Grande self-levelling suspension not working?

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

I noticed when loaded up for the last trip that the rear of the Grande had sagged considerably and did not auto-level once the engine was running.

The rest of the suspension works in terms of the Low/Normal/High settings.

Is the self-levelling a separate function that could stop working despite the rest being OK? Any way to test this or troubleshoot the problem? We're about to head off for a 6 week trip, and I'd like to not have the back end dragging in the dirt the whole trip......

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I noticed when loaded up for the last trip that the rear of the Grande had sagged considerably and did not auto-level once the engine was running.

The rest of the suspension works in terms of the Low/Normal/High settings.

Is the self-levelling a separate function that could stop working despite the rest being OK?

So you're saying that you can change the height using the Low/Normal/High settings, yet the rear won't auto level?

Any way to test this or troubleshoot the problem? We're about to head off for a 6 week trip, and I'd like to not have the back end dragging in the dirt the whole trip......

What happens if you turn off the engine and get a couple of guys to sit in the cargo area and then turn on the engine to see if it will raise itself?

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

So you're saying that you can change the height using the Low/Normal/High settings, yet the rear won't auto level?

Correct.

What happens if you turn off the engine and get a couple of guys to sit in the cargo area and then turn on the engine to see if it will raise itself?

I guess that would be the same as me putting the fridge in and filling it up, chucking in the camping gear that was being carried in there and filling the water tank - when that extra weight was put in the back, it dropped and never went back up until the weight was removed.......

[Shan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Shan]

I could be very wrong, but I thought the self levelling works when bellow happens;

• If set to Low - Once over 15 kmph
• If set to High - Once over 50 kmph

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

I could be very wrong, but I thought the self levelling works when bellow happens;

• If set to Low - Once over 15 kmph
• If set to High - Once over 50 kmph

That's the automatic resetting of the suspension level to the Normal height.

The automatic levelling is supposed to keep the rear suspension height the same regardless of the weight in the rear of the vehicle - e.g. if the Normal height is 810mm and you throw 200kg in the back, the system should pump up the airbags to ensure there is still 810m suspension height.

[Shan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Shan]

That's the automatic resetting of the suspension level to the Normal height.

The automatic levelling is supposed to keep the rear suspension height the same regardless of the weight in the rear of the vehicle - e.g. if the Normal height is 810mm and you throw 200kg in the back, the system should pump up the airbags to ensure there is still 810m suspension height.

Thanks for clearing that for me !! Handy to know that their is such a feature...

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Have you checked the height sensors to make sure that they are both still there or at the same position?
Did you touch the sensors recently? Is there anything in the sensor - dust, debris?

Can you put the suspension to high, turn off engine, load it up, drive over 50km/h... does the height then go back down?

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

It may be one of the sensors to the shocks has come loose or is faulty. I must admit this is the first time I have heard of this problem.

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

Have you checked the height sensors to make sure that they are both still there or at the same position?
Did you touch the sensors recently? Is there anything in the sensor - dust, debris?

Can you put the suspension to high, turn off engine, load it up, drive over 50km/h... does the height then go back down?

They were both there last ime I looked - a week or so before the trip.

I'll have to get underneath and have a look at the settings when I get the car back tomorow (it's having the front suspension fixed after my problem on Cordillo Downs Rd), but last time I looked the sensors were set to different positions to get the rear level - perhaps one of the plates was bent, and the sensor was adjusted to compensate. Would the sensors being set to different positions cause the problem, given the rear is level left to right with them being different?

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

You mentioned front suspension? If they changed the shocks to anything except genuine totyos then there is your problem. If they did not reconnect the sensors to the shocks properly that may be a problem. ie rear connected by fronts not. etc etc

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I read on PP somewhere where Darren mentioned that if you stuffed up the sensors, the self levelling system 'shuts down' and you would be dragging the Prado's butt on the ground. Maybe because the sensors are at different positions and you sustained damage to the front cause the rear to go out of whack. Was the rear not self levelling before you damaged the front end?

MLC, the connections to the shocks have nothing to do with the height sensor (as far as I know).

[MidLifeCrisis Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close MidLifeCrisis]

I understand that all 4 are used to self level and ride comfort setting, not adjust the rear up and down. I may be wrong and it would not be the first time.

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

I read on PP somewhere where Darren mentioned that if you stuffed up the sensors, the self levelling system 'shuts down' and you would be dragging the Prado's butt on the ground. Maybe because the sensors are at different positions and you sustained damage to the front cause the rear to go out of whack. Was the rear not self levelling before you damaged the front end?

It wasn't working before we started out on the trip - i.e. I loaded up the rear and noted tha tthe back was quite low before we even left the garage. (The front damage on the trip was simply the shaft part of the NSF Bilstein has been pushed up through the 'hat'/top of the mount - I doubt that this would have had any effect on the rear, assuming the problem had not manifested itself prior to that).

Might have to search for Darren's comment.....

[Way2go Member Find all posts View Profile Close Way2go]

I understand that all 4 are used to self level and ride comfort setting, not adjust the rear up and down. I may be wrong and it would not be the first time.

The front shocks were changed to Bilsteins some time ago - as were the rear.

Changing the shocks only removes the Comfort-Sport ride comfort settings (i.e. they can't be used anymore) - there shouldn't be any change to anything else by going to non-OEM shocks AFAIK.

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Here's one
http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread...l=1#post185933