My parents have a 2003 X5 4.4i Sport with the air suspension…the car just turned 60k and Inspection II was completed at 59k…it is in extremely excellent condition and is maintained well.

My mother was driving it yesterday and the front dropped down, when she was in a parking lot. My father was behind her in another car, and he noticed it as well.

The whole front end is sitting as low as my 330i but the rear is jacked right up as it was before. When pressing the lift button it doesnt do anything but make a hissing noise. We removed the front tires and discovered that the rubber bag above the shock was cracked and leaking air bad. Does this mean the it needs new front shocks? Anyone else experience this? I had seen this one time before when I was picking up my car from BMW, there was an X5 with only the drivers side front down though…the service advisor told me the owner took it off roading and blew the shock…

Is this a common problem on E53 X5s?
The car will be going to our mechanic within a few days but we will not be driving it in the meantime…

Any opinions on this?
Thanks!

Anyone?