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discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 HCPU Fuji White

Suspension?

Has anybody thought that the air suspension is overly stiff. I have a 21 D250 110 S which I took delivery of beginning last year. When I took delivery I thought it rode very firmly and harsh compared with two demos I drove. For the first 6 months I thought LR might have changed the something. It wasn't until I drove 2 other Defenders of the same year that I realised that yes my suspension is very firm. Reported it to the dealer middle of last year. They said it was fine. Since then I have been to them 3 or 4 times. They drive the car and continue to say it it is normal. They are in the suburbs, so not really a good test. Apparently they have tested all connections etc. Still saying they can't find anything wrong.
Have given up with this particular dealer now, trying another who have agreed to keep the car for a few days. One of the technicians will drive it home every night, he lives in the country.
A few people including Graham from Llambs and Ralf Sierak have said that will most likely
be software, I really hope so.. Not as enjoyable as it should be.

Click image to enlarge

18th Apr 2023 1:14am

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2836

lsnt the air suspension adjustable somewhere in the menu to make it softer or harder?

Maybe yours has been set to "Dynamic" rather than "Comfort".

18th Apr 2023 6:52am

discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

The dampers are CVDs (continuously variable dampers). They take information from the ride height sensors, accelerometers and speed. Something else that I can't remember. There is no dynamic setting available on this model. I think that is on the V8. I have it on my RRS SDV8. As the dealer has dismissed any bad connection it would maybe make sense that the software in the suspension module is corrupt. Why they didn't think to update the software or download it again I don't know.

18th Apr 2023 7:22am

Tim in Scotland

Member Since: 23 May 2007
Location: The Land that time forgot
Posts: 3753

I have found that both my D240 110 and now the 90 HSE D250 with air springs have been harder off-road than either of the RRS’s or FFRR’s I have owned and used off-road. I put that down to the 2 stage airbags used on Defender when in off-road height where the 2nd stage gets inflated. My last RRS was an HSE Dynamic and even in Dynamic mode it wasn’t as hard as the air sprung Defenders in offroad mode Pangea Green D250 90 HSE with Air Suspension, Off-road Pack, Towing Pack, Black Contrast roof , rear recovery eyes, Front bash plate, Classic flaps all round, extended wheel arch kit and a few bits from PowerfulUK Expel Clear Gloss PPF to come
2020 D240 1st Edition in Pangea Green with Acorn interior. Now gone - old faithful, no mechanical issues whatsoever ever but the leaks and rattles all over the place won’t be missed!

18th Apr 2023 9:26am

discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

The problem is not just offroad. Very hard on road compared with the others I have driven.

18th Apr 2023 9:57am

Piha

Member Since: 27 Jul 2022
Location: Surrey Altiplano
Posts: 4

Curiously enough, I've found the suspension firmer than my initial test drive.

My local dealership gave me a D300 XD HSE for a week last year and the suspension was really remarkable! I had another test drive from a different dealership and the suspension felt rather firm and I thought it might be because I had a different model - P400e - this time.

Now I've had my D300 XD HSE for a few weeks I do think the suspension is firmer than my initial test drive version..... Or am I just overthinking things.......

18th Apr 2023 12:20pm

discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

The other 3 cars I have driven ( another 110 D250, a D300 and a P400) have been noticeably softer than mine on normal roads. As one of the owners said to like riding on a cloud. Having said that maybe there is a bit of inconsistency.

18th Apr 2023 12:59pm

medallionno3

Member Since: 11 Mar 2023
Location: England
Posts: 24

Are the tyres the same on all the cars? Yours looks to be on off road tyres which may have a stiffer sidewall?

18th Apr 2023 5:46pm

lightning

Member Since: 23 Apr 2009
Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
Posts: 2836

Maybe Land Rover changed the calibration of the air suspension.

There were some complaints that it was too soft so it's possible they updated it. Does the vehicle raise and lower like it should, to give access mode and off road mode?

18th Apr 2023 8:18pm

discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

Suspension just as stiff with my road tyres on the car. Re Landrover changing the suspension I have driven later models which are significantly softer.

18th Apr 2023 10:15pm

medallionno3

Member Since: 11 Mar 2023
Location: England
Posts: 24

With situations like this there can be a lot of confirmation bias

Quite difficult to do but it would be good if a blind test as a passenger could be conducted where you don’t know which car you are in

We did something similar with a friend when he was convinced his car sounded different - turns out it was no different (like everybody kept saying) and he couldn’t tell the difference during a blind test

19th Apr 2023 5:00am

discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

That's a fair point.

19th Apr 2023 5:09am

mbso

Member Since: 01 Sep 2021
Location: Genoa
Posts: 100

I drive a 110 D250 MY23...
i'm riding usually in road and the ride is so smooth and comfortable with the air suspension.

In my humble opinion ... almost perfect.

I drove it only with Winter and all seasons tires, on paved road.

Could it be the tires ? DISCOVERY 4 2013
VOLVO XC90 2017
MY23.5 110 D250 SE in Santorini Black

19th Apr 2023 12:22pm

discojools

Member Since: 23 Jul 2020
Location: Victoria
Posts: 17

Wish it was that simple. Tyres are set recommended pressure and are 18” OEM Goodyear Adventures.

21st Apr 2023 3:49am

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