Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them

Air Suspension woes

Hutton

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2011
Messages
268
Garage
Country Flag
scotland
Driving home tonight the Cruiser felt a bit strange on the handling department. When I got home I find that the front suspension has lowered right down whilst the rear(I think) is in the normal position. Something obviously needs replaced. Any advice folks!

I should also say that I need the air suspension as I lower it to allow my 84 year old mother who lives with us to get in and out. I mention this because some folks may suggest fitting springs and shocks.
 
can you hear any air leaks walking around the car when its running and the air suspension is raised?
 
can you hear any air leaks walking around the car when its running and the air suspension is raised?

I can’t raise the front. It won’t budge.
 
Assuming you have standard AHC it is not an air system in the traditional sense. It is a mainly hydraulic system with a bit of nitrogen in the spheres. You need to get hold of a copy of Tech Stream and check the system pressures. It could be as simple as there is too much weight on the front hydraulics and the torsion bars need a good few cranks. This will make them take more of the weight and reduce the strain on the hydraulics. There are plenty of posts about it but the target pressure is 6.9MPa [+/- 0.5MPa] for the front and 5.6 to 6.7MPa for the rear.
 
Last edited:
What normally happens is torsion bars "sag" with time just like coil springs. Since the job of AHC is to keep the car level, it pumps increasing amounts of pressure into the system and the driver is none the wiser because the car is remaining level. Eventually the pressure needed is so far out of spec that the system gives up and you enter low rider mode. Keeping an eye on system pressures should be a regular service check for any AHC equipped car along with AHC fluid replacement.
 
Last edited:
To adjust the front pressures you need to crank the torsion bars, to adjust the rear pressure you need either spring spacers or replacement springs. Having said that the rear values do change a bit as you adjust the front.
 
Don't like the adverts?  Click here to remove them
Many thanks for all the excellent advice. This problem is obviously is well past my knowledge so the Cruiser is now in the dealers awaiting repair. I actually bypass my nearest dealer and drive an hour and a half to my trusted small dealership where the workshop manager has been all his working life. A thoroughly great guy with a huge amount of knowledge. I am always pretty happy with their charges. They even gave me a courtesy car today - a Toyota Aygo!
 
I hope it turns out to be a cheap repair. Another possibility is the front height sensors are stuffed and giving wrong information to the system. If they are plugging it into the diagnostic computer ask them what the pressure reading are.

Please update this thread when the cause is discovered.
 
Do you use Murray @alexander Wallace in Elgin ?
I do rather than Aberdeen.
But I live 1/2 way between Elgin and Aberdeen.
 
Do you use Murray @alexander Wallace in Elgin ?
I do rather than Aberdeen.
But I live 1/2 way between Elgin and Aberdeen.
I do indeed Andy. What Murray doesn’t know about Cruisers isn’t worth knowing. It’s well worth the drive from Aberdeen to Elgin for peace of mind and great service.
 
A piece of warning: I've seen that even the best t0yota techs do big mistakes in the ahc department, if they don't have a thorough firsthand knowledge of the system. And very few techs do. Also, the trouble codes of the ahc are not very helpful. What I've seen is that for your symptoms, it can be either one of the fronts or the rear height sensor not giving the right value, either because of an internal failure (corrosion or worn out), or a broken cable or linkage.
 
A piece of warning: I've seen that even the best t0yota techs do big mistakes in the ahc department, if they don't have a thorough firsthand knowledge of the system. And very few techs do. Also, the trouble codes of the ahc are not very helpful. What I've seen is that for your symptoms, it can be either one of the fronts or the rear height sensor not giving the right value, either because of an internal failure (corrosion or worn out), or a broken cable or linkage.

Strangely enough this is what the guy at the dealer said when I phoned him about the problem. I do have a great deal of confidence in this guy which is based on my previous experience. Andy obviously has had the same experience. I also wonder how many dealers tell customers to bring the car straight in and give you a courtesy car. By the way when I took the Cruiser in to the dealer there was a 55 plate up on the ramp getting work done on the suspension.
 
Yeah, I have had my Yaris Serviced there, which I bought from them second had,
And also Landcruiser colorado serviced there and hilux

Only had issue once, when they replaced steering. Knuckle lower ball joints on the la cruiser, the mechanic put zip ties on upper ball joint boot and not quite the right boot. It came off when I got home. But they gave me a nice discount on the bill to compensate for me having source and fit correct part

Otherwsie good experience with the 3 cars there
 
The dealer has been in touch to say that the problem is that a bracket between the suspension arm and the right hand front sensor has broken. They have fabricated a new bracket and will weld it in position. After it receives a coat of paint the job will be done. £75. I’m a happy camper.
 
Nice result. Did you ask them to check the pressures? I guess they will be using Tech Stream anyway to set the ride height after reconnecting the sensor.
 
The dealer has been in touch to say that the problem is that a bracket between the suspension arm and the right hand front sensor has broken. They have fabricated a new bracket and will weld it in position. After it receives a coat of paint the job will be done. £75. I’m a happy camper.

Exactly the same happened to mine, I have access to a mig welder and I sorted it in the same way.
 
Well that was an honest result. Really good. Had they baffled you with science they could have charged hundreds and you'd not have been any the wiser.
 
Well that was an honest result. Really good. Had they baffled you with science they could have charged hundreds and you'd not have been any the wiser.
You are spot on Frank. That’s why I go out my way to go to this dealer.
 
Back
Top