unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
  
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| SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND DEFECTS |
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Hi
My 94 plate D3 suffers a recurring (and still unresolved :rolllaugh:) fault which causes the HDC failure error message to display on start up. Since the fault first occured back in Oct 2007 my dealer has replaced just about every electronic sensor and control unit i.e. body control unit, engine management control unit, autogear selector control unit the list goes on - but all for no benefit because the fault keeps on occuring. The vehicle has also had numerous suspension software upgrades.
I have been reading recently new threads on the D3 forum about similar problems to mine said to be caused by the battery.
My first question is has anybody whose vehicle has had HDC type faults on start up replaced their battery and found the problem went away???
My second question is can any one out there definitively describe the ride qualities of a D3 suspension system in perfect working order???
My reason for asking is that since all the components and software have been replaced the ride quality is rubbish compared to its original state.
My dealer tells me that the suspension software has been downgraded since 1994 and the rubbish ride I now have is the norm on all new cars.
Please can any of you confirm this???
If I were to describe how mine was before all these problems I would have said.
Supremely smooth on bumpy roads, gliding round corners with no pitch or roll. Only the harshest of bumps and road defects could be felt. A joy to drive.
Now it is dreadful, it rolls and pitches badly and you feel and hear even the most minor of bumbs and road defects. I cannot believe the difference between the two states and am at my wits end arguing with my dealer over how it good it was and how bad it is now.
My dealer has told me I must be imagining the difference because the suspension system is "not dynamic" and beyond raising and lowering the vehicle has no influence over the ride at all
If any of you have any experience or knowledge of the workings of the suspension system or could direct me to any technical descriptions of its workings or capabilities please could you share them with me asap as I am due for another run in with my dealer next week.
Regards
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 27th Jan 2009 1:09 pm |
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ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15222
 
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| Re: SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND DEFECTS |
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unclebob wrote:
My first question is has anybody whose vehicle has had HDC type faults on start up replaced their battery and found the problem went away???
Yes.
sorry cann't help with the ride issue. I was a normal heterosexual chap, but in these new woke awakenings I now identify as a Wardrobe.
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| 27th Jan 2009 1:35 pm |
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unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
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Thanks for responding Hopefully others will also respond and that may help my dealer to see the wisdom of replacing mine.
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| 27th Jan 2009 4:36 pm |
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unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
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Hi all. Hopefully You have all seen through my typo above. Mine is of course a 2004 not 94 model. Please do respond to my questions if you are able as I have been battling since Oct 2007 to get this fixed.
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| 27th Jan 2009 4:40 pm |
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Blaserman
Member Since: 22 Sep 2008
Location: Either Pub or Work!
Posts: 225
 
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Hi unclebob,
I have HDC warnings on my dash following short journeys and a cold night. How far are you traveling between stops?
Ride sounds  to be fair. Mine is not as smooth as a Bently but better than my old 90. It does not roll much but it certianly does not rattle your teeth when you drive over cats eyes.
Having said that the rough ride of the 90 does prevent DVT's 
Do you know anyone locally with a newer one you could compare yours against? "The fate of the wounded lies in the hands of the one who applys the first dressing"
Club MTR
Club Powerplant
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| 27th Jan 2009 4:44 pm |
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jeff
Member Since: 18 Jun 2005
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 393
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Bob I've got an 04 and had it since new, the only change to suspension settings that I am aware of took place under the 'enhancement' programme carried out in ... (someone will know  ) I seem to recall the suspension had a firmer setting after the software upgrade. D3 TDV6SE
Defender 110 V8 lpg
www.carlyonbay.net
www.thepavillioncarlyonbay.co.uk
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| 27th Jan 2009 5:32 pm |
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wilsonmg
Member Since: 16 Apr 2008
Location: Wigan
Posts: 335
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replaced battery... all sorted...
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| 27th Jan 2009 5:35 pm |
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unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
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Hi Blaserman, Jeff and Wilsonmg and many thanks for taking the time to reply. Your feedback is really helpfull. We bought the car in June 07 in order to go touring around europe but because of the HDC faults we delayed leaving UK untill in Jan 08. We have had so many problems with the car that we havnt trusted it to go any further then Holland (were we are renting now) whilst tooing and froing between holland and UK hoping our dealer will fix it. We are coming back to UK next week for another try at a fix so all your feed back can only help me to argue this out with the dealer. If any others have info to share please do get in touch.
Thanks again
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| 27th Jan 2009 6:29 pm |
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blue meanie
D3 Decade
Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861
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which dealer are you using unclebob? and theeeeennn......???
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| 27th Jan 2009 6:32 pm |
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unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
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Lancaster reading. They are part of the Jardine Group.
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| 27th Jan 2009 6:43 pm |
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blue meanie
D3 Decade
Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861
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sounds strange they haven't sorted it properly for you yet as normally they have good(ish) feedback  and theeeeennn......???
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| 27th Jan 2009 6:51 pm |
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phurley
Member Since: 19 Aug 2007
Location: So. NH
Posts: 175
  
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unclebob wrote:My dealer tells me that the suspension software has been downgraded since 2004 and the rubbish ride I now have is the norm on all new cars.
Please can any of you confirm this???
Although I can't confirm this, I strongly suspect this is true (although I personally don't feel it's a rubbish ride, I know what you mean). I too felt increased body roll after my 22.5k mile service on my 06.
I think that's mostly due to the EAS operating pressure. Originally, the EAS had a nominal operating pressure of 244 psi; now, it's more like 210. There were a lot of compressor and other component failures up to MY07 (one instance was 4 in rapid succession on one vehicle). My suspicion is that LR was forced to reduce operating pressure to limit warranty costs (in addition to other design modifications - and perhaps supplier changes - at the time).
unclebob wrote:My dealer has told me I must be imagining the difference because the suspension system is "not dynamic" and beyond raising and lowering the vehicle has no influence over the ride at all
This is both true and untrue. The D3 does not have a dynamic response system like the S/C RR sport - which is a hydraulic unit tied to the anti-roll bar to reduce yaw. And an air-only system cannot generate the force necessary to dynamically flatten the yaw of a vehicle. (Interestingly, the D2 had an optional dynamic response unit.)
However, the EAS control module is on the high-speed CAN bus - like the ABS controller - because it does have some speed-dependent functionality. The cross-link valves for example open at very low speeds to allow for wheel articulation over obstacles (so you don't have to do your best imitation of a deckhand on an America's Cup yacht).
So not dynamic in the sense you meant though.
As far as the HDC is concerned, I think it's probably the battery although I could be water ingress as well. The early vehicles do seem to reference this more as a problem - one person even had an unsealed body seam.
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| 27th Jan 2009 8:08 pm |
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unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
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Thanks phurley for your response, youve given me more to think on which I really appreciate. In comparison the ride is so far downgraded from the original that it does feel rubbish to me. The car used to feel like it floated but not so now. I was seduced into buying the car because of the fab ride quality particularly with the 4 year european tour we had planned. It seemed the perfect car for such at trip. I guess he next step is a new battery and learning to live with the ride.
All the best to you
BoB
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| 27th Jan 2009 10:29 pm |
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simoniz
Member Since: 28 Oct 2007
Location: The green green grass of home!!!!!
Posts: 3755
 
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Bob
Regarding yr ride something simple to check - are you as in the D3 swinging freely???. Check under yr rear bumper on NS & OS and you will see what look like large rubber blocks,these should be swinging freely uninhibited. If these have become solid and unable to move then yr magic carpet ride on yr D3 will become very harsh. Its good practice to clean out any accumulated debris especially after any off roading ventures.
May not be the issue but worth a check.
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| 27th Jan 2009 11:02 pm |
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unclebob
Member Since: 06 Oct 2007
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 28
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blue meanie wrote:sounds strange they haven't sorted it properly for you yet as normally they have good(ish) feedback :?
I must give them some credit in that they have tried everything they know and have even arranged for some of the jobs to be done by a Dutch dealer to save me bringing it back. Its just that after 15 months of trying and not fixing it plus the now poor suspension/ride Im losing faith with the car a fear it may just have to go.
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| 28th Jan 2009 6:08 am |
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