Air Suspension Again

My love affair with Land Rovers which started many years ago with a Series IIA is quickly coming to an end with my current Discovery, an ES registered in 2000.

It started some months ago when the ACE warning light came on, but the car seemed to drive well so I thought I'd leave fixing it for a while. A couple of weeks ago the air suspension dropped onto the bump stops. Stopping and starting the car a few time solved the problem with the suspension for a short while. I took it to a dealer who explained that solving the ACE problem would probably also solve the air suspension problem. £1,300 later everything seemed OK, ACE and air suspension working - until this weekend. The suspension on the offside decided to pump itself up to maximum height while the nearside stayed at the normal height giving the car a decididly lopsided look. I had to drive carefully from Guildford to South Wales like this attracting the attention of passing motorists and Thames Valley Police.

The car went into the dealers today who suggested that there was a leak in the nearside air spring and the compressor needed changing (it was changed 18 months ago) - £750 please! I don't believe this as it doesn't explain why the offside is pumpped up to the maximum. Has anyone experienced anything like this before and can suggest a solution?

I think it will be coil springs for me!

Ouch - you have had an expensive time ! For a start the ACE fault was probably just a case of recalibrating the sensors - a two minute job.Highly unlikely the ACE had anything to do with the SLS fault.Even if your car needs an air spring and a compressor it does not have to cost £750.The spring can be got for about £70 off the net and a compressor is about £235 + Vat retail,so you ought to be able to do better than that.
The labour should be under an hour,any more and you are being done.
Sounds like you need to go elsewhere,where are you ? Tell us and hopefully someone can suggest a good independant or a good main dealer near to you.

This isn't going to make you feel any better but if its the same compressor fitted to a RR, I once stripped one out and the failure is a plastic/nylon type piston ring that probably costs no more than a quid! The compressor has no little end bearing so the piston always travels up and down the cylinder on an ever changing angle (good design or what!!) There was a guy in Australia who advertised these rings a while a go and fitting was dead easy as there is a top compressed ring on top of the piston that can be removed to replace the piston ring. Unfortunately, I cannot find him now but maybe someone out there has some info ?????? Stupid to have to pay 750 for a one quid repair and is a sad reflection on LR itself! Good luck.

Thanks for the replies. I thought £750 was well over the top as I find it difficult to believe that the compressor and air spring are at fault. I am in South Wales and the quote came fom Stratstones is Swansea. I'll be trying Greens in Haverfordwest but I would be grateful if anyone can suggest an independant dealer in the area.

The compressor is totally different from that fitted to LP and LH RR's,here's hoping that someone knows a good indy in South Wales,I'm a bit too far away - just outside Bath in South Glos.

I wouldn't take my LR anywhere near a main dealer, not only are most of them clueless, they just blindly believe anything the computer tells them. Find yourself a good specialist - I can recommend an EXCELLENT one in Bristol. Someone on another group had exactly the problem you describe and it was a fauly height sensor - I think it cost him less than 100 pounds in the end, after a LR dealer diagnosed a new air block!

Matt

Problem solved. I managed to find an independent specialist out in the wilds of West Wales in a place called Blaenwaun - only two houses, a garage and a pub! He diagnosed the problem, which was a ride height sensor, within ten minutes and had it fixed in an hour. He seemed quite knowledgable (much different to the main dealer) and gave an excellent service. If you are in West Wales give him a try, click here for his website.


Mike

I trust your next stop will be your solicitor ?

Been away for a while, computer broken. Seems Stratstone Swansea have a lot to answer for as was the same with mine only they Quoted £1100 to change air bags , compressor and e. I wouldn't take a wheelbarrow to them to fix. I had mine done in VALE 4X4 Cowbridge South Glamorgan back on the road in 2 hours. Will be changing to coil springs in the near future.