Ragnvald Svarstad
Member Since: 24 Aug 2005
Location: Lillehammer
Posts: 6
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| Low coolant level warning |
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I suddenly "lost" aprox 0.4 litres 3 weeks ago: detected by warning light. Filled her up and all has been OK. I suspect an air pocket in the system has been released. The Scandinavian version has a Webasto diesel driven heater as standard. This entails som coolant hoses high up in the engine bay. These are notorious for holding air traps. Tonga Green D3 TDV6 HSE Manual
1951 Series 1 80"
7 Land Rovers since 1971
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 24th Aug 2005 8:19 am |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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| Re: Low coolant level warning |
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Ragnvald Svarstad wrote:I suddenly "lost" aprox 0.4 litres 3 weeks ago: detected by warning light. Filled her up and all has been OK. I suspect an air pocket in the system has been released. The Scandinavian version has a Webasto diesel driven heater as standard. This entails som coolant hoses high up in the engine bay. These are notorious for holding air traps.
Hi Ragnvald, welcome to the site. You are quite correct, air pockets are an occassional problem. I think yours has settled down now from what you say. Point proven, well done.
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| 24th Aug 2005 8:22 am |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
  
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My dealer has reported this issue to LR Engineering and so far has had no answer after 3 weeks. They now have 3 more cars with the same coolant errors.
According to the tank the level is good and the temp needle in the dash always sits just below half way and never moves even in hot whether stuck in traffic.
-s
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| 24th Aug 2005 9:17 am |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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I got a Low Coolant Level warning this morning upon starting the engine, fairly confident the coolant is okay as I checked it on Sunday but I'll check again at lunchtime (if it stops raining!).
So, fellow sufferers, assuming I've got the 'bug' how often do you get the warning? Is it just at startup or does it repeat regularly?
Si The End
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| 24th Aug 2005 10:42 am |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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Used be very rarely, then on hard acceleration, then when the engine had warmed up and now always there.
Levels have been fine through all this and needle never strayed above just below half way.
-s
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| 24th Aug 2005 12:20 pm |
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BN
Member Since: 18 Mar 2005
Location: Here
Posts: 6463
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simon wrote:Used be very rarely, then on hard acceleration, then when the engine had warmed up and now always there.
Levels have been fine through all this and needle never strayed above just below half way.
-s
LR this is a good one as LR are not aware of this error either.
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| 24th Aug 2005 12:28 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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Apparently its been reported into LR Engineering so they should be aware of it... but they have not come back to Shukers yet on this.
If the car does fail... then I have reported to the dealer it so will be covered by warranty.
-s
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| 24th Aug 2005 2:15 pm |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26701
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Has anyone found out where the level switch is yet? (I would go and find it myself, but my D3 is away on holiday). It should be pretty basic stuff to find the float switch and see if it is still floating. It may have sunk.
I can't see why it would need anything other than a float to measure coolant level.
Which light is it that you are seeing?
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| 24th Aug 2005 7:09 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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No light at all... just a Message Centre warning.
No other sign of low coolant at all.
Could be software could be hardware... no one seems to know.
-s
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| 24th Aug 2005 9:35 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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A last gem before I disappear for three weeks:
The coolant warning is one of the few instrument cluster inputs that is hardwired, and does pass through an intermediary ECU or similar device. When the header tank sensor detects that the coolant level is low, a light is activated: the action of making this circuit "live" also triggers the written warning.
So, if you've got the warning, but no light (check to make sure the light comes on when you run through the pre-start process, to ensure it hasn't blown a bulb) then it sounds like some sort of a glitch with the Message Centre warnings.
If you've got the light, and the coolant level is adequate (it is quite hard to see what the correct cold fill level is), then it is almost certainly a sensor. I think that the sensor is solid state, and is not a float switch - which suggests that a new header tank may be the way LR would deal with a faulty sensor. I will double check that if I have time today.
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| 28th Aug 2005 4:55 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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John,
Many thanks for this. As I mentioned, I have no warning light and have checked to see if the light appears at ignition run through - and nope. Looking at the manual though there appears not to be a light but an icon in the MC itself.
My warning is on all the time now. So if a MC glitch is this potential software upgrade issue - last one I had was 8 I think... but I'm sure there have been later releases.
If I don't hear from you again today... have flipping great break ! Are you with us on the 18th ? Be good to meet and put a face to the name etc.
-s
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| 28th Aug 2005 8:00 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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Simon,
Yes, I meant the icon thingy. It should display when you turn the ignition on. Do you get that? If not, then there is clearly something strange going on!
Here is the official word:
The low coolant indicator is controlled by the instrument cluster. The coolant level sensor is hardwired into the instrument cluster which monitors the sensor output. The indicator is illuminated in an amber color for 3 seconds when the ignition is moved to position II. When the coolant in the header tank falls to a predetermined level, the instrument cluster
senses the signals from the low coolant sensor. The instrument cluster flashes the indicator for 5 seconds accompanied by an a chime and then illuminates the indicator. The indicator remains illuminated until the coolant level in the header tank is restored to its correct level. The instrument cluster monitors the level sensor signals every 15 seconds to prevent incorrect warnings due to fluid movement.
It also looks to me as though the header tank has an inbuilt sensor, and that the whole thing would have to be replaced. I cannot find the sensor as a seperate part.
I think it is unlikely I will be able to get down from Scotland in time to be there for 18th - hence I gave up my space to Neil. If my plans change, I will come and take photos/video and hitch a ride round with someone.....
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| 28th Aug 2005 9:19 pm |
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Winger
Site Moderator
Member Since: 15 Feb 2005
Location: UK
Posts: 3428
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One other thought - given your settings issue - there are some differences between the way in which the hi and low-line clusters operate. I have no idea how this might effect the low coolant warning.
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| 28th Aug 2005 9:23 pm |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Last Exit to Nowhere
Posts: 16295
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I got another boing 'low coolant warning' today on my way down the M4, no light though
Winger, you're right it's difficult to see where the correct coolant level should be anyway. Where is the light positioned on the dash? The End
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| 28th Aug 2005 9:28 pm |
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simon
Member Since: 11 Jan 2005
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 18296
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John,
No icon at start up... never get anything in the MC at start up apart from "Suspension at xx Height" and the "System Check" message. Only icon I have ever seen is the low washer level icon when the level in the tank had dropped.
According to the manual and looking at the dash at per-start their is NO light on the dash at all. This is backed up by the manual too from what I can see.
The quote you put above therefore does not seem to make sense as far as the light goes. Page 91 in the manual and the PDF version I have show the Low Coolant 'Light / Icon' to be in the MC not on the main dash with a bulb.
Do you see icons in the MC at pre-start ?
-s
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| 28th Aug 2005 9:28 pm |
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