Help! 91 Liberty Air Suspension

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:00 pm

Help! I just bought a Liberty wagon and drove it 500km home without any drama's (apart from no 4th gear!). It's now sitting in my shed and since I last drove it, 2 days ago, the front end has dropped so it now looks like a lowrider!
The Electronic Height Control was working but now isn't.
Can anyone tell me either where to start looking or how to inflate the airbags manually? I reckon the bags must be OK cos it's unlikely that both fronts would fail at the same time... or do you know better?

Hoekl · Post by **Hoekl** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 8:27 pm

Have you started the car? They might have a leak. When the car starts, the bags automatically get pumped back up and 'auto level' the car.

stuftifino · Post by **stuftifino** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 5:54 pm

Gday Mad dog
I have the same Prob in my 91 Liberty wagon that ive had for 10 yrs
First the manual Height adjustment started getting a bit confused so I didnt use it anymore, now my car is doing the same as yours, Im pretty sure that it is not a leaking bag because Ive had that before( or the car has) and all four shocks deflate even if only one is leaking. If you start youre car and let it run for a while i would be suprised if it doesnt pump its self up. my car only does it sometimes I am hoping some suby nut out the can tell us what the Prob is Cheers.

maddog · Post by **maddog** » Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:54 pm

You were right! - Started the car, let it warm up and it sorted itself out! Gotta love self-fixing subaru's!

stuftifino · Post by **stuftifino** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:56 am

See last thred on this forum page, Guy has same problem.
Cheers

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:07 pm

All 4 should not deflate if it is just an airbag that leaks. The solenoids controlling each are usually closed so when the car is off only the buggered strut should deflate.

Having said this, under normal conditions the struts should take weeks or months to deflate by themselves if they are OK, if yours are going down overnight or over a few days then you have leaks, that won't likely get better.

If the fronts are down and the rears are up and trying to put the car into Hi mode doesn't work, be looking at the wiring to the rear strut solenoids.

When you say the height control gets *confused* if that means the indicator keep flashing then there is a fault.

You can read the faults by finding the fault diagnosis connector near the wires for read-memory connector under the dash above the footrest or thereabouts, mine is a flat, black connector with 4 terminals, up the wire a little way should be a bare connector that will plug into the connector holes.

With the ignition off, and the connector with the lumpy side up, plug the loose terminal into the first hole on the left and then turn on the ignition, the height control indicator should flash a code or a number of codes.

Codes will be marked by short flashes (0.3s), with a long flash between codes (1.2s). If normal you will get a regular flash with 0.6s intervals of flash and no-flash.

These codes I can decipher for you as required.

Or just look at the attachment

Suberman · Post by **Suberman** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:19 am

Hi Stuftifino, Maddog, I'm a member of the Liberty lowriders club!

Came off the hoist after a gas conversion. Next day, my ride is pimped!

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:32 am

LOL, I'll have to post pics of mine from last week!

Also, if your car is going on a hoist or is being jacked up, make sure the ignition is off and wait for 60 seconds, this should prevent the auto-levelling feature from working and your struts getting confused.

Suberman · Post by **Suberman** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 11:38 am

SUBYDAZZ wrote:LOL, I'll have to post pics of mine from last week!

Also, if your car is going on a hoist or is being jacked up, make sure the ignition is off and wait for 60 seconds, this should prevent the auto-levelling feature from working and your struts getting confused.

If what you say there is what has happened, what's the solution? Is the computer confused because the auto-level feature went into action while on the hoist? How do I fix that?

Ok, just saw your reply SUBYDAZZ in the other thread, thanks for that.

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:19 pm

If it's just because it's been on a hoist or jacked up (ie there are no other issues), it should pump up by itself, but it can take time. There is a 2500cc air capacity in the air tank and not sure how much in each strut, probably that much in each.
It will pump up a bit easier if the engine is running and you may have to drive a short distance which can help. The speed sensor has an input into starting the air suspension system too.

Suberman · Post by **Suberman** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 12:47 pm

Ok, it takes about five minutes after ignition for the front to come up. I still think it's electrical/sensor problem. But ( given no other issues) if it happened because it was on a hoist, it should be able to be rectified back to normal, yes?

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:14 pm

Yes. I'd say you have some kind of leak.

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 2:41 pm

Here's some pics of mine when there was almost no air left in the struts:

Not much daylight here, and no-go for trolley jacks:
[ATTACH]1193[/ATTACH]

No fingers will fit between tyre and guard:
[ATTACH]1194[/ATTACH]

Hmm, fronts are surprisingly high, must be some air left:
[ATTACH]1195[/ATTACH]

Fully Sik(sic) lowered Lib
[ATTACH]1196[/ATTACH]

Scrapes going into and out of my driveway

:
[ATTACH]1198[/ATTACH]

stuftifino · Post by **stuftifino** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:26 pm

Gday All
Thanks Subydazz Im still tying to get my head around the self diagnosis stuff. On my car the rear shocks seem fine they seem to go up and down when height is adjusted ( they were replaced with genuine ones about 9 years ago), its just the front that is the problem, but im yet to be convinced that it is a leaking bag because sometimes they will stay up for hours other times they willl deflate even when motor is running ie yesturday i dropped my wife off and next thing its bling bling doof doof the nose is down. Sometimes when the car is parked it will drop other times it wont?

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 6:08 pm

PM me your email and I will email you the Subaru Factory Service Manual chapter on suspension, can help you sort it out, but it would really make it easier if you had a Select Monitor & appropriate cartridge like Subaru for some parts. Not that anyone but Subaru does has one.

andykov · Post by **andykov** » Sun Aug 03, 2008 7:29 pm

Hi subydazz,
Just logged in to see if I could get some answers on suspension problems in my daughter's '93 liberty waggon and noticed your offer to send a chapter from the service manual to another member.Could I possibly have a copy please??? (if it is pertinent to my model).Meanwhile I will keep reading .Thankyou Andrew

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 9:40 am

andykov, send me a PM with your email address.

It is for a 1992 model but is the same anyway.

stuftifino · Post by **stuftifino** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:25 am

Gday all, its been a while but I just thought I would post an update, the problem was diagnosed as a faulty valve in front right strut, I was lucky enough to find a set on ebay took a punt and got them ,$ 90 delivered and they looked like new. Fairly easy job to fit (only fitted FR) and the suspension is working like a bought one. Thanks for all your help.

:D:DRK

SUBYDAZZ · Post by **SUBYDAZZ** » Mon Sep 06, 2010 8:23 am

You got a real bargain there. They are over $600 new.

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Help! 91 Liberty Air Suspension

Help! 91 Liberty Air Suspension

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