Props to PADDO's AHC fluid replacement method!

[suprarx7nut]

Yes, I used a new clear hose and when I first started bleeding I stopped as soon as I saw clean fluid. I would start with the driver-side rear. then go to the passenger side rear. On to the accumulator and the front driver and passenger side. After each, I would check the reservoir to see if I need to add more fluid. Now all the other times I tried bleeding I would stop few secs to a min. And I would go back and check the reservoir before starting the vehicle. In this last bleed, I had a lot of small bubbles from the rear driver side and the accumulator went completely empty after giving out a little bit of fluid.

After posting about the accumulator I went back to try bleeding again and now the passenger front has no fluid.

Thanks. A couple thoughts.

1. The accumulator is the last to fill with fluid, so it's not surprising that it's empty. That's not a concern at the moment.
2. Are you on the bumpstops front and rear? You can visually see the rubber bumpstops and whether or not they're sitting on the suspension arms or floating above.
3. If you're on the bump stops, try an experiment, if you like - totally at your own risk. Using a line wrench only crack open the AHC fluid line exiting the pump. It's the highest point in the system aside from the reservoir. I wonder if you can help some air out by cracking that just a little. Close it again immediately once you see fluid dripping. Pay very close attention to when you crack it open to see if you can hear any hissing of compressed air exiting the system. Then try starting up the car again.

Also, worth noting again - Techstream is your savior here. If you don't already have it, you should get it set up.

 

[KoaKai]

Thanks. A couple thoughts.

1. The accumulator is the last to fill with fluid, so it's not surprising that it's empty. That's not a concern at the moment.
2. Are you on the bumpstops front and rear? You can visually see the rubber bumpstops and whether or not they're sitting on the suspension arms or floating above.
3. If you're on the bump stops, try an experiment, if you like - totally at your own risk. Using a line wrench only crack open the AHC fluid line exiting the pump. It's the highest point in the system aside from the reservoir. I wonder if you can help some air out by cracking that just a little. Close it again immediately once you see fluid dripping. Pay very close attention to when you crack it open to see if you can hear any hissing of compressed air exiting the system. Then try starting up the car again.

Also, worth noting again - Techstream is your savior here. If you don't already have it, you should get it set up.

I'm on the bump stops in the front. The rear is really close like If I roll over a pebble it would touch. I cracked open the AHC line (which I was afraid I was going to break due to how tight it was on) and I didn't hear a hissing sound. There was no pressure at all. I closed it as soon as fluid started dribbling out. Currently looking for a techstream now.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I'm on the bump stops in the front. The rear is really close like If I roll over a pebble it would touch. I cracked open the AHC line (which I was afraid I was going to break due to how tight it was on) and I didn't hear a hissing sound. There was no pressure at all. I closed it as soon as fluid started dribbling out. Currently looking for a techstream now.

Car still flashing with no pump turning on after the crack exercise?

 

[KoaKai]

Car still flashing with no pump turning on after the crack exercise?

Not at first. The pump kicked back on and ran for a few seconds then stopped. then it started flashing again. So I guess the crack worked.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Not at first. The pump kicked back on and ran for a few seconds then stopped. then it started flashing again. So I guess the crack worked.

Awesome. Might need to repeat it a few times. Every time that pump runs it will recompress that air. I'm anxious to hear if that works!

 

[KoaKai]

Awesome. Might need to repeat it a few times. Every time that pump runs it will recompress that air. I'm anxious to hear if that works!

Ok, should I continue bleeding the others as well or just the line exiting the pump?

 

[suprarx7nut]

Ok, should I continue bleeding the others as well or just the line exiting the pump?

I'd crack the line a few times, then try bleeding again.

 

[KoaKai]

I'd crack the line a few times, then try bleeding again.

Ok progress. I cracked it and ran the pump a few times. I think it was on the 5th try when the pump whining sound slowly started to quiet down. It stopped and the vehicle is still in low but the off light wasn't blinking. I stepped back and noticed that the rear was higher. I went underneath and sure enough, it's off the bump stops. The front is still sitting on the bump stops. so I went to bleed the front globes and when I started the vehicle again the loud whining is back and the blinking off light has returned.

Update: Went back, cracked, and ran the pump 8 more times and the whining sound has stopped again. no blinking light but the front is still sitting on bump stops. I had to top off the fluid twice. Noticed that the pump is running longer when it's quiet but still can't get it to N. It'll blink on N for a little over a minute then just go back to L.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Ok progress. I cracked it and ran the pump a few times. I think it was on the 5th try when the pump whining sound slowly started to quiet down. It stopped and the vehicle is still in low but the off light wasn't blinking. I stepped back and noticed that the rear was higher. I went underneath and sure enough, it's off the bump stops. The front is still sitting on the bump stops. so I went to bleed the front globes and when I started the vehicle again the loud whining is back and the blinking off light has returned.

Good news. Definitely air in the system. You're on the right track. I'm unsure what combo of cracking the line and bleeding you need, but keep after it. Other members have gone through a similar endeavor and the fix is just to keep bleeding (or perhaps this line cracking idea and that's a contributing task to get to the goal line).

Have you tried bleeding the accumulator? That can store a lot of gas and it would present itself once the car allowed an attempt to rise. The accumulator fills and seals itself up until it needs to raise. Perhaps that released some new air into that pump outlet line (and therefore the pump which creates that horrible loud pump sound).

 

[KoaKai]

Good news. Definitely air in the system. You're on the right track. I'm unsure what combo of cracking the line and bleeding you need, but keep after it. Other members have gone through a similar endeavor and the fix is just to keep bleeding (or perhaps this line cracking idea and that's a contributing task to get to the goal line).

Have you tried bleeding the accumulator? That can store a lot of gas and it would present itself once the car allowed an attempt to rise. The accumulator fills and seals itself up until it needs to raise. Perhaps that released some new air into that pump outlet line (and therefore the pump which creates that horrible loud pump sound).

Sucess!!! I owe you a beer!!! Went back and cracked it 12 more times and now it's back on N!!!! I need to run to Lexus to get another bottle of fluid because now it's below min.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Sucess!!! I owe you a beer!!! Went back and cracked it 12 more times and now it's back on N!!!! I need to run to Lexus to get another bottle of fluid because now it's below min.

Ha! Sweet. Nice work.

People have removed the system entirely over less. Congrats on making it through and thanks for confirming that method can be effective!

 

[ramangain]

Sucess!!! I owe you a beer!!! Went back and cracked it 12 more times and now it's back on N!!!! I need to run to Lexus to get another bottle of fluid because now it's below min.

Only 12? Lucky man.

 

[KoaKai]

Only 12? Lucky man.

Ha! Sweet. Nice work.

People have removed the system entirely over less. Congrats on making it through and thanks for confirming that method can be effective!

I'm not fully out yet lol. I just got back from Lexus and topped off the fluid. Raised the vehicle to high topped off the fluid again. brought back to N all is good. Back to L everything is still good. Tried raising it to N. I can't get it back to N lol. Going to start bleeding again.

Update: Ok, I lost count but I decided to end it for the day. I drove around my neighborhood and the suspension feels really good. Much better than when the old fluid was in. I think there is still air in the system. I can raise the vehicle to H but it takes forever and seems to struggle. If I drop all the way to L and try to go to N and back to H. The pump will stop and it'll drop back to N. Going to try and tackle this on my next day off. Thank you so much for all the help.

 

[ramangain]

Concentrate on the accumulator.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I'm not fully out yet lol. I just got back from Lexus and topped off the fluid. Raised the vehicle to high topped off the fluid again. brought back to N all is good. Back to L everything is still good. Tried raising it to N. I can't get it back to N lol. Going to start bleeding again.

Update: Ok, I lost count but I decided to end it for the day. I drove around my neighborhood and the suspension feels really good. Much better than when the old fluid was in. I think there is still air in the system. I can raise the vehicle to H but it takes forever and seems to struggle. If I drop all the way to L and try to go to N and back to H. The pump will stop and it'll drop back to N. Going to try and tackle this on my next day off. Thank you so much for all the help.

Concentrate on the accumulator.

Agreed.

@KoaKai As an over simplification you can think of it kinda like this:

Changing heights = Accumulator
Maintaining height = Pump

You could theoretically remove the accumulator once you're in N. The pump maintains any given height and the accumulator provides a momentary boost, only when raising heights.

If you struggle to raise, check the accumulator (IE bleed it over and over and over). It needs a solid 30-60 seconds after settling into any height to charge the accumulator so be sure to allow for that between each bleed cycle. You can listen for the pump to turn off.

 

[KoaKai]

Agreed.

@KoaKai As an over simplification you can think of it kinda like this:

Changing heights = Accumulator
Maintaining height = Pump

You could theoretically remove the accumulator once you're in N. The pump maintains any given height and the accumulator provides a momentary boost, only when raising heights.

If you struggle to raise, check the accumulator (IE bleed it over and over and over). It needs a solid 30-60 seconds after settling into any height to charge the accumulator so be sure to allow for that between each bleed cycle. You can listen for the pump to turn off.

I think you're absolutely right. I did another 2 hours of bleeding and I don't have an issue with maintaining height. When I go from N to H it'll complete it once. If I go back to N and then try to go back to H it'll struggle and after a minute it'll give up and then drop back to N. I'll then bleed the accumulator and it'll raise to H without an issue but if I go to N and then back to H it'll struggle and drop again. I'm going to continue to bleed the accumulator. I'm hoping there is an endpoint somewhere soon lol.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I think you're absolutely right. I did another 2 hours of bleeding and I don't have an issue with maintaining height. When I go from N to H it'll complete it once. If I go back to N and then try to go back to H it'll struggle and after a minute it'll give up and then drop back to N. I'll then bleed the accumulator and it'll raise to H without an issue but if I go to N and then back to H it'll struggle and drop again. I'm going to continue to bleed the accumulator. I'm hoping there is an endpoint somewhere soon lol.

Are you seeing bubbles or air pockets when bleeding the accumulator?

 

[KoaKai]

Are you seeing bubbles or air pockets when bleeding the accumulator?

I get an initial 1-second frothy discharge then it clears up and it's clean fluid. when it clears up I close it and restart my vehicle. Then it has no issue going to H.

 

[suprarx7nut]

I get an initial 1-second frothy discharge then it clears up and it's clean fluid. when it clears up I close it and restart my vehicle. Then it has no issue going to H.

Ok, that's good confirmation that air is the trouble. Tedious, but easy fix. Let us know how it goes!

 

[KoaKai]

Ok, that's good confirmation that air is the trouble. Tedious, but easy fix. Let us know how it goes!

Ok, bled for another hour and don't see any bubbles anymore. Topped off the fluid and went for a drive to get some things. The ride is really smooth. Got home and tried raising to H and to my surprise it went up real quick. Went back to N and gave it a few minutes before trying to go back to H. Aaannnd the vehicle starts to struggle again to get to H. After a few seconds, it stops and the H light just blinks. Then it drops back to N. Popped the hood and noticed that there is less fluid from when I topped it off. I added a little more fluid to top it off again. Went back to the accumulator and tried bleeding. Still, no bubbles just clean fluid. Tried raising it back to H and it struggled like an old man trying to get out of bed. H light continued to blink and right when it seemed like it was about to get there, it drops back to N. Is my accumulator ready to retire?