Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 03:58 pm, by: Ben Folkes
The problem is with a uzz31 we have just bought. The car is sitting on the tyres, thats how low the suspension has dropped. When the car is started, nothing happens with the height of the car..the on/off switch in the boot makes no difference, i cant really describe anything else because this is the first soarer we have owned. Im going home tomorrow, so will be able to have a go at the diagnostics, but any suggestions would be great!
David Vaughan TryHard Soarer GT-L (4.0 V8) and is300 (3.0 VVT-i 6)
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 04:41 pm, by: David Vaughan
Can you tell us a bit more Ben? How did you buy the car? When you saw it (presuming you did not buy it sight unseen) was it up? How did the car reach you (was it driven)? For how long have you run the motor?
Wednesday, August 03, 2005 - 09:14 pm, by: Mark Paddick
First off does it sit low all round? If so then head for the air compressor. You don't always get a diagnostic error when they fail. You should be able to hear the compressor when the car is started.It lives in the right front guard in front of the wheel. Connecting 12v directly to the pump motor should make it work; if not then the motor is stuffed.
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 03:35 pm, by: Ben Folkes
ok i just got back and had a closer look..the car is sittting low all round, which makes me think the struts may be fine. I can hear the air compressor running, and i had a quick look at it, and something is disconnected..its on the end of an air line, and air is coming out of a little cylinder thingy!the on/off switch works fine i guess because when i turned it off, a warning came up on the dash..but turning it on or off doesnt effect the height at all..without any knowledge, my guess is that air line needs to be connected again!
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 04:09 pm, by: Ben Folkes
alright here is a photo to try and illustrate my crappy description of the problem, the thing im talking about is in the middle of the photo..air comes out of that
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 06:31 pm, by: Ben Folkes
and the saga continues..while searching for answers , i came across this:
just to be clear its some wiring near the suspension on/off switch..im no expert but shouldnt that be connected to something?maybe this could be the problem!!
also, this is wired up somehow, ill try and figure it out tomorrow:
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 06:47 pm, by: Todd Triebler
you've got an aftermarket suspension height controller. That's why your TEMS is disconnected. See if you can fire up that aftermarket controller. Each of the settings on it will give you a different height
Thursday, August 04, 2005 - 07:11 pm, by: Mark Paddick
The harness in the boot is for the factory mobile phone option and something else that I can't remember ATM (CRAFT disease! ). Don't worry about it, it's not the source of your suspension trouble. The filter in the first pic is for the air intake of the pump, air is sucked IN through it so check it's not blocked. the disconnected end usually has a hose which goes to a plastic fitting on the alloy front bar (often disconnected if there has been any sort of accident damage) It is there to draw air from inside the bar which should be cleaner air and won't have water etc. Connect it back up if you can (there is a second plastic fitting on the passenger side that is not normally used so if the drivers' side one is broken then swap them). It will not normally prevent the system from working unless the filter is blocked. The filters are available from Toyota. The height controller will set the suspension height over a wide range if it is working properly (I'm not familiar with that particular model...not CRAFT disease; I never knew in the first place!!) The controllers usually have a piggy-back wiring harness that plugs into the suspension computer which lives behind the rear seat armrest side panel (passengers' side - you have to remove both sections of the rear seat and the L/H armrest side panel to get at it. removing the height controller will clear it, or condemn it! Also check that all the suspension height sensing rods are actually still on the car (don't laugh it has happened several times to other people). Planet Soarer has good pics of the rods and where they are. Lastly, if all seems OK and the pump motor is running it could still be the pump not actually pumping (worn rings). disconnecting the output line and checking for air pressure while the pump is running will tel you.
Friday, August 05, 2005 - 02:51 pm, by: Ben Folkes
Ok i found the suspension computer and unplugged the aftermarket controller from the wiring loom, and plugged the normal stuff back in..the suspension still doesnt raise, but now the compressor starts when the key is in the on position, whereas before the car needed to be running for the compressor to start. Also, a warning has now come up on the dash only since i plugged the factory loom back in..according to the owners manual it indicates a charging malfunction!
Bloody frustrating is what it indicates to me!!!
Also Mark, the filter you said was meant to suck are IN actually is pumping air OUT..its not powerful at all so doubt that is the problem..
So lastly from your suggestion, i guess i should check the compressor is actually pumping..i just need to know what the output line is..if possible a photo would help ALOT!
Friday, August 05, 2005 - 10:06 pm, by: Mark Paddick
It sounds as if the pump is running in reverse. It is possible for electric motors to do that. There are a number of solenoid valves in the system too. Perhaps one is not working.
Friday, August 05, 2005 - 11:40 pm, by: Kris Blackler
sounds like someone wired it up in reverse.... but it should have showed up as soon as it was done not days after. presuming that the problem is that the motor is running in reverse.
Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 09:09 am, by: Mark Paddick
Some electric motors can be 'reversed' by flashing power the wrong way. Once power is applied the correct way the motor will still run backwards. The Generators found on old cars are a good example. They can be made to give a positive or negative output by this method. Perhaps something like this has occurred or the output air line is blocked so air is comming back out the input. Sorry, I don't have any pics but given that the filter is on the pump inlet and there are only the two lines then the other must be the outlet
Saturday, August 06, 2005 - 10:38 am, by: Ben Folkes
We had an auto electrician take a look at it this morning, he said all the soleniods are ok, and suggested that the pump is working, just not making any pressure..is it possible, if it is running in reverse, to change this?
Previous
, i came across this: 
). Don't worry about it, it's not the source of your suspension trouble. 
