Member Since: 13 Feb 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 81
Electrical Gremlins...advice pls...
Sorry for the longish post but wanted to give as much detail as possible...
This morning it was about +2 degrees so I fired up the FBH using the remote for 15 minutes before I started the Disco. Started fine and drove away.
About 3.5 miles & 5 minutes down the road the touch screen, dash cams and radio all went off, the amber epb light came on and "park brake fault" was displayed on the message centre. Everything returned to normal within 1-2 seconds, no faults showing and no warning lights on. Then it did it again about 2 minutes later.
Carried on another 2.5 miles until I could pull in and plug in my Nanocom, during which it was running perfect.
Nanocom reported faults with EPB control module, Steering Angle Sensor, lost comms with ride level control module and, Touch Screen. Reset DTC's and carried on with my journey, leaving the Nanocom plugged in and showing live readings.
For the rest of the journey of 16.5 miles (25 minutes) it was perfect, with the Nanocom showing battery voltage at 14.1 - 14.4 volts.
Switched it off at my destination and left it for just over an hour.
Plugged in the Nanocom for the journey home, after 5 miles I saw the voltage readout spike to 15.3v for less than a second then returned to 14.2v - no warnings or other strange behaviour from the car. This happened again within a minute then nothing until the last 0.5 mile of the journey.
The voltage dropped to 13.8 from the steady 14.1-14.2v it had been sitting at and varied between 13.8 and 14.1v. I assumed this is normal as the battery reaches full charge
When I pulled into the drive I dropped the suspension, as I then put it in Park the voltage shot up to 15.8v the rapidly swung between 13.8 to 15.5v until the engine was switched off (I had let it idle for about 20 seconds to see if it would settle down but it didn't).
Battery voltage after the engine was switched off was 12.5v
Disco has 108,800 miles on her and is registered in October 2007. Fitted a new Bosch S4-013 95AH / 800 Amp battery on 30/10/2015 at 93,107 miles. When Disco_Mikey sorted her EPB last month he noted that it had recorded an over voltage in December.
I am thinking the alternator is on the way out, as far as I know it is still the original unit that is fitted
Just after some thoughts from the forum in case I am barking up the wrong tree and it could be something else
TIAThe difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits...
Current: 2008 Disco 3 Commercial XS Auto; 2005 F/L 1 SE TD4 Auto; 1949 Series 1 80" 1.6 Petrol Manual
Previous: 2003 Disco 2 TD5 XS Auto; 1991 Def. 90 300TDi SW Auto (FFRR box); 2001 F/L 1 TD4 Auto; 2003 Def. 90 TD5 SW Manual; 1996 Disco 1 300TDi Manual; 1997 Def. 90 300TDi SW Manual; 1990 Disco 1 200TDi Manual; 1989 RR Vogue 3.9 V8 Auto; 1979 Series 3 County 2.25 Manual
22nd Mar 2017 2:51 pm
Hocks172
Member Since: 29 Mar 2014
Location: Brighton
Posts: 556
I'd say an over voltage or a bad earth as i had the bad earth that gave me the screens off etc, it was the earth next to the battery on the wing, you could see where it had been sparking.
previous LR D3 HSE, RRS HST, RR Evoque Dynamic Lux.
Current D5 HSE Lux
22nd Mar 2017 8:55 pm
thumper1978
Member Since: 13 Feb 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 81
Thanks for the advice Hocks172, you may have just saved me the price of a new alternator
I checked the earth points and they were tight but I gave them an extra 1/4 turn anyway, then checked the battery terminals - the Neg. was tight but I could turn the Pos. by hand
The clamp was fully tight so I made a shim by drilling out and folding in the press a suitable steel washer, tapped the terminal on and it tightened up snug.
Ran the FBH for 20 mins as it was only 3 degrees then took her out.
Nanocom voltage stayed steady at 14.1-14.2v on the way to walk the dogs and an hour later 13.8-14.0 on the way home No change in voltage this time when I put it park.
Cautiously optimistic that the loose terminal may have been the cause of the problem, will see how she behaves this weekend The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits...
Current: 2008 Disco 3 Commercial XS Auto; 2005 F/L 1 SE TD4 Auto; 1949 Series 1 80" 1.6 Petrol Manual
Previous: 2003 Disco 2 TD5 XS Auto; 1991 Def. 90 300TDi SW Auto (FFRR box); 2001 F/L 1 TD4 Auto; 2003 Def. 90 TD5 SW Manual; 1996 Disco 1 300TDi Manual; 1997 Def. 90 300TDi SW Manual; 1990 Disco 1 200TDi Manual; 1989 RR Vogue 3.9 V8 Auto; 1979 Series 3 County 2.25 Manual
23rd Mar 2017 6:35 pm
Barn1e D3 Decade
Member Since: 28 Aug 2006
Location: Mid-sussex
Posts: 2021
I would be keeping close eye on the charging voltage. The reading you saw plus the saved fault seems to suggest voltage too high.2005, TDV6 S, Auto, 190k miles, owned from new, V8 Brake Upgrade, Nancom Evo, RLD protector, BAS EGR blanking & Remap, separate ATF cooler, changing all the fluids ahead of time.
24th Mar 2017 9:53 pm
thumper1978
Member Since: 13 Feb 2015
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 81
Yeah I thought that, that's what made me think that the alternator was possibly on its way out.
At the moment I am plugging in the Nanocom on every journey to, as you suggested, keep an eye on the voltages.
So after behaving all of yesterday (around 40 miles) today she threw her toys out of the pram big style...
No FBH today as it was 13 degrees here started up and ran fine voltage at 14.1-14.2v for 12 miles. Parked up for a couple of hours while I walked the dogs.
Started again to go to the shop, as it is a less than 2 minute journey I (unfortunately) didn't bother plugging in the Nanocom. It was about 17:00 so just as I pulled out of the car park I flicked on the sidelights...
About 20 seconds later all hell broke loose
The radio said "vehicle fault, system shutting down", the touch screen turned off, the clock and ext. temp on the dash displayed "---" and the HVAC system stopped. The hazards came on, but the engine was still running - it was like everything electrical shut down.
Pulled over and plugged in the Nanocom, it reported that it could not read the vehicle vin and suggested I recycle the ignition, well with 3 rotties in the car and 15 miles from home there was no way I was going to risk switching it off
I turned off the sidelights and almost instantly everything came back on. Replugged in the Nanocom and read the faults - 23 - all related to comms errors. Drove home with no further drama and voltage at 14.1-14.2v again.
When I got home I turned on the sidelights and nothing happened, went round and checked they were all working and I could see a clear gap between both the filaments on the rear bulbs.
so switched them on and off 10 times and no issues, voltage staying steady at 14.1-14.2v and only rising to 14.4v when I turned on all the lights...
Not sure now if it is the battery? only 3 years old and a Bosch but tomorrow I am going to steal the brand new battery we have just put into the Series 3 (it is a big one, had to modify the tray to squeeze it in ) if it is the right capacity, and run it for a few days to see if it makes any difference...
Never had a vehicle that could make me so happy and so sad, mad and broke almost at the same time The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits...
Current: 2008 Disco 3 Commercial XS Auto; 2005 F/L 1 SE TD4 Auto; 1949 Series 1 80" 1.6 Petrol Manual
Previous: 2003 Disco 2 TD5 XS Auto; 1991 Def. 90 300TDi SW Auto (FFRR box); 2001 F/L 1 TD4 Auto; 2003 Def. 90 TD5 SW Manual; 1996 Disco 1 300TDi Manual; 1997 Def. 90 300TDi SW Manual; 1990 Disco 1 200TDi Manual; 1989 RR Vogue 3.9 V8 Auto; 1979 Series 3 County 2.25 Manual
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No change in voltage this time when I put it park.
started up and ran fine voltage at 14.1-14.2v for 12 miles. Parked up for a couple of hours while I walked the dogs.
) if it is the right capacity, and run it for a few days to see if it makes any difference...
