Member Since: 16 Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 85
Problem Solved
Imho the only way of finding out problems with the air suspension is by logging the values with a Diagnostic tool (like IID).
I found out my left sensor was bad (front left). This only showed on the live value Log which monitors the values over a longer period. This Grafik shows the values of the sensor going wild allthough the car is not moving.
This was a new sensor that already was changed. It took me a little Persuasion to convince my dealer to change it again. They said it would probably be the compressor or the ECU/Computer.
I stated my opinion, showed the diagramm and they changed the sensor and it proved to be right.
In the diagramm the value of the new sensor is strong and steady (car not moving)
So it wasn´t the computer, it wasn´t the cable.
I showed the diagram again and paid nothing
This suspension is very delicate and produces a lot of "funny" side effects.
For example: The crooked sensor causes the computer to think "something" is wrong Bonging the yellow light. Than if i drive over 50 KpH the computer things "something" is dangerous. Thus causing to force me drive slowly by opening the valves which lowers the car to ride the bumpy ride.
Then you turn of the engine and reset the computer and it will rise again. 8) This will take a lot of the compressor. Ist is not build to fill the Reservoir and the 4 Airsprings fully. This will overheat the compressor.
Then you will ride again with the Suspension not fully filled. This will cause the senors to give strange values again which will cause the car to open all the valves again.
Then you drive to your dealer and the car says: bad Compressor, bad sensors, good customer .
Ironly wrote:
Quote:
"I changed every thing and still have the light on and suspension will not rise. I am using the LR IDS software and equipmant and the fault is the pressure switch, or no +ve to switch or short to grnd.
I changed the switch and still nothing happenend, however on taking the connector off and repluging all started working fine. "
This pressure switch ist the one the Computer will open to force you to drive slowly. So it looks like the switch is not funktioning. Taking of the connector will stop the computer from opening the valve so it looks like its OK.
The other thing is the compressor. The problem is that the hitachi compressor is just about strong enough. When there is a small loss of pressure it will funktion for a while. But then it willl cause the "funny" $$$ Problems.
I repared my compressor. The first time it didn´t give enough pressure (only 12-13 bar). The springs need about 8 bar to funktion (rise) but the system need about 17 bar (dont know how much PSI that is ). if the pressure doesnt reach 17 bar, the compressor will stay on till it overheats, cools down and then turn on again over and over again. My IID tool showed this. So i fixed the compressor again. Then it gave enough pressure. I probably just forgot to give enough torque on 1 screw.
So little faults can cause major Problems. Or little faults can cause problems that look major.
Again, Imho the only way of finding out problems with the air suspension is by logging the values with a Diagnostic tool (like IID) while driving for a longer period.
I got the Bluetooth IID Tool and it is great.
Regards from Dutchrockboy
23rd Feb 2015 9:14 pm
Sedicivalvole
Member Since: 03 Nov 2014
Location: Nahariya
Posts: 9
Hello,
I didn't want to open a new thread, so I'm using this one.
If this is a wrong topic - I apologize, please let me know where to put it.
I'm an owner of 2006 HSE TDV6 Automatic with 245000km.
About 2 month ago I've started to get Yellow/Orange Suspension light ON with the BONG.
I've read number of of threads (including this one).
I've studied about repair kits, diagnostics, etc.
I'd like to share my symptoms (I could not find an exact match from what I've read in all suspension threads).
Below are my observations:
1. The car lowers down ~30-50mm over night, all 4 corners, even with suspension ECU fuse removed.
- suspect: leak
2. The car when starting from the night sleep, the car raises very fast, compressor keeps working until I get BONG and warning light - roughly at the same time from start 3-5 minutes.
3. If I turn off the car for 5 min (compressor is cooled down) and restart the car, the compressor will work only for 30-60 sec until the BONG and a warning light will come.
4. The car raises and and lowers to all suspension positions with no problem until I'm getting BONG + warning light. (it takes for pump longer to run after switching between modes - looks like it is OK, as it is refilling the air tank)
5. 1 month ago, I've been connected via HawkEye - the error was something like: "Suspension Raises Slow"
What do you think:
1. Will full compressor repair Kit help?
2. Where to look for a problem?
Thanks in advance
Max
22nd Mar 2015 3:17 pm
Dutchrockboy
Member Since: 16 Apr 2014
Location: Germany
Posts: 85
- find the leak
- check the heightsensors
- check the cables
- check the compressor
- recalibrate the height (if you have new sensors)
There are 2 ways of doing this:
1 start exchanging parts and being lucky to hit the malfunctioning part before changing the $$$Parts.
2 start monitoring and analysing the suspension and then exchange the right part.
If it is all corners going down at the sane rate with the fuse pulled then it is probably a common point that has the leak. So could be air tank, or lines to or from it. Or the middle Valve block.
Some leak detection spray would be a good place to start.Mark.
2006, D3 SE Auto - gone but not forgotten.
2014 BMW 530d M Sport Tourer.
1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500
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23rd Mar 2015 7:57 am
Sedicivalvole
Member Since: 03 Nov 2014
Location: Nahariya
Posts: 9
Thanks for replies.
I was also thinking regarding leak.
Already sprayed on compressor/tank/lines - could not find anything.
I'll put the car on the lift this week (changing the engine oil + filter) and will search for leaks again.
One question :
Why the compressor is cut after 30-60 sec?
Can I assume there is no problem at compressor side - not reaching the desired 16-17 BAR?
23rd Mar 2015 9:25 am
Barn1e D3 Decade
Member Since: 28 Aug 2006
Location: Mid-sussex
Posts: 2021
Compressor may not cool down in 5 minutes so takes less than a minute to overheat again. Compressor is also working longer to make good the leak. My guess is that it is a leak and not worn compressor because the height drops. Compressor working harder and hotter will cause it to wear out faster.2005, TDV6 S, Auto, 190k miles, owned from new, V8 Brake Upgrade, Nancom Evo, RLD protector, BAS EGR blanking & Remap, separate ATF cooler, changing all the fluids ahead of time.
25th Mar 2015 7:24 pm
tomslow
Member Since: 15 Jan 2015
Location: Mortsel
Posts: 2
suspension problem solved thanks to this forum!
Hi guys,
thanks to all these posts i managed to solve my suspension problem without any cost at all. the problem was overnight lowering of the front suspension and after a few days the whole car looked sad and was completely at the bump stops of the suspension in its lowest position.
first of all i diagnosed the problem by removing fuse 26 and hence determining if the drop was due to a signal fault of one of the height sensors and the self leveling feature. when removing the fuse the car still dropped at the front side overnight but only at the front side. it was clear to me there was something wrong with the front valve block since the problem started to show when i first used the height adjustment lever after buying the car secondhand. i don't think the previous owner ever used the feature since it was a typical city cruiser...
this is what worked for me:
removing the front right wheel and inner fender
opening the valve block mounted to the front bumper backside without disconnecting the air lines
carefully cleaning the air valves o-rings and assembling them again with some vaseline grease
on upper valve you can see the white traces - deposits of air continuously being purged through the valve
one of the disassembled valves
hope this will help other people hesitating to fix the problem
its an easy job after all and took me only 2hrs max.
regards,
Tom
30th Mar 2015 3:57 pm
Lowbox
Member Since: 04 Mar 2014
Location: Colchester
Posts: 33
Thats very useful and a great set of pictures to boot
Many Thanks
Paul
2nd Apr 2015 6:23 pm
Sandor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2014
Location: Csikszereda
Posts: 53
Hi
A little newbie question for tomslow or anybody on this forum : Do I need to depressurise the system before opening the valve block ?
Thanks
20th May 2015 5:14 pm
tomslow
Member Since: 15 Jan 2015
Location: Mortsel
Posts: 2
you don't need to depressurise it manually. just make sure the car is supported by means of studs of some kind. as soon as you unscrew the lid of the valve block (do it slowly) air will escape and suspension will loose its strength i.e. remaining pressure. before you start remove fuse 26 to ascertain that the pressure of the rear suspension will not be used to self level and make you loose all pressure of the entire system of the car.
fyi, after the thread post i still do not have problems with my suspension. so far so good!
succes
21st May 2015 5:23 pm
Sandor
Member Since: 28 Dec 2014
Location: Csikszereda
Posts: 53
Thanks Tom
22nd May 2015 6:47 pm
AndyKay
Member Since: 20 Apr 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2
Quick question; if there is an error with the 'venting gallery' on the air suspension, would this be a compressor issue or a separate part?
I'm being told that the whole compressor needs to be replaced
12th Jun 2015 12:26 pm
mnajjo
Member Since: 26 May 2014
Location: Leicester
Posts: 1
Hi everyone and thanks for this marvelous forum, I've following you since I got the car two years ago and the amount of info you get from here is just amazing.
Two weeks ago I had the famous air suspension failure, only normal height available in my display.
After removing the compressor, refurbishing it (the non return valve plastic cap was broken) and when refitting it the failure was still there. (Before that issue the message popped up eventually at some point in the past but after restarting the car it was solved.)
I've connected the car to a fault check and there are no faults in the system apparently...
The compressor has been plugged to the battery to see if the electric motor was broken and it works, so that's not the problem.
The big problem is that I'm going back to Spain on Saturday 20th and there's no pressure in the air springs because I had to use the car and I didn't take the fuses out... (my fault) and I finally found it on the floor which, i guess, it is because each time I started the car the pressure valve was making the characteristic "PFFF!" and then the message popped. The car never went down before so there are no leaks in the system.
I brought it to the Land Rover dealer before touching anything (in where I had to go on January for the EPB system failure), they said I needed a new compressor and therefore 800 pounds minimum. After checking the compressor I suppose It would have been more than 800... and we all know this things can be fixed instead of replaced.
My questions are:
1. Does the car need some pressure in the system before you start it? Because I think cause of having no pressure the suspension sensors just say the computer to enter in a "safety mode".
2. Does anybody in the area of Leicester have an emergency kit to put pressure in it...? If there's somebody that could help me please...
3. Does driving without pressure damage the system?
Thank you very much and any help will be welcome.
15th Jun 2015 8:12 pm
Discologist
Member Since: 19 May 2014
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 537
I got the dreaded orange light a couple of weeks ago, and the fault was diagnosed as the compressor by a reliable indy, but a looming holiday meant I haven't yet sorted it out.
I'm reasonably handy, and keen to save where I can by doing it myself. However I'd be interested to know other members thoughts on what I see as the options:
1 - Repair the existing Hitachi compresor;
2 - Fit a reconditioned Hitachi compressor;
3 - Fit a new Hitachi/Dunlop compressor;
4 - Bite the bullet and fit an AMK and get the software updated.
I'm interested in the first three because a straight swap wouldn't require changing the pipework or upgrading the software. Given the original compressor has lasted 10 years and 140,000 miles what are the advantages of upgrading to an AMK?
I'd probably try a repair kit on the Hitachi and if it's not successful, just go for an AMK, then you won't end up in the same situation again for a long time/ever. Current: Discovery 3 06MY (55 reg) HSE Auto Zambezi Silver Allisport Fast Road Intercooler, V8 Brakes, Silicone IC Hoses, EGRs Blanked, Remapped, De-Cat pipe, FBHIC
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