Thread: I need some educating . . .

Originally Posted by Tombie

I've seen a "plug" but that's not intended for regular use..

D4 WSM 3.0 oil change procedure.pdf

Originally Posted by Salt grinder

So, we spend 500 bucks on a diagnostic tool and get a reassuring message that we now know what a certain problem is. That doesn't fix it. But how do we go about fixing a problem if we can't identify/access the parts on the vehicle.

My D4 started getting the Restricted Performance message more and more frequently whilst still under warranty. Whilst restricted the vehicle was effectively dangerous to drive on the open road. LR wanted to truck the vehicle to the nearest dealer 200 kms away and leave me without a vehicle as their loan vehicle policy meant that I would have to report the fault whilst some distance from home. I read the fault codes and considered the various possibilities for the circumstances surrounding the fault then rang the dealer from where I had bought the vehicle some 6 hours travelling away asking if their service dept could confirm my likely diagnosis from the fault codes, which was a faulty inlet isolation valve rather than a faulty primary turbo actuator or a faulty MAF. A short while later I received a call confirming the likelihood of my diagnosis so I proceeded to remove the valve to clean it, at which time I found that its lever was externally jammed from dirt. All fixed, I was inconvenienced only a little rather than a lot and it saved the cost of hiring another vehicle to which I could not have got without outside assistance anyway. Oh yes, my tool cost $1200 those days.

Salt grinder,
I understand your concern with such a modern technical vehicle.
Three things I did to help me find out how things work and what is possible;


No.1 I spent a considerable amount of time trolling through the threads on this forum. A couple of years actually, before I purchased. This forum contains a wealth of experience based knowledge and technical guru's. The 'Search button' is always the first place I go before asking for members help. I may not find what I'm looking for because of wording used etc. but that leads to other interesting reading anyway.
No.2 Subscribed to Topix for a year. This is full on detailed information specific to your VIN; Workshop Manuals, Wiring Diagrams, Technical Service Bulletins etc. etc.; however all electronic. I saved to OneNote information I thought was relevant and then let the subscription expire as it is quite expensive if your not a workshop. I will subscribe again in the near future. Also helped to have this info available to keep the Dealer workshop in toe!
No.3 Purchased a diagnostics tool so I could see what was going on as well as other benefits. In my case a IIDTool BT.

Buy a Defender and a large hammer 🔨
Seriously enjoy, you have a quality unit,

Originally Posted by Salt grinder

So, we spend 500 bucks on a diagnostic tool and get a reassuring message that we now know what a certain problem is. That doesn't fix it. But how do we go about fixing a problem if we can't identify/access the parts on the vehicle. I'm not trying to sound like a smt ...a . . I'm merely trying to access the working parts to better understand this beast.

A diagnostic tool like that can do many things, it's not just a code reader, although that function can get you out of a jam if the fault is intermittent.

I am dealing with a suspension compressor failure, and my D4 dropped to the bump stops, and with no compressor to get the car back up, I plumbed in my tyre compressor using a 6mm air line joiner, a length of 6mm air line and a blow gun nozzle, then used my IID Tool to open the suspension valves and pumped it back up. Total cost of parts used was less than $10 - I have since changed the blow gun nozzle to a 6mm push fit air line fitting that screws into my tyre compressor gun.

I should add to my post #11 that the diagnostic tool is not a fancy computer gizmo I have because others have them.

It is an important part of the set of tools I have to work on the vehicle.

It's a multi meter on steroids.