Some timely warnings!!!

[drivesafe]

Some timely warnings!!!

A number of events in the last few months and just the last day or two has me thinking it’s time to remind D3, D4 and RRS owners of a few things to be careful of.

First off, if you are planning to do some electrical work on your vehicles, before you do anything, turn the ignition off and remove the key.

Next make sure the PARK BRAKE is applied and then wait for the PARK BRAKE LIGHT to go out.

This can take up to 2 to 3 minutes and while Land Rover does not make this very clear, it is actually a very clever idea. While the PARK BRAKE LIGHT is on, your computers are going through their SHUT DOWN routines.

By waiting for the PARK BRAKE LIGHT to go out, you greatly reduce the chances of causing any programming and function problems.

Number Two on the warning list.

Under no circumstances should you connect any wiring to the NEGATIVE terminal of your cranking battery, permanently, like driving lights or temporarily, like a battery charger or when jump starting.

These vehicle have battery monitoring equipment fixed between the cranking battery’s negative terminal and the EARTH STUD on the inside of the guard.

There is no problem sourcing positive power from the cranking battery's positive terminal, but any earthing of equipment must be done at one of a number of EARTH points and not at the battery’s negative terminal.

Number Three. When you unlock and remove your tow hitch, do not attempt to lock the hitch while it is not in place on the rear of your vehicle. Locking the hitch while it’s not in place can cause the tumblers to fall out and it’s an expensive fix.

Number Four and this is a new one on me and I believe it is NOT covered in your manual.

If you need to remove your spare wheel, do NOT retract the chain unless there is a wheel in place or you will damage the winding and it’s about $800 to replace.

Number Five, if you are changing a tyre, leave one of your doors open and this will stop your vehicle from trying to self-level while you are working on it.

NOTE, leaving the tailgate open will NOT stop the vehicle from self-leveling.

Cheers and happy motoring.

[smcshack]

awesome .... thanks for the info ... very helpful. :D:D

[Grumbles]

That's the sort of advice which should be made permanent to every owner of one of these vehicles and available in an easily noticed place on ALRO. Good on you drivesafe.

[Redback]

Is it covered in FAQ, if not maybe make it a sticky.

Baz.

[geoz]

I was looking for the earth stud all over the place - including in the manual ;) - and concluded I must be blind.

Where is it?

Please!?

[CaverD3]

Easiest one is on the inside of the front guard in front of the main battery box.

[drivesafe]

Hi geoz as CaverD3 posted.

Here are some pictures to help.

The first is the earth bolt on the passenger’s side, just in front of the cranking battery compartment. This is a 6mm bolt.

The second is the earth stud in the guard in the driver’s side battery compartment, towards the back.This is a 8mm bolt.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/05/26.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/06/435.jpg

[Geedublya]

Number Three. When you unlock and remove your tow hitch, do not attempt to lock the hitch while it is not in place on the rear of your vehicle. Locking the hitch while it’s not in place can cause the tumblers to fall out and it’s an expensive fix.

I completely dismantled my tow hitch, serviced it and re-assembled it. While it is a pain to re-assemble (due to a certain ball and spring) I didn't see any issues with the tumblers.
I locked and unlocked mine numerous times while off the vehicle and cannot see how it would damage it.
I would definitely recommend some servicing of the mechanisms though as mine was full of grime and the grease was in need of replacement.
I have purchased a complete new lock assembly when I got my D3 as it did not come with a key. The cost was $28.

All the other advice/warnings given are relevant though.

[kero]

drivesafe.

question how do give a jump start from D3/D4.

Thanks Kero.

[drivesafe]

question how do give a jump start from D3/D4.

Hi kero and the safest way to jump start is to pick up your positive on the donor vehicle’s cranking battery’s positive terminal and source the negative from somewhere else.

While it is actually better from the amount of current you can pull, by picking up at the donor battery’s negative terminal, if you carry out a jump start correctly, and connect to the failed vehicle’s positive battery terminal, then to a negative point elsewhere in the engine bay, after connecting to the failed vehicle and with the donor vehicle’s motor running, you should let the two vehicles sit for a few minutes and then attempt to start the failed vehicle.

By jump starting in this manor, even with a stuffed battery, note, not just a flat battery, but a stuffed battery, you will put a small charge into the failed battery and this will greatly improve your chances of starting the failed vehicle and reduce the load on the donor vehicle at the time of starting because the donor vehicle is only supplying power to start the failed vehicle.

When you connect to a failed vehicle and then try to start it straightaway, your donor vehicle not only has to provide power to start the motor but the flat/stuffed battery is also pulling power form the donor vehicle at the same time.

NOTE, this is how you should set up and jump start and to and from any two vehicles, not just D3/D4s

[kero]

drivesafe

Thanks, same as starting a normal car.

[PAT303]

Tim,your saying the negative lead should not be on either battery but instead both ends should be say on the motor lifting lugs or exhaust etc?. Pat

[drivesafe]

Hi Pat, just in front of your battery compartment is the top of the wheel strut housing.

On the housing are three nuts painted the same colour as your vehicle, but there is a fourth, larger nut located towards the front of the top of the strut housing.

This is the earth point for your RR. If you are giving someone a jump start or getting one yourself, the positive jumper is connected directly onto your cranking battery’s positive terminal and it is in an awkward position, but the negative jumper is fixed to the large nut on the strut housing.

NOTE, if you fit driving lights or anything else that requires a negative connection, this same nut is the one to use.