Suspension problem

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help with a problem that started yesterday on my Range Rover P38 1998.

When I was driving and pulling up at junctions and traffic lights, the front end kept lifting and lowering as though it was reseting itself.

I pulled over, pressed the suspension lift/lower button to its lowest setting and it wouldnt come back up. When I set off, it lifted as I was driving along.

When I parked up, I tried the suspension lift/lower button to the top setting and a warning light came on (an arrow pointing to a car). Could it be a sensor problem?

I would appreciate any help as I am a novice with Range Rovers

1998

best thing to do is get on ebay and but the eas diagnostic disc and lead about £20 just stick it on your laptop and plug in yourself it has all the features of the proper dealer testbook tool read the faults or else it just becomes very expensive guess work!
i would guess most range rover p38 owners have one i do!

:welcome2:

Most P38s will "dance" a little at traffic lights. Its a snub to all inferior cars, rubbing it in about how much nicer it is to be a Rangie.

Otherwise it could be your height sensors, it could be worn shock absorbers (which means the springs work more and height sensors too) it could be minor air-loss (ok a leak) from somewhere, it could be a worn air pump, tired driver pack, something in the valve block or even the EAS ECU. Basically unless everything is spot on, this happens. And obviously everything won't be spot on because its not a brand new car. It doesn't mean anything, let it be until you (a) gradually learn more about the EAS (b) have a major issue to deal with.

The lowest setting is called "Access Mode". Its to help load things in and out of the boot or make it easier for people to get in and out of the car. It is automatically cancelled when the car starts to move - ie you cannot drive at access height unless you "lock" the setting by pressing the button next to the height adjust one. Then you'll get a warning message in the dash, something like "EAS Manual".

The highest setting is for wading or going over rough ground. The car with the up-arrow under it is just to remind you that you are at the highest height. Its an indicator as opposed to a warning. In truth the EAS brain reserves another couple of inches of height for itself in case you are at the highest height but still manage to beach the car on a rock or something. It will analyse the situation and then raise the car a little further to get you out of trouble. Pretty neat trick.

With the car at normal height take it up to 50mph. Keep an eye on the height and after about 5 secs you'll see the car actually lowers to "motorway" height, lowering the centre of gravity and possibly improving the aerodynamics (basically instead of being a big barn door in the wind it becomes a slightly smaller barn door in the wind). But its cool if its your first time! When speeds drop below 50 and stay below for about a minute the car will rise back to standard height.

Enjoy your P38!

I know Wammers is going to disgree with me here but IMHO dancing at the lights is 99% certain to be an EAS driver pack failing.

SpudH said:

I know Wammers is going to disgree with me here but IMHO dancing at the lights is 99% certain to be an EAS driver pack failing.

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Every time the vehicle speed drops below 1 mph both front valves are opened to equalise pressure across the axle. With the weight of lone driver there will always be more pressure in the O/S bags than the N/S. If the driver weighs as much as me that will cause the front to drop a little. Air will then be introduced to bring the vehicle back up to height. A faulty sensor could make this action appear more pronounced. In stop, start traffic the vehicle may appear to dance. Could be a driver pack fault BUT. Pack would have to be cycling inlet and exhaust valves to cause this. It can only do this until air pressure drops and compressor starts. At which time the vehicle can only go up it CANNOT go down. The exhaust path is blocked by the diaphragm valve being acted on by air supplied by diaphragm solenoid valve until the compressor stops and the exhaust path is opened. No downwards adjustment of height is possible with compressor running.

wammers said:

Could be a driver pack fault BUT. Pack would have to be cycling inlet and exhaust valves to cause this. It can only do this until air pressure drops and compressor starts. At which time the vehicle can only go up it CANNOT go down. The exhaust path is blocked by the diaphragm valve being acted on by air supplied by diaphragm solenoid valve until the compressor stops and the exhaust path is opened. No downwards adjustment of height is possible with compressor running.

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Now there is my something new learned for today

Thanks Wammers

BTW Wammers, in the dark recesses of my mind I vaguely recall an element of anti-dive being touted as part of the RRC air suspension set up. I've never seen this mentioned for the P38. In fact i think I remember it being flatly ruled out or the P38.

Have you ever heard of this?

If it is true could some of that programming code have been inadvertantly left in the P38 set up?

SpudH said:

BTW Wammers, in the dark recesses of my mind I vaguely recall an element of anti-dive being touted as part of the RRC air suspension set up. I've never seen this mentioned for the P38. In fact i think I remember it being flatly ruled out or the P38.

Have you ever heard of this?

If it is true could some of that programming code have been inadvertantly left in the P38 set up?

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No, have not seen it mentioned. But maybe this equalising across the axle when speed drops below 1mph has something to do with it. Can't think of any other viable reason why that particular function is built into the system.

the air bags on my daf truck has the same traits, and my p38 reacts much the same, unless the problem is extreme, let it be,

wammers said:

Every time the vehicle speed drops below 1 mph both front valves are opened to equalise pressure across the axle. With the weight of lone driver there will always be more pressure in the O/S bags than the N/S. If the driver weighs as much as me that will cause the front to drop a little. Air will then be introduced to bring the vehicle back up to height. A faulty sensor could make this action appear more pronounced. In stop, start traffic the vehicle may appear to dance. Could be a driver pack fault BUT. Pack would have to be cycling inlet and exhaust valves to cause this. It can only do this until air pressure drops and compressor starts. At which time the vehicle can only go up it CANNOT go down. The exhaust path is blocked by the diaphragm valve being acted on by air supplied by diaphragm solenoid valve until the compressor stops and the exhaust path is opened. No downwards adjustment of height is possible with compressor running.

Click to expand...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you really ought to write a complete post on EAS, how it works, problems and solutions. It'll save the rest of us making fools of ourselves plus we can bully the newbies: "do a search ffs ya pinhead!"

Keith1 said:

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help with a problem that started yesterday on my Range Rover P38 1998.

When I was driving and pulling up at junctions and traffic lights, the front end kept lifting and lowering as though it was reseting itself.

I pulled over, pressed the suspension lift/lower button to its lowest setting and it wouldnt come back up. When I set off, it lifted as I was driving along.

When I parked up, I tried the suspension lift/lower button to the top setting and a warning light came on (an arrow pointing to a car). Could it be a sensor problem?

I would appreciate any help as I am a novice with Range Rovers

Click to expand...

First step, download the FREE software from www.rswsolutions.com buy a lead from "The Mad Hat Man" on this site, and if necessary get a USB to serial adaptor for your laptop (assuming you have one).
There is a good chance that the fault is a leak from an airbag that has knackered the compressor, it could also be a height sensor. The EAS software will check for any fault codes. You can check the compressor by taking the blue pipe off and sticking your finger over the end, the pressure should be more than you can hold.
I can send you a guide for changing the airbags if that is the problem, they have a life of 7 to 8 years before they go porous. Check by spraying with a soapy water solution and looking for bubbles.

Keith1 said:

Hi, just wondered if anyone could help with a problem that started yesterday on my Range Rover P38 1998.

When I was driving and pulling up at junctions and traffic lights, the front end kept lifting and lowering as though it was reseting itself.

I pulled over, pressed the suspension lift/lower button to its lowest setting and it wouldnt come back up. When I set off, it lifted as I was driving along.

When I parked up, I tried the suspension lift/lower button to the top setting and a warning light came on (an arrow pointing to a car). Could it be a sensor problem?

I would appreciate any help as I am a novice with Range Rovers

Click to expand...

Just a point. When you pulled over and tried to get things to move and it lifted as you moved off. You didn't have your foot on the brake by any chance. Nothing will happen with your foot on the brake, the EAS is isolated, unless you have it on for more than two minutes.

Thanks for the information, a lot to think about there, seems a bit of a minefield, will post my findings.

rasheed said:

I've said it before and I'll say it again, you really ought to write a complete post on EAS, how it works, problems and solutions. It'll save the rest of us making fools of ourselves plus we can bully the newbies: "do a search ffs ya pinhead!"

Click to expand...

If Wammers was to write a complete post on the EAS that would be really helpful. I am keen to learn more about it, as I am sure, others would be. Just adding my voice to that of rasheed and quite likely many more.

enery8 said:

If Wammers was to write a complete post on the EAS that would be really helpful. I am keen to learn more about it, as I am sure, others would be. Just adding my voice to that of rasheed and quite likely many more.

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All it takes is for people to read through the RAVE description of operation and study the layout drawing of EAS. Print a couple of copies of the drawing off and from the description put a few arrows in to get an idea of air flow in various senarios. That way you won't get people coming on and saying NRVs cause dancing and other such tripe.