[kwazadilla]

Hi All, 2005 LR3 SE V8.

We are new to the LR3, so far we LOVE IT.

Sorry to be the guy whose first post is a "please help with problem solving" We are moving to Miami and driving cross country and we want to get this issue squared away before we start the trek in 2.5 weeks, any help is greatly appreciated.

now on to the issue...

We have been experiencing a little bit of pip squeak coming from the front right when driving over bumps. Today I think I figured out it is air suspension related.

When jacking up the rear for brake work, I noticed the same squeak and now a bit more of a squeal coming from the front right. When jacking up the front right for a bit more clearance during an oil change, Bezowww! i get this ear piercing squeal of a noise...

LR3 Air Suspension Problem? - YouTube

In the video, i pause jacking when it starts squealing, the tire "raises" then i resume jacking with no further noise (I suppose all the air has leaked out). When i set the LR3 back down the front end is down to access height or below, probably all the way down. The back is still up pretty high. When the LR3 is started, it will return slowly to whatever height it was in (in this case off-road) and stays there.

as far as i can tell, there are no other air suspension problems, sits over night OK, raises and lowers ok, drives ok. After the squeal it did communicate... "air suspension raising slowly" and occurring previously on really bumpy roads we get an air suspension fault with no codes to read in the system, just the little info screen and yellow idiot light (scanning with 4Dcan). The info fault and idiot light goes away after restart.

It seems strange to me that a suspected air leak only presents on a bump or when jacking up. (I am new to air)

Front valve block a suspect? Strut? can't be an air line or fitting, it would leak all the time?

thanks for any help.

-Ked

 

[tlt]

Well, first off, cute video.... you should only jack on jacking points.

It's got to be an air line, bag, or seal kit. You'll need to spray soapy water on it to see where it's coming from.

It might be time to rebuild your air strut, or all of them. When you do, you might replace the dampers with LR4 dampers or Koni FSD's depending on the ride you are looking for.

During that time, you can inspect the air strut rubber for damage or cracks, and install a new seal kit.

 

[DVD]

Thanks for posting. I have the exact same symptoms. I thought the whistle was a screech or squeak at first. But it occurred whether braking or not, so not a stone in the brake pad. And I thought it might be wheel bearings. But this got me listening more closely. Then a search landed at this posting, and I tried the test of jacking it up, and the result is exactly like your youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgLv1-j7vYA

Thanks for the diagnostic/troubleshooting hints.

 

[kwazadilla]

You're welcome! Glad to help. big props to landroversonly.com!

In case you replace the struts yourself... may i suggest... pull off the fender liner on passenger side completely, it gives complete unrestricted access to the air line at the top, i fiddled with it for an hour or two trying to get it put back together before i figured that out, took 15 seconds to get it together with the fender liner out of the way.. I'd also order some of the fender liner "rivets" to replace the ones that are brittle and fall apart when you take it apart.

 

[DVD]

As follow up, received the replacement air springs last week, and got them in this past weekend.
Yeah, the passenger side was the worst. I was cursing the English guy on D3 forum who stated "a bit fiddly, but not a bad job." I think "fiddly" must be English slang for "nigh impossible job from hell."
I ended up removing a few heat shields and then I could build up a 2-elbowed, multi-extension socket and get that inner-most top bolt from the engine bay.
Driver's side had relatively easy access to the tough inner-most bolt (after removing a heat shield) from the engine bay.
Tested by disconnecting the battery and letting it sit for 9hrs. Height measurements didn't lose anything.
Running fine and looking good: