Disco 4 (LR4) Intermittent Suspension Fault

Hi all, just recently started having an issue with my Disco 4, a fairly sporadic suspension fault.

It's a 2011 Discovery 4 SDV6 XS.

I have absolutely no idea what is causing it but I know generally when it happens and when it does the air suspension system completely packs in until you restart the car after which it's completely fine. When it happens the car makes that annoying ding noise and then on the onboard screen it says "Suspension Fault" and you can't change height, again until you restart the car.

This only rarely happens and it usually happens when lowering the car into 'access height' or when putting the car into neutral(This honestly makes NO sense). SOMETIMES it'll do it while just driving but very rarely. I mean, I can tell it's working fine usually, car adjusts fine, drives fine, but this silly fault keeps appearing. No idea why. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks.

You need to have the fault codes read to diagnose properly

johnlad said:

You need to have the fault codes read to diagnose properly

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Right yes that is the best course of action you're right. I hadn't gotten around to that yet.

Pryden99 said:

Right yes that is the best course of action you're right. I hadn't gotten around to that yet.

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What was the outcome with your issue?

I have a 2014 disco commercial with the same fault. Bloody annoying. Had the compressor replaced (warranty job). Same fault showed a day later. Measured distance to ground on front wheel arches and lose about 1.5cm height on left hand side when I shut engine down for an hour. How did you resolve your issue?

Been told by my garage to potentially replace the front left suspension but this is expensive, Euro car parts want 500 for one, seems excessive. Any advice?

Mikmac said:

I have a 2014 disco commercial with the same fault. Bloody annoying. Had the compressor replaced (warranty job). Same fault showed a day later. Measured distance to ground on front wheel arches and lose about 1.5cm height on left hand side when I shut engine down for an hour. How did you resolve your issue?

Been told by my garage to potentially replace the front left suspension but this is expensive, Euro car parts want 500 for one, seems excessive. Any advice?

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Shop around you can buy all four struts for less than £500. Google is your friend.

Have seen them online for a good price. Can anyone recommend one brand? Also if I fit do I need to do any re programming?

Mikmac said:

Have seen them online for a good price. Can anyone recommend one brand? Also if I fit do I need to do any re programming?

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Hi

Personally I fitted new front struts on my D3 , made by Dunlop, u don’t need to do any recalibration , unless u mess around with height sensors

However before jacking the vehicle up , u must put the suspension into off road height , then disconnect the battery , u can just pull a fuse but done that with the battery as an extra precaution

Before u replace anything , u want to prove what’s leaking , put vehicle into off road height then pull fuse F26 , I think it’s the same on the D4 but easy to check in the engine fuse box cover

Then measure from the centre of ur wheels to the bottom of ur arches, leave over night and see what’s dropped, then remeasure wheels , at least then u can prove 100% what’s leaking

See what the others members also say about different makes etc

Hope that helps

Ps, as a side note these were mine leaking

That’s really helped thanks. I didn’t think to raise the suspension overnight. Will do that tonight.

Mikmac said:

That’s really helped thanks. I didn’t think to raise the suspension overnight. Will do that tonight.

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Ur very welcome

Would just hate for u to replace the struts and there not the fault

Indeed easy to do with that test , off road height then pull fuse , in normal conditions the vehicle wakes up every 6 x hours and does a self level check, so by pulling the fuse ur disabling that and see a lot clearer what’s dropped

Plse let us all how u get on, ur find plenty here to always help

Plus meant to say , it’s always worth buying a diagnostic reader, saves u a fortune and one of its features is being able to calibrate the suspension

Made by gap and called an iid , alas are around £420 and work via Bluetooth on ur iPhone / iPad

https://www.gap-diagnostic.com/products/iidtool/

Mine has paid for itself very quickly

have raised the suspension and its dropped within 30 mins by about 6cm on the left front and moved a tiny bit on the right front. Guess that's probably it.

Im not mechanically minded, my brother is but he lives up north. I guess this would pretty much identify its leaking.

OEM from Island 4x4

Mikmac said:

have raised the suspension and its dropped within 30 mins by about 6cm on the left front and moved a tiny bit on the right front. Guess that's probably it.

Im not mechanically minded, my brother is but he lives up north. I guess this would pretty much identify its leaking.

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Hi

Great you’ve estalished where it’s dropping

However the pipe could be leaking from the strut to the front valve block , easiest way is to get a spray bottle with some fairy liquid and water in it

Put the vehicle into off road height again, turn the engine off, turn ur wheel before hand to u can gain access, please never ever get under a D3 without axle stands, they can and do drop

So after you’ve raised ur suspension, see if u can hear any air leaks, spray on top of the strut and around the middle of the strut, see if u can see any bubbles

Ur need a torch to see the top strut air fitting

I had to rebuild my suspension and found it leaking from front passenger strut, valve block , inlet pipe from strut into front valve block , ended up isolating airlines, pressuring them etc , etc , but mine was in a right mess

Just don’t want u to buy a strut and then find out it’s ok

Plse let us know how u get on with the spray bottle

Ps, Plus as mine were leaking I replaced my struts as a pair

johnlad said:

OEM from Island 4x4

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Hi John , Hope ur well

Am wondering if the D3 and D4 are the same struts , I can’t believe how expensive the voss connectors are, think there around £12 each, brought some brass pushfit ones, a lot easier

gstuart said:

Hi John , Hope ur well

Am wondering if the D3 and D4 are the same struts , I can’t believe how expensive the voss connectors are, think there around £12 each, brought some brass pushfit ones, a lot easier

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Hi
I think d3 and D4 use the same strut. I got my connectors from a caravan supply shop, they weren’t that expensive from there.

johnlad said:

Hi
I think d3 and D4 use the same strut. I got my connectors from a caravan supply shop, they weren’t that expensive from there.

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Cheers , that’s what i also thought ,good idea ref the caravan shop , always the way when shopping around of how much cheaper u can buy items

Will wait for weather to improve then test it . Thanks for the advice so far. A muggle like me appreciates it

Hi

I tried the same technique and got only 5-10 mm drop on the front overnight. It was quite cold so guess it takes this into account. The back didn’t move.
I put the fuse back in and the car dropped straight away to normal height. Since then I have not had an error message. But it is very very very slow to raise height at the front. The back comes up straight away and then very slow for the front.
Any ideas??
Thanks.

Aero-Eng said:

Hi

I tried the same technique and got only 5-10 mm drop on the front overnight. It was quite cold so guess it takes this into account. The back didn’t move.
I put the fuse back in and the car dropped straight away to normal height. Since then I have not had an error message. But it is very very very slow to raise height at the front. The back comes up straight away and then very slow for the front.
Any ideas??
Thanks.

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hi

if the front is slow to raise it could be
1) weak compressor
2 ) pipe from reservoir valve is blocked with white desiccant from the dryer
3) desiccant material could have got into the front valve block

best to plug it into diagnostics first to establish what pressure ur compressor is running at and if there are any fault codes