Member Since: 16 Apr 2023
Location: Midlands
Posts: 3
Front end suspension intermittently drops when parked/locked
Hello, my first post here since joining the forum and becoming a Discovery 3 owner.
*Hope this has been posted correctly/in the right area :/.
So the car being a Disco 3 S 2.7d '56 model is new to me for a few months now. I have started noticing that only sometimes the front end suspension begins to sag/drop over several hours. No dash lights or warning messages..
Overnight/daytime its parked on the curb road side just outside the house. Its dropped when parked here and as of currently writing this post is parked like this now where the issue isnt happening!
On a flat surface sometimes the drop is also experienced. When the car is locked, i have noticed again only occasional the front end lower slightly but by the time i go out to it for my next trip its lowered all the way to what the pros here i guess call the bump stops.
If the front end lowers to the bump stops, when the ignition is on, the front end very quickly raises to normal height mode.
If it hasnt dropped i can simply drive off no problem.
The air suspension rises into extended mode without issue and also drops into the easy access mode too. The latter sometimes see me enter easy access mode so it begins to lower but then immediately jumps into the extended mode. Neither of these modes are generally required on daily basis to be honest.
Im not mechanically minded but have access to tools and basic knowledge of these tools to troubleshoot potentially where required.
Have read a few different posts here and on landyzone that cover the suspension drop but nothing that directly relates to what im experiencing.
Talked to and independent specialist who advised it could be the relay? Advised to disconnect the battery and see if there was any difference there but most of what he said went straight over me with all the tech/jargon thrown my way! I have noticed at times when the ignition is turned off after a trip the radio display shows low power mode, potentially something to do with the battery?
As i mention when i need to drive the motor, there isnt really any issues. Occasionally if the car has been left a while without being a driven ive noticed it throw up a few suspension fault warning messages all which clear once the cars been driven for a few days or regular.
Hoping its nothing major, any help/advice would be amazing from any of your boffins. If this has been covered directly elsewhere i apologise in advance!
Here's to waiting on those replies
16th Apr 2023 2:18 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14172
Hi and welcome to the asylum
Would first start with the battery , with the engine off usinf a multimeter u should see a min of around 12.6 Vdc , a low battery can cause untold issues , but not dropping suspension
Using a tape measure , check each wheel from the centre of the hubs to the bottom of the wheel arch liner in mm’s , in normal ride height
Then pull fuse F26 from ur engine bays fuse box, this stops the self levelling that it constantly does
Leave overnight and see which corner etc has dropped, this can sometimes help u identify where a leak is , then reinstall the fuse, be careful as the vehicle will drop quite quickly before restarting the engine to raise the suspension
It basically has access, normal and off road height , it can raise another 2 x heights if it thinks it’s grounded , sometimes if the suspension calibration is out or faulty height sensor can cause this
On searching u will also find a huge range of details regarding this , so plse start with ur battery , then checking the heights and leave over night and see how u get on
Hopefully that helps a little
Ps, also a very important to note if u don’t mind me adding is ensuring the oil pump has been upgraded to a modified stronger one , hopefully it’s already been done but always best to check
Last edited by gstuart on 16th Apr 2023 2:47 pm. Edited 1 time in total
16th Apr 2023 2:41 pm
Disco56
Member Since: 16 Apr 2023
Location: Midlands
Posts: 3
@gstuart
Thank you for such a quick response and more importantly advising me where to start!
Will definitely give this a go. Thought i had everything but need to invest in a multimeter!
16th Apr 2023 2:45 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14172
Ur so welcome and always a team forum effort as god knows I’ve received some awesome help over the years
Indeed ref the multimeter , clamp meters are also handy to have , can never have too any tools, lol
Plus some form of diagnostics are invaluable, pay for them selves very quickly , the gap iid is the best , or a very basic one the Autel AP200 , want the white one , which is better than nothing
Ref the multimeter plse try and get one that has Vdc and DC amps on it , doesn’t need to be overly expensive
At the end of the day ur also found a massive amount of information on here with very helpful members
Hope that helps and plse let us know how u get on
16th Apr 2023 2:53 pm
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14172
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