scooby driver
Member Since: 02 Jan 2011
Location: London
Posts: 145
 
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I have very recently purchased an 06 D3 (last week in fact) and am very happy with the car apart from sinking air suspension at night - ride quality is so much better than previous D2 although I don't think is corners as well!
I have read a number of posts on here about the issues but none seem to clarify one thing - the car sinks all round not on one wheel, however if I remove fuse 35 it only appears to sink at the front.
I am assuming that with the fuse in place the front sinks and then the back automatically levels out but with it taken out the front sinks and the back cannot compensate.
No warning lights on dash etc
To me this appears to be a front valve block issue - am I right?
I have a 3 month warranty from the supplying (non franchise dealer) so will hopefully get it fixed under this
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 3rd Mar 2011 11:33 am |
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evo8
Member Since: 29 Jan 2008
Location: Zalesie
Posts: 289
  
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yes - with the battery disconnected (or the relevant fuse removed) - the car doesnot self-level - so whatever leak you have will be shown on the particular corner of the car. If front is sinking in this case - suspect the front valve block.
I had mine replaced under warranty as well - but after couple of months it started to leak again on the same left front side - so maybe the valve block was not a "brand" new one. Grrr 2013 D4 TDV6 S; Baltic Blue; IID Tool BT
2007 D3 TDV6 SE, Auto; club Faultmate MSV2
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| 3rd Mar 2011 11:57 am |
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wvlenthe
Member Since: 07 Jan 2009
Location: Arnhem
Posts: 1967
 
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| Re: Air suspension sinking |
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scooby driver wrote:To me this appears to be a front valve block issue - am I right?
I have a 3 month warranty from the supplying (non franchise dealer) so will hopefully get it fixed under this
Hi Scooby,
Welcome to this forum and D3 ownership!!!
It may be the front valve block.
If you have searched for 'sinking suspension' on this forum you will have found many posts. I have contributed in this too as I had the same problem for 1,5 years. Dealer found two air pipe leaks as well and replaced the compressor. All to say that it isn't all what it might look like.
Regarding warranty, I would say that if you have reported this problem within the warranty period, your dealer cannot tell you in 3 months that your warranty has run out and the problem is no longer covered.
I bought a second hand 2004 car in 2009, came with 6 months warranty. I reported the problem before I even bought the car and the dealer has spent 1,5 years fixing it, so well over the warranty limit.
regards
Wiljo D3 V8 HSE Auto in Zermatt silver - driveway version gone but not forgotten, only the living room cupboard version remains
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| 3rd Mar 2011 2:02 pm |
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John C
Member Since: 28 Aug 2007
Location: East Yorkshire
Posts: 3292
 
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| Re: Air suspension sinking |
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scooby driver wrote:...I have a 3 month warranty from the supplying (non franchise dealer) so will hopefully get it fixed under this...
Actually, you have a comprehensive 6 month warranty and a fairly comprehensive 12 month warranty (assuming you didn't buy trade). The 'Dealer Warranty' is really just an indication as to how much of an argument you'll have if something goes wrong 
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/consumer-rights/ 2020 SDV6 D5 HSE, Carpathian Grey +
2022 Tesla Model Y LR... almost Carpathian Grey
Previously : 2005 TDV6 SE Auto, Cairns Blue (288K) - ours for 16 years
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| 3rd Mar 2011 2:29 pm |
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scooby driver
Member Since: 02 Jan 2011
Location: London
Posts: 145
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Raised to off road height and took out both fuse 3 and fuse 35 last night (both related to suspension)
This morning no real drop at all maybe 1cm but that could easily be air temperature!
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| 4th Mar 2011 9:52 am |
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sipops
Member Since: 09 Jan 2010
Location: Market Harborough
Posts: 47
 
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I had the same problem, overnight the car sank on all 4 corners. The remedy was to replace all of the valve blocks. We started wth just the centre one but that had no effect so then the front and rear were replaced as well. LR sell them in a pack with all 3 blocks. Providing you don't have any other leaks this should cure your problem. 2005 D3 TDV6 HSE
1994 D1 300 TDi S 2" Lift - Off Road prepared
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| 4th Mar 2011 7:34 pm |
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nobbyclark
Member Since: 03 May 2005
Location: Perth, Scotland
Posts: 1268
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Mine's been on its best behaviour for the last 10 weeks, probably because I have been threatening to replace it. But then on Sunday it kept on reporting Suspension Fault and Max Speed 30mph. Kept re-occurring after switching off and on, and same messages appeared immediately and regularly.
So it's at the indie's again today for diagnostics and I'm off to the Volvo garage on Saturday for an XC90 test drive. No longer a D3 owner but still subscribed to multiple threads!
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| 8th Mar 2011 2:46 pm |
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Goffie01
Member Since: 24 Jul 2008
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 309
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So it's at the indie's again today for diagnostics and I'm off to the Volvo garage on Saturday for an XC90 test drive.[/quote]
Did that a few years ago . Couldnt stop laughing at the sales mans efforts to sell me the best 4x4 By Far . 
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| 8th Mar 2011 3:23 pm |
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katana
Member Since: 28 Apr 2010
Location: Luxembourg
Posts: 36
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What (time) is acceptable that the car "sinks"? Or, in normal or off road mode, how long stays the car on this selected level?
My car drops from off road height to access height in 2-3 days of parking. Is this normal? Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE java black (in Europe)
Discovery 2 TD5 HSE java black (in Africa)
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| 8th Mar 2011 11:21 pm |
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wvlenthe
Member Since: 07 Jan 2009
Location: Arnhem
Posts: 1967
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hi Katana,
This is not normal. The car should stay in the normal or off-road position. After mine has been fixed, I cannot see a difference in height after a week.
If yours is in access height after 2-3 days I wouldn't worry too much though. There is probably a small leak of some kind. It probably comes up to normal height in a few seconds after starting and the compressor can easily keep up with the leak.
Just as a comparison: mine was really leaking, it would go down to the bump stops in about an hour after parking.
regards,
Wiljo D3 V8 HSE Auto in Zermatt silver - driveway version gone but not forgotten, only the living room cupboard version remains
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| 9th Mar 2011 10:27 am |
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chocolademan
Member Since: 02 Nov 2010
Location: Snowy Oslo (formerly West Yorks)
Posts: 1249
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katana wrote:My car drops from off road height to access height in 2-3 days of parking. Is this normal?
Mine does the same. Has done it for the last 6 months. Not worried at the minute, just gonna see how it goes..... 
There enough info here on the forum to hopefully solve it if it becomes a bigger problem.... Faultmate MSV2 MultiVehicle
D3: Tailgate Actuator DIY: http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/use...IY%7E0.pdf
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| 9th Mar 2011 10:39 am |
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George1879
Member Since: 10 Feb 2011
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 59
 
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Sorry to jump in on this thread.....
In the past day or two, I've noticed that when I start the car up in the morning, the body lifts a little.... There are no warnings or alerts or anything.... Does this mean that I have a leak as its dropping overnight? Or is it normal behaviour in terms of getting the car level...? The ride height selector switch always says it is at normal height.....?
Getting a little nervous......!!!!
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| 9th Mar 2011 10:57 am |
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chocolademan
Member Since: 02 Nov 2010
Location: Snowy Oslo (formerly West Yorks)
Posts: 1249
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George1879 wrote:Sorry to jump in on this thread.....
Does this mean that I have a leak as its dropping overnight? Or is it normal behaviour in terms of getting the car level...? Getting a little nervous......!!!!
No need to apologise 
Its seems very common that there can be a small leak in the system, normally the valve, so I wouldn't worry too much. There shouldn't be any leaks and the car shouldn't drop, but obviously with age things do start to leak and droop.
Just keep an eye on it. Like I mentioned, mine has done it for the last 6 months and it always goes back up again when I start the car and there are no fault messages.
Faultmate MSV2 MultiVehicle
D3: Tailgate Actuator DIY: http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/use...IY%7E0.pdf
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| 9th Mar 2011 11:46 am |
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wvlenthe
Member Since: 07 Jan 2009
Location: Arnhem
Posts: 1967
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Same here, it has taken my dealer 1,5 year to eventually solve the problem and all that time my car has been sinking to the bump stops, sometimes within the hour. So don't worry, just monitor.
regards,
Wiljo D3 V8 HSE Auto in Zermatt silver - driveway version gone but not forgotten, only the living room cupboard version remains
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| 9th Mar 2011 12:37 pm |
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George1879
Member Since: 10 Feb 2011
Location: Cape Town
Posts: 59
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Thanks guys - glad it's not too serious! I suppose it's one of those inevitable facts of life that things begin to droop with age....! 
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| 9th Mar 2011 12:40 pm |
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