HamishT
Member Since: 06 Aug 2013
Location: Renfrewshire
Posts: 13
  
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I bought a Discovery 3 2007 2.5 months ago after trading in my Discovery 2. Had nothing but problems with it. Its booked back into the garage again next week, but wonder if someone can shed a bit of light on this problem. This is my first automatic!
Last week, the park brake light was flashing and beeping and made a terrible noise. After I turned it off and left it a while, all went back to normal. It happened twice. On Saturday, I was towing my empty horse trailer and after going up hill, there was a terrible smell coming from under the bonnet. At first I thought it was the brakes, but they were not warm at all. On the flat it was fine no smell. I booked it into the garage anyway as the warrant y runs out soon. However, this morning when I started it, the battery warning light is staying on but its starting ok. Anyone any ideas what is wrong and is it all connected.
Thanks in advance
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 6th Aug 2013 12:27 pm |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
 
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Sounds like the alternator (quite common, lots of info on here) - disconnect the battery sharpish or you'll find that will be trashed also 
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| 6th Aug 2013 12:30 pm |
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DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73004
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My first thought as well, but as I'm a complete non-techie thought I'd wait a bit.
PS and don't make the mistake of thinking that one fault might be related to another, they can have multiple faults, all unrelated. Just part of the fun. 
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| 6th Aug 2013 12:32 pm |
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HamishT
Member Since: 06 Aug 2013
Location: Renfrewshire
Posts: 13
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Thanks for that. Just phoned garage and explained it might be the alternator(I feel I have to point them in the right direction, otherwise they take days!) I am taking it in earlier than planned to get it sorted.
Had my Discovery 2 for 7 years and next to no trouble with it, had this one just over 2 months and sick of it already. Has totally put me off Landrovers. Hubby has agreed with me and not often that happens!!!
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| 6th Aug 2013 12:58 pm |
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euangibson
Member Since: 24 Dec 2010
Location: Borders
Posts: 11027
 
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HamishT wrote:(I feel I have to point them in the right direction, otherwise they take days!)
had this one just over 2 months and sick of it already. Has totally put me off Landrovers. Hubby has agreed with me and not often that happens!!!
My first piece of advice would be to find a good Independant Land Rover Speicialist....worth their weight in gold
I can guarantee you,once it has been fettled by somebody who knows what they are doing,the pain will be replaced by a wide grin,don't give up just yet.... "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool,than to speak out and remove all doubt" ?.....what rubbish...
Locking rear E-diff
RLD spare wheel protector & sump guard
Extended roof rails
Series 111 mudflaps
Black side tubes,grill and vents
Timed climate remote
Hids4u interior lights
D4 Firenze my2012 HSE
D3 Java 2005 SE manual (sold,sadly,thanks for the memories)
1966 '88 Series 2a....still starts in the morning better than I do...
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| 6th Aug 2013 1:06 pm |
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G_Cam
Member Since: 12 Aug 2010
Location: Fife
Posts: 2061
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euangibson wrote:
My first piece of advice would be to find a good Independent Land Rover Speicialist....worth their weight in gold
+1
the EPB may just need adjusting.. if your lucky.. if not it will be a new actuator that may be required (or you can attempt to re-build your own one..
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| 6th Aug 2013 1:23 pm |
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Disco_Mikey
Member Since: 29 May 2007
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Posts: 20817
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HamishT wrote:Thanks for that. Just phoned garage and explained it might be the alternator(I feel I have to point them in the right direction, otherwise they take days!)
Is that really a garage you would want to trust to work on a D3?  My D3 Build Thread
TDV8 Retrofit Build Thread
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| 6th Aug 2013 3:03 pm |
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Advanced Factors
Site Sponsor
Member Since: 27 Nov 2012
Location: Southampton
Posts: 2648
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HamishT wrote:Had my Discovery 2 for 7 years and next to no trouble with it, had this one just over 2 months and sick of it already. Has totally put me off Landrovers. Hubby has agreed with me and not often that happens!!!
I am on my second D3 with a RRS in the middle, true you get a little suprise now and then. With buying any used cars you often inherit someone elses reason for selling up but once it's had some TLC you will not part with it. Just give it time and as everyone else says take it to someone who knows the model. Paul Redding
+44 (0)23 8052 2774
Order Parts Online at www.advancedfactors.co.uk
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| 6th Aug 2013 3:24 pm |
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HamishT
Member Since: 06 Aug 2013
Location: Renfrewshire
Posts: 13
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Disco_Mikey wrote:HamishT wrote:Thanks for that. Just phoned garage and explained it might be the alternator(I feel I have to point them in the right direction, otherwise they take days!)
Is that really a garage you would want to trust to work on a D3?
Not really, but its who the warranty is with.
It is a lovely car to drive compared to my earlier one, but its got to the point ,the one I traded in was more reliable! I know its a second hand car but I would expect in the first 2 months of owning it not to have been back with it 6 times! Im the garages worst nightmare come true, well the car is!!!
Hopefully this will be the last visit and I will get to enjoy it as I did the one before.
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| 6th Aug 2013 3:41 pm |
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Dave^
Member Since: 23 Jun 2013
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 706
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maplecottage wrote:Sounds like the alternator (quite common, lots of info on here) - disconnect the battery sharpish or you'll find that will be trashed also
Just to hijack a little...
I've read on here many a time that a duff alternator wrecks perfectly healthy batteries... How so? flickr
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| 6th Aug 2013 3:54 pm |
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maplecottage
Member Since: 01 Feb 2011
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3171
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Internal short causes rapid battery discharge resulting in overheating and warped plates. End result, wrecked battery. 
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| 6th Aug 2013 4:12 pm |
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Dave^
Member Since: 23 Jun 2013
Location: West Yorks
Posts: 706
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Cool, ta!
Is that a Inherent fault of the tdv6 only? flickr
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| 6th Aug 2013 6:14 pm |
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IroningMan
Member Since: 25 Mar 2013
Location: Somerset
Posts: 135
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No; expect battery life to be seriously reduced by alternator failure on pretty much any car.
Lead acid car - as opposed to leisure - batteries are not intended to be deeply discharged, even less so quickly, and don't take kindly to it.
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| 7th Aug 2013 11:42 am |
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H16UUP
Member Since: 01 Dec 2012
Location: Stockport
Posts: 271
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I'd agree. Sounds like alternator + separate parking brake problem.
Disks need to come off to check thickness of lining on brake shoes. If adequate, then adjust them. If squealing persists, new actuator needed (after ensuring it's reset if it jammed). I try to use the EPB as little as possible to maximise life (although you have to use it on hills, otherwise you will knacker the locking pawl that locks auto box when you put it in park on a slope).
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| 7th Aug 2013 1:50 pm |
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euangibson
Member Since: 24 Dec 2010
Location: Borders
Posts: 11027
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If your struggling,and it sounds like your garage certainly are  .....I know a fair few of the Glasgow/West coast members take their cars up to Strathearn Engineering (forum member Disco Mikey on here)...highly recommended.
I can also vouch for Andy White (Whites Auto Services) in Edinburgh,as can a few others "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool,than to speak out and remove all doubt" ?.....what rubbish...
Locking rear E-diff
RLD spare wheel protector & sump guard
Extended roof rails
Series 111 mudflaps
Black side tubes,grill and vents
Timed climate remote
Hids4u interior lights
D4 Firenze my2012 HSE
D3 Java 2005 SE manual (sold,sadly,thanks for the memories)
1966 '88 Series 2a....still starts in the morning better than I do...
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| 7th Aug 2013 2:15 pm |
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