Hi guys, I just went to look at a a great 04 4.4 V8 with under 70k on the clock. The owner had driven it back through flood waters, cleaned it off with a jet wash before I turned up and the air suspension warning lights on the dash have just come on and the lights on the switch gone out.

Could it be linked to the the water / jet wash or a coincidence? It Looked great aside from this and a really genuine guy so do not want to mess him around, but potentially need to budget for the the likely work and reflect this in any potential offer.

Any thoughts? Many thanks in advance..... 4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE

On a ten year old RR you have to budget for new struts no matter how well maintained the car is. These are wear items. ----------
2014 tdv6 (ex. 2004 td6, 1997 2.5 dse)

Could be water in the height sensors, or one of the plastic sensor links got damaged.

Possible ideas There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

As above, water and sensors underneath are a possible problem although mine have been OK off roading and wading on Salisbury Plain and should be able to put up with a drenching.
It's also worth checking for water in the spare wheel well which obviously doesn't help the compressor as that's where it lives.
I had a similar issue with mine which was coming up with an over temperature error on the compressor, no lights on the level control and suspension inactive warning. Reading the live data on the compressor temperature it was all over the shop which on investigation was caused by the inch of water in the spare wheel well messing with the electrical connection!
Draining the water and drying out the compressor electrical connection plus forcing it to run (IID tool) dried it out and it's been working fine ever since. I can see some dealers just replacing a perfectly good compressor if they found that problem.
I sorted the water issue too which was coming in via the rear bumper bar mounts although I would say the rear door seal is a more common leak point (reseated mine too).

I've seen / read / been told before that on Range Rovers you shouldn't jet wash the the suspension/ wheels as it can affect the sensors.

Many thanks guys, really appreciated. Looks like it is potentially not a deal breaker then and each component not too bad to replace anyway.

It drove very well despite the warning light, and there was no noticeable sag in the suspension front or rear. Is it OK to drive for a distance with the warning on?? 4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE

I don't think anyone will tell you it's ok, just in case it's not when you take it on a journey. The codes need to be read. Ian

Not a deal breaker but a bargaining point.
You really need to check the air bags by sticking it in off road mode and looking for cracking in the rubber bellows around the base, bit hard to do if it's stuck in normal height mode. If they are starting to crack then best to replace them before they give grief. As has been said above 5 years is their rough lifespan. Roughly £200-£250 a corner, fronts include the struts.
A new compressor is around £300 although they can be rebuilt with kits off ebay. I got a kit to do mine from a guy with access to Wabco factory parts and included a new piston, ring, dryer and cylinder head. Other kits with just a piston ring may not be so successful but worth trying I guess instead of buying a new compressor.

 L405 SDV8 2017 + Lancia Flavia Coupe 1964 + RRS L494 3.0 SDV6 + C220CDI Convertible 2021

Thanks again guys, this really helps.

The difficulty is going to be being able to diagnose the problem in situ. I could not raise the suspension and do not have access to diagnostics. As the vehicle is over 100 miles away, I may have to take the risk and collect it and hope it makes it back, just ensure I have good recovery sorted! 4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE

Meerbusch wrote:

I thought you were on here but couldn't remember. Thanks for the kit, not fitted yet as mine is holding up but getting slow, certainly impressed with the factory bits supplied

Ah, the smilie makes more sense to the newbie now  4.2 Supercharged Vogue SE

Chauch wrote:

Thanks again guys, this really helps.

The difficulty is going to be being able to diagnose the problem in situ. I could not raise the suspension and do not have access to diagnostics. As the vehicle is over 100 miles away, I may have to take the risk and collect it and hope it makes it back, just ensure I have good recovery sorted!

to find out what IS the problem, you only need a diagnostic tool, which if you are serious about running one of these cars properly, should be a compulsory purchase anyway. you can pick one up easily for around £300 just search the forum here for tips -very all encompassing and very DIY and nothing to worry about etc. They are easy to use, in conjunction with a typical laptop -preferably one with a serial port, or with a USB to serial port adapter. I have the RSW diag cable, and its very good. on odd occasions, say about 3 times in a year, I have had the suspension warning come on, and it latches. so without the tool I could not 'release it' however, within 10 mins, I was up and running again. this can be kept in the car with an old (low value) laptop, just in case you are a little doubtful etc. ie long journey.
I would hazard a guess at the dampness entering the height sensors, or a bag getting old. sometimes, these bags can just be cleaned with a scourer around the sealing points at the bottom, with wheel off, and in high mode as the seal has just got dirt stuck round it. -this is common. where the bag deflates, it rolls over a mount, that its sealed against. and dirt from muddy off roading, can lodge there. causing a 'lump' -I cant garauntee this on yours though. there is a buyers guide checklist on the WIKI section, but it does have a lot of things that scare you etc. can you not find an friendly range rover owner to give you a hand...
I have to say though. once you have sampled life in a range rover, it's difficult to want for anything else! these cars are indeed a labour of love. and forums like this explain many 'mysteries'. good luck!


how to use a range rover...
here you go...

Get the owner to get it sorted before the sale, otherwise you are just potentially buying trouble, unless you can get a good £500 off the SP and you are prepared to take on the trouble. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

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