I use the park access height feature which lowers the car when you park up. I am sure it puts a lot of stress through the suspension joints, transmission and handbrake as the suspension geometry changes with ride height.

It may have something to do with the top knuckle joint snapping which often seems to occur when the car is being parked.

I have started pressing the lower button whilst the car is in neutral with the brakes off so I roll it forward slightly to let the tyres settle. Then I put it in park and apply the handbrake.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? 2016 AB SDV8 Barolo black

if and when i use it i make sure i have at least a cars length to go 'down' and at a slow speed..

it certainly does strain a bit when you go into access when stationary.. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
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Like you I thought this would put needless strain on the system and so I switched off the auto lower to access height feature when I got the car and have only used it on the rare occasions that I need to drive people who struggle to get in/out at normal height. I have operated it with the car stopped on those occasions.

I do move the car from normal to high and back regularly, when entering/leaving fields and tracks, the car is generally moving when I do that. Only Range Rovers since 1988

Sorry chaps, Total Bunkum:

Why design and develop and deliberately configure a car with “Auto Access Height” in that case?

Also, not exercising the suspension by leaving it in the one position is detrimental to the airbags, of which replacing all four is seriously expensive compared to a few rubber bushings, which are wear parts and have to be replaced every 6-8 years anyway!

 “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Last edited by Gremlin500 on 3rd Dec 2024 1:27pm. Edited 1 time in total

When you lower the car it pushes the bottom of the wheel out and also the top of the strut in.

I am sure the designer factored this strain in however it will put a load on the top of the strut, and when you consider a wide tire on a sticky surface that can be quite high.

It has to be better if lowering and raising is done with some sympathy for the old joints  2016 AB SDV8 Barolo black

Ahem, some “Gremlins’ Advocacy” there, of course

Interesting, so if parked on say gravel or mud or sand, could an observer see the wheels move axially?

Of course, no matter what prudent measures you take to avoid wear & tear in one place on the fullfat, you will probably be damaging something somewhere else…….

Certainly the Steering joint bellows frequently fail, -open the bonnet then have someone exercise the suspension, to see how much its articulation changes.
Another well-known example is the Auto Steering Column Control function, which raises the steering wheel and lowers the drivers’ seat to assist exit: -apparently, it’s a big no-no to use that function as well. Fortunately, I’m not portly enough to need that anyway, but I’m working on it!  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?

Totally agree, I can't see it would put any significant stress on anything....

I have to manually do it but I always drop it to access to give the suspension a work out, I also use off road height, low box and HDC regularly to keep them working as they should.... Then I'm sad and exercise things like the rear seats and windows which just don't get used, there are plenty of other bits as well...

Use it or lose it seems to apply....  Pete

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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Yes, imagine the stress on the suspension when negotiating a tight turn a little too quickly, hitting a pothole, or in some lairy off-road situation? Lowering the vehicle is a somewhat gentler operation alltogether, so go ahead and enjoy your fullfat, no need to turn everything off!  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?