KARYN Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Please please please can someone help, we have a 05 Discovery TDV6 HSE Auto it is fab, however i have just bought a twin wheel caravan which i was told the disco would have no trouble at all towing in fact the land rover dealers said the car would no even know it was attached ***WRONG** the car does know it attached, because when we drive for approx 10miles it decides to throw a proper wobbler. The first fault shows 'hill decent not functioning' this comes on when we go up hill !!, then the park brake lights up amber, then the cruise control will not stay on and it keeps jumping out of gear, the rev counter looks like a wind screen wiper because it is going up and down like mad. We have had it back to the dealership and they have re-loaded the software and changed a bit of cable but it still does the same thing, this is not only embaressing but dangerous as well because we dont know when it's going to happen and it could and has happended when we have overtaken, the car goes out of gear into netural and we just cannot get past the car we were trying to overtake. We have checked that the caravan is not too heavy and the tow bar was bought from land rover and fitted by an expert, so we just cannot understand why this happens, I am sure it is not something that every disco owner has to put up with or is it??? any advise will be great. The fault disapears when the caravan is unhitched. Thanks for listening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 The only thing I can think of is that the towing electrics being connected is somehow causing some sort of electronic glitch with the vehicle. It can't have anything to do with the weight of the caravan being on there - the only thing this might cause would be a transmission overheat but I doubt even that unless it is a 3 or 4 ton caravan I think the Discovery 3 is sufficiently "intelligent" (some would argue with the use of that word) that it somehow detects the connection of towing electrics and alter some of the settings (perhaps auto shift points? just a guess on that though) and it is probably this change, whatever it is, that is causing the problem, though I don't know any specifics I'm afraid. Another example IMHO of things getting too darned complicated, in the old days you just needed a hook to tow stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Could be the caravans own electrics are causing the Discovery's faults to appear when connected to it, Might I suggest you have the electrics on the caravan checked over by a dealer or goos auto electrician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 I'd get the caravan electrics checked and take the vehicle to a main dealer for them to plug it into their box of tricks for a check - paid for via warranty of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LR90 Posted September 17, 2006 Share Posted September 17, 2006 Certainly sounds like electrics. If the van is towed with the electrics NOT connected does it still exibit the same behaviour? What about connecitng a cheap lighting board instead, if same behaviour then trot it off to the dealer but if it seems ok then get checking those van electics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Either it's a "basic" electrical glitch as suggested, or the extra weight of the van is causing the Discovery's many electrical systems to think there's a problem with various bits of the car. For example, if the gearbox electrics see the gearbox getting hotter than usual (as it probably would) they may "panic" and flash up warning lights or go ito "limp home" mode which may manifest itself as a strong desire to go into a different gear than the one you want. (For example it may drop into Neutral until the vehicle slows down enough to go into the gear it's aiming for - unlikely but possible.) Unfortunately sometimes people make things too clever for their own good, I have heard stories that the latest LR's (Disco 3, RR3) can suffer quite badly from software malfuncctions not helped by the chaps at the dealers not really understanding why things happen as they do. After all, they are mostly paid to wave spanners around not to be software engineers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Are the tow bar and electrical hook-up genuine Land Rover or fitted by an after market supplier ? Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomG Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Have the caravan's brakes been checked? maybe they're sticking / dragging causing additional load on the auto transmission? although this would probably cause the caravan brakes to overheat and be accompanied by a burning smell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 There also seems to be a fault with your "!" key sticking on, I'd get that checked out if I were you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 Not to mention your Caps Lock.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted September 18, 2006 Share Posted September 18, 2006 There also seems to be a fault with your "!" key sticking on, I'd get that checked out if I were you Not to mention your Caps Lock.... Now, now - play nicely... Go pick on someone who's been loitering round here as long as you have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saley Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Hi, i've got a D3 and tow my offroader to all events no problem trailer 900kg roof tent on trailer 70kg offroader 2000kg tools and spares 250kg 150litres water and washer 175kg 40litres fuel 40kg and not forgetting food must be 3500kg pulls like a train can hardly tell you've got it on no problems i would hitch pikey van on and use a trailer board instead of van electrics if this works then get the van sorted if not let the dealer fix it with the van attatched then do like they did on top gear and burn it sorry only kidding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkieB Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 Now, now - play nicely... Go pick on someone who's been loitering round here as long as you have Besides, you're allowed a few caps, !!!s, even a F*@!%*^&! when a virtually new vehicle packs it in, while the stealer whistles tunelessly I was pleased to see the main message wasn't written in ALLCAPS, at least In case all else fails, try to get the whole brain replaced under warranty I mean the vehicle's brain, of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KARYN Posted September 19, 2006 Author Share Posted September 19, 2006 Besides, you're allowed a few caps, !!!s, even a F*@!%*^&! when a virtually new vehicle packs it in, while the stealer whistles tunelessly I was pleased to see the main message wasn't written in ALLCAPS, at least In case all else fails, try to get the whole brain replaced under warranty I mean the vehicle's brain, of course Thanks for all the advise, we have it back in at a main dealer, who advised it could be something to do with the towing ECU, not realising there is a caravan hooked up, i thought this a bit strange because it is fine for the first 30 mile or so, the suggestion of the gearbox over heating sounds more like the problem. Lets hope it is sorted soon as i don't want to be the one on the motorway holding you lot up. Thanks again, I'll let you know the outcome . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 It has a towing ECU? Either someone's b*llsh*ting you or that vehicle is vastly over-complicated - anyone with the latest RAVE care to let us know which one it is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted September 19, 2006 Share Posted September 19, 2006 D3 isn't on the RAVE CDs you have to subscribe to GTR for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MJG Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 Could the clue be in this bit...... the tow bar was bought from land rover and fitted by an expert, OK the tow bar was bought from LR and fitted by an "expert". I would ask define expert. Are they expert in fitting bars AND towing electrics to the new Disco 3. The problem would as said above seem to be electrical The D3 should tow an inter city express train with no problem. I suspect the 'expert' fitter may have slipped up somewhere - don't know where but no doubt a good LR dealer should be able to tell if this is the case. Of course if it is, any problem will not be warranty covered and you will need to recoup he cost of any repair or damage to the electrics from the 'expert' fitter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 I suspect the 'expert' fitter may have slipped up somewhere Uhoh, scotchloks ! Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 When will people learn? (Images removed by Mog) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KARYN Posted September 21, 2006 Author Share Posted September 21, 2006 the expert fitter was a land rover dealer, and the smart arse comments from people are not helpfull, i thought this forum was to gain advise from people not to take the p**s The LR dealer has advise he has now configured the car to the tow bar at no cost to us as it was covered by the warranty. If that doesn't work then he doesn't know what to do, it could be anything, and they have never seen this before. Lets see if all is ok this weekend. Thanks to everyone for the positive comments and advise, and to the rest grow up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MJG Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 the expert fitter was a land rover dealer, and the smart arse comments from people are not helpfull, i thought this forum was to gain advise from people not to take the p**s The LR dealer has advise he has now configured the car to the tow bar at no cost to us as it was covered by the warranty. If that doesn't work then he doesn't know what to do, it could be anything, and they have never seen this before. Lets see if all is ok this weekend. Thanks to everyone for the positive comments and advise, and to the rest grow up. Ouch, are you sure we are the ones who need to grow up???? I'm taking it that your adverse reaction to a little forum leg pulling is directed to all the posts from mine onwards. FWIW - if you had said your tow bar had been supplied AND fitted by a LR dealer I wouldn't have posted my suggestion as to the problem. If you re-read your original post it makes reference to your tow bar being fitted by an 'expert' - undefined, no mention of it being a LR dealer. You might want to pay attention to ensuring the content of your future posts are accurate.... if they are not get ready for a bit of leg pulling......if you don't like your leg being pulled then you need to get your advice elsewhere.....just not on the interenet because where ever you go on there you will need to engage your sense of humour..... and I'm not sure you've got one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 well you do have to fit in a bit aswell people mostly mean no harm. I wouldn't take it to personally. The forum is just that for L/R people to talk/discuss mostly Land Rovers and the same people that are taking the mickey a tad pay for this site to exist. I hope your prob is sorted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 come on lads, she must have a sense of humour to buy a LR to start with. hope that sorts it btw, too many wires in new cars it why i dont like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 Perhaps it needs a a remap of of the sense of humour ECU as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted September 21, 2006 Share Posted September 21, 2006 the expert fitter was a land rover dealer, and the smart arse comments from people are not helpfull, i thought this forum was to gain advise from people not to take the p**s The LR dealer has advise he has now configured the car to the tow bar at no cost to us as it was covered by the warranty. If that doesn't work then he doesn't know what to do, it could be anything, and they have never seen this before. Lets see if all is ok this weekend. Thanks to everyone for the positive comments and advise, and to the rest grow up. The dealer should have double checked every part of the towbar/towing electrics before handing your vehicle back after the original installation, but good to read it's been sorted under the warranty, hopefully it'll behave, but I still reckon you should get the caravans electrics double checked too, just so you know that bit is working as it should, then if the faults reappear you can be sure the caravan isn't suspect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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