I have never had any issues with the suspension on my 3.6 TDV8 2010MY until last night. it can't be a coincidence I had a 3.5 ton trailer on when the issue started. The nose weight may have been a little high but not excessive, my 200tdi Defender 90 handled it loaded exactly the same no problems.

I had a 20 mile drive and about 10 miles in it popped up Suspension fault max speed 30 mph. I stopped somewhere safe and restarted, I then noticed it had dropped quite low. We got nearly all of the way there until it did it again but this time the ride was terrible and on getting out of the car it was nearly on the bump stops. Luckily that's where we needed to offload so we got the car off the trailer and it had time to cool down.

On the way back it would almost get to normal height but was clearly struggling and eventually came up with suspension will raise when system has cooled. A couple of miles later it went into fail safe again.

I put diagnostics on it last night and the fault code was air compressor inactive - intermittent (I forgot to record the code). This cleared no problems but it still would not raise. The motor/compressor was at its maximum temperature of 280F.

This morning I ran diagnostics whilst I drove to work in the hope that cooling over night would have sorted things out - it did not. It had not lowered overnight but it never managed to get to normal height.

I kept an eye on the psi in the gallery (not sure where the gallery is? After the compressor and before the valve block?) and it never managed to get past 82psi and quite often got down to 55psi when the compressor was cutting out due to reaching its max temperature.

All of this points to me to an air leak somewhere. No one wheel seems to be raising slower than others, the car stays level even when it has dropped itself to the ground. My guess would be rear air bags given I was towing but is there any common failure point I should be aware of?


Sorry for the long post! Want to track it down quickly as I really need it for the bank hol weekend!

This was the load

Could be compressor knackered, if no obvious leak to a bag or pipe .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Previously my suspension raised really quickly so this seems unlikely? I need to give it a check over tonight to see if I can find leaks, just seems odd I don't have one bag going down quickly and its only a bag that would be affected by all that nose weight?

Do the pipes in the boot fail? Which compressor will mine have in it? Presume its well past the old Wabco ones?

The weight on the rear springs may have required more pressure than the compressor could provide to get up to normal height. Locking at access height and staying below the locked speed limit would have been kinder to the compressor.
I expect that the suspension indeed dropped to the bump-stops when it couldn't achieve normal height within the allowed time.

This is exactly what I tried. I would not have expected this to damage the compressor in any case as the overheat cut out is designed to stop this exact thing from happening.

What is not clear to me is why (even without the trailer on) the pressure is dropping as I drive along, is this because the car is using air all the time trying to keep things level?

Once the car is up to level I would expect it to remain at that height even if the compressor does not cut in - this is not happening - hence It feels more like an air leak than a dodgy compressor?

What PSI should it get to before cutting out?

I would check the simple stuff first, check for an air leak on the both front and rear bags.

Could well be the folds in the front airbag have come uncovered due to the back dropping down too much. With a leak now uncovered the compressor might not be able to keep up.
Raise it to off road height (if it will go) and go around and inspect and listen to each bag.

I chased what I thought was a compressor issue (which it partially was due to water in the wheel well giving false temperature readings) only to realise it was a front air bag leak which only appeared obvious later on in off road height. In normal height it would hold fine with perhaps the compressor working a bit harder than it should, didn't even drop overnight.
A compressor rebuild made no difference...and it wouldn't with an air leak.

it won't get anywhere near offroad height - currently does not seem to want to get to normal height.

I will go and start it up at lunchtime and leave it parked to see what pressure it can produce - if its struggling so badly I would expect one of the following

1 - Major air leak on a bag/pipe which I would think I would be able to hear?
2 - Compressor piston ring has overheated and worn badly but I would expect this to have been noticeable before yesterday? and also would think the temp cut out would prevent it?
3 - A leak post the compressor but before where the pressure in measured (presume this is the tank?)

I will give a thorough soapy water check tonight. 80psi max seems low though - what pressure should it reach?

My money is on the compressor being stuffed, had to work extra hard to maintain height with the extra weight?

I think you are probably right sadly - no idea on what compressor is in this one so can't order a rebuild kit

Not exactly amazing news when a 25 year old defender handled it no problems

The defender won`t have airbags? I can recommend these guys for help? https://www.rst-landrovers.co.uk

LOL - I know my Defender has not got airbags, rather I was complaining that the Defender handles 3500kg no problem!

Further update - it is in fact a front left air bag, I don't think it ever got above normal height at the front (certainly not off road height) but its certainly that leaking.

With the car stationary the compressor got the psi from 50 up to nearly 200, I moved the car to normal height which it managed and then turned off and got out. Clearly air coming out of the front left bag

My car has the dynamic suspension so the struts are still mega money. I see malting off road sell the bags for £219 and I believe they are Delphi. Has anyone else done this?

Glad you found the problem shame it`s the bag as the compressor would be an easy fix, have you ask Dan at Duckworths?

Trying to get hold of him now. Would really like to have the car for the weekend!

My front aibag gave way on 10 yrs which is fairly common I replaced both and thepumpr as it was stuffed trying to sort the aipressure out if you do upgrade the pump but remember it needs a software update - done nearly 50k since no problems- good luck