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TOMC73



Member Since: 03 Mar 2024
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 15

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Santorini Black
Rear suspension exploded!

Hi

I was jacking the rear passenger side of my 2012 l322 tdv8 this morning (vehicle was in extended suspension setting for jacking) and the rear driver side suspension leg exploded with a bang- with oil all over the place and a couple of pieces blew out under the car - see pictures. Can anyone suggest why this happened?

Thanks

Tom

Post #722991 17th Aug 2025 2:20pm
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Joe90



Member Since: 29 Apr 2010
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 6425

England 

"rear driver side suspension leg exploded with a bang"

The shock absorber or the air bag (if the latter, where did the oil come from?), or other ?

No pictures ? .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember Wink
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Post #722993 17th Aug 2025 2:39pm
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TOMC73



Member Since: 03 Mar 2024
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 15

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Santorini Black

Click image to enlarge






Hi - Photos added - the light plastic looks to be the bottom of the air bag unit and the metal cylinder looks to be the bottom of the shock absorber.

Post #722996 17th Aug 2025 3:07pm
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Bardley



Member Since: 01 Jan 2025
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 29

United Kingdom 2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Corris Grey

Jack placement?
This clearly should not happen.
It's not necessary to raise to extended to Jack, but depends what you're jacking on.
If it's a control arm, not needed.
If it's the body, it kinda saves all the jacking to get the body to a point where wheel will lift. Depends what the Job is really.
Access or getting a wheel off.

Send clear photos and let's all have a look... L405 2014 FFRR Autobiography
Corris Grey
Previously 2011 D4 SDV6 HSE Santorini

Post #722997 17th Aug 2025 3:10pm
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Bardley



Member Since: 01 Jan 2025
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 29

United Kingdom 2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Corris Grey

We overlapped...

I'm afraid the photos don't help. Can you take a few of the Lower control arm looking up? Better angles?
That plastic rod appears to have a contusion. L405 2014 FFRR Autobiography
Corris Grey
Previously 2011 D4 SDV6 HSE Santorini

Post #722998 17th Aug 2025 3:11pm
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Bardley



Member Since: 01 Jan 2025
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 29

United Kingdom 2014 Range Rover Autobiography SDV8 Corris Grey

Any of these parts failed?





Click image to enlarge




 L405 2014 FFRR Autobiography
Corris Grey
Previously 2011 D4 SDV6 HSE Santorini

Post #722999 17th Aug 2025 3:21pm
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JayGee



Member Since: 27 Jul 2021
Location: London
Posts: 3308

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Vogue 4.4 V8 Orkney Grey

3rd picture shows the shock absorber external accumulator which has broken off due to corrosion ( not unusual) and the plastic locating stub on the bottom of the air bag. There was talk about some of the aftermarket airbags not having enough travel for the late model shocks. You will need to replace both and best to do the other side as well esp if corrosion is similar. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Post #723000 17th Aug 2025 3:47pm
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mjdronfield



Member Since: 04 Nov 2011
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 7980

United Kingdom 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8 Buckingham Blue

As above I recon. I had same bit of damper come off due to corrosion. Replaced both with Bilstein ones from Island 4x4.

Thumbs Up 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

Post #723004 17th Aug 2025 4:08pm
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TOMC73



Member Since: 03 Mar 2024
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 15

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Santorini Black

Hi I was jacking the passenger side rear using the standard jacking point when the opposite side (drivers) suspension went bang and disintegrated. I noticed, when jacking the passenger side, that there was a 'wet' area at the bottom of the drivers side suspension leg so was going to look at that next.

the car has electronic damper control and the metal tube that has broken off looks like it should be attached to the bottom of the shock absorber strutt - i have attached a photo of a similar item from ebay.

The light coloured plastic tube that has broken off looks like it is a shaft from the centre of the lower part of the suspension air bag (part RKB500082 in the diagram you provided) where a screw attaches it to the bottom suspension control arm.

I am not able to take any better photos at present, my trolley jack has just packed up as well! so ordered one from amazon.

The reason for me jacking it up was to look at the rear suspension and bushes etc as the rear seemed to be a bit 'tail happy' when I drove it earlier - which was unusual.

My follow on questions, if anyone can help, are:
1- why would this happen, I have had a few l322s and never had anything like this happen before.
2-I will need to buy 2 x new suspension air bags and 2 x shock absorbers. Will someone let me have the part number for the air bags (not sure if there are different part numbers cars with and without the electronic damper control).
3- There are pairs of shock absorbers for cars with variable damper control available on ebay for £120 new - this seems very cheap, does anyone have any experience of these items?

Thanks

Tom

Post #723005 17th Aug 2025 4:09pm
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TOMC73



Member Since: 03 Mar 2024
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 15

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Santorini Black

Hi I was jacking the passenger side rear using the standard jacking point when the opposite side (drivers) suspension went bang and disintegrated. I noticed, when jacking the passenger side, that there was a 'wet' area at the bottom of the drivers side suspension leg so was going to look at that next.

the car has electronic damper control and the metal tube that has broken off looks like it should be attached to the bottom of the shock absorber strutt - i have attached a photo of a similar item from ebay.

The light coloured plastic tube that has broken off looks like it is a shaft from the centre of the lower part of the suspension air bag (part RKB500082 in the diagram you provided) where a screw attaches it to the bottom suspension control arm.

I am not able to take any better photos at present, my trolley jack has just packed up as well! so ordered one from amazon.

The reason for me jacking it up was to look at the rear suspension and bushes etc as the rear seemed to be a bit 'tail happy' when I drove it earlier - which was unusual.

My follow on questions, if anyone can help, are:
1- why would this happen, I have had a few l322s and never had anything like this happen before.
2-I will need to buy 2 x new suspension air bags and 2 x shock absorbers. Will someone let me have the part number for the air bags (not sure if there are different part numbers cars with and without the electronic damper control).
3- There are pairs of shock absorbers for cars with variable damper control available on ebay for £120 new - this seems very cheap, does anyone have any experience of these items?

Thanks

Tom

Post #723006 17th Aug 2025 4:09pm
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TOMC73



Member Since: 03 Mar 2024
Location: Warwickshire
Posts: 15

United Kingdom 2012 Range Rover Westminster 4.4 V8 Santorini Black

Thanks for the responses.

MR DRONFIELD - did your suspension collapse with oil loss etc when yours failed?

Post #723007 17th Aug 2025 4:12pm
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mjdronfield



Member Since: 04 Nov 2011
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 7980

United Kingdom 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE TDV8 Buckingham Blue

No. It wasn’t jacked up so the air bag wasn’t fully extended. If I remember right, the reservoir thing came off whilst I was driving. Then shocker empty. There are prob a few theories on the air bags, as above, over extended maybe or under a bit more load as car jacked from opposite side. Over time the rubber ages and cracks and if not regularly move from access to off road height to keep supple, can split when moved from usual setting, if you see what I mean. Maybe you’ve just been unlucky air bag wise.

Thumbs Up 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

Post #723010 17th Aug 2025 4:33pm
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