D4 2013 - Auto Access Height

[Sachmo]

Hi all, newbie to Land Rovers. I picked up a nice SDV6 D4 HSE 2013 recently, so far loving it!

One thing I've noticed is that it maintains its 'normal' height while the engine has stopped. I had previously test driven a 2011 D4 and it lowered when stopped, and raised back to normal when the engine started, automatically.

I can't see any setting to turn this on for the 2013 D4.

So my questions are:
- is there a way to enable this feature on the 2013 D4?
- in terms of wear and tear is it better to leave the ride at normal height even when the car is turned off, or is it better for the vehicle when off that it lowers to access height? (or perhaps it doesn't matter either way?)

Thanks in advance for your help!

[DiscoJeffster]

Unfortunately there is no such feature. I’m not sure if you had a sleight of hand car salesman? If you select access height when you stop, the vehicle will raise to normal height again on its own once you reach 40kph odd, but you have to manually select access height yourself in the first place.

[letherm]

Hi all, newbie to Land Rovers. I picked up a nice SDV6 D4 HSE 2013 recently, so far loving it!

One thing I've noticed is that it maintains its 'normal' height while the engine has stopped. I had previously test driven a 2011 D4 and it lowered when stopped, and raised back to normal when the engine started, automatically.

I can't see any setting to turn this on for the 2013 D4.

So my questions are:
- is there a way to enable this feature on the 2013 D4?
- in terms of wear and tear is it better to leave the ride at normal height even when the car is turned off, or is it better for the vehicle when off that it lowers to access height? (or perhaps it doesn't matter either way?)

Thanks in advance for your help!
I have a 2013 HSE and can confirm what DiscoJeffster said and agree that the salesman probably selected access height and you didn't notice. You can still do that very easily so the "feature" is there but you need to press a button. Regarding using access height, I frequently lower the car to its bump stops which is way past access height using a GAPIID tool to allow easier access for my wife. No indication or problems so far.

Martin

[IndusD4]

Unfortunately there is no such feature.

Agreed on the D4 it is not available but there is such a feature on the D5 :D

[BradC]

I have it in the D3. It's called my wife. Less than 14 milliseconds after I come to a stop she's whacked the "short arse entry/exit" button.

[Eric SDV6SE]

I have the opposite feature, it's called "non-auto levelling" in that even before I get a chance to get the thing in access mode, wife and kids open their doors and get out, leaving the car sitting like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

Invariably they don't close the doors properly, meaning I have to get out, close everything and let the car lower, get back in and park.

All this accompanied by the exciting feature of "eyerolling" that I've got as an added "bonus".

One cool little feature is that you can raise or lower the car from the outside. You have to have the hazard lights on, then on the 4 button key fob, press and hold the headlight button, then press and hold the unlock button at the same time, the car raises to normal height (if at access height), pressing and holding the same again takes it to off-road height. Pressing and holding the unlock and tailgate buttons together will lower the car to normal height, then to access height.

[harryharrison]

Juat poke a small hole in the airbags. Not big enough to completely overwhelm the compressor. That's how it used to work on my old Disco 2!

[Sachmo]

Thanks all! I'll take it there is no such feature in the D4 so no need for me to wonder about the best setting! Must be going a bit crazy re the test drive of the 2011 model - I was driving and old mate was in the back seat so he couldn't have been doing anything sneaky. It's all in my mind! lol

Thanks again!

[LRD414]

Maybe you observed self-levelling on stopping. It’s quite common to lower slightly once you stop and get out but only on a corner that it considers will level the vehicle and only if it’s out of the range. The amount of movement is a lot less than down to access height.

Scott

[HeathC]

My 2014 SDV6 HSE definitely lowers itself after I lock the doors and raises itself to normal height once the engine starts. Freaked me out first time it happened as my driveway is sloped and I thought it was rolling down the hill.

[Matty_P]

My 2014 SDV6 HSE definitely lowers itself after I lock the doors and raises itself to normal height once the engine starts. Freaked me out first time it happened as my driveway is sloped and I thought it was rolling down the hill.

My 2008 does the same....park it and then it lowers slightly a few seconds after its locked

[Eric SDV6SE]

My 2014 SDV6 HSE definitely lowers itself after I lock the doors and raises itself to normal height once the engine starts. Freaked me out first time it happened as my driveway is sloped and I thought it was rolling down the hill.
I have had the car level itself after locking, sometimes it drops another 10-15mm on one corner. It will only raise itself if still in access height mode and you exceed 20kmh when you restart and drive away and don’t press the button. Nowadays I always lower it to access height when I park, just habit, and raise it again before I drive off.

If the the car is not fully lowered when the doors are opened (refer my post above), it will lower and level to “complete” the sequence once the doors are closed, the suspension height button flashes and the message “close doors to change height” is displayed.

Seems like it may be an auto feature on the later model HSE’s. When you’ve got a trailer hooked up, this auto levelling feature is disabled.

[DiscoJeffster]

Auto levelling is normal however auto access is not. It just doesn’t exist and the two should not be confused. There is no auto feature on the HSE. If you press access height before departing you’ll get it. If you exit the vehicle on an odd slope in some cases it will level itself. The two should not be confused. If people feel their vehicle raises after parking yet they didn’t select access height then either they parked on a slope OR they have a leak - Eg the car lowered through a leak while parked and the car raised when it was started. That’s bad.

[RANDLOVER]

I've always thought that the EAS should've been programmed to lower automatically once parked, to Access height when the button is pressed to Lock at Access height, and that the vehicle should never raise in lock mode, but rather sound the chimes and show the warning in the display, only raising when the button is pressed. Always seemed strange that locked is not actually locked but rather can be automatically over ridden by the car.

[theelms66]

When one's vehicle is parked and one gets out then one has reduced the weight in one's vehicle so ones vehicle will raise slightly. When one closes the door one's vehicle will lower back to ones height of when one parked . Mmm too many ones .
Thus giving impression vehicle is self lowering . My 2 bobs worth.

[goofyr]

My 2005 D3 HSE lowers itself slightly when parked at home on a slope. It’s auto levelling at work I think.

[HeathC]

Auto levelling is normal however auto access is not. It just doesn’t exist and the two should not be confused. There is no auto feature on the HSE. If you press access height before departing you’ll get it. If you exit the vehicle on an odd slope in some cases it will level itself. The two should not be confused. If people feel their vehicle raises after parking yet they didn’t select access height then either they parked on a slope OR they have a leak - Eg the car lowered through a leak while parked and the car raised when it was started. That’s bad.

After rigourous scientific testing this morning, ie, locking on my sloped driveway and then again in the level car park at work, I can confirm it appears to be a self leveling function on my car. Now the question is can I turn it off?

[DiscoJeffster]

Now the question is can I turn it off?

I don’t believe so.

[IndusD4]

I guess you could leave a door open, then it wouldn't adjust.

[DiscoJeffster]

I guess you could leave a door open, then it wouldn't adjust.

And instead come back to a flat battery when none of the ECUs shut down?

[HeathC]

Maybe I just don't lock it. Come to think of it most weekends I don't[emoji3]

[IndusD4]

And instead come back to a flat battery when none of the ECUs shut down?

Either way, mission accomplished. Suspension won't adjust :)



Now the question is can I turn it off?

The question is why would you want to?

[scarry]

The question is why would you want to?

To reduce wear and tear on EAS,particularly the air compresser.

[DI5CO]

Don’t forget if you wish to lower it when approaching where you are going to, press the down button within 30 seconds before you want to stop and it will lower automatically when you stop or go under a few kph, saving valuable milliseconds when people open the doors!! The down arrow will flash until you stop or go under a few kph indicating its waiting to lower. (Hope that makes sense!)
Dave.