Even though Bentley and Rolls-Royce parted ways in the ’90s, Bentley has managed to maintain the same reputation for top-notch luxury as its former stable mate. Modern Bentleys, with their leather-clad interiors and unique W12 engines, have become the go-to for automotive enthusiasts with a taste for the finer things. Combine this with falling prices and spares that can be found at your local Audi or VW dealership; now is the best time to get yourself into a bit of British muscle, but before you do, you may want to consider some of the most common Bentley repair problems.

Air Suspension Repairs

The Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga all make use of air suspension to offer a ride that can be smooth and soft or low and responsive, depending on what you want at the moment. Unfortunately, air suspension is more complicated than your traditional shock and strut setup. The most common air suspension repair your Bentley might need is due to a leak

The suspension system can develop a leak in two main components. The airbag or the airlines. In either case, replacing the failed component will repair the problem. The second most common cause of air suspension failure is a malfunctioning air compressor. When the air compressor breaks, the suspension can no longer adjust itself. While there are compressor rebuild kits available, most Bentley owners opt to simply replace the unit entirely.

Brittle Vacuum Hoses

If you ever looked under a W12 Continental GT hood, you’ll know how impressive an engineering task it must have been to fit such a big engine in such a small space. Every inch of the engine bay is utilized. Unfortunately, a 6-liter W12 with twin turbos generates a fair amount of heat; heat that causes all the rubber vacuum hoses to dry out, become brittle, leak, and eventually break. A single leaking vacuum line will trigger a series of warning lights and cause your Bentley to idle rough and, in some cases, not idle at all.

There’s no recommended age at which vacuum hoses should be replaced, but as soon as one goes, we recommend you replace all of them to save yourself a headache later down the line

Common Bentley Engine Repairs

While the W12 is a piece of modern mechanical art, it’s not without its flaws. Due to the high-performance nature of these engines, they experience more stress than a smaller economy engine. Some of the engine repairs to keep in mind are

Head Gasket leaks

The nature of the w12, being two VR6 engines married at the crankshaft, means that the head gasket is an irregular shape with very little material between the edge of the cylinder and the wall of the block. This design is prone to be blown and causing leaks.

Turbo Oil Leads

The lines that feed and return from the turbos are prone to get blocked if your oil isn’t changed regularly. As oil ages, it loses viscosity and gets thicker. This thicker oil has a harder time traveling through the turbo lines and, in time, blocks the line, which leads to oil starvation in the turbos. Ultimately leading to turbo failure. If the return line becomes blocked, oil leaks into the exhaust and causes thick black smoke to come from your exhaust.

Bentley Repair Center In Pompano Beach

Foreign Affairs Motorwerks has a rich history of racing, modifying, and maintaining all sorts of European cars. With our new state-of-the-art facility and a team of ASE-certified technicians, you can trust you are leaving your Bentley in the safest hands possible. Call us today at (954) 746-0488. for all of your Bentley needs!