"Brake and Lurch" and Burned Out Marker Lights

[HardCharger]

Hi All!

After about a month of ownership of my MY11 D110, I started to see a few quirks. As some of you know, I'm having some issues with my headlights in that after turning them on via the master lamp switch, I still had to flash brights via my signal stalk to turn them on. I bought new switches to replace the older ones to hopefully solve this issue. Now I notice that my right side marker light in front always burns out. Used to be that it only happened whenever I used the brights but now it seems to just burn out on it's own. Do you guys think this is related to the switch or do I now have a ground issue with the marker light? I was eventually planning on changing these out to LEDs but I reckon that I should really sort this out first, right?

Another recent development is what I can only describe as "brake and lurch." I would happily be cruising along until about 80KM/H then it'll feel like someone stepped on the brakes as you slow a bit then followed by a thud then the speed picking up again only to have the brake feeling happen again a few seconds later. I consulted a more learned friend in the Ways of the Rover and he said that it could mean that the fuel filter needs to be changed out as it may be getting full and causing engine starvation. Is this accurate? I'm about to order the full service kit now to replace all filters among other things. What y'all think?

Thanks.

[Dervish]

... after turning them on via the master lamp switch, I still had to flash brights via my signal stalk to turn them on. I bought new switches to replace the older ones to hopefully solve this issue.


I wish I had've seen that thread, I reckon I could've fixed the old indicator swtich in 10 mins with a screwdriver and a set of needle nosed pliers :( You can see the switch mechanism at the back of the indicator switch. Often, the contacts get worn out or covered in soot. A quick clean and bending the moving contact in towards the switch body often fixes them.


Now I notice that my right side marker light in front always burns out. Used to be that it only happened whenever I used the brights but now it seems to just burn out on it's own. Do you guys think this is related to the switch or do I now have a ground issue with the marker light? I was eventually planning on changing these out to LEDs but I reckon that I should really sort this out first, right?


Check for corrosion on the contacts for the bulb. This will sometimes cause heat buildup that will kill the bulb. It is unlikely to be the switch or an earth problem. How many bulbs has it cooked?


Another recent development is what I can only describe as "brake and lurch." I would happily be cruising along until about 80KM/H then it'll feel like someone stepped on the brakes as you slow a bit then followed by a thud then the speed picking up again only to have the brake feeling happen again a few seconds later. I consulted a more learned friend in the Ways of the Rover and he said that it could mean that the fuel filter needs to be changed out as it may be getting full and causing engine starvation. Is this accurate? I'm about to order the full service kit now to replace all filters among other things. What y'all think?


That explanation sounds feasible; it's certainly the first thing to check.

[HardCharger]

Hi Dervish,

My friend says the same thing about cleaning the contacts on the main light switch but I thought I'd be sure and buy a switch in the event it really couldn't be remedied that way. Can you post photos along the lines of "How-To"? Maybe I can attempt this myself if it's not too challenging. Still to chicken to too much on a new (to me) Defender.

I suspect that it's actually the stalk switch that's the culprit as it's a bit too wobbly and that the right turn cancels right away when you turn rather than when the wheel it's on it's way back to center. I've read a thread wherein the headlight issue was the fault of the signal stalk rather than the main light switch. I suspect that the previous owner already tinkered with it but I really don't have any proof of that. Upon evaluating the new part, the signal stalk is a bit more solidly placed rather than wobbly so that could be it.

As for the marker bulbs, it's eaten about 4 thus far and haven't gotten around to replacing it again as I ran out of bulbs! The contacts on the bulbs are clean as they are new bulbs so I don't think it could be that. The last one I replaced worked for about an hour or two for early morning driving in rainy weather on the way back in the evening, it was out again. No brights used then. Weird.

I'll definitely switch out the filters and have another run to see if that sorted things out.

Thanks! Your further input appreciated.

[n plus one]

Hi All!

After about a month of ownership of my MY11 D110, I started to see a few quirks. As some of you know, I'm having some issues with my headlights in that after turning them on via the master lamp switch, I still had to flash brights via my signal stalk to turn them on. I bought new switches to replace the older ones to hopefully solve this issue. Now I notice that my right side marker light in front always burns out. Used to be that it only happened whenever I used the brights but now it seems to just burn out on it's own. Do you guys think this is related to the switch or do I now have a ground issue with the marker light? I was eventually planning on changing these out to LEDs but I reckon that I should really sort this out first, right?

Another recent development is what I can only describe as "brake and lurch." I would happily be cruising along until about 80KM/H then it'll feel like someone stepped on the brakes as you slow a bit then followed by a thud then the speed picking up again only to have the brake feeling happen again a few seconds later. I consulted a more learned friend in the Ways of the Rover and he said that it could mean that the fuel filter needs to be changed out as it may be getting full and causing engine starvation. Is this accurate? I'm about to order the full service kit now to replace all filters among other things. What y'all think?

Thanks.

The lurch issue is well documented, do a search and all will be revealed...appears to be tied into blown fuses and globes...

[Dervish]

Hi Dervish,

My friend says the same thing about cleaning the contacts on the main light switch but I thought I'd be sure and buy a switch in the event it really couldn't be remedied that way. Can you post photos along the lines of "How-To"? Maybe I can attempt this myself if it's not too challenging. Still to chicken to too much on a new (to me) Defender.

I suspect that it's actually the stalk switch that's the culprit as it's a bit too wobbly and that the right turn cancels right away when you turn rather than when the wheel it's on it's way back to center. I've read a thread wherein the headlight issue was the fault of the signal stalk rather than the main light switch.

Both the headlight and indicator switches get destroyed rather quickly because of the current running through them. Maybe you could considering this upgrade (http://www.aulro.com/afvb/90-110-130-defender-county/194527-easy-defender-headlight-relay-upgrade.html) down the track to protect your switches.

In my last post I was referring to the indicator switch. I couldn't be bothered pulling the column apart on mine, but here's a picture I stole from a UK forum:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/western214h/Indicator%20stalk/Dsc01015.jpg
(Thanks to western from this thread (http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php'showtopic=43731) if you're watching)

On the back of the indicator switch are two open air contractors visible as the copper coloured parts in this photo; the top one is for activating the high beams, the lower contactor is for low beams (the lower one is just below the point where the light blue wire attaches, it's a little blurry in this photo). What happens is that the lower one gets eaten due to the aforementioned current arcing every time the switch is used (the top one less so due to less frequent usage). Flicking the high-beam on de-activates the lower contactor set and then flicks it back into position, where it (sometimes) finds a good enough contact to light up the low-beams.

The fix is to clean the copper pads where the contact actually occurs and also bend the copper so that the contact doesn't have as large of a gap when the switch is open.

Hard to describe, but take a look at how the contacts move when you move the stalk and it will be obvious what needs to happen.


I suspect that the previous owner already tinkered with it but I really don't have any proof of that. Upon evaluating the new part, the signal stalk is a bit more solidly placed rather than wobbly so that could be it.

Wobbliness of the stalk would not effect the headlight functionality of the switch.


The contacts on the bulbs are clean as they are new bulbs so I don't think it could be that. The last one I replaced worked for about an hour or two for early morning driving in rainy weather on the way back in the evening, it was out again. No brights used then. Weird.


I meant the contacts on the fitting that the bulbs interface with; check that they're clean and that the bulb is held tight.


I'll definitely switch out the filters and have another run to see if that sorted things out.

From n plus one's post I would suggest that there may be something particular to your engine - I've never had a Puma so have a search as suggested.

[HardCharger]

Hi Dervish,

Thanks for the photo and the tutorial. Will see to that when I get it apart. If it works, at least I now have spares for when it does go south on me.

As for the marker light contacts, my bad, didn't think to check with the socket side. Will do so once I get the spare bulbs. The bulbs fit tightly so there's that.

I did a search and from what I gather, it should be the filter and hopefully not all the sensors and EGR valves that were also mentioned.

Thanks for the assist! If there are any more comments or tips, do keep them coming.

[HardCharger]

Hi All!

With regards to the lurch issue I'm thinking it's the fuel filter as the EGR still seems to work properly and I don't want to touch under bonnet electronics as of yet. One reason I think this is that I don't know when the previous owner last serviced the unit so I'm thinking that I should start all the filters from scratch and replace them all at 10,000 KMs intervals, what do y'all think? Doable?

As for the filters, I was offered a filter kit that has all 3 with a brand of Allmakes. Is this a good brand? If I order from the UK, it'll take a while to get here and I'm thinking the sooner I deal with this, the better.

Thanks and hope to hear from y'all again soon.

[HardCharger]

Hi All!

Just thought I'd round this thread up with some closure.

Just had my filter servicing done yesterday, oil changed (running low for some reason, was told that they do that), all filters changed. Turned out I needed new rear brake pads too, so I had them done. Driving the truck around and he seems normal again and able to once again keep up without choking under pressure. :)

As for the headlights issue, I was about to get to it, then it just started working again... Weird. But at least I am now ready if it were to happen again. I'll work on it with what Dervish suggested and if that's no longer a viable option, I now have spares on hand to replace them with.

Thanks for all the support. :)