MajorCommonSuspension

RAM 1500: Four-corner air suspension air spring leaks and compressor failure (DS and DT with air suspension)

Four-corner air suspension air spring leaks and compressor failure (DS and DT with air suspension) is a common suspension fault on the RAM 1500 on the 2013 onward cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 22 documented faults on the RAM 1500.

Vehicle: RAM 1500
Years: 2013 onward
System: Suspension

This page covers the RAM 1500 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All RAM 1500 faults22 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Air suspension strut yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Ram 1500s optioned with four-corner air suspension, from the 2013 DS through the DT, are known for air spring (bag) leaks and compressor faults. Stellantis bulletin S1723000007 covers the air suspension going inoperative and the compressor freezing or sticking in cold weather on 2013 to 2020 trucks, with further bulletins for compressor module replacement and a revised compressor quick-connect fitting, and TSB 17-002-25 (2025) covers DT rear air springs leaking so the truck leans to one side or sits low at the rear. When a spring leaks, the compressor runs constantly trying to keep up and eventually burns out, so one leak often becomes two repairs. Not every truck has air suspension, and many AU and NZ trucks have conventional coil springs.

What you would notice

Truck sitting low or leaning on one corner after being parked overnight
'Service Air Suspension' or ride-height warning on the dash
Compressor running for a long time or very often, or not at all
Ride height buttons not raising or lowering the truck

How to check it

Where to look. Air springs at each wheel, compressor and air lines under the vehicle, ride-height sensors at each corner

Check for ride-height buttons on the dash, which show the truck has air suspension.
Ask the seller to leave it parked overnight before your viewing and look along both sides from a distance for a corner sitting lower than the others.
With the engine running, cycle the ride-height settings up and down and time it; each change should complete smoothly in under a minute without a warning.
Listen near the rear of the truck for the compressor running on and on after it has reached height, and for a hiss at any corner.
Watch the dash for a suspension warning at start-up and after the test drive.
Ask whether any air springs or the compressor have been replaced.
If a workshop inspection is possible: have the air springs soapy-water leak tested and the suspension codes read with a scan tool.

Parts involved: Air suspension strut.

What it costs to put right

$800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Does this truck have air suspension, and has it ever shown a warning?”
“Have any air springs or the compressor been replaced?”
“Does it ever sit low on one corner after being parked?”

Now check the RAM 1500 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Stellantis TSB S1723000007 'Air Suspension Inoperative And Or Compressor Freeze Up Or Sticking In Cold Weather', Ram 1500 2013-2020 (CarComplaints, NHTSA 10176517 / 10190670)
Stellantis TSB 17-002-25 Rev. A 'Rear Air Spring Leak', 2025 (DT) Ram 1500 (NHTSA MC-11014381)
CarComplaints listed TSBs S1902000008 'Air Suspension Compressor Module Assembly Replacement' and S2202000006 'Air Suspension Compressor Quick Connect Adaptor Fitting Service'
HDRams forum thread 'Air suspension failure twice on the same trip'

RAM 1500 buyer questions

Is four-corner air suspension air spring leaks and compressor failure (ds and dt with air suspension) serious on a RAM 1500?

We rate it major and common on the RAM 1500. Ram 1500s optioned with four-corner air suspension, from the 2013 DS through the DT, are known for air spring (bag) leaks and compressor faults. Stellantis bulletin S1723000007 covers the air suspension going inoperative and the compressor freezing or sticking in cold weather on 2013 to 2020 trucks, with further bulletins for compressor module replacement and a revised compressor quick-connect fitting, and TSB 17-002-25 (2025) covers DT rear air springs leaking so the truck leans to one side or sits low at the rear. When a spring leaks, the compressor runs constantly trying to keep up and eventually burns out, so one leak often becomes two repairs. Not every truck has air suspension, and many AU and NZ trucks have conventional coil springs.

How much does it cost to fix on a RAM 1500?

$800 to $5,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which RAM 1500 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013 onward RAM 1500. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Check for ride-height buttons on the dash, which show the truck has air suspension. Ask the seller to leave it parked overnight before your viewing and look along both sides from a distance for a corner sitting lower than the others. With the engine running, cycle the ride-height settings up and down and time it; each change should complete smoothly in under a minute without a warning. Listen near the rear of the truck for the compressor running on and on after it has reached height, and for a hiss at any corner. Watch the dash for a suspension warning at start-up and after the test drive. Ask whether any air springs or the compressor have been replaced. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the air springs soapy-water leak tested and the suspension codes read with a scan tool. Look here: Air springs at each wheel, compressor and air lines under the vehicle, ride-height sensors at each corner