Disco 3 for dummies

[Die Hard]

Ok, it looks like I will be asking alot of questions about this vehicle. I was getting to know the vehicle yesterday and noticed an electronic box under the drivers seat, i assume that is the computer box (why don't they put that on the roof! so that it can't get wet). Then I noticed under the passengers seat their is a DVD player.

What the hell is that for?

[Hennie]

Hi Die Hard,
that is the satnav.You should have n disc in there so your satnav can oparate.
How is she going,are you happy with the new member in the family??

[Die Hard]

yip, very happy. my dad can't stop looking at it & swambo loves it to bits. i just need to keep my 2 boys strapped in the car seat because there are too many buttons to push & break.

OK, so it is the Satnav, iow. if it doesn't itch, then don't scratch.

So as always, i will clean my own vehicle because I don't want okes just shoving a vacuum hose wildly under the seats.

next things to do: learn how to put on the towbar and release the spare wheel.

[D1+D3=£]

yip, very happy. my dad can't stop looking at it & swambo loves it to bits. i just need to keep my 2 boys strapped in the car seat because there are too many buttons to push & break.
OK, so it is the Satnav, iow. if it doesn't itch, then don't scratch.
So as always, i will clean my own vehicle because I don't want okes just shoving a vacuum hose wildly under the seats.
next things to do: learn how to put on the towbar and release the spare wheel.

Welcome!! Keep the towbar in place handy step and more protection, be carefully when lowering or raising the sparewheel not best design feature always keep a load on the sparewheel which when using it, if not damage can be done to it, very weak design to be use very rarerly!

[Silver Shadow]

hi die hard

The ecu under the drivers seat is not an ecu it is the amp for the sound system. The disco 3 has 27 ecu's located throughout the car

[Off Road Dawg]

OK!!! Nice to see I am not the only one that is trying to figure my Disco 3 out. No owner's manual came with the vehicle so I have managed to download a lot of info.

Satnav doesn't have a CD - where can I get one so my navigation system actually works? And what is the purpose of two electrical tow points? Can either one be used when towing a trailer or caravan?

[discoeast]

And what is the purpose of two electrical tow points? Can either one be used when towing a trailer or caravan?

Off Road Dawg, check this pdf.

[Silver Shadow]

It took me a while to get to know the car in different conditions and different settings and modes. But that is where the fun lies, now you have an excuse to driving.

[Koos Best]

Some nice info here , I copied it off an Aus. website , FAQ for D3/4/RRS
You might learn something from here




What child restraints are there?
There are three child restraint points in the middle row on all D3s (and RRS). They are located about 1/3 of the way down in the seat, an ideal location. Restraints can be fitted to the third row too.

Can three child seats fit in the second row?
Yes, three child seats can fit on the second row, dependent on the seat of course.

What seating arrangements are there?
Almost infinite ;-) A strength of the vehicle is the versatile interior. The third row folds flat, and either seat can be raised. The second row on 7-seaters is a three-way split. The outer seats can tumble forwards, and all three can be folded flat to give almost 2m of flat loadspace behind the first row. Non-7 seaters have a 60/40 split.

Are the owner's manuals available online?
Yes, at www.ownerinfo.landrover.com



Models & History
Were there ever any 5-seater HSE D3 V8s?
Yes, a few, but they weren't popular.

Are there coil-sprung D3s?
Yes, from 2005-2008 the base model S in TDV6 & V6 Petrol only was standard with coils, with optional air and Terrain Response. Since 2009 the S model has had air suspension & coils are no longer an option for the Australian Market.

When was the D4 introduced?
For MY (model year) 2010, late in 2009.


Has Terrain Response changed over the model years?
Definitely. There are many subtle differences between MYs and TR is no exception. One interesting one is in Grass/Gravel/Snow. On pre 2007 models the vehicle starts in higher gear and stays in higher gear unless manual override and lower gear selected. HDC will only modify vehicle speed. On post 2007 models the vehicle starts in higher gear and if vehicle speed is modified with HDC TR will automatically down shift or up shift as required to match speed. The D4 improved TR again. Electronic additions compared to later models include CBC, GRC and HSA, plus sand launch assist. Some people consider some of these gimmicks, but overall the electronics are very well thought out.
Is the D3/D4 the same the world over?
No, it's called the LR3 in North America and there are spec differences such as different options to make SE, HSE. European models may have heated seats and the like. Australia gets the D4 V8 petrol, TDV6 2.7 and TDV6 3.0, whereas Europe gets only the 3.0 in two different states of tune, plus a commercial model we don't see here.


Can I mount a compressor under the D3's bonnet?
Yes. Many people run ARB's CKMA12 in the space in front of the main battery.
Not known if anyone has done this on a D4 as there is much less space under a D4's bonnet.

Can the vehicle's on-board air compressor be used to air up tyres?
Yes...search for threads on the subject and Mitchell Bros have a kit. However, that requires a modification and many do not consider the tradeoffs worth it.

Where can I put a UHF antenna?
1. Make up a mount that extends out of the front grill
2. Side of the bonnet, fixing to a point under the bonnet
3. On the roofrack
4. On a spare wheel carrier
5. On the bullbar (not ideal, a bit low unless on the top bar)
6. On a window. You can get glass mount antennas for UHF radios.
These are available at time Plus Communications in Brunswick & are reportedly quite good.
They are supplied with two whips one for high speed application (short length) & one for low speed (longer length).
They are cheaper than good quality external mount antennas.
They are similar to the antennas for the mobile phone in-car kits.
How do I install a UHF radio?
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-zone...ic-440-d3.html
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...-binnacle.html

Where's the best place for a remote-head UHF unit?
Discovery 3
Many people place the head between the two 12v sockets, affixed to the underside of the centre console.
Discovery 4
What size canvas tourer bag can fit on the OEM Expedition roofrack?
1200x 2100mm.

What snorkels are available?
Safari. Land Rover's own is not properly waterproof, which is why they call it a RAI, or Raised Air Intake. Avoid, but it's better than nothing.


Can the front D3 headrests be adjusted?
Not unless you cut away the side supports, then expose the mechanism from under the top of the seat. Alternatively, have an auto upholster take some foam out of the headrest and restitch it.

What roof channels and cross bars/roof racks are available and what are their advantages/disadvantages?
Rhino
Advantages
roof rails are almost flush with roof when no cross bars fitted
Lots of options in terms of alloy trays, flat trays etc. Winner for me is that one person can add or remove alloy rack on own. I prefer not to have rack on 100% of time.
Disadvantages
When set up with alloy tray /rack on top of bars does not look as neat as OEM roof rack
Not compatible with LR Expedition rack- different profile and too low.
Cheetah / Dolium make an aluminum flat style rack which is supplied with rails to bolt to the roof of the D3. Factory rails are not required with this fitment. Rails are available seperately.
Rear Ladders.
Dolium also make an alternative to the LR Rear ladder for D3.


Wheels and Tyres
What are the minimum rim sizes for the D3/D4/RRS?
Discovery 3
TDV6 - 17"
V6 - 17"
V8 - 18"
RRS as above, Supercharged - 19"
Discovery 4
TDV6 2.7 - 17"
TDV6 3.0 - 19" *
V8 - 19" *
RRS as above (not 2.7 RRS), Supercharged - 19"
* there are investigations ongoing about aftermarket 18" rims.
Investigate your state's road agency's website for the regulations. In particular, check out minimum diameter, number of turns required on wheel nuts and the offset limits.

What's the best tyre?
Entirely depends on what's on the market at the time, what you intend to use it for, tolerance for tradeoffs and budget. Best thing is to do some research, then ask in the forum explaining the intended use of the vehicle.

What's the largest and widest tyre I can fit?
Your state will probably limit you to no more than 15mm greater diameter (SA, WA 50mm) and 25mm wider than the largest tyres fitted as OEM, details of which can be found on the tyre placard in the driver's door jamb. However, people do run 265/70/17 successfully. A 285/60/18 tyre may fit but is likely to rub. If you don't understand the notation "265/65/17" then please search the web in places like the Tyre Bible to find out before asking.

Will XXX/XX/XX tyre fit?
If it is no more than 15mm or so beyond the factory standards and no more than 20mm greater in width, then almost certainly yes. An example factory standard is 255/60/18. Work out the overall diameter of that tyre and your desired tyre and compare - use one of the many tyre diameter calculator tools like this one:
http://www.1010tires.com/tiresizecalculator.asp
The width is easier, 255 = 255mm so a 275mm wide tyre should work.

How do I find an appropriately speed-rated tyre?
You don't need to, all states permit use of N-rated tyres for offroad vehicles. However you must comply with the load rating which the manual says is 110, but the vehicle placard takes priority with 109. The rating of 109N opens up plenty of possibilities.

What aftermarket rims are there available?
Steel 17x8 rims from Dynamic
Alloy BB-6, 17x8 from Performance Wheels
Alloy G-Max 18x8, from G-Max
Holden Adventra rims and BMW X5 rims apparently also fit [ legality to be determined ]
Note 1: Holden Commodore hubcaps fit perfectly on steel rims.
Note 2: road regs say the nuts must engage the threads for as many turns as the original, which is 9.

What's the factory offset and widths?
53mm, for all rim sizes (17, 18, 19 and 20). The 17s are 17x7, the others are 8-inch, eg 18x8. Search the web for a definition of 'offset' if unsure.
Most states permit a +25mm track increase. The track is the distance between the centre of the rims not the outside of the rims. Therefore, increasing rim width has no effect on track.

Can any tyre shop do a wheel alignment?
Ideally the car should be put into a special suspension mode for wheel alignment to stop it moving, but just set it at Normal and you'll be 99% there.



Suspension
What's the problem with the air suspension?
As you hit 40kmph in Offroad Mode it warns you with a 'bong' that it will lower to Normal should you not slow down. At 50km/h it lowers. There is no factory way to prevent this. Opinion is divided as to whether that's a problem or not. Many think it is.
What can be done to prevent the suspension lowering?
1. Cut and shorten the sensor rods
2. Buy shorter sensor rods
3. Buy adjustable sensor rods
4. Install the Matzker electronic kit
5. Install the Llams electronic height controller as described in a thread in the Verandah section.
all of which are very much disapproved of by Land Rover.

What suspension modes are there?
7 Modes:
# Belly
* Access
High Speed (auto selected at high speed)
* Normal
* Offroad
Extended (auto selected, or trick the car)
Super Extended (manually selected after Extended ins invoked)
* selectable by the user
# dealer select only

Can I manually select Extended Mode?
No. But there is a trick. Go into Offroad, jam a block of wood under the chassis, and lower the car. It'll get upset and go into Extended. Once in Extended mode you must remain under 8 kph otherwise the vehicle will automatically return to off road height. You may go faster than 8kph for a maximum time of 45 seconds. Also refer to the question about other suspension modes.

How high is the vehicle?
Depends on the suspension mode. Look at the back of the driver's sun visor. Don't forget to allow for roofracks.

Are there aftermarket options for the centre display on the D3?
Yes, some companies can fit GPS kit or radio equipment in this space.

Are there aftermarket shocks available?
The spring is an airbag and that is Land Rover OEM. Inside the airbag is a conventional shock absorber (damper) which some consider not up to the task of controlling a fully-laden Discovery on rough roads. In any case, they do wear out. Replacements are available from at least Koni and Bilstein. Fitting is a non-trivial task, far more difficult than a non-airbag vehicle as the entire airbag needs to be taken out and the shock replaced.

Can Aftermarket Wiper Blades be fitted?
Yes, Bosch Part Number BBA550-Front only, (available at Supercheap, Burson's, Repco etc.)


Technical
What's crosslinked air suspension?
In low range, when one wheel is forced up as the vehicle crosses uneven terrain the air suspension forces the opposite wheel down, thereby improving the chances of it touching the ground and also increasing weight on it. Both are good for traction.

Can the centre diff be locked?
Not by you. The computer decides when to do that and how much. It is not a binary lock/unlock, it's a sophiscated torque splitter that can vary its torque front/rear and the degree of lock. All you can do is give it hints with Terrain Response settings.

How does the 4WD system work?
The cars have a centre clutch, electronically controlled. Torque is nominally distributed front/rear 50/50. This can be varied depending on the conditions. An amount of slip is permitted to prevent windup. The propensity to slip, and the torque distribution is influenced by different Terrain Response settings, for example Rock Crawl locks up earlier and for longer than the other modes. It is otherwise not under driver control.
Across an axle the vehicle has standard differentials (not torque sensing) with torque bias controlled by electronic traction control -- the brakes are applied via the ABS system to a spinning wheel which sends torque "drive" to the wheel with better traction. As with the centre clutch how early and hard this kicks in is influenced by Terrain Response settings. It is otherwise not under driver control.
The drive will be biased front/rear depending on the conditions, both reacting to and pre-empting situations even on the road. For example, if the driver applies heavy throttle from a standing start the system biases torque to the rear.


What is different from the D3 to the D4?
A few body panels, the dashboard and first row layout, engine compartment, option of two new engines plus:
2.7 TDV6 Base vehicle now, no designation
3.0 TDV6 SE & HSE Variants.
5.0 V8 HSE ONLY
All vehicles have Electronic Air Suspension & Terrain Response which have been improved, HDC now comes with Gradient release, which holds brake pressure & allows it to be released gradually on downhill descents.
All diesel vehicles now come with a mis-fuelling device.
2.7 retains existing ZF 6 speed, While the 3.0 & 5.0 get new ZF 6 speeds.
All vehicles now have ONE touch windows up/down function.
All vehicles now have Auto Lights & Rains sensors.
All vehicles now have Headlamp power wash.
All vehicles now have Fog Lights.
All vehicles now have Auto dimming rear mirror.
All vehicles now have Auto dual climate control.
All vehicles now have Trailer Stabilty Assist (TSA)
All vehicles now have a 5" TFT screen as the dash display, which incorporates Trip computer, fuel consumption etc.
Front Head rests are now adjustable up/down.
Bluetooth Phone system std on all models.
All vehicles now have Rear Park Assist.
LED Tail lights.
Body colored wheel arch flares, front & rear bumpers & mirror caps.
Speed proportional & variable power steering.
Keyless Start & OPTIONAL Keyless Entry.
2.7 has Halogens, 3.0 SE & HSE have Bi-Xenons with LED Signature & 5.0 HSE has Adaptive Bi-Xenons with LED sig.
2.7 has 5 seats cloth (option for 7 leather seats if required)
3.0 SE/HSE & 5.0 HSE has 7 leather seats. Premium Leather OPTION on 3.0 HSE ONLY. 5.0 HSE Std.
Electric Heated, Power fold mirrors on 3.0 SE/HSE & 5.0 HSE OPTION on 2.7.
Rear A/C std on 3.0 HSE & 5.0 HSE OPTION on others.
Sunroof with Alpine glass rear roof std on 5.0 HSE OPTION on others.
Rear e-diff lock std on 5.0 HSE OPTION on others.
The 5.0 HSE ptretty much comes with everything including Surround Camera System, Harmon Kardon stereo system with Logic 7, Rear Seat Entertainment, HDD Sat Nav, Heated W/Screen, Heated W/sceen washers, Heated seats 1st & 2nd rows, heated S/wheel.
From the second row backwards the D3 and D4 are virtually identical, eg the seats work the same way.
Does the car have recovery points?
Yes, the hooks front and rear under plastic covers, removed with a coin (see manual) are rated to the vehicle's GCM (Gross Combination Mass, GVM + GTM, so over 6000kg) and are used for recovery.


Useful torque settings
D3 Wheel nuts 140Nm
2.7L TDV6 Oil drain plug 25Nm
2.7L TDV6 Oil filter housing 25Nm

How can I tell if the car has a locking e-diff?
It is hard to tell how many were delivered with the rear e-diff as only the sales guys & ordering personnel would know.
Some sales ads have missed this function on the vehicle as they simply don' t know if it's there, there is no way of telling unless you place the vehicle on a hoist or know what to look for under the vehicle.
To tell if it has the rear E-diff you will need to place the vehicle in off road height & slide under the vehicle (or put it on a 4 post hoist) & look at the rear diff, it will have a silver foiled wiring loom coming off the top of the diff housing & you will notice a solenoid plunger atop the diff housing also. You cannot rely on the SatNav as this will show both diff locks whether the vehicle has 1 or 2, however if you drive it and the rear icon locks, it's got the locker. Easiest way to do that is go into Rock Crawl mode and get cross-axled.

How does the remote locking work on the D4 work?
Smart keys & Keyless entry
As you approach the car with the smart key, it is waiting for you to touch the door handle before it leaps into life. Just the touching of the door handle is enough to unlock the car as the handles have built in sensors on the rear of the handle which respond to touch. The key has to be within range, about a metre, so keeping it in your pocket is fine. You don't need to take the key out of your pocket and click to unlock, although that'll still work.
The systems within the car are sensitive enough to know where the key is, so it is able to distinguish when the key is inside, outside, by the drivers’ door, etc… So, knowing where the key is means that, in theory, you should not be able to lock the key into the car. It also means that you can still use features such as the 2 point entry.
2 Point Entry
These days, even if we don’t use it, we’re fairly familiar with the idea of having one click on a key fob only unlocking the drivers’ door and then needing a second click to open the rest of the doors. How does this work when you have keyless entry?
When you go to open the car door, it knows exactly where the key is and which door is trying to be opened. Armed with this information, it can make a number of decisions:
If the person with the key is opening the drivers’ door, it will just unlock the drivers’ door, even if someone is also trying to open a passenger door.
If the person with the key is opening any door other than the drivers’ door, it will unlock all the doors at once.
…but remember, you need to have the 2 Point Entry enabled in the first place for this to work.
Locking the car
As the system is designed to be keyless, the last thing you’ll want is to then rummage around for your key when you want to lock the car. As such, there’s a little black pad on the door handles which you just need to touch with a finger to lock the car.
But how do you know when the car is locked?
When locked, the mirrors fold in. Don’t check by pulling on handle… it will just unlock itself again!! Or, place the key a couple of metres away and then try and open the door.


Concerns & Issues
How close does the key have to be?
Can someone steal my car from the garage with the fob in the house?
Given time and an infinite number of monkeys, I’m sure someone could crack the systems but… The system is very sensitive, even to the point that the car will not start if the fob is just outside the driver's door. It has to be in the area in, or immediately around the driver’s seat for it to work. As such, there should be no concerns about someone taking your car from your garage while the keys are safely tucked away in the house somewhere (but don’t quote me on that).

Does the engine stop if I take the key away from the car?
No.
Once started, if you remove the key from the car, it will continue to run but on the dash board display it will tell you that it can’t locate the ‘Smart Key’. However, if you stop the car, you will not be able to get it started again until the car is re-united with the key. There are also warning bongs. You can't miss it.
This system works in much the same was as the Toyota version in the LC200. It is optional on some D4 specs, standard on HSEs, and cannot be retrofitted to D3s. A bonus of the system is that when you open the car door there are no warning bongs, unlike a D3 with a key in the iginition. Keyless entry is fantastically useful once you get used to it. The key never needs to leave your pocket. You could almost get it embedded into your skin (see the Discovery 5 FAQ).



What are those large hanging weights at the back swinging off the rear chassis rails?
All Discovery 3/4 vehicles are male and those are the testicles. If you remove them you'll castrate your Discovery which turns it into a Freelander.
A more detailed explanation is here:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/...sis-rails.html


Driving Techniques
Why can't I lock the centre diff?
You don't need to, the computer will send torque to the most appropriate axles in any condition. This works very well and people don't feel the need to manually control it, unlike some of the other electronic systems. There is no risk of windup with these vehicles.



What's Terrain Response?
Land Rover's system for changing the parameters of various car controls such as throttle, traction control sensitivity, auto shift points and more depending on what terrain the vehicle will be driven on.

GRASS/GRAVEL/SNOW Function.
Engine Management System.
More progressive throttle map to make it harder to induce wheel spin when setting off & easier to drive smoothly.
Automatic Gearbox.
Automatically sets off in 2nd gear in high range to make it harder to induce wheel slip when setting off.
Automatically selects 3rd gear in low range to make it harder to induce wheel slip when setting off.
Electronic Centre/Rear Differential.
Higher preload settings to reduce the chance of wheel slip occuring.
Hill Descent Control.
HDC is automatically switched on when in low range.
Traction Control.
Has a more responsive & aggressive tune so that if any wheel slip does occur, then it is controlled quickly.
Message Centre.
If a manual gearbox is fitted then the drive is advised to set off in 3rd gear if in low range when a different gear is selected.

MUD/RUTS Function.
Engine Management System.
More progressive throttle map to make it harder to induce wheel spin when setting off & easier to drive smoothly.
Automatic Gearbox.
Starts off in 1st gear, will remain in 1st if light throttle is applied.
Changes up with heavy throttle inputs. Stays in gear & torque convertor locks up when throttle pedal is released. Changes down gears if no throttle pedal input & speed goes below a set threshold.
Electronic Centre/Rear Differential.
Higher preload settings to reduce the chance of wheel slip occuring.
Dynamic Stability Control.
Dynamic stability thresholds are tuned to induce less engine throttle intervention.
Hill Descent Control.
HDC is automatically switched on.
Traction Control.
Traction controls tune is more responsive & aggressive & induces less throttle intervention to control excessive wheel slip quickly. But it allows higher slip levels so that traction can be generated.
Message Centre.
Recommends that low range be selected.
Recommends that the air suspension be raised to off road height.
Steering inputs are displayed when a 1/4 turn of the steering wheel is acheived.
Warns if off road height has been selected & not yet reached.
Warns if off an off road height has been inhibited due to trailer electrics being detected. (not sure if new programming has altered this).

SAND Function.
Engine Management System.
Soft intial throttle changing to more agressive as throttle becomes heavier.
Automatic Gearbox.
The gearbox changes up gears later & down gears earlier to keep vehicle in maximum torque band.
Dynamic Stability Control.
Dynamic Stability thresholds are tuned to induce less engine throttle intervention.
Traction Control.
Traction Control tune induces less throttle intervention.
Message Centre.
Steering inputs are displayed when a 1/4 turn of the steering wheel is acheived.
Warns if off road height has been selected & not yet reached.
Warns if off an off road height has been inhibited due to trailer electrics being detected. (not sure if new programming has altered this).

ROCK CRAWL Function.
Engine Management System.
More progressive throttle map to minimise wheel slip when setting off.
Automatic Gearbox.
Automatically sets off is 1st gear. Holds onto 1st gear longer & changes down to 1st gear sooner to maximise low speed control.
Transfer Box.
Rock crawl is only available in Low Range.
Electronic Centre/Rear Differential.
Has very high preload setings to reduce the chance of wheel spin occurring.
Hill Descent Control.
HDC is automatically switched on. The minimum target speed is automatically selected & the system is more aggressive so as to control the speed quickly.
Traction Control.
Traction controls tune is more responsive & aggressive so that if any wheel slip is detected it is controlled quickly.
Message Centre.
The Driver is asked to select low range.
Steering inputs are displayed when a 1/4 turn of the steering wheel is acheived.
Warns if off road height has been selected & not yet reached.
Warns if off an off road height has been inhibited due to trailer electrics being detected. (not sure if new programming has altered this).
Normal mode doesn't actually switch any of the system off or disable them, it just doesn't put them into any special mode. Hence, traction control etc is always active.
What's the difference in Terrain Response between the D3 and D4?
The D4 has Rock Pre-Crawl (applies brakes up to 5km/h in first and reverse forcing the wheels to turn against the brake).
Sand mode & Launch control: It uses a motion sensor on the chassis to detect when it is moving. Once moving, it'll then adjust the throttle response to make it more aggressive.


How do I drive in sand?
Select Sand mode in Terrain Response and ensure stability control (DSC) is switched off. Use low or high range depending on speed, and consider manually selecting gears, keeping the revs high in the soft stuff. Don't use HDC to descend in sand, come down on the gears, often 2/3 low or first high. Tyre pressure guide:
Rim size / pressure
17 / 16
18 / 18
19 / 20
20 / 22
you can go 50% lower than this in extremis but reinflate as soon as you can. Other variables for tyre pressure are weight and tyre construction. The tougher the tyre, the more you need to deflate it, and the greater the vehicle weight the less you can deflate.
All of the other sand driving techniques that can be found in many places apply.
Also have a read one of our classic threads -> http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-zone...ing-wrong.html


How do I drive in deep snow?
Use anything but Snow Mode which is for slippery surfaces, not deep snow. DSC off, and manually control the gears, either second low or first low. If you can use third it's not really deep! Try Normal, Mud/Ruts or if it's a real slog, Rock Crawl and low range, DSC off. Trick the car into Extended Mode by grounding it and wheelspinning slowly, then go into Super Extended. Use Snow mode for a thin, slippery covering on a hard surface.

Can the centre diff be manually locked? Can the rear locker be manually controlled?
Neither can be driver controlled. The computer decides, not you. It actually does a very good job. Most of the time.

Do I need the e-diff (rear locker)?
Impossible to say. If you are buying a new car you'd be mad not to specify it as it cannot be retrofitted and will greatly improve the desirability of the vehicle to offroad tourers come resale, and of course the extra capability. Onroad it makes no difference, but offroad the e-diff can turn a medium track into an easy, and a hard into a medium. Simply, the car does it easier. However, it really only makes a difference in rocky conditions, or on steep climbs. In sand and mud it doesn't really improve performance. If you are shopping for a secondhand vehicle favour those with the e-diff.

Does the ABS work in low range?
Yes, although it will permit a bit of wheel lockup. Which is good.

I want to use an airbag jack. There are two exhaust outlets. How do I plug one of them?
Use a test plug available from plumbing supplies, e.g. TLS431 Plumboss Aluminium Test Plug 5 from Eagles Plumbing Plus. Or buy an air jack that is inflated by a compressor, not by exhaust, eg the Bushranger model.


Towing
Can I use a weight distributing hitch?
No, the vehicle isn't designed for it, and you don't need one.
The Land Rover towhitch looks like a farming implement. Is there a better option?
Yes, the Mitchell Bros Hitch. The D4 hitch is improved, but still not as good. It can be retrofitted to the D3.
How do I fix the parking sensors so they work with the Mitch Hitch?
D3:Rotate the inner two sensors away from the hitch. Undo the four Phillips screws under the plastic bumper, have someone hold it out the way, reach up and rotate the sensors within their holders.
D4: On a D4 equipped "with" Surround Cameras - the rear park sensors cannot be rotated as they clip in to a locating socket. Don't be tempted to modify the locating socket (as I did) because even once rotated it doesn't solve the problem and in any event requires that the bumper be removed.
I don't know if the D4 "without" Surround Cameras uses park sensors similar to D3 or not?


What's the tow rating?
3500kg braked and 750kg unbraked for all models.
What's the towball mass?
For all models 350kg but not to exceed the rear axle limit so reduces as you approach GVM like all 4WDs.


What's Trailer Stability Assist on the D4?
TSA is there is to combat trailer sway, which when a trailer oscillates in increasing frequency at speed due to some initial disturbance such as a sudden gust of wind, instead of the rig dampening out the disturbance. It is caused by incorrect tow setup, usually the CoG too far back. I'm in two minds about TSC. It is a good safety feature, but on the other hand means that poorly set up trailers can now be towed. Hopefully when it kicks in it does so in such a way to let you know something is wrong, as opposed to the subtle intrusion of something like CBC. TSA is not unique to Land Rover. It won't work at low speeds offroad, however the normal ESC will, but usually you'd want that disabled. If the D4 is approved for a hitch, which I doubt, then TSA would work with it. All TSC does is figure out a trailer is hooked up and when it detects sway -- easy to do as there will be a force on the rear wheels -- it'll alternately brake the front wheels and chop the throttle to bring things under control. The rear wheels aren't braked because they need all their grip for lateral control.


Problems
Anything I need to be wary of?
1. If you jack up the rear passenger wheel be careful to jack on the chassis and not on the air compressor. Check it out now, before you're in the mud. If you’re concerned about others using your D3/D4 and using the wrong jacking point, you can put a dob of bright paint on each of the 4 correct jacking points and on top of the LR jack. This also makes it much easier at night to find the jacking points.

My car is screeching!
Slap the passenger. If the noise doesn't stop, remove the blanking plug just behind the handbrake switch on your centre console, lifts up with the flat screwdriver in your toolkit, also remove the wheel brace extension piece, the one with the hook on it & reach down into the cavity under the switch, you will see a wire that is bent into a loop. grab that with the extension, lift it out from under where the switch is & get enough out to make the extension go in top a tee piece, now pull with all you might & the vehicle will go "clunk". Make sure when you release the handbrake the vehicle is on a flat or somewhere where it will not roll away.

Help, I've got an error message!
Switch the car off and on. If it's gone, it's an intermittent fault. Get to a dealer as soon as you can. If not, the car may be in limp mode, restricted to third gear. If that and praying to your diety of choice doesn't clear the fault try this:

How to Hard Reset
Removing the key from the ignition and let the vehicle sit at least 5 minutes to lets all the ECUs go to sleep so they won't be damaged by the reset. Then, undo the battery -ve terminal, then undo the battery +ve terminal and touch the two cables together to short them (You may have to place a screwdriver to get the 2 cables to touch). This is known as a hard reset.
**PLEASE** take care not to drop & short the cables together on the battery & create an arc as this will lead to damage. Note that this is touching the CABLES together, and does not involve the battery at all!
If you have a dual battery system installed, you MUST remove the negative terminal off all auxiliary batteries BEFORE you touch the cranking battery terminals.
And only after you have done the HARD RESET and reconnected both cranking battery terminals, then you can reconnect the auxiliary battery negative terminals.

Jump Starting The Newer Engines.(D4 & Spt 3.0/5.0)
When jump starting these vehicles please do not place the +ve & -ve terminals from the jumper leads on your battery if you own one of the above. You will notice on the -ve side that there is a battery monitor. If you place the jumper leads on both the +ve & -ve terminals you will blow the battery monitor, causing many electrical faults & error messages. You will need to replace the battery monitor & then recalibrate it via a dealer(SDD programable).
When we find a flat battery we use the +ve terminal & the cam bolt for the -ve on the suspension under the vehicle. (when sticking your head under the vehicle you will see a threaded bolt pointing towards you).
It is a common practise not to place the jumper leads on the flattened battery terminals anyhow, as you can damage any number of ECUs in the vehicle, mainly engine ECUs.
Please take note of this as it may save you money.

Why does the car fart when left alone?
It will auto-level downwards and needs to release the pressure.


What is the mis-fueling device on the D4?
A mis-fuelling device prevents a petrol nozzle being inserted into a diesel tank, by means of a clever device within the filler neck. You may want to practice how to reset the device with the special supplied tool before needing to do it at night, in the rain, with starving kids, etc.
Note - as some service stations use a different size nozzle for premium unleaded, the mis fueling device will not necessarily stop the filling of petrol into a diesel tank. Be warned and double check before filling.



My spare tyre winch doesn't work!
[ sometimes the spare tyre winch doesn't wind up or down properly ]
Scouse says:
"After claiming a few under warranty for this same problem, I pulled one apart to see what goes on inside.
The problem is that the cable sits in a spiral groove rather than just winding around a plain drum. If there's no weight on the cable, it doesn't take much to make it jump out of this groove & then jam up inside.
The other problem is that there is no 'stop' when the cable is wound all the way out. Therefore, once it extends all the way out, it starts winding back in again but in the opposite way to it's design. The result again is a jammed cable.
Nothing is spring loaded & once apart it's easy to fix."
So - wind it out as little as possible, and wind it with a little tension, have someone hold it or put a weight on the end. The unit is riveted together but those can be drilled out and the rivets replace with bolts. Replace the unit if the cable is kinked or damaged.
Do not use a rattle gun on the winder. It can't take the torque. Yes, it's been tried. No, it didn't work.

[Silver Shadow]

Wow Koos, dit is baie waardevolle inligting daai, baie dankie.

[Off Road Dawg]

discoeast - thanks for the info - helped understand a few things! Wow koos - thats a hell of a lot of info - gonna keep me outta work for a while

[TiaanS]

Baie nice, ek hou veral van die een

My car is screeching!
Slap the passenger.

[mip]

hi. a few more disco3 for dummies questions:1: what's the contraption under the lid of the console between the seats? it looks like a cellphone battery charger. is it standard with all hse's? 2: if you leave it always in access mode, and it automatically adjusts at speed, but will drop at stop, will it affect the vehicle?

[Daniel.Senekal]

With the d3 you could order the cellphone connector for the car phone, this was phone specific. It charged the phone etc. Mine used to be for a 6310, and later the 6310i couldn't work on it! Use the bluetooth I think the passcode is 2121.

[Daniel.Senekal]

The car will raise when the set speed is exceeded, and will not lower again, until access mode is engaged again, under the set speed. I think the d3 was:
No height change possible above 40kmh, and normal height is automatically selected above 50kmh.

[Reppies]

Hi to the boffins! I got the following on a UK Forum:
http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic60567.html
" Release the wheel nuts first.
Set to normal height, put a bottle jack under the the arm strut of the wheel. lift the arm strut approx2 inches, slowly release back to an inch and voila the wheel suddely lift(the car actually lowers so the wheel hangs free, remove and change,)
Start engine,set to off road height , climb in underneath and remove jack,set back to normal height. Done it now on 4 occasions with 3 different D3 and all worked fine
O yes , tighten nuts off course "

What do you think - will it not buggerup the Disco's Air suspension?

[Koos Best]

What do I think?

Impossible to do any damage.
It works like a charm.

[Jean Kotze]

Hi to the boffins! I got the following on a UK Forum:
http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic60567.html
" Release the wheel nuts first.
Set to normal height, put a bottle jack under the the arm strut of the wheel. lift the arm strut approx2 inches, slowly release back to an inch and voila the wheel suddely lift(the car actually lowers so the wheel hangs free, remove and change,)
Start engine,set to off road height , climb in underneath and remove jack,set back to normal height. Done it now on 4 occasions with 3 different D3 and all worked fine
O yes , tighten nuts off course "

What do you think - will it not buggerup the Disco's Air suspension?

Tried this with mine this afternoon. Worked slightly different, but easier I would say.

As I started to jack up the arm strut - between 1" and 2", the vehicle automatically started to level itself (lowering itself) and the wheel was off the ground.

When I started the vehicle, the vehicle leveled itself again (lifted) and I could simply pull the jack out. I did not have to switch to the offroad mode.

Easy, and it works like a charm!

[Koos Best]

Does anybody knows what is the difference mechanically or technically between
2005 and 2009 spec TDV6 D3's

Has it got better
suspension bushes
bigger crankshaft
better fuel economy
uprated torque converter

what was improved?

[ifx]

i just need to keep my 2 boys strapped in the car seat because there are too many buttons to push & break.

Lol - I know that feeling - kids pressed that little yellow button and swambo thought the car was broken. Oh, and its pretty wide, replaced two wing mirrors in the first month, now swambo folds the mirrors in when entering/exiting the garage.