Multiple Suspnsion Warning Lights

[AnD3rew]

Just came back from a trip from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast and back. Over the course of the trip I had lots of times when the suspension warning light came on, getting more frequent over time.

Each time it went away when I turned the car off and back on again, although sometimes it took two goes to make it go away. Mostly it was just in first start up and just the the amber light, but a couple of times when it came on while driving and I had to keep going for a while before I could pull over to reset it it flicked to red a couple of times.

However it never seemed to compromise the suspension function. The car is raising and lowering ok, I had it on the beach at the Noosa North shore and was using Llams and it was all ok.

My mechanic told me last time I had it serviced that there were a couple of suspension faults I hadn't noticed in the log and he said the compressor was probably getting weak, and I have noticed it being a little noisier than usual lately.

I am wondering though, considering that the actual performance seems ok and since it seems that it resets pretty easily, if this might be a sensor problem instead of or maybe as well as a compressor on the way out. Any thoughts?

[Graeme]

Typically a weak compressor is indicated when the amber light occurs a little while after driving off. Once the vehicle is up to height the reservoir is replenished but if the reservoir pressure doesn't increase quickly enough, a fault is registered. However if a selected height can't be maintained then the warning light will go red.

[AnD3rew]

Thanks Greame, thats why I am wondering if I have a different problem or a mixed problem.

[crawal]

Thanks i have the same problem , light does not always come on.
I have the old compressor so it looks like a new one is needed - :mad::mad: only had the car 3 months and it is 08 wil 85k on it ..
Has any one rebuilt one using kits out of the uk ??
Need LCA's as well but knew that when we got it .

[AnD3rew]

Thanks i have the same problem , light does not always come on.
I have the old compressor so it looks like a new one is needed - :mad::mad: only had the car 3 months and it is 08 wil 85k on it ..
Has any one rebuilt one using kits out of the uk ??
Need LCA's as well but knew that when we got it .

Same for me, 09 with 80,000k's and original old style compressor. I did my LCAs at about 60k.

[Epic pooh]

Possibly points to the dryer unit needing attention - rebuild kit. Would be interesting to understand the logged faults, they'll probably point you to a low pressure state (as Graeme has said).

I was faced with the compressor question shortly after the AMK compressor was released (noisy, slow, no dash faults but occasional logged fault) - as my Hitachi had already had the dryer serviced once and something else done to it (which I forget) earlier, I decided to bite the bullet and move to the AMK (my Hitachi was 6-7 years old at that time and the vehicle had done around 120,000km).

The AMK is a big improvement, smoother, quieter and quicker than I ever remember the Hitachi being (could be rose colour glasses, who knows). I've had the AMK in for about 18 months and it's going great.

[AnD3rew]

I think I will also just bite the bullet and get the new compressor. I do quite a bit of touring and don't want to be let down in the middle of nowhere.

[Graeme]

Also get the s/w update that sets a lower reservoir pressure. It stops the compressor from having to work so hard even though it may run more often.

[Epic pooh]

Yep, when mine was changed it worked fine, but a review of logs indicated exhaust valve faults (occasional) so off to the dealer for a SW update ($66, 15 minutes). IIDTool is now capable of doing this SW update with the latest firmware version.

[AnD3rew]

Also get the s/w update that sets a lower reservoir pressure. It stops the compressor from having to work so hard even though it may run more often.

My mechanic is not a dealer, he uses Autologic, will he be able to do this through that system do you think?

[Graeme]

I don't know if your mechanic can but maybe someone else knows.

Ask your mechanic.

[Epic pooh]

I'd be very, very surprised if the update couldn't be done with Autologic.

Anyway, even if it can't, most dealers would oblige and do the sw update only (my local one did, no worries).

Or ... get a compressor ex-uk at a good price and pick up a IIDTool BT ... and do it all yourself ... very easy job (and you can use the theoretical savings to pay for the IIDTool) !

[AnD3rew]

I'd be very, very surprised if the update couldn't be done with Autologic.

Anyway, even if it can't, most dealers would oblige and do the sw update only (my local one did, no worries).

Or ... get a compressor ex-uk at a good price and pick up a IIDTool BT ... and do it all yourself ... very easy job (and you can use the theoretical savings to pay for the IIDTool) !

Who have you been sourcing the compressors from in the UK? I was considering this.

[Epic pooh]

The part number is LR045251 - I got mine in Australia it was about $900 (although I see the going rate now is more like $1200).

I have gotten a lot of bits from LRdirect.com (not the cheapest but their service is great and they are really very helpful) - they have them for about GBP450 + freight. Also have dealt with Steve from advancedfactors.co.uk - very good guy. Island4x4 seem to have them at about gbp420 + freight - good guys there too (Sam I think).

[dukemasterpro]

I think I will also just bite the bullet and get the new compressor. I do quite a bit of touring and don't want to be let down in the middle of nowhere.

That's a good idea, especially when the LR dealers out of town don't know what they are doing eg one was going to fit the dryer upgrade kit yet failed to check for more recent TSB's. Would have been very costly just to got the kit then it would have failed most likely anyhow. Secondly when the diagnostic computer was down at another dealer 1700km down the road they could not calibrate the new compressor for 6 days which meant a detour from Darwin to Adelaide!
For peace of mind if you are going remote I'd swap for a new compressor if you have the old one. I paid close to $1700 though so it wasn't cheap but got me on my way. Big thumbs up to the guys at Solitaire who eventually fixed the problem,

[AnD3rew]

Well it is booked in for Monday, no choice really as it is now properly fubar'd and the lights don't go off at all now and it keeps bonging every time I go over 30mph (why does it say mph when it is a metric car?). Getting the new compressor for $1200 which is not too bad when you do the £450 conversion and add freight.

I am going to get the old compressor back and get the service kit and see if I can use it as an emergency spare.

[Epic pooh]

The case and bracket are different so unfortunately you can't use the hitachi as a spare unless you keep and carry the bracket and case. I had the same idea, but ... foiled !

[Graeme]

To stop the bongs, remove the 20A suspension fuse from the engine bay fuse box and the 5A suspension fuse from the passenger fuse box. Not of much use though if the suspension is on the stops.

[shining]

I thought I had a compressor on the way out, I ordered a drying kit as the compressor seemed to be running OK. What I actually found was a pin hole in an air line caused by abrasion. Problem solved. Good luck with yours.

[AnD3rew]

New compressor in, GOE plate successfully reinstalled underneath. She go up, she go down, no lights no chimes. All good.