Fault with the brake switch?

[Pinelli]

Hi all, so far I've been pretty happy with my 06 V8, except for fuel use, but the sound more than makes up for that.

I take it out this morning for a quick run, and pretty much every light comes on, including transmission fault, ABS I think, all sorts of stuff, although it's still driving. I get it home okay, and doing a bit of reading, I suspect it might be the brake light switch. Pull it apart, and yep, lots of black powder, and scorched tracks. Do you think I can find a LR place open today? Nope. I tried every one I could find between Ipswich and Gympie and nothing.

Anyway, cleaned up the switch, replaced the rear lamps (because who knows with Land Rover) reset the fault codes, and took it for a spin, and all seems hunky dorey.

I haven't read of anyone else cleaning up these switches, every seems to replace them. And while I will replace it (I have one ordered) am I just asking for trouble in driving it like it is, or should it be right for a little while now?

[Tombie]

Did you try a ford dealer [emoji6]

[Pinelli]

Did you try a ford dealer [emoji6]

Yup. All the dealers were closed.

[BradC]

I did a dismantle and clean. That lasted the week or so until I had time to pick up and fit a replacement. Worst case is it happens again, but you'll probably be ok until you can get a replacement.

[goingbush]

just about everything from Europe used that same switch now, Same in my Iveco 4x4 , failed twice in 100,000km

Im assuming yours looks like this.

Pedal Switch Sensor ALFA ROMEO : CITROEN : FIAT : JAGUAR : PEUGEOT : LBLS104 | eBay (https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pedal-Switch-Sensor-ALFA-ROMEO-CITROEN-FIAT-JAGUAR-PEUGEOT-LBLS104/263570081934?epid=21017180080&hash=item3d5e00488e:g:YJEAAOSwv~lauILe)

[Pinelli]

I did a dismantle and clean. That lasted the week or so until I had time to pick up and fit a replacement. Worst case is it happens again, but you'll probably be ok until you can get a replacement.


That's good to know, although it'll be 1000km each way! It was fairly easy to clean, and I did a pretty thorough job, sanding back all the contacts, cleaning the dust out, and I took it for a good blast this afternoon, and it seemed to drive fine.

[matti4556]

Pinelli, I have an "ok used" switch if you get stuck between now and when you get a new one. We appear to live close by to each other. Matti

[Pinelli]

Pinelli, I have an "ok used" switch if you get stuck between now and when you get a new one. We appear to live close by to each other. Matti

We may well be close, Matty, I'm at Caloundra. If you'd be happy to sell or lend it to me for the week while I"m on the road that would be awesome.

To add to the thread, couldn't get in to the car today with the fob. Ended up using the emergency entrance on the passenger door, and found the battery at about 6V. Given I gave it a good drive yesterday, I'm assuming it's dead, so off to get a new one $$$$$ ouch.

What will I be facing when I disconnect the battery to put the new one in? I'm assuming I'll have to put in some sort of code for the audio system. Anything else?

Edit: I'm guessing the dying battery may well have been causing the faults I've had in the past 24 hours. But I will replace the brake light switch at some stage anyway as it seems like a reasonable thing to do.

[BradC]

When I had the fault it persisted for a couple of weeks but only when my wife was driving. The first question my indie asked was "is the battery ok?". In my case it was the switch, but it absolutely refused to do it if I was in the car. A strip and clean solved it, so I put a new one in.

This thread has reminded me to put another one on my next lrdirect parts order along with some brake light bulbs (reputedly another cause of the same symptom).

[Pinelli]

Ok, new battery in, new faults on the Nanocom. Lots of Overvoltage faults. With the engine running, battery is charging at about 17.8V . That seems a little high!

Terminal posts are a little loose, but seem like originals. I know it's likely to be an alternator/regulator fault, but I might replace the battery terminals in any case, just see if it's an earthing fault.

Anyone know where the earth lead goes to? it seems to disappear into the wheel arch area. - It's okay, I worked it out.

[matti4556]

Hi Pinelli - I am at Golden Beach - can't get much closer than that. PM sent with my phone number should you need the brake switch loaner.
Plus the charging voltage reading is entirely dependent on your voltmeter accuracy too.
Happy to throw another voltmeter onto the circuit if you come of the switch.
Cheers - Matti

[Pinelli]

Hi Pinelli - I am at Golden Beach - can't get much closer than that. PM sent with my phone number should you need the brake switch loaner.
Plus the charging voltage reading is entirely dependent on your voltmeter accuracy too.
Happy to throw another voltmeter onto the circuit if you come of the switch.
Cheers - Matti

Thanks Matti, that's pretty close! Good to know there's another D3 owner nearby. I've got a Nanocom too if that's ever any use to you.

Voltmeter I have is accurate enough, and I'm reading on the battery post itself. 17.8V when the engine was idling high (for whatever reason), and 16.5V when idling. It's got to be the alternator, and I can't see me getting one of those today or tomorrow. We're off on holidays early Tuesday morning, like 3am, so we'll have to take the wife's car. The fact it keeps throwing random electric faults I think also indicates an overcharging alternator - broken regulator.

At least I'll be on holidays for another week when I get back, so I can do the work then.

Now I jsut have to find an alternator & work out where it goes! Should be an easy job, yes?

[Pinelli]

Found this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF37q7XlOsQ). I also had a bit of smoke appear at one stage, but assumed it may have been exhaust. Looking more like the alternator

LR3 Smoking Alternator Remove and Replace - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eF37q7XlOsQ)

[Pinelli]

Sheesh, alternators are expensive. Anyone know if they're repairable?

[BradC]

Sheesh, alternators are expensive. Anyone know if they're repairable?

I had a Bosch alternator in another car rebuilt. The leccy thought I was nuts as the rebuild was more than a brand new one, but he did admit that the rebuilt German unit was probably good for another 400k while the new one might get half that if I was lucky.

[matti4556]

I'm guessing the V8 alternator is different to the Diesel.
For what its worth, I repaired my D3 Diesel alternator (rectifier pack burnt out) with a rectifier repair kit. eBay from Ireland? (from memory) for about $45 delivered (of the rectifier). Soldered it in (about a 1 hour repair taking my time) following directions from a random you tube clip and presto, a spare on the shelf. Please note repair time did not involve remove and refit - I had a local LR indy do the "new" replacement and kept the old alternator to have a squizzy at. Worth the squizzy in my opinion! [smilebigeye] Matti

[orville]

Thanks Matti, that's pretty close! Good to know there's another D3 owner nearby. I've got a Nanocom too if that's ever any use to you.

Voltmeter I have is accurate enough, and I'm reading on the battery post itself. 17.8V when the engine was idling high (for whatever reason), and 16.5V when idling. It's got to be the alternator, and I can't see me getting one of those today or tomorrow. We're off on holidays early Tuesday morning, like 3am, so we'll have to take the wife's car. The fact it keeps throwing random electric faults I think also indicates an overcharging alternator - broken regulator.

At least I'll be on holidays for another week when I get back, so I can do the work then.

Now I jsut have to find an alternator & work out where it goes! Should be an easy job, yes?Ashdown Ingram sell them about I think we paid about $400

[andeck]

I had the same thing with my D4. Was just driving along and all of a sudden fault after fault flashed up... traction , suspension, everything. Funnily enough, I was actually on my way to a service. I turned off and in again outside the workshop and no faults when I restarted.

Service tech at the Indy said it was the brake switch as well and replaced it. All good![emoji106]

Interestingly he said it had an a and a b circuit. I had thought it was just a simple on off switch.

He also mentioned that it can sometime throw the warnings when it senses both accelerator and brake inputs at the same time.

[Tombie]

Correct, left foot braking or heel n’ toe will send it into a spin!

[Pinelli]

So I've received the regulator from the US, and I've dismantled the alternator and got the new regulator on. A pretty straightforward process which I've documented with photos. I'll place them up here once the alternator is back on and running & tested. I'm doing a couple of other jobs while it's all in bits such as the PCV valve and the thermostat & thermostat housing, so might be another week.

Diode pack and the rest of the alternator seem ok, but I did discover it had a '2016' sticker on it, so I assume it's only a year or 2 old.

Getting the alternator out was substantially easier than in the D2 TD5 I used to have.