Thread: Fault with the brake switch?

Originally Posted by 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

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?

Found this. 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

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

Originally Posted by Pinelli

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.

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! Matti

Originally Posted by Pinelli

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

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!

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.

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