Thread: some puma 90 niggles and frustrations (Warranty)

Doing my best not to Hijack Leroy's thread, just one or two ill conceived ideas found only on Australian Defenders. There are a couple Australian road rules that have had a bit of an impact on the old Defender.

I understand that the exhaust has to exit backwards instead of the 50 degree angle of the rest of the world. This has caused Australian Defenders to have custom tail pipes and that rediculous LHS mudflap that will melt on any long trip where you average above 95km/h. It has the cut out, but the moment it lifts up from the wind at speed it sit directly in the gas flow and it starts melting. The only solution I could see would be a rubber compound that is either stiff enough not to lift or being heat resistant.

The second is the fact that your rear number plate has to be rectangular instead of the "normal" square ones that fit Defenders perfectly. This being the need for that little triangular fitting just at the right hight to bank elbows and the like...

On a more serious note, hope your car gets sorted mate. There's been a couple threads now on main dealers that appear to be completely clueless!

Unfortunately head office is not the greatest at informing owners of what's going on. Chances are they are probably waiting on parts from the UK. They will be doing there best, but do have a goo look over the car before you leave when it returns.
Another thing to, LR seem to take 7 days to get parts from the UK. They should be able to get it here in 3 if they were keen, but very annoying when there is no parts in the country.
I have found they get one part, put it in and try it. No go.... lets look at the next probable cause, Oh, need to order a part, guess where from.

As frustrating as it is, don't loose your cool. Be firm, or even awkward, but never ****ty.

From what i have read here by the OP,the engine had been overheated before,high fuel usage and stuck open injector go hand in hand,maybe the engine is now the issue.Stuck open fuel injector will cause massive problems for a diesel.

Sorry to give you the bad news,just my 2 cents worth,and no i am no diesel mechanic.

I would presume all work will be covered under warranty.

If it ends up at Austral,you should be OK,they did a good job sorting out some niggles on the sons Puma at the end of it's warranty period.

Hope it all works out in the end.

Strange about the mudflap as the sons Puma has done a lot of highway travel and it has not melted.

Thanks for all the comments,

The car has overheated before yes, and I have told this to the dealer in Townsville who keep telling me that that would not have anything to do with this.
I honestly do not know what they are doing at this stage, Austral were great when it was in there shop kept me updated very regularly and explained what they were doing and I was happy (with there warranty service that is)

I think the issue here is that the dealer in Townsville is like a 6 manufactures in one dealership that doesn't do many land rovers, I've spoken to the mechanic himself on the phone and he didn't give me much faith in his knowledge when asked a few simple questions, though as it is a warranty job there is nothing I can do but sit here and wait for them to 'fix' it at which point once It gets sent bakc down to Brisbane for me I will be requesting that Austral perform an entire check over of the vehicle for any possible warranty issues or poor work done and I wont be paying for it either.

Ive missed out on two planned outings now due to not having a 4wd and I had just sold my second car just before this all happened.

I'm starting to think there could be a more serious problem at hand here, adding together the engine overheating previously and all the other little signs (as mention above aswell) ive formulated a few theories (again based on my VERY limited knowledge of modern disel engines) possible head failure is one that I cant seem to get out of my own head. . . I just hope that the fuel pump they have ordered from the UK this time will be the fix so I can get my car back here and have it all checked over by someone that knows what they are doing.

Leroy

Any news?

nope

Originally Posted by 460cixy

Any news?

That's **** weak I would be jumping up and down by now

Mud flap cut off the melted bit with stanley knife. Mine has backlash in transfer a bit worse than normal they have offered to replace thrust washers at next service. Fuel consmption I towed a series 1 across australia got around 20 litres /100ks towing at 120 kph. Heaps of power no problems fuel consumption impoves a lot when run in over 20,000ks. Sounds like your motor ran out of fuel have they replaced the electric pump in the tank. I have interior trim issues around the inside rear door plastic has come adrift clips do not line up at all outr by 20mm roof lining has sagged around little windows in the roof. I will get this looked at when doing the thrust shims. Other than that it climbs sand dunes like a started gazzelle fords deep creeks with ease and passes road trains like they were standing still even when towing its grandad on the back. I am rapt in my 90 its a bl@@dy ripper.

Mike