Normal Height Only 2008 LR3

[Flemington08disco]

Hi All,

I have a 2008 LR3 with 190,000 on the clock. I purchased the car with 150,000 4 years ago and have had barely any issues mechanical or electrical in that time.
Recently I have had the orange rocking light popping up with the warning Normal Height only. This usually happens 2-3mins after the car being off then driving. The compressor seems fine and I can put on special programs and adjust all heights BEFOFE the warning.
After reading dozens of threads here, I decided I would check the height sensor connections and fuses etc all seem good. The strange thing is if I put her in off road mode the warning will not come on ,the car will lower after going over the 40km limit then I have 10-15min before the warning Normal Height Only comes back. The car will hold in off road mode parked overnight also with no lag.
I know I should buy a diagnostics reader but Im too cheap to drop $700!
It feels like a bad sensor might be at play.Can I unplug one at a time and run to see if thats the issue?
Any thought appreciated.

Cheers

Tim

[loanrangie]

So doesn't sound like an air leak or compressor issue, sensor does sound logical.

[Graeme]

Typical behaviour when the compressor can't build enough pressure to properly fill the reservoir yet has enough pressure to raise to off-road height. The fault code will in all likelihood be indicating the the reservoir pressure is increasing too slowly.

The filter in the dryer attached to the compressor may be mostly blocked or the compressor may be weak, possibly due to a worn-out exhaust valve or a worn-out piston ring.

[Flemington08disco]

Thanks Graeme,
I appreciate your feedback. You were 100% correct. I took the car out to The Landy Place in Mordialloc and Danny put it on the machine. Compressor not providing enough pressure. I'm considering pulling it out and trying to give it service . I've read on the forums its possible! Yikes wish me luck!

[loanrangie]

Thanks Graeme,
I appreciate your feedback. You were 100% correct. I took the car out to The Landy Place in Mordialloc and Danny put it on the machine. Compressor not providing enough pressure. I'm considering pulling it out and trying to give it service . I've read on the forums its possible! Yikes wish me luck!Get a service kit from X8R or air seals Australia.

[PerthDisco]

Get a service kit from X8R or air seals Australia.

Almost a good hobby business for someone doing an exchange rebuild for your old one.

[PerthDisco]

My MY08 joined this club today. The alarm and error basically comes on as soon as car is started (within 15 secs) and car is stuck in Normal Height.

Compressor is the original but has has desiccant change kit and new cap a few years back. It’s 13 years old and never been any trouble so I’m not expecting miracles.

I’m going to read the codes tomorrow but in meantime I noticed I cannot hear the compressor running at all. I lay down next to compressor while wife started car and no noise whatsoever so the likely CA120 code slow to fill reservoir theory is looking dodgy.

I took the compressor cover off and checked plugs and plumbing and all good.

Any other suggestions if this is pointing to another problem shutting power off to the compressor?

Will advise codes when I have them but without a compressor running will it drop from normal height before long?

[Graeme]

Perhaps the compressor relay is faulty.

Check the plug connection in the vicinity of the compressor in case the contacts are corroded.

[PerthDisco]

Perhaps the compressor relay is faulty.

Check the plug connection in the vicinity of the compressor in case the contacts are corroded.

Plugs are in great condition

Definitely will look into the compressor relay theory as imagine all D3 and D4 relays are same to swap with a known working one?

[Graeme]

IIRC its a 40A relay but a 30A would do to prove the point.

There is a 5A relay feed-back fuse on the sense wire back to the suspension ecu which IIRC is the other suspension fuse in the engine bay fuse panel. You might want to check that its not blown.

[PerthDisco]

IIRC its a 40A relay but a 30A would do to prove the point.

There is a 5A relay feed-back fuse on the sense wire back to the suspension ecu which IIRC is the other suspension fuse in the engine bay fuse panel. You might want to check that its not blown.

Are these relays a common item or LR only configuration?

[Graeme]

They're standard relays of the appropriate current rating.

[PerthDisco]

OK - with the help of RocketRod's IID Tool some diagnostics today and the plot is thickening so any help appreciated with my first ever major fault code on the vehicle.

To recap - Late last week I remember the car gave me a bong on starting and Special Programs Off alert and then drove as per normal. Yesterday, just after starting got the red rocking car icon and then Suspension Fault - Normal Height Only in addition to Special Programs Off. This repeats every time after startup within 10-15 seconds of start up.

Noticed that there is no noise of the compressor running even lying with ear close to the compressor.

Car is driving as normal but noticing today suspension is starting to sag and lose eveness. No problems with air leaks or sagging prior.

Today we did the following;

Read stored codes and got following Suspension errors -
C1A27-14 (2E) Compressor circuit - General electrical failure - circuit short to ground or open
C1A13-64 (2C) Pressure does not decrease when venting gallery - Algorithm based failure - signal plausibility failure
C1A36-01 (6C) Exhaust valve - General failure information - general electrical failure
On clearing and restarting only the CA127-14 code reoccured.

We swapped his car’s EAS 70A relay with my relay for no change.

We checked the 5A and 20A EAS fuses in the engine bay and 5A EAS fuse in glovebox compartment and all are OK.

What is strange is that there is no power feed to the 70A relay big terminals we can detect with engine on. I was thinking to bridge these terminals to check the compressor runs. This correlates with the compressor not running at all through no power supply.

I've checked the connections at compressor are all OK but have not rigged up power to the compressor independantly to verify. My sense is that the compressor is still OK and this is not an air supply problem but an electrical power supply problem.

I've done some basic research on the code but come up a little blank. Does anyone have any further testing or inspection I can make?

160270

How is the power supply to the compressor fused after the relay?

Thanks
Richard

[Graeme]

The 60A fusible link 10 in the engine bay fuse box solely supplies the compressor relay. No other fuse exists for the compressor.

[Graeme]

I have a printed copy of the 2008 D3 suspension system wiring schematic which I could scan and upload but I should have a pdf if I can only find it.

[PerthDisco]

The 60A fusible link 10 in the engine bay fuse box solely supplies the compressor relay. No other fuse exists for the compressor.

Thanks! Just checked and looks blown to me explaining no power at relay

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200428/1bf9a99fbeae30612074b1cca4935b44.jpg

Are those fuses standard issue also or a LR design?

So does that mean the compressor is likely back as the culprit. It must be siezed to have blown the fuse?

[Graeme]

The fusible links are standard.

Most likely the link blew due to excessive current draw suggesting that the compressor may be faulty but if there was a poor contact at the link then it may have overheated.

If the relay became stuck on due to burnt contacts then the compressor might still be OK.

[Graeme]

I would unplug the electrical connector at the compressor then test for current draw through the link with the relay bridged to check that the wiring isn't shorting to earth somewhere before trying to run the compressor.

[PerthDisco]

I would unplug the electrical connector at the compressor then test for current draw through the link with the relay bridged to check that the wiring isn't shorting to earth somewhere before trying to run the compressor.

Many thanks again Graeme.

Tomorrow’s job I will run off to Repco and get a few spare fuses first thing and test as you suggest.

I’ll get a new relay also.

[discorevy]

Just to add to this I have had a couple of the hitachi compressors with broken conrods , 1 of which blew the fuse

[PerthDisco]

Just to add to this I have had a couple of the hitachi compressors with broken conrods , 1 of which blew the fuse

That’s what I’m imagining

[Bulletman]

Just to add to this I have had a couple of the hitachi compressors with broken conrods , 1 of which blew the fuse

Well I got the dreaded yellow warning on the dash yesterday , fault codes basically said poor or nil performance from compressor , so pulled the compressor out today to find the following
160325160326

I can see now why the compressor only ran for about 5 secs.
I installed that compressor about 3 yrs ago , it was a new Dunlop , so not sure what caused the canister to split like that. I installed my original hitachi after giving that a refit when I took it out due to a cracked plastic top cover on the canister.

Now comes the fun part ,finding a canister as I think the rest of the compressor is fine.

Bulletman

[DiscoJeffster]

You can buy those as a replacement item easily. There is a factory part number and all. I don’t have it though a bit of googling for desiccant and hitachi compressor will find it.

[PerthDisco]

New Narva 70A relay and 60A fuse today and checked power to compressor pump plug all good. Reconnected pump and fingers crossed turned the key it all worked again with no fault alarms. Compressor is running but sounds strugging so suspect will be back to blown fuse again soon. At least good to know its all in the compressor so need to bite the bullet on a new one soon.

Will go Hitachi now they are available again for plug and play simplicity (and reliability and servicability).

$30 on fuses and relays and a bit of investigation I'm happy.

Many thanks to all.

[Bulletman]

You can buy those as a replacement item easily. There is a factory part number and all. I don’t have it though a bit of googling for desiccant and hitachi compressor will find it.

Ok thanks, I could only find the cap and the dissicant, seals etc , not the actually body.
I better put in a bit more effort it seems.

Bulletman

[PerthDisco]

Ok thanks, I could only find the cap and the dissicant, seals etc , not the actually body.
I better put in a bit more effort it seems.

Bulletman

Land Rover (https://x8r.co.uk/products/land-rover)

[Bulletman]

Land Rover (https://x8r.co.uk/products/land-rover)

Thanks Perth Disco , I did check out that site but from what I can see they only sell the end cap not the complete drier housing.

As per discoJeffster said , you can buy them , you just need to search outside Australia . I did originally check advanced factors website but they didn't list it as a separate item so I didn't try any other places.

Thanks again
Bulletman

[loanrangie]

It may have taken a hit or had a jack under it, could it be plastic welded for a temp fix ? ?

[Bulletman]

It may have taken a hit or had a jack under it, could it be plastic welded for a temp fix ? ?

Definitely not a jack of that I am 100% sure. the plastic cover isn't damaged but guess its possible altho unlikely as that sits above the bracket its mounted on.

I have my original on the car so I will try and source the drier housing and repair it and keep as a spare.

Bulletman

[PerthDisco]

Just to add to this I have had a couple of the hitachi compressors with broken conrods , 1 of which blew the fuse

Ok nearly a week on after changing the 60a main compressor fuselink and the compressor relay and it’s running as before with no faults or warnings and changing height so maybe the relay was part culprit?

[Graeme]

If the relay contacts welded together then the compressor's current load would increase until it exceeded the fuse capacity.

[PerthDisco]

So this week got the yellow EAS warning light pop up and this code;

Suspension

C1131-92 (68) Air supply - Component failure - performance or incorrect operation
( on 26-06-2020 08:18:30 at 227466 km )

None of the previous Normal Height Only warnings.

It cleared itself on the next restart so with a 2,000km trip coming up next week and main fuse not blown I’m interpreting it as another warning my air compressor is getting old and needs replacing.

To be continued..........