Member Since: 12 Mar 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 153
Suspension has collapsed whilst driving...thoughts?
Just had to go and rescue the wife and kids from the disco.... she had phoned to say that she started driving and after about 10-15 minutes got the amber suspension light then followed by the red light after about another 7 minutes of driving got the message not to drive over 30 mph... FaceTimed each other at this point and i could see that the suspension had bottomed out...
Now, went with a friend and his code reader and we cleared three fault codes.. can’t remember what they were... but now the suspension is saying that it needs to cool down before it will raise...
Back ground to the suspension... it has had a slow leak from the front suspension for a while... and I’d say if left for about 7 days, then it will be on the bottom, but as we use the car daily, it never gets to this point, and you can hear the compressor running to top it up.
What do we think has happened here? My instinct says that there’s finally been a major leak somewhere and the compressor had been working so hard to try and ‘fill up’ the air, and basically has given up. I drove out to meet her and the kids and she took the golf back and i drove back at 15 mph, bumpy bumpy... currently waiting to see if it cools down and then the compressor will try and do something...
Any help much appreciated... especially if you have a nice disco4 for sale! Haha.. (crying actually at the thought of repair costs!)
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
17th Jan 2021 6:19 pm
Simon_CSK
Member Since: 16 Jan 2021
Location: Ayrshire
Posts: 17
Gmcc wrote:
Cheers gents.....best place to source a compressor? And if half handy with spanners is it a DIY job?
I am in the process of changing the compressor on my D3. This is not too difficult a job to remove not fitted it in place yet.
I replaced a faulty front strut which was the cause of my problem.
I watched videos on Youtube for each procedure before I tackled the jobs and mush admit I didn't really have any problems.
17th Jan 2021 6:27 pm
Gmcc
Member Since: 12 Mar 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 153
rrhool wrote:
Don't replace the compressor unless you sort the leak. You'll burn out another one.
How will i be able to find the source of the leak without a working compressor?D3 with lots of d4 extras!
17th Jan 2021 6:34 pm
Simon_CSK
Member Since: 16 Jan 2021
Location: Ayrshire
Posts: 17
Leak will most likely be one of the front airbags
17th Jan 2021 6:45 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4400
Valve blocks.Richard
D3 SE 2007. Triumph 2.5Pi 1973. Ferguson TEA20 1948.
Discovery 2 4.0 ES 2001- Gone
Discovery 1 300Tdi ES '95 - Gone
Range Rover Classic '79 - Gone
17th Jan 2021 6:47 pm
Gmcc
Member Since: 12 Mar 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 153
Sorry I don’t follow? Do the valve blocks not need the compressor? Also if the compressor burnt out, does that automatically mean the suspension will go straight to bottomed out?D3 with lots of d4 extras!
17th Jan 2021 7:12 pm
Pete K
Member Since: 15 Jan 2016
Location: GL
Posts: 10363
Spray soapy water on all the joints in the air system and it should bubble where the leak is. Valve blocks are frequently the source..
Dean
====================================
2011 D4 XS - OBD port protection, RLD spare wheel protector, All LED interiors lights, Timed Climate enabled, iiD tool paired.
2011 D4 Landmark - Stolen from same dealer before I paid for it
2011 D4 GS - Stolen whilst at dealer ... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
1996 300Tdi - Eaten by tin worms
17th Jan 2021 7:44 pm
Gmcc
Member Since: 12 Mar 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 153
Thanks hardware... but will i not only be able to do this if the compressor (is working and..) has put some air in the system? If the suspension has fallen/failed, then is there no air, and therefore a leak test will be impossible?D3 with lots of d4 extras!
17th Jan 2021 7:47 pm
Simon_CSK
Member Since: 16 Jan 2021
Location: Ayrshire
Posts: 17
Gmcc
Once you have fitted the compressor then as you rightly say you can find the leak. Don't use the car for journeys until you have cured the initial problem.
I did see on one you tube video someone had effected a temporary repair of an air strut using tyre weld.
17th Jan 2021 7:58 pm
Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20731
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
... All LED interiors lights, DRLs, Spare Wheel protector.
