air suspension fault!!!!

hi all,

am i right in saying that a P38 has a switch somewhere under the seat that locks the suspension????

me mates p38 is stuck on low wont rise. its on the loading height and when you press the button to make it rise the light dont flash like it usually does. just 2 lights and nothing happening to the car. i have just come accross a forum somwhere and it mentioned something about a switch under the drivers seat, is this true?????

mikey!!!! said:

hi all,

am i right in saying that a P38 has a switch somewhere under the seat that locks the suspension????

me mates p38 is stuck on low wont rise. its on the loading height and when you press the button to make it rise the light dont flash like it usually does. just 2 lights and nothing happening to the car. i have just come accross a forum somwhere and it mentioned something about a switch under the drivers seat, is this true?????

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Errr NO!!... the switch that "Locks" the suspension is next to the Ride height switch ..Looks like this ...................

thought so, thats what i use when towing.......so y would the 2 lights stay on and not flash?????

yep claw is right .there is no switch under seat

i think the switch you are reading about,is the eas timer relay switch which is under the passenger seat.

The 2 lights are on because the EAS ECU has commanded the suspension to rise from the dead but nowt is happening. Could be the pump, or if it's on the bump stops you may have a serious leak. With the engine running check to see if the pump in the EAS box is running, if it runs then it could be the seals gone or afformentioned leak, if it doesn't run look at the fuses, connectors etc.

if they don't flash doesn't that mean a door is open or foot on brakes or such like?

andytlman said:

if they don't flash doesn't that mean a door is open or foot on brakes or such like?

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Correct if a door is open it won't rise ..................... so just thinkin latterally here .....You aint got any "LH-F, RH-F RH-R or LH-R" showing on the dash readout have you ???

no fault readings on dash at all, not even about the eas. only fault he gets is an alarm fault which he has had for years.

should i be able to hear the pump. like on my p38 i can here air wizzing when i look under. i take it that would be the pump????

mikey!!!! said:

no fault readings on dash at all, not even about the eas. only fault he gets is an alarm fault which he has had for years.

should i be able to hear the pump. like on my p38 i can here air wizzing when i look under. i take it that would be the pump????

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If you can hear air wizzing, look at the air exhaust, take the silencer off and put your finger over the outlet, if there is pressure there then it could be a stuck exhaust valve, or the driver module.

The pump cannot be heard inside the car on mine, but I can hear it from outside the car.

On mine the 2 lights used to come on with out the flash if it failed to start to rise, I suspect that the target height light starts to flash as soon as movement is detected, if no movement, no flash. True there is also no flash if the suspension is frozen by having a door open.

A little test for the pump, start the car and leave it running for 10 minutes with a door open, that should fill the air reservoir if the pump is OK, then get in the car and shut the door, it should rise using the stored air, then stick you hand on the pump, it should be hot if it has been running.
Pump hot and no suspension lift means a leak or a shagged pump or both or a valve block problem. Cold pump means a pump failure or an electrical problem.

thanks for that last post, brilliant suggestion.

i think the car is on the stops mate says that when he drives its very clonky and very hard. i aint been in the car since it failed but he basicly feels like he dont have any suspension any more.

he wanted me to change the bags but i told he i very much doubt its the bags. i do think its the pump.

mikey!!!! said:

thanks for that last post, brilliant suggestion.

i think the car is on the stops mate says that when he drives its very clonky and very hard. i aint been in the car since it failed but he basicly feels like he dont have any suspension any more.

he wanted me to change the bags but i told he i very much doubt its the bags. i do think its the pump.

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If the bags are original, it's very likely the bags are shot, leaking bags knacker the pump.

It's obviously on the bumpstops from what you say It should have the "Max 35MPH" message on the display centre if he drives it

You're thinking of a Classic RR, those that had air suspension had a switch under the passenger seat that inhibited movements.

lanmjdun said:

You're thinking of a Classic RR, those that had air suspension had a switch under the passenger seat that inhibited movements.

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oh right, ok.

Takes a couple of mins to take of the air pump, 3 nuts and an airline union and disconect multi plug. connect the 2 larger wires to a 12v battery one to + one to - the pump should run, if it does there should be air comming out of the pump, if you can put your finger over the outlet and stop the air then the pump seal has gone! £19 and easy to do.If the pump doesn't run then the motor has mostlikely burnt out, seen them advertised in landrover mags reconed for about £125. It has all the symptoms mine had, i was on the bumpstops with no messages etc etc , i made up some airline valves so i could at least ride in comfort while my seal was in the post. emergency valves available on e bay- i think about£19.99 but any industrial hydraulic / pneumatic enginieer should be able to make them up for you- 6mm push on fitting with a tyre type schrader valve on the other end so you can blow them up with an airline/compressor.This would also let you know how good your airbags are by how long they stay up. mine stayed up for about 1 1/2 - 2 days.
hope this helps Phil...