Weekdays 8:00am-5:00pm Sat Closed Sun Closed
The durable Land Rover truly embodies the spirit of 'adventure.' When people see this car zooming down the streets, it sparks a desire for an incredible journey through the woods. Even though this vehicle is famous for its enjoyable drive, it's quite luxurious and attracts a high-end crowd. Given its elevated costs, one might expect the problems to be few. However, despite being a dependable brand, it can encounter issues like any other vehicle.
One of the main challenges Land Rover owners face involves complications with the air suspension. Although this problem might appear minor, neglecting it can significantly impact how well your Land Rover functions. So, how long does land rover air suspension last?
The key to preventing issues is to be more aware of potential problems. Knowing how your air suspension functions and how to prevent potential issues will safeguard your investment. You'll appreciate investing time to really comprehend how your Land Rover works.
Air suspension adjusts the height of your car from the ground, influencing your driving experience. A well-functioning air suspension ensures a smooth and comfortable ride. Conversely, a malfunctioning system results in a rough and bumpy drive. Given Land Rover's reputation for a smooth ride, anything less suggests problems with the suspension system.
Air suspension signals your tires to prevent shocks and friction with the ground. It senses how much weight your car carries and makes necessary adjustments. If your air suspension gets damaged due to too much weight or stress on the system, your car will quickly show signs of damage. These signs might appear minor at first, but with time, they'll get worse, causing significant damage to your car.
Vehicles like Land Rovers find air suspension systems helpful because they can handle various conditions. These systems are typically adjustable, providing more control. Despite the significant benefits of an air suspension system, it also means the whole system is more intricate. This increased complexity emphasizes the importance of relying on professionals experienced in working with advanced cars to address any issues and thoroughly inspect your vehicle for potential future problems.
There are a few visual signs to look for if you're hoping to spot early suspension issues on your Land Rover, including the following:
Your Land Rover is equipped with a suspension warning signal. When the problem escalates, the amber indicator lights up with a message alerting you that the suspension is faulty. However, this message may only appear after the situation worsens, so it helps to pay attention to other signs.
A standard suspension problem indicator is when Land Rover "squats" — when the back end sags while the front end stays elevated. Other times, the car leans to one side rather than front to back.
You may feel the vehicle dip in front while the back springs up when you come to a complete stop. That's a sure sign of a soft suspension that you should fix immediately. These kinds of suspension issues drastically increase your stopping distance, making it challenging to avoid accidents.
The springs, shock absorbers, and airbags in your suspension system wear out over time, preventing them from absorbing road energy. The result is obvious — bumpier rides. Replace worn-out or leaking parts immediately to restore your vehicle's smooth performance.
The compressor is a part of the air suspension that ensures all airbags are correctly inflated. It is designed to stop once the proper air pressure is achieved, so if it keeps running, consider replacing the suspension kit. There could also be a technical malfunction that requires a professional to check the airbag.
Use the bounce test if you want a quick and easy way to test your suspension at home by simply walking to each corner of your Land Rover and pushing down on the bumper. You should be okay at the wheel if it springs back into place. However, if it takes a long time to rise back up or bounce up and down before settling, you likely have a problem.
A major cause of Land Rover suspension problems is excessive wear. This problem is common among suspensions or machines and includes more than Landr Rovers. So it's a matter of "when?" not "if." Another cause of air suspension failures is "punctures" — let's explain this further.
The air suspension system has several components made of solid rubber. These parts may, however, be punctured by sharp objects. Also, overloading or using the car to tow heavy loads may damage these parts.
Again, air suspensions are complex systems with multiple components that are interdependent. Therefore, when one part goes down, it may affect the others unless you fix it early.
The problem often begins with a small leak in one of the strut air bladders or lines. A tiny leak can lower the strut, making the compressor need to fill it up. This leak usually gets bigger, and you'll likely see your suspension start to sag a bit in the front or rear, especially on the side with the leaking air strut.
Relying on the quick leak of the air strut is crucial, or phase two of the problem will start soon. What is phase two? It's when the compressor becomes too exhausted to supply air to the strut consistently.
The compressor doesn't simply turn off. Instead, the compressor becomes progressively louder or completely seizes. Now, a problem arises. The compressor cannot deliver air pressure to any air struts in either situation. Consequently, the corner with the leaking strut will steadily drop. Even if you adjust the air suspension ride height, it will decrease but won't return to its original position.
Correcting this air suspension problem on your Land Rover requires replacing an expensive air ride compressor. Changing the air struts before the compressor stops working is crucial to prevent Land Rover suspension issues. Swiftly addressing suspension problems is vital.
Besides changing the air struts and compressor, adjusting the air suspension properly to fit the new parts is crucial. If you skip this step, your air ride won't work well, limiting the minimum ride height of your Land Rover.
Detecting problems early is the solution to minimizing expenses for air ride suspension repairs. If you notice your Land Rover seems like it needs to be riding quite right, or if you have a warning light come on, get it checked right away.
The height sensors are designed to measure the distance from the ground, as the name suggests. They sit on all four corners near the airbags. The sensor can be damaged by the vehicle being exposed to rough terrain or harsh weather conditions. If the sensor or wiring becomes loose or damaged, it can cause the whole suspension to be stuck at one height or sag.
Air compressors tend to fail after many years of use. This can cause a lack of air being pumped through the system, which will cause an error message to appear. Another fault may be a faulty relay, which turns the compressor on and off.
If the valve block fails, it can shut off the air traveling to the airbags. This tends to be a more expensive component in the system so that it can be a costly repair.
This can be down to your control panel or wires that may have been frayed. We suggest taking it to a professional who will run a diagnostic routine on the system. This will help to identify faults.
Land Rovers depend on sophisticated mechanics and design to give their owners the best driving experience. Air suspension systems make driving a Land Rover enjoyable, but complex systems require professional care. Taking your Land Rover to a professional is important if you are experiencing issues.
Still, it's also critical to take it to a service provider with experience working on cars like Land Rovers with air suspension systems. Understanding the intricate functioning of an air suspension system requires proper training and experience; it's something someone with the right expertise can handle.
Like other European cars, Land Rovers must be maintained at the highest specified level. Our well-experienced and certified Land Rover specialists strictly follow the manufacturer's guidelines to ensure premium service and long-lasting performance.
Our mechanics are highly trained in air suspension repairs and replacements for all Land Rover models and engine, gearbox, and brake concerns. Land Rover suspension repair is one of our most common service items, so we'll look after you. Please reach out to us today!
