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alkemist01
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 2
  
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| Discovery 3 Tailgate (boot) lock failure |
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Discovery 3 2008 tailgate lock failure. You can hear the solenoid operate but the glass door does not open.
Well I read all these posts and numerous others and have just done the fix myself so thought I would add my own experience.
To be clear, there seems to be two modes of failure, in one, the external trunk handle switch fails apparently due to corrosion but this can be dealt with by pressing the two door lock unlock buttons at the same time for three seconds which lets you open the tailgate.
Alas the second mode is a killer, the internal short release cable or the solenoid breaks and you are stuck with a boot that does not open........Damn clever design there. I just had this quoted for fixing by the local stealer who suggested £350 for a new latch and a new rear trim for the lower door. And he could book me in in about two weeks time...... What planet do these a**es live in..... Unreal
However it can be done without destroying the trim too badly.
The latch is in the lower part of the door behind the carpetted trim. (Not on the upper glass part of the door)
In theory this can only be removed with the lower part of the boot open but you cant open the boot or you would not be reading this.....
First remove the hinged bit of internal trim by undoing the 3 10mm bolts. there are of course a couple of extra clips so the whole thing has to be eased forwards (towards the front of the car) to release these. You will need to lift the two rear seats partially to do this.
Now you have the carpet trim with two plastic end pieces which are attached to the carpet trim by about 6 plastic melt rivets on each side. These end pieces cannot be released from the door unless you remove the two swivels for the cables which limit how far the door opens. Of course you cant get to these because the flipping door wont open. There is also trim at the top as well but it is screwed in place and does not need removing for this.
SO... you need to break all the plastic rivets that hold these plastic trims on....Basically starting in the middle and working each way, prise the plastic away with a screw driver until you hear each of the rivets breaking. The plastic bits still cant be removed but the carpet trim can..... You need a tyre lever or in my case a tool for tightening bath taps to slip behind the carpet in the middle and start pulling. Now at this point you are going to lose skin from your knuckles and small children should be kept at bay as you will be swearing ... a lot......
When you can finally get enough out to get your fingers in, pull like Billyoh and the whole thing will burst out sending you somersaulting over the front seats. Much hilarity for bystanders (Particularly wives)
The carpet was held in with about 10 little white plastic door clips but everything comes clear without any further damage. (In my case). The hole is covered by sound proofing which with care rips off in big pieces which will stick back in place later. Now you get to the solenoid box which as many others have described is released by slackening one bolt and removing the other, removing the electrical connector then easing it out. Now open the box with the two star screws.....They use star screws so that if this happens in the middle of nowhere you still cant get into the box.....Clever little blighters.
Anyway inside is just a simple geared motor solenoid and a release wire. Pull the wire and the door opens yeehaa.
In my case, the L shaped crimped end of this wire had broken off. I hear in other cases the wire breaks but if it is the crimped wire end then the cure is dead simple and stolen from another post here. An electrical screw terminal, cut in half and inserted into the plastic clip, pushed the remaining round wire crimp into this and tightened the terminal screw. Then glued the B*****rd in to be sure to be sure, ( I aint doing this again if I can help it)
Also take the opportunity to oil and grease everything inside the door.
Now for the rebuild. It is easier with the remaining trim off. Remove the two door limit cables by prising the spring clip up on one side with a small screwdriver and unscrew the two ball joints. That allows the side plastic bits to come off. The upper plastic trim comes off with four screws covered by rubber caps which come off by pinching them with pliers. There are another two plastic door clips holding this bit of trim on so ease this up carefully at each end till it pops off. Make sure you have the four metal screw clips still on the plastic and in place.
Now you need to glue the side plastic trims back on. lashings of epoxy glue and something to hold everything tight until it dries, I use wives and children for this, it helps wipe the grin off their faces and leaves you free to sample a nice beer whilst waiting.
The refit is just the reverse of everything. Happy wife, two hours of my life not doing something more valuable and £350 less in the pocket of the stealers.
Sigh.......You just gotta love landrover design engineers
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/1024474...8&sa=N
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 3rd Sep 2012 5:32 pm |
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Narpy
Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
Location: Stockport
Posts: 7830
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Well, that's a very erm.........full post considering it's your first but you've broken clips which simply don't need breaking.
It sounds like you've removed the rear lower door trim panel from the bottom up. That is a mistake. 
The trim panel will remove from the top by levering it out from under the top trim strip. You can then get your hand in to release the cable etc. and you won't have been rolling around the boot after ripping the panel off. 
I've personally done this job twice and have never used any glue either further more the job is detailed in the wiki and no glue is used nor clips smashed.
All the info is here: http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/displayima...&pos=1
........and the much used repair by chocolademan is here:http://www.disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/use...IY%7E0.pdf Mods:
Front Fogs + Halos
FBH Remote Control
The 1st Ever RRS Modded Grill
Garmin Nuvi + D4 Surround + Reversing Camera.
D4 Steering Wheel.
Rear Boot Spoiler.
Twin Brake Lights.
Wing Mirror Indicator Repeaters.
Long Roof Rails
Make your own Narpy grill thread
I'm not scared, I'm outta here.
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| 3rd Sep 2012 6:10 pm |
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alkemist01
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 2
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Ha what a plonker am I .... youve got me on that one,,, My statement as to reading ALL the posts was obviously rubbish cos I managed not to see that one nor the Wiki which is excellent.......
I did actually try and get it out from the top but I started hearing crickety crack sounds, chickened out and went for the bottom solution. The somewhat gynaecological solution of a top entry though does sound somewhat tricky which although I can see what you mean (having been in there so to speak) , I think would have left me cursing even worse than I did.
So in a nutshell, Follow the wiki and if nothing else I have at least helped promote that although, my somewhat clumsy glued solution will work for those with less nimble fingers and or patience and an abundance of glue......
many thanks and where were you yesterday......
Made you smile though.....
Happy landrovering
PS not actually my first landrovery post but first here
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| 3rd Sep 2012 6:51 pm |
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BBS SPY
Site Sponsor
Member Since: 15 Jun 2007
Location: Sunny Cyprus
Posts: 3054
 
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alkemist01 and others
Chill, the tailgate failure is not really a problem, but more a rite of passage into Disco 3 ownership that pretty much every owner will have faced at one point or another. everyone is equally entitled to post up their own solutions and feel equally proud to express their inginuity in overcoming the problem.
It may well be a problem, but at least let it be one that equally affects and unites us all 
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| 3rd Sep 2012 8:18 pm |
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DerbyshireDisco
Member Since: 12 Mar 2012
Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1397
  
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Mine failed last week 10 forcash came round yesterday and fixed it in less than an hour for £94, top man top job. Displaced Yorkshireman.
=^:^=
SDV6 Auto obviously, Loire blue/Ebony, ugly kid glass, RLD wheel protector, private plate and maybe side steps.
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| 3rd Sep 2012 8:47 pm |
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away
Member Since: 18 Nov 2006
Location: Cossack
Posts: 111
 
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Does anybody know if they fixed this for the D4's? I'd hate to think that I have to go through the fix again in the new car.
Cheers D4: Expedition Rack, 104 Litre Long Range Tank, Raised Air Intake
D3: Every bloomin' thing but the kitchen sink
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| 3rd Sep 2012 11:41 pm |
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zimbo38
Member Since: 10 Aug 2011
Location: Harpenden
Posts: 7
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have had the non-opening tailgate issue now for over 4 months. Basically, it will open sometimes (and sometimes not) by having someone inside the car push the lock and unlock central locking switches down at the same time for about 4 seconds and a second person pulling on the tailgate handle the moment they hear a loud click sound. Morale of the tale? Don't waste your hard earned money buying Land Rovers - just too many faults and poor build quality. Mine is a 2008 HSE Disco 3 and it has spent more time in the garage than available for me to drive. I really wish I had never bought it, as it is a pile of .....
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| 6th Sep 2012 10:11 am |
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Narpy
Member Since: 18 Jul 2011
Location: Stockport
Posts: 7830
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Zimbo: Had you taken the time to search your problem, you'd have discovered that what you describe sounds very similar to the tailgate switch needing cleaning and not the broken cable/actuator problems.
When the tailgate switch corrodes you can't open the tailgate using it but can by pressing the two dash switches as you describe.
Some posters replace the whole rear plinth as it comes with a new switch but I'm sure you'll find, if you take the time to strip it down and clean it, it will work perfectly.  Mods:
Front Fogs + Halos
FBH Remote Control
The 1st Ever RRS Modded Grill
Garmin Nuvi + D4 Surround + Reversing Camera.
D4 Steering Wheel.
Rear Boot Spoiler.
Twin Brake Lights.
Wing Mirror Indicator Repeaters.
Long Roof Rails
Make your own Narpy grill thread
I'm not scared, I'm outta here.
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| 6th Sep 2012 10:31 am |
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chris h
Member Since: 02 Jan 2010
Location: south shields
Posts: 5
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I have just finished the temp repair using the 3mm alan key. have to say that i couldnt have done it without the word doc guide, but it would be a lot easier to understand if you know you have to use absolute brute force when removing the panel from the top.
i would possibly go further and say rather than fanying aroung with the cable release 'inside' the actuator housing, as a new cable is inevitable, next time i will simply cut straight through the cable outside of the housing and release it from there. i only say this as my hands are size 12 and i look like they have been in a bag full of wild cats.
nevertheless, once again this site has saved me an absolute packet, so thanks to all concerned!
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| 8th Sep 2012 7:14 pm |
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BullyBrighton
Member Since: 06 Nov 2010
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 33
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Just replaced mine too!
I would add that I followed the word doc and using a single chisel at the curve at the lowest point as you sit in the boot looking at it pulls the trim out. I was there for a while finding the right spot to lever from and got a 1" wood chisel in and out she flew.
£27 for the new cable from land rover and 2 hours (mostly swearing) and job done.
Cheers to all that have been before,
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| 22nd Sep 2012 5:57 pm |
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pjv
Member Since: 22 Sep 2006
Location: Northwest
Posts: 184
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Locked out new years eve! Once head cleared in the morning managed to follow chocolademan instructions for temporary repair with just a little swearing and knuckle skinning. Once again big thanks to all concerned and a few more £££s saved for the repair fund 
pjv
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| 1st Jan 2013 3:55 pm |
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Big Carl
Member Since: 12 Dec 2009
Location: Leafy Altrincham
Posts: 21
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I have got a challenging development on this problem. The tailgate will not open and I have a large metal dog transit box in the boot which prevents access to get to the tailgate panel from the inside.
The transit box is very robustly constructed and will not fit through any of the passenger doors for removal.
Any helpful suggestions very welcome.
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| 12th Jul 2013 12:11 am |
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Dcwilliams29id
Member Since: 21 Jan 2013
Location: Cartersville, Virginia
Posts: 51
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chris h wrote:I have just finished the temp repair using the 3mm alan key. have to say that i couldnt have done it without the word doc guide, but it would be a lot easier to understand if you know you have to use absolute brute force when removing the panel from the top.
i would possibly go further and say rather than fanying aroung with the cable release 'inside' the actuator housing, as a new cable is inevitable, next time i will simply cut straight through the cable outside of the housing and release it from there. i only say this as my hands are size 12 and i look like they have been in a bag full of wild cats.
nevertheless, once again this site has saved me an absolute packet, so thanks to all concerned!
Lol - thats exactly what I did. After 30 minutes of attempting to grab that loose cable end through an opening the not much larger than the tools I was using, I just cut the cable off, unwound the casing a bit and popped the gate. Luckily, I had already ordered both latch and actuator, as I didn't feel like stripping it down only to find out I had the wrong part required. So I replaced the latch and actuator with cable, and was off the races again. I did grease the small L shaped hook with white lithium grease this time to attempt to keep it from oxidizing so badly and breaking again. I also put a cable tie around it to hold it in place.
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| 12th Jul 2013 1:33 am |
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Big Carl
Member Since: 12 Dec 2009
Location: Leafy Altrincham
Posts: 21
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chocolademan thanks for the post and yes I have tried the lock/unlock buttons.
I think that if I can remove the head rests from the middle and front seats and recline the front, I might be able to slide the box forward and try to get behind it into the boot.
Fortunately the latch failed while I was training the dog. If it had failed with the dog in the boot it would have been a real problem (no rear escape doors in dog box - will not make that mistake again).
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| 12th Jul 2013 9:05 am |
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