D4 flat battery......again.

[fatnold]

We went for a little camp on the weekend. Got the roof tent mounted satisfactorily for the moment, found a spot for all the gear. Nice. :)
Set up Friday evening, relax, beer, relax. Hmm, might get another beer......
I notice that every time I open a door the screen comes back to life and the interior lights come back on, regardless of if there are already other doors open. :o
So long story cut short, by Saturday morning the 'battery low' warning was on the screen. :(By Sunday lunch no screen or interior light and dead flat battery.:mad: After 2 days the aux battery that had been running the fridge was too low to start the car and had to jump the car off another car. :mad::mad:
This is obviously un-workable as a camp setup. You are in and out of the vehicle regularly. You leave the tailgate open and doors open all day.

What is the work around???? Is there some way of putting the thing to sleep? Tried moving the proximity keys away. No difference, screen still comes on when any door is opened even if tailgate or other doors are already open. Don't seem to be able to turn the interior lights off permanently. You do it once and then next time another door is opened the interior lights turn on again.

[Bushwanderer]

When the D4 has "gone to sleep" consider disconnecting the starting battery, or have the fridge outside the vehicle.

Best Wishes,
Peter

[roamer]

If you hold the centre button on front interior light in for about 5 sec, it will flash up "interior light off", do it again to put back on.
Cheers Ken

[fatnold]

sticking the fridge outside doesn't help. Still have all the cooking gear, food, clothes, gadgets inside.
Sounds like I now have a solution to stop the interior lights coming on but that is not all that is happening. When the screen comes on obviously it is firing up other stuff. It would make sense if it just stopped doing that once the low battery warning message comes up.

[~Rich~]

Hi Fatnold,
What sort / brand of isolator do you have managing the batteries?

[PaulGOz]

Definetly turn the interior lights off as suggested below. There are heaps of bulbs at 10-15w each which adds up after many minutes of running. Some other suggestions.
1) Turn off the radio before shuttng down engine this may help with radio not powering on when opening doors
2) Switch to LED bulbs or disconect the lights at base of doors and in foot wels
3) Install a voltmeter so you can monitor what is happening to starter battery and if below 11.5-11.8v you need to start the car up
Good luck. If you find a good soltion please post as battery life is a concern i have when remote camping.

[Bushwanderer]

I think that you'll find that most of the battery consumption is from the vehicle "waking up". Any measure other than installing a 2nd battery is just playing around the edges.

Best Wishes,
Peter

[fatnold]

I have a second battery with a traxide setup installed. After 2 days the fridge was still running but when I ran a jumper lead between the positive on the aux battery and the positive on the main battery it seems the juice in the aux was too low, the screen didn't even come on. (didn't think to measure the voltage of the aux, not sure at what voltage the engel would cut out). It jumped straight away off another car.
Pretty scary stuff, I wouldn't trust the car away somewhere remote and alone. The old D1 never let me down...:(
On a brighter note, had the D4 off road for a play on Sunday. Even with 20" road tyres aired down to 28psi it was unstopable. Can't say the same for the Hilux that tried to follow me though. :D

[weeds]

rwlse had issiues with his D4 battery going flat during a camping trip over xmas.....land rover looked at it but i am not sure what the outcome was

[drivesafe]

Hi folks, I don’t have access to a D4 3.0tl at the present but if someone else has one and a tong or clamp meter, could you try this test.

Before turning the ignition of, opening the bonnet, and leave it open.

Turn the ignition off and remove the key. Place the Park Brake on and shut all the doors and tailgate.

Wait for the Park Brake Light to go out and then open a door.

Using the tong meter and measure the amount of current passing through the cable that runs from the cranking battery positive to the fuse panel.

This will give an idea of the amount of power that is used each time a door is opened and the computer wakes up.

[roamer]

Hi Tim
A little bit less than 0.2A (lowest range only goes down to 6A) ,interior lights off, [door lights are LEDs (can't turn off)]
I don't think these batteries are very good,if I disconnect my aux battery, and turn radio on with in 10mins, get signal to start engine.
Cheers Ken

[Jesse B]

Hmmm - sounds somewhat familiar! It might be worth reviewing some of the discussion & suggestions in this thread:
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/d3-d4-rrs/117470-staying-power-dual-batteries.html

Not that it's much help in your situation, fatnold, with the roof tent etc - but the last time I camped in one spot for 5 days with camper trailer (after posting the thread listed above) I shifted most gear from the D4 to the trailer and limited door opening to twice a day. No "low battery" warnings - but also not much use to you! Sorry...

[Disco4SE]

Took the wife and billy lids to the drive-in over Christmas (yes, we still have drive-ins in Vic).:)
Anyway, we closed the doors, hit the button and turned the radio on to listen to the movie.:) After a while it automatically turned off.:mad: So I hit the button again and the radio comes back on.:) This procedure went on for quite a while until the car asked me to turn the ignition on as my battery was almost flat.:mad:
Spoke with the guys at LR and was informed that the D4 is more sensitive to power overuse, therefore the radio is the first thing that will shut down.:confused:
From now on, it looks like I will have to take a portable radio and use my inverter via the second battery 12 Volt outlet.
Bit of a bugger when you spend over $90K on a state of the art 4by and you cant listen to the radio for too long without having to run the engine :mad:
Cheers, Craig

[drivesafe]

Craig, what dual battery set up do you have fitted?

[Disco4SE]

Craig, what dual battery set up do you have fitted?
The Redarc. Was done by my local auto electrician. Apart from the drive-in episode, it hasn't let me down. The fridge has been running 24/7 for over 12 months now.
Cheers, Craig

[drivesafe]

The Redarc. Was done by my local auto electrician. Apart from the drive-in episode, it hasn't let me down. The fridge has been running 24/7 for over 12 months now.
Cheers, Craig

Thanks Craig, I thought you had one of mine and as such, you shouldn’t have been getting low battery problems in such a short time.

It sound like your Redarc is fine.

[drivesafe]

Hi Tim
A little bit less than 0.2A (lowest range only goes down to 6A) ,interior lights off, [door lights are LEDs (can't turn off)]
I don't think these batteries are very good,if I disconnect my aux battery, and turn radio on with in 10mins, get signal to start engine.
Cheers Ken

Thanks Ken, at a 0.2 amp drain, the battery should last for weeks, not hours.

I’ll see if my wife’s 2.7lt D4 works the same way and do some testing.

Cheers, Tim.

[Redback]

I'm assuming the D3 isn't having this problem, as knowone with a D3 has posted as yet.

Baz.

[fatnold]

Baz, Never happened with my D3......or D2....or D1. :mad:

Disco4SE. yep, had that happen as well.

[lr4]

I had a flat battery on my D4 just a few weeks ago. Parked car in the evening, went to go in the morning, and it was totally dead. interior light didnt even light up. I rang landrover, they came and picked the car up, apparently it was supposed to go in to the dealer for a recall. Something to do with the computers not shutting down properly when car is off.
My D4 is all stock standard.

[Redback]

Baz, Never happened with my D3......or D2....or D1. :mad:

Disco4SE. yep, had that happen as well.

That's a relief as we will be getting a D3 soon, we camp as you do, back door open for access to the fridge, have had no problem doing this in the D2.

Baz.

[Disco4SE]

I have a query.
I leave the key fob / remote thingy in the console most of the time apart from when I lock the vehicle. This includes all night every night as it is in a locked garage. Could this be a contributor to the battery problem?
Cheers, Craig

[gghaggis]

Thought I'd try this out before posting, but it seems to work:)

(from the Disco UK site)
If you hold the button in the centre of the roof lamp cluster in for 3 or 4 secs, until the light flashes at you, it will turn off the interior lights so that they will not come on again until you start the car. You can then open and close doors without 'waking up' the car or turning on a light.

Cheers,

Gordon

[Disco4SE]

Thought I'd try this out before posting, but it seems to work:)

(from the Disco UK site)
If you hold the button in the centre of the roof lamp cluster in for 3 or 4 secs, until the light flashes at you, it will turn off the interior lights so that they will not come on again until you start the car. You can then open and close doors without 'waking up' the car or turning on a light.

Cheers,

Gordon
Thanks Gordon.
Looks like we might have to trick the buggers;)

Cheers, Craig

[fatnold]

Thought I'd try this out before posting, but it seems to work:)

(from the Disco UK site)
If you hold the button in the centre of the roof lamp cluster in for 3 or 4 secs, until the light flashes at you, it will turn off the interior lights so that they will not come on again until you start the car. You can then open and close doors without 'waking up' the car or turning on a light.

Cheers,

Gordon

That was in response to my post there. Seems all it does is stop the interior lights from coming back on. The screen and presumably other stuff still wakes up again with subsequent door openings.

[roamer]

And the lights under the doors (puddle lights) still come on.
Cheers Ken

[gghaggis]

Hmm, note this may be different between models and years, but here's what happens with mine:

if you disable the lignting as per my last post and shut the doors (but don't lock the car), after the car "goes to sleep", you can still open and close the boot without waking it up.
if you disable the lighting as per my last post and shut the doors AND lock the car, you can open the boot with the key fob and the car will remain asleep.


Only if you open the passenger doors will the car wake up.

Cheers,

Gordon

[roamer]

Yeah, you can open tailgate without activating anything, on mine as well.
Draw from computer is minimal (0.2A), but 4 x 10w globes in doors is around 3A, changing them to LEDs, would have to help.
Cheers Ken

[sniegy]

I have a query.
I leave the key fob / remote thingy in the console most of the time apart from when I lock the vehicle. This includes all night every night as it is in a locked garage. Could this be a contributor to the battery problem?
Cheers, Craig
Yes ! The alarm ECU is continually looking for a start signal as the key is within range.
It is best to have the keys away from the vehicle approximatley 3m +.

Cheers

[Disco4SE]

Yes ! The alarm ECU is continually looking for a start signal as the key is within range.
It is best to have the keys away from the vehicle approximatley 3m +.

Cheers
Thanks Pete.
Will have to try to break my 28 year habit of leaving the keys in the car.

Cheers, Craig

[oldsalt]

Craig,
locked garage notwithstanding - if your insurance Co. finds out that you "leave" your keys "in" your car they will drop you like a hot spud in the case of a claim .... even from a locked garage !!!
cheers

[Disco4SE]

Craig,
locked garage notwithstanding - if your insurance Co. finds out that you "leave" your keys "in" your car they will drop you like a hot spud in the case of a claim .... even from a locked garage !!!
cheers
I hear you mate. Comes from living in Courts in non built up areas.
Actually brought the keys inside last night.
Cheers, Craig

[mickyd24969]

All, just a thought. When the D4 "wakes up" I assume that involves heating glow plugs?? Surely that take a fair wack of juice from the battery. The computer is probably programmed to kick the glow plugs every time the door opens in preparation for us pushing the start button... dunno, just guessing.

I also thought that the random "failing" pushing of the start button may have been related to the glow plugs not being ready?

[Wilbur]

Craig,
locked garage notwithstanding - if your insurance Co. finds out that you "leave" your keys "in" your car they will drop you like a hot spud in the case of a claim .... even from a locked garage !!!
cheers

Also once I stopped for a leak in the middle of nowhere, P38a decided to activate the central locking all by itself.... now I always take keys form the car!!

[Wilbur]

All, just a thought. When the D4 "wakes up" I assume that involves heating glow plugs?? Surely that take a fair wack of juice from the battery. The computer is probably programmed to kick the glow plugs every time the door opens in preparation for us pushing the start button... dunno, just guessing.

I also thought that the random "failing" pushing of the start button may have been related to the glow plugs not being ready?

Very good hypothesis, it would be good to get some expert knowledge on that one. I thought most modern diesel engines no longer used glow plugs?

[fatnold]

All, just a thought. When the D4 "wakes up" I assume that involves heating glow plugs?? Surely that take a fair wack of juice from the battery. The computer is probably programmed to kick the glow plugs every time the door opens in preparation for us pushing the start button... dunno, just guessing.

I also thought that the random "failing" pushing of the start button may have been related to the glow plugs not being ready?
I don't think that is the issue with my V8 D4.;)

[PaulGOz]

Have you checked the battery voltage when you stop? If you have as much off as you can turn off in the D4 I would be surprised if it goes flat that quick. I have run my fridge for 8 hrs in a locked car during a 35 deg day and not flattened the battery still able to restart and no warnings. I believe the 3.0L D4 also does not always charge the battery and the electrics aim to minimise fuel usage by only charging when coasting etc and happily let the SOC of the battery drop significantly the V8 may do the same. I have no evidence to support this though as I have the 2.7 D4.

[rwlse]

My battery went flat on our trip away last month. Woke up one morning ,and the electrics were doing a wobbly. Rang Land Rover assist , and it was jump started with a diode compatible jumper lead.
They could not explain why the battery went flat.
The answer at the time was who knows ,with a shrug of shoulders.
I kept the battery on charge each night till we got home.
Than I didn't bother.Guess what two days later flat battery!!
It turns out that some of the battery's can develop an intermittent lose cell that naturally shorts out. Land Rover replaced the battery

[Duke4]

Hi guy's I was talking to my dealer mechanic about this a couple of weeks ago and he mentioned of a few people who have complained about the battery going flat whilst camping.
He said each time you wake up the car (open door) the computer goes into overdrive getting ready to start, this uses (his words) a **** load of power and can take up to 15min to fully power down.

Do this a few times and your battery is flat, the solution he recommended was to get some solar panels and connect them to the battery, the other clients have apperently done this with good results.

As for the glow plug theory, I don't think they come on when in this mode there is an icon on the dash that lights up when the glow plugs are active, i've only seen it once when starting the car on an early morning at -3 degrees, the icon came and starting was delayed by about 5 seconds.

Cheers Paul

[discowhite]

my D4 and LRH's D4 both spent 5 and 7 days away at xmas on a mates farm, both were running fridges, mine an 80l weaco and marks a 50l engel with a two zone ontop. my missus and i would have been in and out of the D4 well over 20times in a night, fair enough i have a 55ah batt for the fridge but the lights came on and stayed on everytime, i even had the cricket on the radio till it turned its self off, after the second time and due to the score i didnt turn it back on, the next morining started fine.
every day for 7 days the car started fine as did the other D4.

is this a case of the older modles having a different battery maybe? i know mine is a varta branded one, what are the ones going flat?

ive just installed a third battery under the bonnet of my D4, so thats the main and 2x 55ah deep cycles and of corse tim's SC80.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/members-rides/118092-discowhites-new-new-lxob-5.html#post1438366
i also have some LED wedge bulbs coming for the interior lights etc and some LED strip lights for the luggage space, the latter will be run off the aux batts'...
hopefully all this will see me never have the dreadded flat battery issue.

cheers phil

[brad72]

is this a case of the older modles having a different battery maybe? i know mine is a varta branded one, what are the ones going flat?
l


My D4 2.7 has the Varta 90Ah battery installed. We had a 4 day camping trip where the car was opened many times each day and night but I just made sure the interior lights were set to off. I was a little worried given that there had been reports of flat batteries and I know my Prado loving mates we were with would have mocked me if she did go flat but she started fine each day with no problems.

Have to add a picture. I just love looking at the D4

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3322/20100404165336.jpg

I also did the test of leaving the keys in the car for 3 days when I got home and again she started fine.

Wasn't one of the early firmware updates fix the battery problems?

[Duck's Guts]

My D4 2.7 has the Varta 90Ah battery installed. We had a 4 day camping trip where the car was opened many times each day and night but I just made sure the interior lights were set to off.

Similar story: 9 days camping with 4WDing/touring most days but not all. Vehicle parked windows down & tailgate up during the day & parking in shade. Everything closed up at night & locked.
55Ah aux battery under bonnet running an 80L Waeco.
Frequent openning of doors which 'restarted' the dash electrics.
Key stored away from the vehicle.

Never had a problem re flat battery.
But was very concerned how the dash electrics woke-up when the doors openned. It would be great if this function was limited to only the driver's door being openned.

[discojools]

Just met a bloke with an early 3ltr D4 with no second battery.. Said he had towed a 2.5 ton caravan round Aus with it. He ran a fridge in the car and one in the caravan. They were on only when the car was awake. Told me that he had flat battery trouble crossing the nullabor..Finally got to Perth and made a major complaint with the local LR dealer and then to LR. The dealer finally downloaded new software which stopped the car staying awake (after door opening etc ) for the original 20mins and changed it to 3 or 5 mins I think. No probs from then on. So it must be that early D4s stayed awake for much longer. He said it is a fantastic car for such a trip.
What was a worry is that he wanted to fit a second battery but LR said it would void his warranty!

[Graeme]

The dealer finally downloaded new software which stopped the car staying awake (after door opening etc ) for the original 20mins and changed it to 3 or 5 mins I think. No probs from then on. So it must be that early D4s stayed awake for much longer.
I was sure mine originally stayed awake for much longer than the 3 minutes or so that it does now. It had a s/w update early last year.

[ADMIRAL]

What was a worry is that he wanted to fit a second battery but LR said it would void his warranty!


I copped the same talk when I indicated I wanted to fit 17" rims, and a larger profile tyre. They talk the talk to scare off anything non std, or non LR. The other manufacturers are the same. Just protecting their patch. The way modern second battery systems are wired in, I think LR would have difficulty proving the fitment was detrimental to OE systems.

Interested to read others comments/thoughts.

[Bushwanderer]

Hi Admiral,
I think that you are right.

Verify this with Tim (Drivesafe on this forum), but IIRC the Traxide system has been identified as suitable for D3s/D4s/RRSs. I know that I fitted this to mine while still in warranty and had no hiccoughs at the dealers.

Best Wishes,
Peter

[drivesafe]

What was a worry is that he wanted to fit a second battery but LR said it would void his warranty!

Hi ADMIRAL, the problem is with the individual dealerships not LR itself.

As Bushwanderer and many others have found, depending on the dealership, they have had no threats of warranty voiding and I actually supply direct to a number of dealerships who fit the accessories in-house for their customers.

[Duck's Guts]

Like others on this forum, I have had dealers state on two occassions for different vehicles, that modifications I made to a vehicle have voided warranty, or the part of the warranty such as that covering engine/drive train etc. The dealer would state that they would need to inform the factory that warranty is breeched, such that it would be recorded electronically & therefore visible to all dealers/factory warranty service providers.

Those modifications related to things like M/T tyres, dual batteries, bar work, shocks, springs, brake rotors, etc.

On each of those two occassions I replied that if the dealer thought if necessary to take such a stand, then confirm that with me by written confirmation that warranty was now voided, and I would subsequently guarentee that I would have no further servicing or new/second hand vehicle purchase through that dealership. Further I would inform everyone who would listen, at every opportunity when vehicles were discussed, what the dealer had done, and generally bad mouth them!

So far, warranty has been honoured.

I play fair. I'll accept when something I have done has caused a problem, & I'll wear the consequences & costs. But don't try to rip me off with generic blanket excuses to cover a potential future liability that you should be responsible for.

Two things to note from my experiences to date.
(1) I believe that this attitude/scam of wriggling out of warranty sits on the shoulders of an individual rather than the dealers policy. Maybe they got up on the wrong side of the bed that day...
(2) So far no L/R dealer has done this too me. But I'm early into my L/R love affair...

[gghaggis]

There is a corporate 'stance' from LRA that relates to modifications and vehicles. Dealers are obliged to note all mods (as said above) on a register. Many dealers will ignore this requirement if they too feel that the mod has nothing to do with the fault being reported. Sometimes they don't. LRA will target certain dealers more than others depending on that dealer's level of warranty claims.

Cheers,

Gordon