Member Since: 12 Apr 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 171
Air suspension red warning and collapse when driving
Hi folks, help appreciated for the title suspension issue on my 2007 tdv6
With the car static everything works fine. Turn it on and if not already at normal height the compressor runs and suspension raises. If switched off it stays stays up overnight. If I select off road height it rises as expected and lowers back to normal if asked.
BUT... if I drive off the compressor starts and runs for maybe 3-5 mins, then as soon as it stops the car drops to the bottom and I get a red warning light accompanied by the warning: "suspension failure maximum speed 30mph".
If I stop the car and switch ignition off and on again, its as if nothing happened. It rises back to normal height and stays there so long as I don't drive off.
Compressor is only about 18 months old, battery and charging voltages normal.
Any thoughts?
23rd Aug 2020 6:56 pm
L319
Member Since: 14 Dec 2013
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 2080
I think you need to get the codes read, all sorts of faults can make the suspension drop, even things nothing to do with the suspension .
23rd Aug 2020 11:36 pm
Globetrotter448
Member Since: 21 Mar 2017
Location: Londonderry NSW
Posts: 1798
Are there any sounds coming from the car when the compressor stops - like air being exhausted. Like has been said, have the codes read to save throwing parts at it.
24th Aug 2020 4:20 am
Kenny57
Member Since: 12 Apr 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 171
When the car is standing still and the compressor stops there's the normal exhaust sound and can't hear any air leaks. Obviously can't tell when moving. Saving up for a decent code reader, so will take to my local garage to see what the codes say. Thanks.
24th Aug 2020 7:04 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13865
Hiya
Also agree to see what codes come back as indeed as mentioned might be something else not related to the suspension as they can be strange beasts
Maybe the height sensors need calibrating / bad wiring connections etc
Out of curiosity, with the engine off, have u in normal height measured ur wheels plse, from the centre of the wheels to the bottom of the wheel arches
Curious about it running for 5 x mins though , have u tried it in access / normal and then off road height as maybe u have a leaking air strut that only leaks at a certain height
Just ideas but indeed will be interesting to see what codes come back as a set point
Last edited by gstuart on 24th Aug 2020 7:42 am. Edited 1 time in total
24th Aug 2020 7:27 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13865
Also forgot ref code readers
Of course the best of the best is the gap iid
Have heard about one called an Autel AP200 , is around £50.00
Reads live data and fault codes , alas won’t do suspension calibration but at least should get the codes
Also best to see what others say ref the Autel as I’ve not personally got any experience with them , just seen a few members buying them
But of course at the end of the day the gap iid is the guru of code readers as it does everything u need , some come up here from time to time second hand for around £300 Plus, but have to be very quick
Hope that helps
24th Aug 2020 7:33 am
Kenny57
Member Since: 12 Apr 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 171
Lol thanks for all that gstuart,
And yes you have to be quick to get a gap iid for £300.... I just missed one recently, but I digress., I agree that the time lag from driving off to dropping to the bump stops is curious.
I went down to my local garage today and got the fault codes read. There were faults for both front sensors and one rear, all out of predicted range, and one for a diagonal comparison out of range. Didn't see the actual readings but the tester said they were all over the place. The manual tells me that more than one sensor giving an unexpected reading would cause the drop to the bump stops so may explain the problem.
My local garage are going to have a go calibrating it as soon as they can get it booked in. Sadly there's a two week wait at the moment due to the usual covid19 staff shortages.
Last edited by Kenny57 on 17th Sep 2020 9:15 pm. Edited 1 time in total
24th Aug 2020 4:47 pm
Ruper
Member Since: 28 Jun 2019
Location: Virginia
Posts: 318
Lift Rods
Hello, I had a problem when I took my vehicle 2005 LR3 to the tire place for alignment. One of the struts had burst when they put it in the lift, so they bought me a new one. Replaced however they had inadvertently let the front left tire drop off of the lift, just lifting on the frame and due to the rods the front left sensor went out of range.
I showed up with IID Tool told them to jack up the front left tire and I re calibrated it, by just running through the manual settings in IID. Then once I got it off the lift I re-calibrated it for real by measuring.
IID Tool saved the day that day, and the alignment as well as a new strut from the tire people.
I have rods on mine and that was my issue.
If you were to search the codes that came up from the garage it would give us a better clue as to your issue.
Other option is to remove rods and replace original rods, then re-calibrate it and then replace lift rods and recal again.
Did you re-calibrate it when you placed the lift rods?
Get an IID tool with the money you will spend on the garage doing it, and run it yourself.2005 Land Rover D3, 4.4L V8, Maya Gold Metallic
1966 Scout 800, 196 cu.in.
1975 Scout II, 392 cu.in.
24th Aug 2020 7:44 pm
Kenny57
Member Since: 12 Apr 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 171
Hi Rupert, yes that all makes sense. In my case it wasn't that a wheel dropped of a ramp so much as beaching the thing so badly that the suspension travelled rather further than it normally should
If I had and IID and a some experience with it I'm sure I could do it myself, but my local garage won't charge much to have a go for me so I might as well let them. Unless of course you happen to live in East London, in which case.... would you like to pop over?
Last edited by Kenny57 on 17th Sep 2020 9:16 pm. Edited 1 time in total
24th Aug 2020 9:44 pm
Ruper
Member Since: 28 Jun 2019
Location: Virginia
Posts: 318
Nope
Well. mate if I were close I would more than gladly roll by and give it a go, however there is a rather deep water crossing between you and me. LOL.
I tell you I had to tell my wife that I needed the $500 tool and scrapped some money together to get mine, but it is worth every penny.
No experience with any other tool, but I did a lot of research prior to getting mine, and I wouldn't sell it for double the price, if I couldn't get another.
Good Luck and you might send out an SOS on the forum, someone may be close and open to helping out. From what I hear these guys are great about things like that. I don't remember if the tool has to be bound to the VIN to recal, as I only have one LR.
I have literally saved thousands of $$ from getting the codes and posting here, vice parts changing, and most of my issues with suspension were simply a $25 o ring kit and a couple greasy hands to fix.2005 Land Rover D3, 4.4L V8, Maya Gold Metallic
1966 Scout 800, 196 cu.in.
1975 Scout II, 392 cu.in.
24th Aug 2020 9:58 pm
Kenny57
Member Since: 12 Apr 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 171
LOL, should have looked at your location sorry.... would be one hell of an extended snorkel though! Cheers, Ken
25th Aug 2020 7:30 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 13865
Kenny57 wrote:
Lol thanks for all that gstuart,
And yes you have to be quick to get a gap iid for £300.... I just missed one recently, hence the saving up. Although still umming and arring about going for a gap or a nanocom. There are fans of both and I've been reading carefully though the relevant threads. I get that they are aimed at slightly different audiences... just haven't decided which audience I am yet!
But I digress, back to my suspension... I agree that the time lag from driving off to dropping to the bump stops is curious. At first it appeared to coincide with the compressor turning off after its initial run so I tried waiting for it to stop before setting out but it made little difference. I then got a random run of nearly half an hour before it did it which was just long enough to make me think it had fixed itself (as in a wet connection drying out or something) but it was just teasing.
I went down to my local garage today and got the fault codes read. There were faults for both front sensors and one rear, all out of predicted range, and one for a diagonal comparison out of range. Didn't see the actual readings but the tester said they were all over the place. The manual tells me that more than one sensor giving an unexpected reading would cause the drop to the bump stops so may explain the problem.
At the moment the car is actually sitting approx 50mm higher at the back than at the front (hub centre to underside of wheel arch) which definitely looks wrong. I believe it should be about 20mm according to my research.
The actual measurement though is a bit misleading because of the lift rods I've got fitted to the sensors. Can't really take them out and put the standard ones back either because of the lift blocks between the air rams and the chassis. The latter also mean access height can't be used because the air rams bottom just before it gets there (I keep a step handy for those challenged in the leg length or age department). So yes, it goes up and down between normal and off road but the numbers aren't very meaningful.
Anyway, notwithstanding the odd height, my local garage are going to have a go calibrating it as soon as they can get it booked in. Sadly there's a two week wait at the moment due to the usual covid19 staff shortages. You never know, I might win the lottery in the meantime and be the proud owner of both a gap and a nanocom! In which case I'll do it myself
Hiya
Ur so welcome and hopefully will be of some use and the garage gets it sorted out for u
I’ve only used a gap iid so don’t have any experience with the nanocom, but must admit the iid has saved me a fortune , seeing out local dealer charges £170 just to plug a vehicle in
Plse let us know what they find
25th Aug 2020 8:19 am
Kenny57
Member Since: 12 Apr 2020
Location: Essex
Posts: 171
Well, I bought a Gap IID
Identified the problem as one of the front height sensors. It was hard to identify because it was reading different to the others. Not enough to be out of range during normal operation, but too far out to allow calibration (at least that's how I understand it!). So it would sit wonky but wouldn't throw up a fault... and wouldn't allow re-calibration either.
I've fitted new front sensors and now it calibrates up fine and sit straight. All hail the IID.
Guess I'll go back to the garage and bung them a few quid for the couple of hours they spent on it. They didn't charge me at the time because they expected me to book it back in when they had a bit more time to investigate. Would be mean not to
Thanks for all the help and advice guys.... I'm sure I'll be back for more before too long.
23rd Sep 2020 6:38 pm
JohnnyNapalm
Member Since: 14 Jul 2017
Location: Ramsey
Posts: 184
The iid is a tool that is worth its weight imo. Simply excellent for pointing you in the right direction. Someone on Disco 3 will also help if they can which helps keeping running costs down. Cheers
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