D3 Engine system fault - no other lights?

**matti4556** · 20th January 2015, 06:26 PM

Has anyone experienced the following and what was the outcome?
D3 2009 2.7litre auto. 94000km
I have searched the threads and the "engine system fault" message display note seems to be accompanied by a warning light. In my case there is no warning lights but a definite "limp home" feeling occurs (speed limited to about 40km/h) and sometimes not.
For the last week or so I have noticed that funny whining sound coming from the engine bay after switch-off has been continuous rather than just during the half dozen or so EGR valve pulses. It goes for about 30 seconds and then stops.

This morning, when accelerating, the fault note came up and it retarded to limp home speed without any warning. Ignition off and reset. Drive off and it happens again. Drove home and in desperation to get it going I replaced the brake light switch. I got to work without a drama although I didn't gun it.

On the way home today I drove with a light throttle and all was ok until I gunned it up a hill. The "engine system fault" warning appeared and it retarded.

Got home and checked turbo hoses and from what I could see they are ok. The long one was completely removed and checked, the shorter one on the passenger side was "felt" and the third one remains a "location mystery"?

i have also done a hard reset on the battery leads when disconnected to no avail. Although this time when the warning came up it didn't retard the speed to 40km/h but did feel sluggish at first until the revs picked up. Still there though.

I seem to think this is related to the recent longer whining noise after switch-off. Can anyone tell me what that whining noise actually is?

The car is booked in for service next week but in the mean time its my only means of transport so id like to get on top of it before then if its an easy fix.

Cheers - Matti

**Graeme** · 20th January 2015, 08:51 PM

Sounds suspiciously like the turbo actuator is failing.

**matti4556** · 20th January 2015, 09:21 PM

Thanks Graham, I will have to research that one a bit as I am not familiar - is it a "biggie"?
OK - found topic on Disco3 UK forum. I will give it a crack tomorrow after work - what could possibly go wrong!? It looks straight forward. Cheers for pointing me in a plausible direction.
Matti

**Graeme** · 21st January 2015, 06:31 AM

It might be a wild goose chase too. I investigated several components on my 3.0 including this actuator when trying to determine the cause of a somewhat similar fault yet I had the several fault codes to help. I eventually settled on the secondary turbo's inlet isolation valve failing to operate properly, helped by posts on the Disco3 forum, before having my diagnosis confirmed as likely by the dealer over the phone.

**matti4556** · 21st January 2015, 07:27 PM

Thanks Graeme you hit the nail on the head.
I followed the instructions on the Disco3.Co.UK site and the car behaves like new again. Took me a while to actually find the actuator as the photos on that site are deceptive. Basically the link and actuator are between the hot and cold halves of the turbocharger body, not under the EGR valve body as it appears in the photo (i.e. about 6 - 8 inches lower)
To keep the link fresh here it is http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic97892-15.html
Cheers, Matti -
p.s. once again my small subscription to this site has been repaid many-fold. Thanks Incisor

**Graeme** · 21st January 2015, 09:24 PM

Good job!

**PeterOZ** · 22nd January 2015, 07:30 AM

good one. while I dont get any warning lights I have noticed my car is getting rather sluggish.

Dont have a code reader so only guessing. But as this D3 has done over 194k km I would not be surprised if the actuator arm is getting stiff, not enough to bring up fault light but enough to bog the vehicle down perhaps.

Just guestimating here. Sounds like pulling it to bits to get at it is a painful job as are most tasks on the D3.

Did you go through the wheel arch or via the battery tray area?

cheers
me

**matti4556** · 22nd January 2015, 07:55 AM

Peter - I went through the battery tray - I considered both avenues and even had a go at the wheel arch but after disconnecting the battery etc I realised I could no longer open the tailgate to remove the wheel brace etc :-) The wheel arch area "looks" easy but I don't think you actually get a good grip on the actuator arm through there. Plus all the heat shields down there look a 3itch to get out. The battery tray is like a plastic clip-together Meccano set - 3 main parts and a few nuts and you're done. Its not so bad as it looks or sounds. As with everything on a D3, it will be a cinch the second time around. - Matti
Edit - I just corrected the weblink in my post above - this one has pictures of a wire tool that I found helpful.

**PhilipA** · 22nd January 2015, 08:00 AM

This looks like it is becoming very common.

2 of the D3s that were on a Range rover Club trip to Geehi over Christmas had the same failure message recently, one on the way to Geehi towing a camper , and one without towing a couple of weeks before.
Both were able to stop, turn off and "reboot".
Regards Philip A

**PeterOZ** · 22nd January 2015, 08:12 AM

D3/4 need an option on the screen called CTL-ALT-DEL

I will get myself motivated to start pulling things to bits though I do worry about something going wrong and then I am stranded!

Only have the one vehicle, batchelor so no SWMBO car to fall back on.

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