Generally, vehicles equipped with adjustable air suspension have ground clearance sensors near the front and rear wheels. Based on the output signals from these sensors, the vehicle's computer determines changes in vehicle height and then controls the air compressor and exhaust valves to automatically compress or extend the springs, thereby lowering or raising the ground clearance to increase high-speed stability or improve passability on complex road conditions. During daily adjustments, the air suspension operates in several states:
1. Holding State: When the vehicle is lifted off the ground, the air suspension system closes the relevant solenoid valves, and the computer memorizes the vehicle height, ensuring the vehicle maintains its original height upon landing.
2. Normal State (Engine Running): During driving, if the vehicle height changes beyond a certain range, the air suspension system will adjust the vehicle height periodically.
3. Awakening State: When the air suspension system is activated by the remote key, door switch, or trunk lid switch, the system checks the vehicle height using the vehicle level sensor. If the vehicle height is below a certain level, the air tank will provide pressure to raise the vehicle to the normal height. Meanwhile, air suspension allows for adjustment of shock absorber stiffness, including three states: soft, normal, and hard (sometimes labeled as comfort, normal, and sport modes, etc.), which the driver can control via a control button inside the vehicle.
Of course, compared to traditional suspension, the more complex structure of air-adjustable suspension makes it more prone to failure than coil spring suspension systems. Using air as the power source for adjusting chassis height also presents challenges in terms of the sealing of related components. Furthermore, frequent chassis height adjustments can cause localized overheating of the air pump system, significantly shortening its lifespan. However, with continuous technological advancements, many of these issues have been effectively resolved, and its application in various vehicle models is becoming increasingly widespread.
