Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
Thanks for the response. I can confirm that all components (including bushes) are genuine Land Rover parts. I appreciate what you are saying, but the fact that the car drove perfectly straight after replacing the compressor relay, to me says that clearly it is some kind of electrical issue, either with the compressor itself or something in the wiring. It's worth noting that sometimes as I start the car, as soon as the engine is almost spun up it cuts out again - as if you've turned the ignition off. After this it sometimes drives well too. Now that I've written this it makes me think there are potentially bigger electrical problems that might be at play.
3rd Oct 2023 3:00 pm
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
Right then its time for an update - a very, very significant update. Considering I hijacked your thread Aristarkhov, I'm really hoping this helps you as well.
After almost 18 months I have finally identified the cause of my hard suspension, it was water. Three weeks ago I hoovered a shed load of water out of my passenger footwell and almost filled the bottom of a Numatic George bucket by an inch - literally you could wring the carpet out. I then left the carpet propped up to allow it to air and hopefully dry out. There wasn't any noticeable difference at first, and initially I hadn't even considered this to be my problem. Then when we had that hot weekend a week later (and the car sat unused during that time), low and behold by Sunday afternoon it was driving exactly as an air sprung Discovery 4 should, and I started smiling again.
The sunroof drain tubes were clear as water was coming out underneath, so I believe the elbow I think it's called behind the dashboard, must be broken. That being said I have temporarily duct taped the sunroof shut, and this evening I could hear water trickling somewhere as I drove down the motorway, and within about 20 minutes the harsh ride felt like it was coming back. So my next question is, is there anywhere else that water gets in, i.e round the edges of the glass roof perhaps? The footwell appears to be dry and the roof lining is bone dry also. Evidently, water is still coming in somewhere and I can only assume this whole time it's been shorting something to within an inch of it's life. I guess really it's a testament to the Discovery electrics to have withstood that all this time. If I can resolve this water leak I reckon I should hopefully be sorted.
Aristarkhov, again I can only apologise for completely taking over this thread. I strongly recommend to you and anyone else for that matter who might be having this problem, or other odd electrical issues, that you get those carpets lifted and check for any signs of water. It could save you alot of time, money, and shear frustration that issues like this cause.
Click image to enlarge
18th Oct 2023 10:32 pm
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
Further update - the water ingress causing the issue was a red herring. Car driving like a dog again. Why do I continue with this????
18th Nov 2023 11:28 pm
rrhool
Member Since: 28 Aug 2014
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 4400
Alex, I think you are chasing shadows. There is nothing that can make the suspension change harshness or firmness. The air pressure in the EAS system will change the ride height, but not the spring rate. It cirtainly isn't water in plugs, or air valves, or gallery pressure. They would only change the height. If you haven't got leaks, the only thing that could be affecting the ride is bushes or dampers or possibly tyres.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
19th Nov 2023 3:09 pm
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
Hello Richard, appreciate what you're saying. Can you please explain to me then how swapping a compressor relay fixed it for a week, then powering down the whole EAS system for 48 hours fixed it for a month. This is not a mechanical issue, it is an electrical issue. Plus the rear is sitting on all new shocks and wishbones, all genuine and replaced at the beginning of the year, yet the ride is still appalling.
I'm sorry to come across bluntly, but quite frankly I've had enough and the car is going - I honestly cannot stress the anger it causes me. I've now spent nearly £4k trying to resolve and to drive a car around that feels like it's riding on the bump stops is just unacceptable. I've checked heights multiple times and calibrated multiple times, and still it does diddly squat. Time to jump ship I think.
19th Nov 2023 3:23 pm
Notquiteadisco
Member Since: 12 Dec 2023
Location: United kingdom
Posts: 8
Hi Alex,
I've signed up to reply to your thread as I've had this problem too and never got to the bottom of it!
Last edited by Notquiteadisco on 22nd Jan 2024 11:49 pm. Edited 1 time in total
12th Dec 2023 11:13 pm
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
Hello
Thank you - that is very interesting to know, especially as its not just something affecting this particular model of car. I do wonder if there is some kind of software update applied at a certain service/interval that might contribute to the problem.
As it happens I have since parted company with the car. It honestly was driving me absolutely bonkers (quite literally). I took it to an independent specialist near me who felt that it drove OK. They ended up giving me a good price for my car and I upgraded to a 2015 HSE lux. I have made an agreement with myself that this will be my last Discovery.
I will still keep an eye on this thread, as I will be very interested to see if anyone does ever find the cause of the issue.
21st Dec 2023 11:40 pm
cornishboy
Member Since: 09 Oct 2008
Location: Bristol
Posts: 649
Hello everyone,
This is something that I have now encountered with very stiff suspension.
Did anyone get a resolution? I have no fault codes. I have changed the valve blocks. Would
A change in compressor actually be a resolution?
10th Mar 2024 12:08 pm
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
I'm very sorry to hear that you're experiencing the same issue on your D4, out of interest what year is it?
Before Christmas I chopped the troublesome car in for what I thought was going to be an 'improvement'. I'm absolutely sickened to say that after a month of owning the car, it has done exactly the same as the last one, and even worse as it's on 20" wheels as opposed to the 19" on the previous one.
My theory is that it's 100% some kind of issue on the highspeed CANBUS, that both the ABS and ride level control module operate on. I've noticed multiple times when I get in the car the brake pedal is rock hard, and at random the ABS / traction control kicks in on a tarmac road for no reason. I believe the cause of the hard ride is that some kind of issue, possibly caused by high resistance, is causing power to be sent in error to the valve blocks which in turn completely messes up the air pressures and causes the poor ride. Why? Because if you get out the car when it's driving badly, the height is absolutely spot on. No it is not a problem caused by bushes, shock absorbers or the valve blocks themselves, it is 100% the electrics that control it.
To summarise (once again and I can't believe actually believe it), we are absolutely stuffed. Diagnostic equipment is as much use as a chocolate teapot, what is needed is an actual specialist auto electrician who is going to test voltages, current draw, impedance etc., to properly identify the culprit. These from my experience and after many phone calls, seem to be extinct, so far short of taking the car of the road and ripping apart every wiring loom and testing every control module on the HSCANBUS, I am at an absolute and infuriated loss.
Out------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 - D4 HSE Luxury Scotia Grey - Just as bad as the last one!
2014 - D4 HSE Indus Silver - Moneypit v2
2011 - D4 HSE Stornoway Grey - Legendary car
2006 - D3 HSE Buckingham Blue - Moneypit v1
21st Mar 2024 10:11 pm
Notquiteadisco
Member Since: 12 Dec 2023
Location: United kingdom
Posts: 8
Hi Alex,
I can't quite believe it but your experiencing the same as me.
If you remember I commented on your thread to say I had the same issue but I didn't go into much detail.
I see you've swapped your Disco for a newer model and you say after a month it's done the exact same thing.
Well believe it or not but this has happened to me on 4 Land Rover vehicles now. (Yes FOUR!)
None of them Discoveries but still, I bought each one and they were fine for a short period before dropping into this hard/firm suspension with tighter heavier steering and a laggy unresponsive drive train.
The craziest thing is I have now moved to a non LR vehicle and the same exact thing with the same symptoms has occurred.
I do not know how this is possible!
It must be something I (or we in the case of you and I Alex) are doing to our cars or the way we drive them.
With this latest NON LR vehicle the only things I did shortly after purchase were adjust the tyre pressures down to factory specification as they were overinflated by a couple psi and 2 plug in an OBD dongle to run well respected 3rd party diagnostics for an adblu issue.
The very next morning when driving to work said NON LR vehicle had developed a hard ride, heavier steering and laggy unresponsive drive train compared to how it had been the day previous.
All the same symptoms and complains as my 4 LR vehicles.
And no, none of this is in my head as I've driven other identically specced vehicles and they drive how my vehicles used to.
Sorry I cannot be of more assistance Alex but I just wanted you to know you are definitely not alone in this.
27th Mar 2024 1:01 am
ronald.soak
Member Since: 29 Apr 2008
Location: London
Posts: 516
I can't help wondering if the problems aren't linked to the use of the OBD port. Seems suspicious that the problem follows those effected from vehicle to vehicle and even across brands.
I think all report no fault codes. Is there a commonality of analyser type and is an analyser bourne virus feasible?.
Were the replacement vehicles ok until after an analyser had been connected?.
John
27th Mar 2024 1:38 am
1784
Member Since: 04 Sep 2009
Location: Almunge
Posts: 137
As mentioned previously, there are no electronics involved in the ride quality of a D3/D4 as long as the air suspension heights are correct (which has been confirmed they are).
Sorry to say, but the issue seems related to you affected owners rather then vehicles themselves. For the simple reason that even changing the vehicles did not solve the problem.
Just out of curiosity, the vehicles "Notquiteadisco" have experienced, do they have air suspension, any kind of active dampers (adjustable ride setup) or conventional coil/damper setup.
A more plausible theory is the one that many performance car buyers have noticed, at first you are amazed by the power of your new ride and it feels spectacular. After some time, you adjust and the feeling of overwhelming power goes away and it feels more normal despite the car being the same. To restore the feeling you upgrade to a even more powerful model and the cycle repeats.Defender 110 SE 2021, Tasman Blue
Discovery 1 V8 ES 1997, Epsom green
Discovery 3 V8 HSE 2006, Bonatti Grey
Range Rover V8 1983, Sierra Silver
27th Mar 2024 7:19 am
Notquiteadisco
Member Since: 12 Dec 2023
Location: United kingdom
Posts: 8
ronald.soak wrote:
I can't help wondering if the problems aren't linked to the use of the OBD port. Seems suspicious that the problem follows those effected from vehicle to vehicle and even across brands.
I think all report no fault codes. Is there a commonality of analyser type and is an analyser bourne virus feasible?.
Were the replacement vehicles ok until after an analyser had been connected?.
John
This is something I've been trying to work out John, on all the LR vehicles I've connected SDD with a Mongoose cable (a clone version)
I thought it was this but then it's different software and a different cable for my new non LR vehicle.
So I thought it was my laptop but then I realised I upgraded to a new laptop between LR vehicles 2 and 3 so that rules that out!
27th Mar 2024 8:32 am
Notquiteadisco
Member Since: 12 Dec 2023
Location: United kingdom
Posts: 8
1784 wrote:
As mentioned previously, there are no electronics involved in the ride quality of a D3/D4 as long as the air suspension heights are correct (which has been confirmed they are).
Sorry to say, but the issue seems related to you affected owners rather then vehicles themselves. For the simple reason that even changing the vehicles did not solve the problem.
Just out of curiosity, the vehicles "Notquiteadisco" have experienced, do they have air suspension, any kind of active dampers (adjustable ride setup) or conventional coil/damper setup.
A more plausible theory is the one that many performance car buyers have noticed, at first you are amazed by the power of your new ride and it feels spectacular. After some time, you adjust and the feeling of overwhelming power goes away and it feels more normal despite the car being the same. To restore the feeling you upgrade to a even more powerful model and the cycle repeats.
Yes all the vehicles involved are air suspension and all have a form of adaptive damping.
I completely understand the thought of it being in the minds of the owners however when I've test driven other identical spec vehicles (in terms of drivetrain) they are fine. Not just short test drives either, I borrowed another L322 from an dealer friend for a whole weekend just to make sure!
Also I own other vehicles (one of which I've had for 10 years) and they drive virtually the same every time I get in and turn the key.
27th Mar 2024 8:35 am
alex0264
Member Since: 16 Apr 2012
Location: Taunton
Posts: 123
1784 wrote:
As mentioned previously, there are no electronics involved in the ride quality of a D3/D4 as long as the air suspension heights are correct (which has been confirmed they are).
Sorry to say, but the issue seems related to you affected owners rather then vehicles themselves. For the simple reason that even changing the vehicles did not solve the problem.
Just out of curiosity, the vehicles "Notquiteadisco" have experienced, do they have air suspension, any kind of active dampers (adjustable ride setup) or conventional coil/damper setup.
A more plausible theory is the one that many performance car buyers have noticed, at first you are amazed by the power of your new ride and it feels spectacular. After some time, you adjust and the feeling of overwhelming power goes away and it feels more normal despite the car being the same. To restore the feeling you upgrade to a even more powerful model and the cycle repeats.
It's funny then that removing the fuse for the ride level control module (no. 26 in the engine bay fuse box) immediately improves the ride quality. I would say that is pretty open and shut evidence the problem is electrical.
You could create another scenario - imagine a fault develops in the ride level control module itself, which causes the entire EAS system to dump all air, from the springs, the reservoir, the whole lot. The car is then going to be down on the bump stops and quite literally bouncing down the road. Are you saying that this would not be an electrical fault causing poor ride quality in that scenario.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2016 - D4 HSE Luxury Scotia Grey - Just as bad as the last one!
2014 - D4 HSE Indus Silver - Moneypit v2
2011 - D4 HSE Stornoway Grey - Legendary car
2006 - D3 HSE Buckingham Blue - Moneypit v1
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