Hi Everyone,

I took my 2023 Defender 130 on the beach for the first time in almost 2 years and before going on I brought the tires down to ~20psi. I then switched it into sand mode, drove it on the beach and after about a 1/4 mile warnings started flashing saying stability control and other driver assists were off and the truck switched out of sand mode and into comfort mode. Oddly, I could not get it back into sand mode despite turning the car off and on.

I had no problems driving in the sand so I just did my thing and when I finished I filled the tires back up. After the tires were filled, I drove about a 1/4 on the road and the lights went off and it was back to normal.

Anyone else have a similar issue? I remember a while back when I was on this forum more often someone saying Land Rover instructs you not to lower the air in your tire even when beach driving. That seems counterintuitive and the car didn't give me these errors when I was last on the beach two years ago.

Any insight is appreciated and if my question has been solved elsewhere, just tell me. Thanks!

 

I can provide a bit of insight. All opinions.

I haven’t had the stability control issue in sand btw.

This is the only issue I’ve gotten in sand FYI:



Definitely lower your air pressure on sand. The Insider guy (quite helpful chap in general) who posted on here and then disappeared who communicated that Land Rover tested these vehicles to not lower air pressure ... which may have been the case... but in the real world, it doesn’t work that way. I think they were covering their *** corporate and legally. The traction modes including sand, rock crawl, etc -- work far better with lowered air pressure. I’ve tried it both ways after he was on here posting as I was curious (aired up/aired down). Traction and traction modes are better with the aired down tires.

BTW --on sand, I’ve been down to 11-12-13 PSI on my 20’s with 33” tires, and it’s a bit too low for the 20” tires with 33” tires.You may be on 32” tires (factory size?). 16 is better Careful with spinning tires or sudden turns because you can and will debead your tires. If you are cautious and worried about debeading tires, stay at 18-20-22 (all PSI here)

I’ve done a good bit of sand / sand dunes driving (including slaloms and donuts where I debeaded multiple tires like an *idiot* - which is why I’d caution to keep movements and speeds low and steering movements deliberate and slow on sand when aired down)

Note: I do not use AUTO terrain response mode because it annoys me. It takes too long to switch back to whatever it needs to be in. It switches TO what it needs to be in readily... but after an obstacle or slippery bit, it drives me crazy. FWIW.

 

In several areas where you can drive on the beach - for example Currituck County on the Outer Banks in NC - if you are stopped on the beach and are NOT aired down you can be found in violation of the beach driving rules and given a citation. I believe Nantucket is the same.

I don't think "the guy that works at the Land Rover Experience said they designed my SUV to not air down" will fly :P

 

Thanks for the reply, even if I'm following up a bit late. I'm on stock 19" rims and air down to about 20psi on the beach and haven't had a problem before this instance. I think I narrowed it down to (electronically) raising the truck. I think it actually may have been raising it following the air down while on a bit of asphalt then driving onto the beach. Those that have been on Assateague know what I'm talking about.

When I didn't raise the suspension fter airing down I had no warnings. After riding on the beach for some time, I chose to raise it and didnt get any warnings. I also always had it in sand mode (not auto).

In short, i think the issue comes from lowering the tire pressure while on more stable ground, like asphalt in my case, then raising the suspension followed by moving from asphalt to "unstable" ground like beach sand, based on my different tests. I don’t need to raise the suspension to get on the beach or really while on the beach (just like it ) so for others hopefully this serves as a guide if you're facing similar warnings in similar situations.

 

FWIW, I have never had to air down the Defender tires in sand...yet. I do use low gear, sand mode and shift gears myself to keep the revs high and maintain momentum. Low traction launch is beyond amazing when it's time to leave and we need to get going from a stop. But I am ready and willing to drop the tire air pressure if I could not get going once stopped, lost momentum or need to pull another stuck vehicle.

We always aired down the LR4 tires to 20 psi in sand. It felt so much heavier and prone to bogging down and sinking in sand than the Defender. I also think the Defender traction control system is far more advanced than the LR4's system.

 

You are correct that the L663 traction control system is way more advanced than the LR4’s. Pretty amazing actually.