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ECU upgrade for tow kit
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Phil B
 


Member Since: 12 Apr 2005
Location: Amersham, UK - gone to the country!
Posts: 93

2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Auto Java BlackDiscovery 3
ECU upgrade for tow kit

Car just back from the dealers for its service, where I asked them to set the ECU so that I could use the new tow kit. They charged my half an hour labour for doing this (£45 + VAT) and my poor wife didn't know whether to argue the toss or not. It seems a bit steep to me and a bit of a p**s take that they will sell you a two kit for £370 + VAT and then charge you for an essential modification to the car to allow you to use it. The tow kit is, after al, not suitable for use on any other vehicle and I can't reset the ECU myself. Am I being too touchy here? Is half an hour excessive for a quick flash upgrade?

I'll go to war tomorrow if the concensus is that I've been striped........
 Java TDV6 HSE with Alpaca and a few other fancy bits
BMW C1 200 with too many options to list and the world's worst image 
 
Post #4789415th Mar 2006 9:50 pm
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Gareth
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Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26779

United Kingdom 

Par for the course I am afraid. 'Short n Curlies' comes to mind!

I had to pay the same to have the spot lamps I bought from a Land Rover dealer 'enabled'

I mean come on! the poor dealers have got families to feed, what do you expect! Wink
  
Post #4789615th Mar 2006 9:52 pm
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Slimer
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Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295

United Kingdom 

I think it's a bit of a rip off myself, it's not as if there's an alternative way of doing it. They'll sell you the accessories to fit yourself so any software updates required so you can use them should be included in the purchase price.

There again it probably depends on the dealer, I got my tow-bar electrics 'activated' for free, just asked the dealer to do it and they didn't once mention any associated cost
  
Post #4789915th Mar 2006 9:58 pm
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Slimer
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Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
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Also, if it's in for a service anyway it's going to be hooked up to T4/WDS as part of the service so there's no way they can justify charging you half an hours labour for a half a minute job!

I'd get your Mr Angry head on and have a word with them! Wink
  
Post #4790115th Mar 2006 10:01 pm
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whoknows8722
 


Member Since: 02 Feb 2006
Location: Washington State, USA
Posts: 2

2006 LR3 4.4 V8 HSE Auto Zermatt SilverLR3
Re: ECU upgrade for tow kit

Phil B wrote:
Car just back from the dealers for its service, where I asked them to set the ECU so that I could use the new tow kit.


Greetings,

Any idea what part of the tow kit requires an ECU change? Looking at the owner's manuals at www.ownerinfo.landrover.com, the driving lamps require T4 intervention (Driving lamp kit, frame 91) but the manual for installation of the trailer wiring harness does not requre any T4 work. Is that a difference between the UK spec and the North American?

I've bought the hitch receiver and the wiring kit, and want to make sure I'm not missing anything by not having some ECU change.

Thanks!
  
Post #4795315th Mar 2006 10:54 pm
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Slimer
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Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
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United Kingdom 

The ECU change supposedly tells the D3 to got easy on the suspension tricks when there's a trailer attached. I don't know if it's required in the US builds or not, if it can detect if a trailer is hooked up and act accordingly if one is as far as I can see would make sense for it the setting to be on all the time anyway. But hey, what do I know!
 

Last edited by Slimer on 16th Mar 2006 9:18 am. Edited 1 time in total 
Post #4795715th Mar 2006 10:59 pm
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JMC
 


Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417

Scotland 

My dealer 'forgot' to fit my tow bar when I picked up my new D3 and has now suggested that they will send it to me for DIY fitting (Dealer is 250 miles away). I thought this would be a simple case of fitting the tow bar and connecting the electrics to the socket which I expect to find hidden behind one of the rear lamp clusters. Is there something I should know before accepting this??
  
Post #4800416th Mar 2006 1:29 am
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grommet
 


Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 331

United States 

I know that when the vehicle is in "low" range (only), the air suspension will not raise if towing... when fitted with the tow electrics. Is this the function that needs to be enabled using test book? (If so... In most casual scenarios, most probably wouldn't be using low range... so they'd never notice.)
  
Post #4801416th Mar 2006 4:12 am
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Gareth
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Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
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I use low box lots when towing, especially when reversing, and on a muddy caravan site, could be in special TR program also, so I would suggest it is pretty essential to have the ecu enabled, or you could end up with the back end of the trailer digging the ground.

Maybe you could get your supplying dealer to do a deal with a local dealer?
  
Post #4806016th Mar 2006 10:44 am
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johnflavell
 


Member Since: 01 Aug 2005
Location: South Wales
Posts: 78

United Kingdom 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 S Manual Zermatt SilverDiscovery 3
ECU upgrade

Hi Phill

Fitted tow bar myself,have not had any up grade on ECU. have not encountered any problems
 TDV6 Se Zermat. 07  
Post #4808616th Mar 2006 12:45 pm
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DiscoMad
 


Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Posts: 190


Quote:
My dealer 'forgot' to fit my tow bar when I picked up my new D3 and has now suggested that they will send it to me for DIY fitting (Dealer is 250 miles away). I thought this would be a simple case of fitting the tow bar and connecting the electrics to the socket which I expect to find hidden behind one of the rear lamp clusters. Is there something I should know before accepting this??


JMC,
Have you paid for the towbar/electrics to be fitted - ie the vehicle is to be supplied with them available ? Is I would get them to fit the electrics !

It isnt hard, but it is fiddly. The sockets come pre-wired but need to be routed and clipped above a rear cross member and getting all the clips into place isnt easy. The wires then go up to sockets behind the lamp cluster.

I got my stuff off ebay so fitting was part of the fun, but if it was part f a new car deal I wouldnt do it !!
  
Post #4887820th Mar 2006 6:41 pm
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JMC
 


Member Since: 25 Feb 2006
Location: Aberdeen-Angus. Where the Bull* comes from!
Posts: 6417

Scotland 

Quote:
Have you paid for the towbar/electrics to be fitted - ie the vehicle is to be supplied with them available ? Is I would get them to fit the electrics !


The bit on the quote said "Tow Pack £400" so the answer is YES! However, as I have said, my dealer is 250 miles away. Perhaps I should ask them to do a deal with the local LR dealer and have it fitted here by them.

It isn't that I'm too feeble to stand up for my rights, I just have more important things to do. I will get the tow pack, I will get it fitted properly, but I'm not going to give myself, you guys, and the dealer a load of grief about it. 8)
  
Post #4892721st Mar 2006 8:26 am
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