D3 TDV Brakes and Suspension Questions

[Dagilmo]

Hi,

Just getting to know the new car. Have now changed the split intercooler hose (nice and simple) but have a couple of questions.

1. Brakes: Occasionally (has happened 4 times in 6 days) as I slow to almost stopped the pedel goes hard and the car stops slowing. If I press the pedal hard they will pull it up. I'm thinking issue with booster?

2. Rear of car wobbled. Suspension fault came on. I couldn't pull up straight away (was on the narrows bridge in Perth) so continued with wobble getting worse and bumps and vibration. Finally pulled it up and found divers rear tyre flat and shredded (no doubt the extended drive on it killed it) was relieved it was only a flat (even if it means a new tyre). However when it came to jacking it up to change the tyre I found the rear suspension was completely 'deflated' and the rear literally sitting on the ground. So back to being concerned.......Not sure what to do, I decide (without much confidence) to try to raise the height. Low and behold the car raises, I can get the jack under and change the tyre. Test the up and down stuff, no problem and drive off. Can any one shed any light?

Thanks in anticipation.

[90 Rangie]

Q1. Does sound like booster.
First thing to do is make sure your car has had the brake recall done on it. Even if it has check if any oil is in connection of vacuum hose near brake booster (this unclips from itself and is under the aux battery plastic cover)


Q2. Do not understand why the back would be low but not the front as well (I assume front was normal height) but unless it does it again would not be too worried may have tricked itself. If whole car was low this is pretty normal when they get a fault.

[the_preacher1973]

Hi,

However when it came to jacking it up to change the tyre I found the rear suspension was completely 'deflated' and the rear literally sitting on the ground. So back to being concerned.......Not sure what to do, I decide (without much confidence) to try to raise the height. Low and behold the car raises, I can get the jack under and change the tyre. Test the up and down stuff, no problem and drive off. Can any one shed any light?

Thanks in anticipation.

The car would have been trying to level itself to account for the deflated tyre.

[101RRS]

Cannot answer about the brakes - has your car had the brake booster recall done - check on ToPix or ask a dealer to check.

The wobble you felt would have been the DSC kicking in as it detected the tyre deflating. The car would not normally show a suspension fault but may have read it as such and gone down. Switching off and turning back on after a short period would most likely clear the fault. Likewise changing the wheel will clear the fault but the fault code will still be logged in the system so get it cleared when a code reader is next plugged into the car.

DSC will normally give you advance warning of a deflating tyre so stop and check when there is an unexplained activation of the DSC - might save a wrecked tyre.

Garry

[Dagilmo]

Thanks for the info.

Was told the booster upgrade was done. Old mate, the previous owner showed me the additional vacuum lines that he said was part of the recall work. I'll check for oil.

Interesting about the DSC and seems to fit with my experience. It was a shame about the tyre, but stopping on the narrows to be hit by some joker while changing it wasn't appealing nor worth the replacement cost:)

Pretty sure it was only the rear suspension. But I didn't actually check so I might be wrong.

Not sure about car levelling due to flat tyre. With the flat wouldn't the suspension raise to compensate for the lower tyre? I might be wrong...........?

[rb30gtr]

Q1. Does sound like booster.
First thing to do is make sure your car has had the brake recall done on it. Even if it has check if any oil is in connection of vacuum hose near brake booster (this unclips from itself and is under the aux battery plastic cover)


Q2. Do not understand why the back would be low but not the front as well (I assume front was normal height) but unless it does it again would not be too worried may have tricked itself. If whole car was low this is pretty normal when they get a fault.

When I bought my TDV6 the Booster recall had been done in 2010. They used the new parts which ended up doing what the original parts did so the recall was redone in November 2013. Get it to a dealer ASAP!

Check yourself, open the bonnet, and disconnect the tube that runs from the brake booster to engine, there will be a little clip, if there is oil in there then the recall needs to be redone.
And be very careful it is VERY VERY dangerous to drive with oil in the brake booster, one minute you will have assisted brakes, the next none.

[Graeme]

Not sure about car levelling due to flat tyre. With the flat wouldn't the suspension raise to compensate for the lower tyre? I might be wrong...........?Just the opposite. As the tyre goes flat the suspension drops at that corner which increases the distance between the suspension and the body, just like when the vehicle is raised. To make the body lower the air volume in that airspring is reduced expecting the body to get closer to the suspension, but it doesn't so more air is let out.

[Dagilmo]

Thanks everyone for info.

I checked the joiner in the vacuum line and if I wipe my finger over the male end I get a very small amount of what apears to be oil. Is this what I'm looking for?

[Dagilmo]

Hi All,

Just wanted to post update in case others experience the same thing with the brake booster recall.

After finding oil in the vacuum line I took the car to the local dealer (Southerns). The recall had been completed but the original problem persisted. The dealer put a warranty claim to LR which was originally only approved for parts. They went back to LR (without any push from me) and got them to agree to pay labour also. This was great however would only replace booster not master cylinder also. Southerns offered to do the master cylinder for cost of part only as it has to come off anyway. Decided to do it. All now completed and brakes sensational. Such a difference it's amazing.

Thanks all for advice and help.

David.

[rb30gtr]

Hi All,

Just wanted to post update in case others experience the same thing with the brake booster recall.

After finding oil in the vacuum line I took the car to the local dealer (Southerns). The recall had been completed but the original problem persisted. The dealer put a warranty claim to LR which was originally only approved for parts. They went back to LR (without any push from me) and got them to agree to pay labour also. This was great however would only replace booster not master cylinder also. Southerns offered to do the master cylinder for cost of part only as it has to come off anyway. Decided to do it. All now completed and brakes sensational. Such a difference it's amazing.

Thanks all for advice and help.

David.


Great to hear! You will notice a massive difference with braking performance now!
Although I am surprised they didn't do the master cylinder under recall.

Cheers,
Ben

[BDB]

The worst thing I have done in my D3 in 2013 was turn my inawise tyre pressure monitoring system off for 10 Min to charge the iPhone on the Gibb river road, to go to the store to do an email! Lots of hours and a few minutes and a puncture and a $400 tyre stuffed. Save one tyre from destruction i.e. be repairable and you have paid for the system.
http://www.inawise.com.au/liveimages/913-9001.pdf
I did have some problems with valve generated slow leaks so it was still monitored but not perfect.

Brain