s a somewhat common occurrence. I brought it in to the service center and they said they could not duplicate what I was describing. Has anyone else noticed this?

The Cybertruck has a self-leveling suspension. That means at times it crosses the adjustment threshold and makes a small incremental adjustment. It could be due to a change in atmospheric pressure or even a change in temperature. Absolutely nothing to worry about. I love the way self-levelling works without having to think about it. When I load the bed with heavy items (like big firewood rounds), it often adjusts every time I set another round on the tailgate.

It also adjusts height based upon speed, especially if you have "Higher" set as the preferred ride height. If your preferred ride height is set to "Lower" it will have to make fewer height adjustments.

 

[dapiya]

The Cybertruck has a self-leveling suspension. That means at times it crosses the adjustment threshold and makes a small incremental adjustment. It could be due to a change in atmospheric pressure or even a change in temperature. Absolutely nothing to worry about. I love the way self-levelling works without having to think about it. When I load the bed with heavy items (like big firewood rounds), it often adjusts every time I set another round on the tailgate.

It also adjusts height based upon speed, especially if you have "Higher" set as the preferred ride height. If your preferred ride height is set to "Lower" it will have to make fewer height adjustments.

Thanks. None of that is quite what I’m referring to though. This occurs at the end of a compressor cycle. Self-leveling and self-adjusting is smooth and calculated. This is a significant bump you wouldn’t associate with normal operation. The poster before you described it like a car bumping in to you. That seems accurate to me.

I should have described it more accurately in the beginning, but it is not a gradual adjustment, more like the back end went over a speed bump without going over a speed bump.

 

[agordon117]

I have what you're describing. I found it weird but it didn't seem like a glitch or something to me. Just seemed like a reality of how the air suspension is set up.

It's like the blow off for the compressor cycles right when the tank is full, and the excess goes to the rear suspension. It's a very quick 1-2" adjustment that settles itself back out. happens once a day at least for me.

 

[jjadmd]

Happens to me too the first time the car jolted a bit I thought someone rear ended me hahha

 

[Celiboy]

I’ve experienced the same adjustment at stop lights from time to time. I figured it was a normal self leveling of the air suspension and seeing how it’s happening to a few of us who have posted here, it happening seems normal.

 

[HaulingAss]

It's like the blow off for the compressor cycles right when the tank is full, and the excess goes to the rear suspension. It's a very quick 1-2" adjustment that settles itself back out. happens once a day at least for me.

I've seen that a couple of times and didn't give it any thought, just assumed it was as designed.

Now that you mention it, it probably is a depressurization of the higher-pressure air in the lines being directed to the air springs to reduce wasted energy. It can't direct this air into the tank because the tank and air lines are already at equilibrium, so it directs it to the air springs. It can always bleed it out of the air springs if there is too much, or the driver selects a lower suspension setting, but it minimizes the need to bleed air from the tank to the suspension if the driver requests a higher suspension setting.

Thinking about this some more, the system knows it will have a little extra air at the end of a compressor cycle, so when a higher suspension setting is called for, and it requires the compressor to cycle, it underfills slightly, until the end of the compressor cycle, when it catches back up with the waste air in the lines.

All in the name of efficiency and minimizing wear on the compressor. Nice!

Of course, depending upon a person's disposition, this could be cause for worry, concern and a visit to the Service Center.

 

[dapiya]

I have what you're describing. I found it weird but it didn't seem like a glitch or something to me. Just seemed like a reality of how the air suspension is set up.

It's like the blow off for the compressor cycles right when the tank is full, and the excess goes to the rear suspension. It's a very quick 1-2" adjustment that settles itself back out. happens once a day at least for me.

Yes!! Sometimes it runs in what I feel like is a shorter cycle and shuts off seamlessly with no movement. It also doesn’t do it in service mode for me. I figured it was likely some byproduct of system design and normal operation, but wanted to be sure so I mentioned it when I had to bring my truck in for something unrelated. The only slight worry I had was the tank/gallery pressure wasn’t registering full and the compressor was either timing out and the excess was vented upon that shut off or some pressure relief valve limit was being triggered during these events. The tech couldn’t reproduce and didn’t know what I was talking about. I feel a little less crazy now that you guys have noticed it on your trucks too?. Thanks all

 

[BeFamousVideo]

I've seen that a couple of times and didn't give it any thought, just assumed it was as designed.

Now that you mention it, it probably is a depressurization of the higher-pressure air in the lines being directed to the air springs to reduce wasted energy. It can't direct this air into the tank because the tank and air lines are already at equilibrium, so it directs it to the air springs. It can always bleed it out of the air springs if there is too much, or the driver selects a lower suspension setting, but it minimizes the need to bleed air from the tank to the suspension if the driver requests a higher suspension setting.

Thinking about this some more, the system knows it will have a little extra air at the end of a compressor cycle, so when a higher suspension setting is called for, and it requires the compressor to cycle, it underfills slightly, until the end of the compressor cycle, when it catches back up with the waste air in the lines.

All in the name of efficiency and minimizing wear on the compressor. Nice!

Of course, depending upon a person's disposition, this could be cause for worry, concern and a visit to the Service Center.

Our trucks are so freaking awesome.
Thanks @HaulingAss I love to read your detailed analysis. My truck does the rear end bounce occasionally, feels like a curtsy to the car behind it at a stop light. Hahaha.

 

[juo]

I'm having this as well. Happens when driving too I think, but easier to notice when it happens at a stop light. Happens almost daily, sometimes multiple times per day. It's not a gradual adjustment but a burst. I can only hope it's working as intended, but will monitor this topic as I'm interested to find out the full explanation of what's happening exactly and why. The current guesses seem reasonable. Does it happen on other Tesla models with air suspension? I haven't heard it.

 

[dapiya]

I've seen that a couple of times and didn't give it any thought, just assumed it was as designed.

Now that you mention it, it probably is a depressurization of the higher-pressure air in the lines being directed to the air springs to reduce wasted energy. It can't direct this air into the tank because the tank and air lines are already at equilibrium, so it directs it to the air springs. It can always bleed it out of the air springs if there is too much, or the driver selects a lower suspension setting, but it minimizes the need to bleed air from the tank to the suspension if the driver requests a higher suspension setting.

Thinking about this some more, the system knows it will have a little extra air at the end of a compressor cycle, so when a higher suspension setting is called for, and it requires the compressor to cycle, it underfills slightly, until the end of the compressor cycle, when it catches back up with the waste air in the lines.

All in the name of efficiency and minimizing wear on the compressor. Nice!

Of course, depending upon a person's disposition, this could be cause for worry, concern and a visit to the Service Center.

I'm having this as well. Happens when driving too I think, but easier to notice when it happens at a stop light. Happens almost daily, sometimes multiple times per day. It's not a gradual adjustment but a burst. I can only hope it's working as intended, but will monitor this topic as I'm interested to find out the full explanation of what's happening exactly and why. The current guesses seem reasonable. Does it happen on other Tesla models with air suspension? I haven't heard it.

I tested it out pretty thoroughly on the X I had while my car was in the shop and it did not do this. The cut off was seamless. Sometimes it does it in the truck, sometimes not and I haven’t been able to figure out what variable might make the difference.

 

[FlipSixThreeHole]

I've noticed it occasionally at a stop light that the rear end moves up slightly. It almost feels like someone bumping into the truck.

Yeah noticed it once this morning LoL

 

[Electric Metal]

I have experienced the sudden jolt and I have tried to replicate and make notes where I was at. I got it to do it at the same exact spot twice. It was coming up to a slight crest of a hill and coming to a stop on an incline. It is like the computer is adjusting to the hill then it realizes that the truck isn’t out of level and goes back down. Just my observation. Tried to explain the best I could. Makes sense in my head but maybe didn’t come off in text.

 

[CyberTex]

I’ve experienced the same jolt on multiple occasions at a stop light, but instead of raising, it feels like it is lowering. Cars beside you can easily see/hear the dump.

Hoping this is something that can be fixed with software in time.

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