L322 Air Suspension - Doesn't seem to raise or lower?

When I bought my L322 TD6, it had the fault 'Air Suspension Inactive' and when I plugged it in it seemed the compressor was running, but it was very lazy and the tank pressure seemed low.

Long story short, I've rebuilt the compressor with a new piston ring and o-ring... Put the repaired unit back onto the car and cleared the codes... I've driven it over 500 miles since the rebuild and the 'air suspension inactive' message has not returned. Great success.

However, when I toggle the ride height switch, the lights change (as they should) but the suspension does very little (sometimes you can feel the suspension rise a little, but it is reluctant to go down again). I get no fault codes, and occasionally the dash will display 'Off Road Mode: 30mph' message but it seems unwilling to drop back down... The motorway light (the middle one) doesn't illuminate ever... The car seems to drive fine and the ride height lock works fine too.

Any suggestions before I start poking around with the system. I've got full diagnostics through my Autel and can monitor the tank pressure live as well as all the various component voltages, but I don't have a benchmark for a working vehicle to compare mine with. I did wonder whether I've tightened the spare wheel down and pinched the hose a little... but would have expected a warning light if this was the case.

Sounds like its not exhausting air properly.
Can you plug it into diagnostics and ask it manually to lower the rear or front axle independently.

I use bmw inpa on my td6 and i can request it to lower the front axle or rear axle separately.
Also shows up which valves are open and gallery pressure. compressor temp and running state.

Deeper diagnosis with a computer like that may pin point you easier to the area problem. Ie sticky valve or clogged system mabye. Or mabye a trapped line.

Unfortunately apart from a height calibration and manually deflating the system to change the front struts and to monitor gearbox temperature on refill, luckily iv not needed to plug mine in otherwise or had suspension issues unfortunately i cant offer any other help.

hi there @Big_Rig1988
mr @stustrong is very knowledgeable, and got myself and @kds upto speed with the inpa, ( big thank you stu and ken )
if you can get in and interogate the eas ecu and see what its upto 11bar pressure ish is what it should produce..but if its a bit lower than that you go into the realm of overheating.. which then shuts things down also..
but remember to look in all ecu's as eas faults can be stored in various places and with a fault stored its difficult/if not impossible to get the system to operate correctly
often with the eas fault/issue they work fine..upto a point.. then all maner of things can be lurking under the surface
best of luck

Thanks for the advice chaps... I've not specifically spotted a way to raise or lower the front and back on the Autel (but then I wasn't looking either)... I can monitor the reservoir pressure and the value positions in real time, so I will have another look at that. I have a sneaking suspicion that the reservoir pressure was sitting around the 10bar mark (not 11bar+). Formerly it was only managing 8bar max (prior to my rebuild), so I had assumed that the 10bar figure was sufficient to raise the vehicle etc... perhaps it still isn't producing enough pressure and it'll need a new compressor unit. I'll have a little play later today, plug it in and monitor the values... I can probably photograph the read outs and post here so you guys can see what I see.

Should the light next to the motorway symbol be illuminated in normal driving conditions?

So this looks suspect in a 12v system... all the other voltages (for the other corners) are low single digits... what part does this specifically draw its voltage reading from and how easy is it to change?

Big_Rig1988 said:

So this looks suspect in a 12v system... all the other voltages (for the other corners) are low single digits... what part does this specifically draw its voltage reading from and how easy is it to change?

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hithere @Big_Rig1988
thats seems like a good place to start...from memory the ecu is 12 volt fed but then works on 5v ,
so seeing that is def not right..
easy to fix if just a sensor ,(but non genuines can really play you up,and brackets issues with those too, i.e weak and bent, none gen chinese wont fit genuine lr rr)
water can get into the terminal/sensor and ruin the insides, thus the problems start..
but lift that corner up on stands and remove from the bottom arm making sure its free n easy, work arm up and down over and over,
then ignition back on and re check,
its a free check and might help
some have been lucky to clean the track, others not,
also look at terminal block for signs of rust or damage then check for wires chafing

Big_Rig1988 said:

So this looks suspect in a 12v system... all the other voltages (for the other corners) are low single digits... what part does this specifically draw its voltage reading from and how easy is it to change?

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Hi Big Rig,
Its quite common from lots of posts on the interweb that a high reading of 30 volts occurs on the left front. It showed that on my Autel, but when a garage read the system the readings they were all normal. Ive not managed to find any reason behind these high readings but they are all linked to suspension faults. I will try my Foxwell tomorrow and report back if it helps. its allways on the front left though.
Steveeasy

I'm thinking of swapping the front sensors around and see if the high voltage reading switches to the other side... That should indicate whether it is a faulty sensor or not before I buy a genuine replacement... If the voltage stays high on the left after the switch, I'll get the system calibrated (my Autel isn't sophisticated enough to calibrate the system unfortunately) and see if that cures it... I'm thinking that if all that fails to sort it, then it must be a wiring issue, perhaps a short or poor connection. 40.5v can only be a data bug or the highest value that can be displayed depending on the configuration... I might try chasing a whole new set of wires through for the sensor (via the shortest route) and solder them in directly....

I wonder what symptoms other people who have experienced the same issue have had? My system doesn't actually store any fault codes as a result of the high voltage (on either the ABS or EAS modules) and doesn't display 'air suspension inactive' on the dash... The only 'fault' is that the motorway ride height light doesn't come on and the suspension doesn't do an awful lot when you request it to rise or lower... The high voltage is the only potential issue I can see with the entire system: the values all operate when monitored live, the pressure in the reservoir rises and falls as it should...
In short, the car seems to be fine: it maintains the normal ride height in normal operation and throws up no faults... Its only if I want access mode or off road mode that there is an issue - and the issue is that very little happens (a bit of twitching really as the ride height does something). Is this broadly what others experience when they have high voltage on the front left sensor?

Swap sensors see if it follows to the other side

Ok ive just been out to my L322 and put my Autel scanner on it. Left front 30.4 v, Right front 2v. So I put my Foxwell NT 105 on it and Left Front 1.8v and Right Front 2v. So that's weird. The posts ive read all had suspension faults were they were getting various faults such as static air pressure when filling, can bus. and suspension going in to inactive mode. Ill be interested what happens if you change the sensors around.
Steveeasy

steveeasy said:

Ok ive just been out to my L322 and put my Autel scanner on it. Left front 30.4 v, Right front 2v. So I put my Foxwell NT 105 on it and Left Front 1.8v and Right Front 2v. So that's weird. The posts ive read all had suspension faults were they were getting various faults such as static air pressure when filling, can bus. and suspension going in to inactive mode. Ill be interested what happens if you change the sensors around.
Steveeasy

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Are you currently experiencing any difficulties with your air suspension? I wonder if it is just a quirk of the Autel diagnostic... That would be an interesting feed to follow... I wonder how many other owners have access to both an Autel and something different.

Hi,
Yes ive just replaced the subframes. prior to this the suspension had always been inoperative. The MOT test station decided it needed to work.. I have just tried to calibrate with Foxwell which sort of worked but its too high. I am going to try inpa. am waiting for a lead I have ordered. oh and a piston head for compressor.

Well I would have said it might be a quirk, but If you search suspension faults enough, you will start to see a pattern of people with high volts readings on the left front. most bizarre. that said the foxwell showed a normal volt reading and the Autel has always shown the left front at 30 plus volts. It clearly does not make sense at all, but ive seen the posts over the last 3-4 weeks and I was with the garage when they checked the readings, all fine, and my Autel said 30 v. front left. Sorry if its not much help to you. I was like you thinking id located the fault.

Steveeasy

steveeasy said:

I am going to try inpa.

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I was hoping to calibrate the air suspension... Which Foxwell do you have? It might be worth investing in to be able to recalibrate the air suspension myself... When you say yours is too high, what's it doing? Is it able to move through the 3 presets?

Big_Rig1988 said:

I'm thinking of swapping the front sensors around and see if the high voltage reading switches to the other side... That should indicate whether it is a faulty sensor or not before I buy a genuine replacement... If the voltage stays high on the left after the switch, I'll get the system calibrated (my Autel isn't sophisticated enough to calibrate the system unfortunately) and see if that cures it... I'm thinking that if all that fails to sort it, then it must be a wiring issue, perhaps a short or poor connection. 40.5v can only be a data bug or the highest value that can be displayed depending on the configuration... I might try chasing a whole new set of wires through for the sensor (via the shortest route) and solder them in directly....

I wonder what symptoms other people who have experienced the same issue have had? My system doesn't actually store any fault codes as a result of the high voltage (on either the ABS or EAS modules) and doesn't display 'air suspension inactive' on the dash... The only 'fault' is that the motorway ride height light doesn't come on and the suspension doesn't do an awful lot when you request it to rise or lower... The high voltage is the only potential issue I can see with the entire system: the values all operate when monitored live, the pressure in the reservoir rises and falls as it should...
In short, the car seems to be fine: it maintains the normal ride height in normal operation and throws up no faults... Its only if I want access mode or off road mode that there is an issue - and the issue is that very little happens (a bit of twitching really as the ride height does something). Is this broadly what others experience when they have high voltage on the front left sensor?

Click to expand...

Dont think you can select motor way height, have to be doing 65/70 mph before car will lower to that height you can then hit the inhibit switch to keep it there , and got to ask have you checked all the other moduls for eas faults (bcm, lcm, sas, ect).

kds said:

Dont think you can select motor way height, have to be doing 65/70 mph before car will lower to that height you can then hit the inhibit switch to keep it there , and got to ask have you checked all the other moduls for eas faults (bcm, lcm, sas, ect).

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That makes sense. I've checked every module.... the only thing left to try (that I can think of) is to calibrate the air suspension, but my diagnostic tool can't do that. Considering buying a tool that can, but don't know which to go for? Suggestions?

Big_Rig1988 said:

I was hoping to calibrate the air suspension... Which Foxwell do you have? It might be worth investing in to be able to recalibrate the air suspension myself... When you say yours is too high, what's it doing? Is it able to move through the 3 presets?

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Yes it is. but the low setting is normal height. normal is too high and high well that just pushing things. With the Foxwell I can get it to level(it was half cocked) but I don't seam to be able to get it anywhere nr a normal height. Ive used the foxwell to deflate the suspension, but when I calibrate it it just goes too high.
My advice. I don't think the Foxwell is worth the risk. again reading posts here. Perhaps read my thread, the last pages of Bit of a challenge. people try a scanner that might work and they don't. they then use Inpa( I know nothing about) or get someone with a professional set up. Its a little standing joke, a pattern of pain and utter frustration.

I don't have too much knowledge to guide you, but id say your problem is or could be blocked or stuck valves. By getting in to the ECU you might end up in a right pickle. Sounds like electrically your car is in good shape. maybe not.

This L322 of mine and the problems I have with it are by far the biggest problem ive ever had with any vehicle. Id decided it would be easier to pass it on to a good indi RR specialist to deal with ,even if it cost £1000 to sort. For some reason they did not want to do it. For the record ive a foxwell NT 510 elite. £105 with 1 download. Land Rover/Jaguar.

Good Luck
Steveeasy

Big_Rig1988 said:

That makes sense. I've checked every module.... the only thing left to try (that I can think of) is to calibrate the air suspension, but my diagnostic tool can't do that. Considering buying a tool that can, but don't know which to go for? Suggestions?

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Which tool to buy to calibrate suspension now thats a very good question, I have foxwell nt530 as does @dwarfer which is meant to but not had any real success with had better luck using BMW inpa software and lead, GAP iid is meant to be the dogs whats its for just about every thing but look at the price, so as to which one to go for that I really wouldnt like to say you could check out RSW solution as well Story Wilson the guy that developed it knows what he is taking about but then again it has its limits as well, not really an answer but best I can do it seems to be a case of you pays your money and takes a chance on it working.

steveeasy said:

Yes it is. but the low setting is normal height. normal is too high and high well that just pushing things. With the Foxwell I can get it to level(it was half cocked) but I don't seam to be able to get it anywhere nr a normal height. Ive used the foxwell to deflate the suspension, but when I calibrate it it just goes too high.
My advice. I don't think the Foxwell is worth the risk. again reading posts here. Perhaps read my thread, the last pages of Bit of a challenge. people try a scanner that might work and they don't. they then use Inpa( I know nothing about) or get someone with a professional set up. Its a little standing joke, a pattern of pain and utter frustration.

I don't have too much knowledge to guide you, but id say your problem is or could be blocked or stuck valves. By getting in to the ECU you might end up in a right pickle. Sounds like electrically your car is in good shape. maybe not.

This L322 of mine and the problems I have with it are by far the biggest problem ive ever had with any vehicle. Id decided it would be easier to pass it on to a good indi RR specialist to deal with ,even if it cost £1000 to sort. For some reason they did not want to do it. For the record ive a foxwell NT 510 elite. £105 with 1 download. Land Rover/Jaguar.

Good Luck
Steveeasy

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Thanks for the advice mate... where are the exhaust valves located for the air suspension on the L322? If I can locate it maybe I can clean it?
When you calibrate your system, do you get to enter the measurement for the height manually? On the systems I've seen online, you have to measure the heights and input the data. I bring this up because on several sites I've seen it listed as 'measure from the wheel rim to the arch' but a landy technician told me when calibrating you measure from the centre of the hub...

I can only say what I did. check you have no codes. put it in to calibration mode and im told drink tea. Yes you do get to measure them manually. then measure from bottom of rim to arch then enter these in. I have to say it levelled the car but its too high. It came back from indy garage like this. The Foxwell states to measure from bottom of rim.

You say you try to lower your car,but it does not respond. not sure what others think, but what about a reset. battery leads off, hold them together for 10 mins and back on. Trouble is every time you do something you run the risk of ending up in a right pickle.

Kds
How do you check these. eas faults (bcm, lcm, sas, ect). I just read fault codes in suspension system.
Steveeasy

steveeasy said:

I can only say what I did. check you have no codes. put it in to calibration mode and im told drink tea. Yes you do get to measure them manually. then measure from bottom of rim to arch then enter these in. I have to say it levelled the car but its too high. It came back from indy garage like this. The Foxwell states to measure from bottom of rim.

You say you try to lower your car,but it does not respond. not sure what others think, but what about a reset. battery leads off, hold them together for 10 mins and back on. Trouble is every time you do something you run the risk of ending up in a right pickle.

Kds
How do you check these. eas faults (bcm, lcm, sas, ect). I just read fault codes in suspension system.
Steveeasy

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to read the other systems, I manually accessed the other modules...