UPDATE - Many thanks to all of you who offered insights into the issue with the rear suspension. After removing the wheel arch liner to see if I could see any obvious problem (couldn't see anything out of place) I contacted the LR main dealer and they were very helpful (and patient!) with me.

They have put money on it being one of the pipes 'somewhere between' the compressor and the rear airbags coming adrift causing a sudden loss of air. The front staying up and still pumping when changing the height settings rules out the compressor and reservoir. There is a slim chance it's the valve block that's gone, but - according to LR - even that would take much longer to leak enough air to empty the rear system. They advised taking back to the garage who fitted the new airbags. They also confirmed it is a) safe and b) legal to drive it to the garage with the rear suspension down on the cones - but at no more than 20mph (if my spine can even take that!)

I'll post a further update when I find out what it actually is. Garage is doing it tomorrow morning!!

note before reading/responding: i had new rear air suspension bags fitted both sides only six weeks ago!

car has been running fine until yesterday. started up and immediately the
'warning: suspension fault' came up.
ok'd this and it went away. drove about 30 miles with no issue. car stood for a couple of hours, then started up again, but this time the levelling seemed like it couldn't work out what it was set to between normal and off-road. once we started moving it sorted itself out (at normal height) and we drove back 30 miles with no further issues.

this morning went to drive the car the 100 yards or so back to it's normal parking place outside our house. it was sitting as normal on the road, at correct height etc. started up and no warning message, but again it couldn't seem to work out what height it was set to.

started to drive slowly to where i could turnaround, reversed the car into a driveway, then turned back towards my house. immediately i was aware that the back of the car had suddenly dropped and the rear suspension was on the bumpers. the front stayed at the correct height.

the car has been in this position - see photo - since then and 11 hours have elapsed. the front is still up, but it will not raise at the rear when i start her up.

the back went down so suddenly, i find it hard to think it could be the airbags i had fitted a few weeks ago (aerosus).

i've ordered a compressor seal refurb kit which is arriving tomorrow, just to replace the seals etc to be on the safe side. however, the fact that the front has stayed up is making me think this isn't the compressor and maybe the valve block (or something very close to it).

open to suggestions... and helpful advice! thanks in advance.[/img]

Last edited by phoenixman61 on 30th May 2024 11:55am. Edited 1 time in total

It's a shame you don't have the details of the error codes, that could point to what the cause is.

You don't say whether lowering the car and trying to raise again lifts the fronts again. It may be that they're just holding their pressure well, at least for now, if they raise up again then it can't be the compressor.

As you said the bags were replaced not long ago if the above works ok then I'd be thinking more along the lines of a dislodged air line or sticking valve. You could listen out for obvious hissing with the compressor running around both rear arches or if you had access to a smoke generator that would help out a lot. Fuji White / Jet 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster

I've not got a smoke generator but you have given me an idea! Sorry, I don't have a code reader - keep meaning to get one.

The front stays at the same level when trying to lift the back btw.

Does that help?

At the risk of making a bad situation worse, if you lower to access height and then back to normal, does the front drop and then rise again ?

If so that would eliminated the compressor and 50% or the pipework so you'd be looking at a rear end fault.

If the front drops and does not rise up again may well be a pressure generation ussue. Fuji White / Jet 2012 4.4 TDV8 Westminster

Without a diagnostic tool like the GAP IID it’s tricky but have a look at the off-road display and see where the car thinks the wheel heights are as it could be a faulty height sensor making the car drop. You would hear an air leak if it was a leak that dropped it that fast. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

AndyRoo wrote:

At the risk of making a bad situation worse, if you lower to access height and then back to normal, does the front drop and then rise again ?

If so that would eliminated the compressor and 50% or the pipework so you'd be looking at a rear end fault.

If the front drops and does not rise up again may well be a pressure generation issue.

JayGee wrote:

Without a diagnostic tool like the GAP IID it’s tricky but have a look at the off-road display and see where the car thinks the wheel heights are as it could be a faulty height sensor making the car drop. You would hear an air leak if it was a leak that dropped it that fast.

Also check the sensors visulaly to see if the arms are securly attached. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Will do

It's been mentioned on here before that the later VDS equipped struts are longer than the earlier versions and only the OE bags are the right length with others not fitting properly.

Might be worth having a search through previous posts for details, but thought I'd just mention it. 2012 (L322) 4.4TDV8 Vogue SE, RSE, Fuji White over Arabica.
Previous V8s: BMW 645Ci, P38 4.6, P38 4.0, Merc CL500
Previous others: Honda x1, Volvo x7, Rover x6, BMW x6, Ford x1, Mercedes x2, Skoda x3, VW x2, Renault x2, Citroen x1, Mazda x3, Nissan x1, Audi x3, Kia x1, Fiat x4, Subaru x3, Austin x2, Triumph x2, Jeep x2, Hyundai x2, Lexus x1, Mitsubishi x1, Saab x2... and some others I've forgotten!

Would that not have been apparent when the new air bags were fitted? And, would an issue have presented itself in the six(ish) week since they were fitted?

I assume my local LR dealer (Sytner) would be able to tell me if mine is VDS equipped?

VDS is standard on all 4.4 TDV8’s.

 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

Yep, just checked - mine's got the units on the top of the front struts.

Danb_220_2019 wrote:

It's been mentioned on here before that the later VDS equipped struts are longer than the earlier versions and only the OE bags are the right length with others not fitting properly.

Might be worth having a search through previous posts for details, but thought I'd just mention it.

Have you looked at the 4x4 info screen yet  2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)