Just got 03 Disco - now have faults to sought out

[Datt]

Just picked up a 03 Disco2 with only 52k on the clock. Have been looking for almost 12 months before this one popped up. It's like new inside, not a scratch to be seen. A few chips and dints and scratches outside, but hey, it is 5 years old after all. As a whole am really happy with my find, but......

A few things have come up. I've noticed that upon starting I get different results. They vary from nothing - just starting normally, to one audible chime, two chimes or three chimes. Sometimes in addition to the chime/s is the fuel filter light illuminating very breifly. In each instance the car has started.

Also, I had the three amigos light up the other day when I crossed the gutter into the work carpark, but they went away once I turned off the ignition and restarted.

The next thing was when I was out at my parents block and tried out the HD. I set it going and had a horrible grinding noise come from the brake pedal area. I pulled the pin on that pretty quickly so that I could read the manual again to make sure I was doing it right, which I was. That after noon I tried out the ABS and got the same grinding noise.

I've done a few driving courses (at Mt Cotton for those who know it) in Commodores, Falcons, as well as trucks (Scania and others) and none of them have made such a grinding noise as bad as previously mentioned when using ABS.

The last thing to have happened was my wife drove to her parents house and when she tried to start the Disco to come home it wouldn't start, just kept cranking. When she left it for a minute it reset and away she went.

None of these things have stopped us driving and no lights have remained illuminated. I've read up all I can upon doing searches on these incidents but thought I would ponder the question anyway. Would all of these faults be likely to evolve from one common fault reappearing in different forms, or several different faults?

I'm still inside the 3 months statutory warranty period from the car yard so will be able to get it fixed under warranty, I just want to have a bit of an idea of things that it may be before I notify the car yard of the problem.

Can anyone shed a little light on my problems for me?

Matt.

[dmdigital]

I've got an 03 D2 Td5. Haven't had any problems (touch wood).

Audible chimes on starting. Just does it if you leave the key on for to long before starting.

Fuel filter warning. Thats the water sensor in the fuel filter. There's a plug should be in the plastic bit at the bottom of the fuel filter (under back right wheel arch). May have been removed and contacts on harnes could be dirty. If not the sensor in the plastic bit could be going. They're not cheap (about $80) to replace.

Three amigos, I'm sick of posts on this, but you also sound like you've got either a shot brake rotor/pads or ABS sensor. The ABS does grind a bit on the D2 but not to much. You will also hear the modulators working.

I'd also be checking for oil in the injector harness seeing how it wouldn't start. Also check your battery's voltage when the cars off. Don't want it below 11.5V

[Graeme]

I understand that the water sensor was deleted from the 04 models due to giving too many false readings. Mine flicks on occasionally whilst driving.

[dmdigital]

I believe that's the case too. My sensor broke off and I ran with an M6 bolt in the filter for several weeks until I got a replacement one. The sensor is a simple unit that triggers the BCU to turn on the light on the dash. If it's not there its the same as everything being OK. I did wrap the plug on mine in tape so it didn't get dirt on the contacts. I suspect that on an 03MY if it was removed and the old plug not covered you could get a short that would trigger a false reading.

[4X4V8]

If by HD you mean Hill Descent Control, it is normal for it to make a grinding sound, some systems are really quite noisy. It is the same sound you will hear if you have triggered ABS brakes for an emergency stop or when trying to brake on slippery terrain such as you often find when off-road.

HDC shoud disenagage itself if you accelerate. So one way to test it is to hit the switch to turn it on while on a slight hill, then accelerate away (obviously not while descending a steep track) and it should stop grinding and free up. Soon as you take your foot off the accelerator, it'll start grinding again, and can be quite heavy a feeling and sound esp at first as it tries to reestablish the set crawl speed.

I think around the time of Bosch 8 (?) not sure, but around the time of Territory introduction - the ABS/HDC systems became more sophisticated and a bit quieter.

[Scouse]

If by HD you mean Hill Descent Control, it is normal for it to make a grinding soundx2.
It's quite disconcerting at first, as you now know ;).

[WildOne]

x2.
It's quite disconcerting at first, as you now know ;).

My fuel water sensor also flicks on occasionally, the grinding noise isnormal for the hill decent control (as long as your brakes are not grinding under normal braking use that is). I've also experienced my Disco not starting (cranking as normal as you described) and narrowed it down to not allowing the pre-heat light to go off before cranking, ie, rushing to start. As for the 3 amigo's, do a search on here, heaps of tips.
Enjot the Disco, it's a great 4bee.

Cheers
Phill

[Rosscoe68]

had a couple of times where cranking endlessly with no life from engine, get out of car, arm the alarm, wait 5 secs, disarm the alarm and get in and fires straight away so my guess its the engine immobiliser not deactivating properley. not a huge issue now i know how to get it to work.
HD does make a god awful sound, but you get used to it :)

[Datt]

Great. Thanks for all the replies, it seems there isn't really any faults, just me being over cautious maybe. I've used the ABS again yesterday and the grind is much less severe now. The vehicle appears to never really been driven off road so perhaps ABS had never been activated til I gave it a run. I'll post some pics of the car shortly.

Matt.

[jmkoffice]

I would suggest an extended vehicle warranty from the dealer, if they are prepared to sign you up even after you have driven away. Once the 3 month statut warranty is over - you are one your own with repairs. Furthermore, if your vehicle is not claimable through a lease or business, it will be a money pit for you.

My extended AWN warranty has so far repaired a torque converter, front wheel sensor and this Thursday will be repairing another wheel sensor (or more) due to the 'Three Amigos" illuminating again, plus a faulty electric window. All this (approx $4,500) repaired so far by the warranty between 68,000 - 98,000 km.

Well worth the $$$ on the warranty!

Cheers

[BradM]

The 3 amigo's going over the gutter will possibly be the ABS Modulator. Exactly like mine did on numerous occasions until the ABS Modulator was swapped out at 68,000 klms by Landrover.

With luck though you may have had only a sticky shuttle valve. It is a good thing to get the TC engaged regulary. Mine unfortunately was faulty just like dozens of others.

The ECU looks at the wheel sensor inputs and controlls the ABS modulator for TC and HD. The modulator has an electric pump built into it to create brake fluid pressure without the brake pedal being depressed and the shuttle valves are opened and closed to bring on the individual brake calipers to brake the wheels and release. This is why you get the strange grinding like noise when ABS, TC or HD is engaged.

If you have SLS and have been playing with the lift you will get Audible chimes on starting as well.

Have fun with your new toy.. :)

BradM