Y Ref TD5 suspension problems

Hi, I am new on here, and am hoping someone can advise me if I am being strung along by my garage.

My Y reg Disco had a 'sinking' of the OSR suspension in Feb '06 - diagnosed as a leaking air sac and fixed. In June '06 the exact same symptoms were diagnosed as a faulty sensor and duly fixed. Now here we are just over a year later and lo and behold the blinking thing is doing it again - OSR again, this time diagnosed as a compressor problem..... I have gently pointed out that even if 3 different things are to blame perhaps there is an underlying problem being missed, but to no avail. Help - I am a female owner who has a 'concern' that I am being strung along here - yours thoughts would be appreciated.....

ta.

The rear sinking on one side only should only be due to either a leaking airbag (shouldnt be that as it is new)or a faulty sensor(shouldnt be that cos its new). It could be that there is a small leak in one of the pipes or the joints on the pipes. If it were the compressor i would have thought both sides would be dropping. It is possible that a valve for that side is not sealing correctly and that may be a part of the compressor system. Dont get done though, they are readily available for 235quid plus vat and only take about 30 mins to an hour to fit.

Charlotte,

I had problems with my air suspension... it may be easy to cloud what's going on without understanding the components.

essentially you have 2 balloons, each connected to a pipe, at the other end of the pipes is a valve block which directs air to either pipe or both. The valve block has a single air supply from a compressor. The height sensors basicaly control the operation of the valve block and kick the compressor in..

you must have all the doors closed to test the suspension (to satisfy the electronic brain)... so open the drivers window and step out of the car closing it behind you.

If when you turn on the engine the suspension rises you can safely say it's not the compressor. (Located under the body on the passenger side. UK)

if both ballon bags inflate at the same rate. IE the car sit's level, then you can pretty much rule out the valve block as being faulty, along with the sensors.

If however you turn the engine off and one side sinks more than the other you probably have an air leak on that side. either the balloon bag itself, the junction to the pipe, the pipe itself, the connection to the valve block or the valve block itself sticking open on that side. The rate at which it goes down will indicate the size of the leak 1min, 10mins, overnight??


The first test is to spray the balloon bag with plenty of soapy water... if you see the bubbles you've found the air leak.

It is also normal to hear a hissing sound accompanied by a drop in the suspension of about 20mm when you switch off and get out of the car.

This subject has been covered a few times recently, use the search for more info...

Charlottet said:

Hi, I am new on here, and am hoping someone can advise me if I am being strung along by my garage.

My Y reg Disco had a 'sinking' of the OSR suspension in Feb '06 - diagnosed as a leaking air sac and fixed. In June '06 the exact same symptoms were diagnosed as a faulty sensor and duly fixed. Now here we are just over a year later and lo and behold the blinking thing is doing it again - OSR again, this time diagnosed as a compressor problem..... I have gently pointed out that even if 3 different things are to blame perhaps there is an underlying problem being missed, but to no avail. Help - I am a female owner who has a 'concern' that I am being strung along here - yours thoughts would be appreciated.....

ta.

Click to expand...

hi charlottet would get springs fitted would be cheaper all round and a women going into a garage they will try to pull the wool over your eyes

I've seen this before, the air pipe on the offside chaffs on the chassis and wears through, its difficult to see and you'll only see it when the pipe is removed.

It chaffs near the air spring top mount where the pipe disappears over the top of the chassis just in front of the fuel tank.

As it's not the air sping (cos you've had it replaced) then I'm 99% sure that this is what it is causing it.