Had the car 2 weeks, from private sale, no suspension faults visually or on GAP tool at purchase.
Back home took the car to a local well regarded JLR specialist for a full inspection & report. 2 weeping rear shocks, couple of suspension bushes (1 front, 1 rear). Result!
Fast forward 1 week, on the motorway got a suspension fault ping up; ‘max speed 30mph’ Managed to get the car home 6/7miles like riding a bouncy castle. Assuming that the rear shocks had somehow just gone! Left it the full day without attempting anything.
Next day, managed to get the suspension to raise off the bump stops. Drove it locally to check for faults, getting the ‘suspension raising slowly’ and then ‘suspension will raise after system cooled’ eventually it sat down on all bump stops. No faults on GAP tool though!
After letting it cool for a few hours until the evening it raised again, so I decide to leave it at that and see what might happen. Next morning both fronts have dropped. Rears still at normal height. Couldn’t hear any ‘hissing’ leak sounds when sitting and turning the steering wheel full lock. After reading a good few posts I decided it would most likely be front air bags, ordered 2 up from Island4x4. Fitted front passenger at the weekend. All looked good, suspension raised quite quickly but again had noticeably dropped at the fronts only after a short while.
Whilst trying to raise the car using the driver controls I felt that the 4x4 info screen and the faults showing on the digi dash were at odds with each other! The dash saying the car was in extended mode, but very obviously it wasn’t in reality! I also noticed on the 4x4 info screen that there was a flashing red/white indicator above the front passenger wheel - does this indicate something?? However when I then began to turn the steering wheel lock to lock, this red/white indicator moved over to the drivers wheel when turned that way??
Upshot is that I managed to get it to raise to as near to normal mode as possible and switched off. Again this morning both fronts had dropped down again, rears being fine.

My plea for help is:
Is there a step-by-step best practice procedure to follow to eliminate in order before jumping and spending money on something not needed? I have the GAP tool to use but not sure how/what to look for using this to check: compressor / air tank / ride height sensors / air valve block… I could obviously go back to the specialist but I do like to maintain cars as best I can when practicable, and I like picking up the knowledge.
All and any help appreciated folks…  Cheers, Steven.

2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8.

Had this scenario a few times with my old TDV8 Vogue (08MY). Ride height sensors would be my first port of call as this was the issue I had (three times across 160k miles). The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

when I got my 2012 it had an apparent starter motor issue, whilst fiddling about with connections, I might have knocked the height sensor and bent the arm, the wrong way. needless to say, it was sinking overnight, at the front. but drove ok. after reading on here about height sensors, I had another look, and noticed it. unclipped it, and restored position and reclipped, -fixed! no more sinking.

thanks Chaps, I’ve ordered up 2 height sensors to at least have them to hand for the weekend!

Can anyone answer, if only 1 of the front airbags were leaking would both drop accordingly or just the leaking bag?? I’m unsure as to whether to fit the 2nd bag I have bought atm before jumping into fitting new ride height sensors..? Cheers, Steven.

2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8.

I’ve been experiencing a similar issue and took the car to a local garage today, before I dropped it off I noticed the front offside air spring was hissing like mad and obviously leaking. The garage has just rang and quoted £550 to replace just the air bag. Is this a bit excessive ?? Thought a air bag would be about £200 with a mark up and perhaps an hours labour at the most !

TJ, having just bought 2 front bags from Island4x4 for £125ea +VAT I can say its seems bit excessive esp just for bags! Cheers, Steven.

2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8.

I thought as much, I think the receptionist may have quotes for 2 air bags or an airbag and strut assembly, I will probably ring them in the morning when they open just to confirm they’ve got the pricing right. I Know they will want a diagnostic charge of roughly £60 but still seems really excessive to me. I’m tempted to just buy the part myself and fit it although I’m always pushed for time and would struggle to fit it in. I wonder what people have been charged on average for the fitting of 1 front airbag.

I tried to do mine myself, thought its only 6 bolts to get the strut out, after 4 hrs I had to give up on the lower bolt in the knuckle, put it back together and took it to a garage, they had trouble with it as well and it took a while to remove, seized in there solid as a solid thing, quite common apparently...

Good luck if you're doing it yourself

I’ve bought my own parts a few times and paid the garage to fit.

You could try that, see if fitting only is more reasonable.

 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

My local indi is now refusing to fit parts brought in with a car, as they have had too many instances of the wrong parts being supplied. The older I get, the more I realise that people confuse wrinkles for wisdom

"perhaps an hours labour at the most !"
That might be a bit optomistic - as has been mentioned the strut lower bolts can be (almost always are) a right tw@ to remove then fitting a new bag to an old shocker and getting it to seal properly can take an age.

Thanks for the replies, will probably take the hit this time and shop around next time.

TJ, worth a try surely asking your local garage if they’d accept the parts to fit first?? If not, no worse off.
From my own experience I have to say I spent more time getting the car jacked up into position than really getting the bolts off. Liberal amounts of ‘Black Magic’ & ‘Plus Gas’ sprays before attempting anything seemed to certainly help. Can’t beat the satisfaction of getting it done yourself! Good luck either way… Cheers, Steven.

2012 Vogue 4.4 TDV8.