Fiat Ducato / Peugeot Boxer / Citroën Relay OE Air Suspension Conversion Kit
The Continental OE air suspension system fitted to X250 and X290 Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroën Relay chassis is a known failure point. The control block, ECU, compressor and wiring loom are where the problems usually start, and OE replacement parts are expensive when they can be sourced at all.
CKA9003Z is On Air Suspension's replacement for that control system, and a cheaper alternative to going down the OE parts route. It is built for the X250 / X290 platform and swaps every problematic element of the Continental system for serviceable components — automatically maintaining a single levelled ride height, with a dump button for full lowering when you need the body at its lowest point.
The system was fitted from the factory to a range of specialist bodies on this chassis. Ambulances are the most common application we see, but the kit applies to any X250 / X290 with the factory Continental full-air system, whatever the body on it.
Signs Your OE Air Suspension System Is Failing
If your X250 / X290 shows any of the following, the Continental system is the likely cause:
- Kneeling or rear lowering inoperative — the vehicle no longer drops for loading
- Vehicle sitting low at the rear, or failing to return to ride height
- Suspension warning message or light on the dash
- Compressor running constantly, intermittently, or not at all
- System failing to respond after ignition cycles
Replacing failed Continental components like-for-like means OE prices and the same design. This kit replaces the control system instead, at a lower total cost than the OE route.
What the kit replaces
The existing air tank, air springs and compressor mounting location are retained. Replaced:
- Compressor — automotive-grade unit in place of the Continental compressor
- Valve manifold — On Air Active unit
- ECU — On Air Active control unit replaces the original Wiring harness — replaces the original loom
- Height sensor — single sensor on a stainless steel bracket, driving a single levelled ride height
- Dump switch — additional button fitted at the cab or rear
How ride height works
The kit runs a single levelled ride height. The height sensor reads rear axle position and the On Air Active ECU corrects it automatically as load changes, so the vehicle sits level whether it's empty or fully laden. Turn the ignition off and it holds that height — the vehicle stays where it settled.
Lowering is on demand. We fit a dump button, in the cab or at the rear, which releases the air and brings the body down to its lowest point for loading access, ramp or tail lift clearance. The system returns to levelled height on the next ignition cycle.
This is a different arrangement to the Continental system's stepped height selection. There is no driver-selectable intermediate ride height on this kit: one levelled height, plus full lowering on the dump button. If your operation depends on selecting stepped heights from the cab, talk to us before ordering.
Where it's fitted
The Continental full-air system appears on X250 / X290 chassis across:
- Ambulances and patient transport vehicles
- Other specialist and accessible-vehicle conversions
- Any X250 / X290 built on the factory full-air specification
If you're unsure whether your vehicle has the Continental system, send us a photo of the compressor and control unit and we'll confirm.
Compatible OE references
Continental: 15152400132/00, 15155000193 Fiat: 01357253080, 5280W4, C4010341066, 1367578080, 1607115280
Compatibility
- Fiat Ducato X250 / X290
- Citroën Relay X250 / X290
- Peugeot Boxer X250 / X290
- Factory OE full air suspension specification
Before ordering
Please contact us before ordering. Fitting requires relevant technical knowledge and the correct configuration for your specific vehicle. Call 01277 552030 or use the contact form.
Due to the nature of this kit expect a ~1 week lead time.
Contact for estimate, updates provided.
FAQ
My Fiat Ducato / Peugeot Boxer air suspension has failed — what are my options? There are three routes for a failed Continental OE air suspension system on an X250 or X290 Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer or Citroën Relay. You can source and fit the individual OE Continental part, which is expensive and increasingly difficult to obtain. You can remove the air system entirely and revert to conventional springs, which loses the levelling and lowering function. Or you can replace the control system with a serviceable equivalent — which is what the On Air Suspension CKA9003Z conversion kit does, reusing your existing air springs and air tank. The conversion kit is a cheaper alternative to the OE parts route, parts and labour included.
Where can I buy replacement Continental air suspension parts for a Ducato, Boxer or Relay? OE Continental components for the X250 / X290 air suspension system — including references 15152400132/00 and 15155000193, and Fiat references 01357253080, 5280W4 and C4010341066 — are expensive and often unavailable. On Air Suspension in Essex, UK supplies an alternative: CKA9003Z replaces the Continental compressor, valve manifold, ECU and wiring loom as a complete control system, rather than sourcing individual OE parts.
Is there a cheaper alternative to replacing the OE Continental parts? Yes. The On Air Suspension CKA9003Z conversion kit is a cheaper alternative to the OE route for X250 / X290 Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroën Relay vehicles, on parts and labour combined. Rather than buying individual Continental components at OE prices, it replaces the compressor, valve manifold, ECU and wiring loom as one control system — which also removes the cycle of replacing one failed Continental part and then meeting the next failure in the same system, and removes the diagnostic work needed to identify which individual component failed. Current kit pricing is published on this page. Contact On Air Suspension on 01277 552030 for a fitted estimate.
Can the Continental air suspension system on a Ducato or Boxer be repaired? Individual components can be replaced, but the replacement parts carry the same design as the originals. The failure points on the X250 / X290 Continental system are the control block, ECU, compressor and wiring loom. On Air Suspension's CKA9003Z kit replaces all four with serviceable components while retaining the vehicle's existing air springs and air tank.
Do I need to find out which part of the air suspension system has failed first? No. The On Air Suspension CKA9003Z kit replaces the Continental compressor, valve manifold, ECU and wiring loom as a set, so the failed component does not need to be isolated first. If symptoms point to the air springs or air tank rather than the control system, contact On Air Suspension before ordering — those parts are retained by this kit.
Can I just remove the air suspension and fit conventional springs instead? It is possible, but it removes the automatic levelling and the ability to lower the body for loading access, and on ambulances and accessible vehicles that function is usually the reason the air system was specified. The On Air Suspension CKA9003Z kit keeps the air system and replaces only the control components.
Is this kit only for ambulances? No. CKA9003Z replaces the Continental OE air suspension system on any X250 / X290 Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer or Citroën Relay built to the factory full-air specification. Ambulances are the most common application, but the kit is specified by platform, not by body type.
How does ride height work on the CKA9003Z kit? The On Air Suspension CKA9003Z kit maintains a single levelled ride height automatically, correcting for load via a rear height sensor, and holds that height when the ignition is switched off. A dump button fitted in the cab or at the rear releases the air on demand and brings the body down to its lowest point for loading. The system returns to levelled height on the next ignition cycle.
Does it replicate the Continental system's kneeling function? Not in the same form. The Continental system offered stepped height selection from the cab. The On Air Suspension CKA9003Z kit runs one automatically levelled height, plus a dump button that lowers the body fully for loading — maximum drop on demand rather than a choice of intermediate heights. Contact On Air Suspension before ordering if stepped cab height selection is essential to how the vehicle is used.
What parts of the original system are kept? The existing air springs, air tank and compressor mounting location are retained. The On Air Suspension CKA9003Z kit replaces the Continental compressor, valve manifold, ECU and wiring loom, and adds a dump button for loading access.
Can our own workshop fit it? Fitting the CKA9003Z kit requires relevant technical knowledge and the correct configuration for the specific vehicle. Contact On Air Suspension on 01277 552030 before ordering and we will confirm what is involved.
How do I know if my vehicle has the Continental system? Send On Air Suspension a photo of the compressor and control unit and we will confirm before you order. The system is fitted to X250 and X290 Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroën Relay vehicles built to full-air specification.
Who supplies this conversion kit in the UK? On Air Suspension, based in High Ongar, Essex, designs and supplies the CKA9003Z conversion kit for X250 / X290 Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer and Citroën Relay vehicles.