MajorCommonSuspension

Toyota Land Cruiser 100: Front Air Suspension Strut Failure (TEMS-equipped)

Front Air Suspension Strut Failure (TEMS-equipped) is a common suspension fault on the Toyota Land Cruiser 100 on the 1998–2007 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $5,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 33 documented faults on the Toyota Land Cruiser 100.

Vehicle: Toyota Land Cruiser 100
Years: 1998–2007
System: Suspension

This page covers the Toyota Land Cruiser 100 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Toyota Land Cruiser 100 faults33 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Air suspension strut or Shock absorber / strut yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

100-series Land Cruisers fitted with Toyota's TEMS (Electronically Modulated Suspension) use air-assisted front struts that fail with age. The air bladder within the strut cracks or perforates, causing the vehicle to sit low on one or both front corners and lose its electronically-controlled ride-height function. Replacement airbag struts are expensive; many owners convert to conventional coil-over suspension as a more economical alternative. This affects a significant proportion of NZ/AU examples with the TEMS option.

What you would notice

Vehicle sitting low or uneven on one or both front corners
TEMS warning light on dash
Loss of ride height adjustment function
Harsh or bouncy ride if strut has fully deflated

How to check it

Where to look. Front strut assemblies (both sides) on TEMS-equipped 100-series

Observe front ride height from front-on - both corners should sit level and at correct height. Check dash for TEMS or suspension warning lights. If TEMS-equipped, ask when air struts were last inspected. Bounce each front corner and observe rebound. Ask whether a coil-over conversion has been performed.

Parts involved: Air suspension strut, Shock absorber / strut.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $5,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Is this vehicle TEMS-equipped?”
“Has the air suspension been converted to conventional coil-overs?”
“Are there any suspension warning lights?”
“Has the ride height been correct recently?”

Now check the Toyota Land Cruiser 100 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Toyota Land Cruiser 100 buyer questions

Is front air suspension strut failure (tems-equipped) serious on a Toyota Land Cruiser 100?

We rate it major and common on the Toyota Land Cruiser 100. 100-series Land Cruisers fitted with Toyota's TEMS (Electronically Modulated Suspension) use air-assisted front struts that fail with age. The air bladder within the strut cracks or perforates, causing the vehicle to sit low on one or both front corners and lose its electronically-controlled ride-height function. Replacement airbag struts are expensive; many owners convert to conventional coil-over suspension as a more economical alternative. This affects a significant proportion of NZ/AU examples with the TEMS option.

How much does it cost to fix on a Toyota Land Cruiser 100?

$1,800 to $5,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Toyota Land Cruiser 100 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1998–2007 Toyota Land Cruiser 100. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.