D4 MY11 Air Compressor Failed

[TonyB-Oz]

4 to5 weeks back my 1year old Discovery 4-3.0L threw up some messages on the dash regarding the Air Suspension. Firstly I got waiting for suspension to cool then only normal ride height available. All would re set when re starting but return soon after. After a couple of days the car would not raise at all. I called roadside assist and we went through the usual re set procedure over the phone with no result.
The guys from Land Rover Australia (customer service team) took over from here and did an awesome job of getting the car picked up from my home in NW WA and taken to the dealer in Perth where the faulty compressor was replaced and returned to me back in the Pilbara. The whole thing was done with no cost to me and the car is back to its impressive best once more, thanks LRA for a great service. Just re in forces my decision to buy a land rover once more.
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[TonyB-Oz]

Just to add, the newly installed compressor is much quicker to raise and is quite a bit louder when dropping air, but worth the extra noise especially as it works so well.

[CaverD3]

THat is the sort of service LR need to provide. That way they may be able to take sales off Tojos in the bush.

The new compressor model is noisier but more robust by the look of it.

[geoz]

hm .. I recently got a lot of 'only normal height available' messages as well.
had the car at a shop & they said they can't trace the fault to anything in particular.

could this be a sing of my compressor dying?

[AGRO]

My MY2011, November 2010 delivery vehicle had a similar suspension faults senario several months ago.

According to the service manager the compressor, valve block, various sensors and software were replaced and or upgraded under warranty.

I can only report that LR Perth service department were fantastic, very thorough and a pleasure to deal with.

Well done LRA Perth

PS. My vehicle now has noticeable minor levelling adjustments at shut down and ocasional subtle farts. Nice

[DiscoWeb]

Just to add, the newly installed compressor is much quicker to raise and is quite a bit louder when dropping air, but worth the extra noise especially as it works so well.

Good news that LR Assist were so efficient.

Unfortunately the Electronic air suspensions air compressor is a pretty common failure point for both the D3 & D4.

There was another thread started a few weeks back about someone having to abandon part of a cape trip due to a similar issue that started as an EPB failure warning and finally diagnosed in cairns as a compressor issue.

Appears the compressor, which incorporates an air dryer that removes moisture from the air prior to it entering the compressor has a problem where the desiccant (little silicon balls that absorb moisture -similar to what you sometime find packed in new running shoes and the like) has a tendency to adsorb so much moisture they coagulate and limit the amount of air getting to the compressor causing it to overheat and fail.

On the Disco3UK site there is a reasonably good post (below) describing how to remove the compressor and effectively take off the air dryer and dry out the desiccant or replace it.

DISCO3.CO.UK - View topic - Suspension Compressor / Suspension error

Something I will be doing in the next week or too as my compressor is starting to play up. Much cheaper than a fully replacement, especially for those out of warranty.

As an aside they new compressor they probably put on you D4 was from a different manufacturer, the original, made by Hitachi I think has been hard to get because of the damage from the Japaneses Tsunami and earthquake. I think the new one is an AMK or something like that. Louder as noted but faster at the same time.

Regards,

George

[jonesy63]

I wonder if the GOE compressor cover still fits over the new (larger) one?

[~Rich~]

The air intake for the compressor is actually from within the cabin space of the vehicle.

I wonder if those who use climate control and of course A/C rather than driving around with the windows down actually get better life of their desiccant / dryer because the A/C removes the moisture from the air in humid / damp temperatures?

[Graeme]

I invariably have the windows up all the time with at least the fan blowing significant air to avoid filling the vehicle with dust. My 2nd compressor's dryer was almost blocked (1st was totally blocked) but drying the dessicant for 60 seconds only reduced the weight by 1 gm, so I doubt there was much moisture. I think the dryers have been too full which requires too much compressor pressure to force the air through the compacted dessicant so the compressor fails prematurely.

Mine's suspension ecu main 20A fuse was removed earlier today after a dose of the bump-stops at 100 kph then having to negotiate what's normally a raised height path home whilst still on the stops. My tyre compressor blew the suspension compressor's sump breather hose off when the tyre compressor was started before the suspension compressor, so had to R&R the compressor to super-glue and cable tie the hose back on then get up to normal height before pulling the fuse. No variable height now until a new compressor is fitted.

[SBD4]

I wonder if the GOE compressor cover still fits over the new (larger) one?

Yes I wondered the same thing in another thread having had the new compressor fitted. I was contemplating getting the cover prior to this but will now wait until it is confirmed one way or the other.