Calling PUMA Defender owners...

[alantd]

Yep, most gauges do that - the reason behind the 'quirkier' fuel gauge is explained as follows.

...

So what happens in real life is, you fill the tank up - gauge doesn't move. Then it has to move from max to min very quickly to show less fuel then you really have, but then normal can stay on min for a while.

I quite like my fuel guage to accurately reflect the tank. My other cars start showing the fuel used as soon as I fill up and I just draw satisfaction from the fact that the guage is working.

I'm also not sure that the Landy guage is more accurate at the bottom of the tank. My fuel light came on - showing that I had a quarter of a tank or thereabouts (should be good for 60-70 miles). I let it go for another 15 miles and then promptly ran out on a hill. Very embarassing .

I now use the trip odo to tell me how long I have to go (always get 300 miles - can stretch to 330) and keep 5L deisel on board

[Top90]

Unfortunately, yes. Check the link I posted.

The first report I know of is from a test drive in Italy in may 2007.

In the meantime I found that a changed oil pan will go into production at the end of november (this year: 2007 ) - this info is taken from http://www.blacklandy.de/wbb2/thread.php?threadid=20431 (parsed from a LR dealer in DE).

Yes, I checked the link, but there is reference to a Td4 ??

Here it's the engine name for the diesel freelander.

Hence I was a bit confused. (not the first time)

Rich

[alantd]

Yes, I checked the link, but there is reference to a Td4 ??

Here it's the engine name for the diesel freelander.

Hence I was a bit confused. (not the first time)

Rich

Isn't that the name for the new 2.4L transit engine? Can see where the confusion comes from though. Photos further down look like Defender mechanicals to me.

[cipx2]

Yes, Defender TD4 = Defender 2007 (which is an odd name for a vehicle IMO, to say the least, its not a "windblows 2000")

I think they make a distinction between Td4 (Freebe) and a TD4 (Defender), not sure.

Top90, I though that you're sort of familiar with the Defender underbelly. If you're not, you can have a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CeEzDjSwcg starting from 07:17 min.

[Top90]

Not that familiar yet...

I only picked my new 90 up on Saturday.

Rich

[Happyoldgit]

Yes, Defender TD4 = Defender 2007 (which is an odd name for a vehicle IMO, to say the least, its not a "windblows 2000")

I think they make a distinction between Td4 (Freebe) and a TD4 (Defender), not sure.

Top90, I though that you're sort of familiar with the Defender underbelly. If you're not, you can have a look at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CeEzDjSwcg starting from 07:17 min.

Oi! Not any old video - what you meant to say is why not watch Miserableolgit's video

[cipx2]

Who said old?

I should have said (written) THE video.

[Dave78]

Bah. If they had researched me I would have told them I wanted a gauge that showed how much effn fuel there was in the tank

I quite like my fuel guage to accurately reflect the tank. My other cars start showing the fuel used as soon as I fill up and I just draw satisfaction from the fact that the guage is working.

I agree with you, I want my gauge to show me what I have in the tank. It's now getting common for cars also to fake the temp gauge. As long as the engine temp is within a normal temp range, then the temp gauge will just point to the mid point and not move. Once it's out of that normal range (when hot) it will move up into the hot area, so you can go straight from normal (pointing to the mid point) to the lower hot area in one move. If my engine is getting hotter I want to know - even if it is just hotter in the normal range (i.e. am stuck in traffic - just driven up a big hill - etc)...

[Mo Murphy]

Td4 = Freelander 1 4 cyl diesel

TD4 = Freelander 2 4 cyl diesel

Different engines, neither of which is in the Defender nor is the current Defender engine named Td4 or TD4.

Mo

[TJ101]

Mo,, for some reason, the 07 puma engined Defender, is know as a td4 in other parts of Europe !!

[THR]

What bits have fallen off / broken / failed so far?

Touch wood apart from having to be about two inches away from the vehicle before the keyfob works mine has been ....no I can't bring myself to actually say just in case sods law causes something to go bang

The fuel gauge seems even quirkier than the TD5's. Fill the tank and drive - the gauge needle doesn't move for ages and then goes slowly down to the halfway mark, once past halfway it makes a quick dash toward empty

Great car but a couple of things in the first week:

The mirror vibrates as per usual

Wheel Nuts were not all tensioned despite the pre delivery checks.....

The restraining bar that stops the rear door opening too far fell off after the self locking nut was not put on properly.

The rear door also squeaks over every bump, i think it is coming from the catch. Is that normal on all defenders?

[Top90]

After 4 weeks and 2,300 miles mine has been fine.

Only strange thing is it's the only diesel I've ever seen that is not more economical on V power diesel. Putting it in the Td5 gave an average of 10% more miles per tank on identical driving, while the Puma does 10% less miles per tank on the better fuel. Back to cheap diesel for me.

Richard

[JimAttrill]

It's now getting common for cars also to fake the temp gauge. As long as the engine temp is within a normal temp range, then the temp gauge will just point to the mid point and not move. Once it's out of that normal range (when hot) it will move up into the hot area, so you can go straight from normal (pointing to the mid point) to the lower hot area in one move.

That is EXACTLY how the 300tdi and TD5 gauges work. The TD5 gauge is even made by VDO but doesn't act like their aftermarket gauges at all which show the real temperature to the degree. So I see no reason for LR to change the way the gauge works in the Transit motor.

BTW, we have had owners complain about the VDO gauges moving up and down when fitted to the 300tdi. We offer to replace it with a LR one - we've got loads of them lying about. I think what they want is a gauge with one of those smiley faces on it - who cares about the temperature?

[T1G UP]

Also means the gauge moves most, so is technically more accurate when you are low. Does not matter that it does not move much if you are full.

Every car I've had has been like this, not just Landrovers.

I got a surprise from my 07 defender yesterday. There was a loud beep as the fuel light came on.

Do they think we are not capable of watching a gauge?

Rich

All cars seem to do that now! mine even tells me how many miles i got to go.......that makes me forget to look at the guage and have been down to 0 miles a few times

[russianfrog]

Nothing to complain about the new Def. Drives smoothly, ABS and all those electronics do their work when needed, very comfortable seats, heats fast and has a real A/C, drinks not too much...

No, really, nothing wrong with it. Each time I drive it (not every day) I am glad we bought such car!

Oh, yes one thing though: I believe the sound system is a joke. Even with a quieter engine, it is still best to turn on either the music or the engine, but not both at the same time!

[Top90]

You need a radio that increases the volume as background noise increases.

I put one in my Td5 110 and the new 90 will probably get one shortly as I don't have the XS (90 Hardtop) with MP3 functions.

It worked very well as you could adjust the sesitivity to suit the car.

Richard

[Happyoldgit]

I'm raising this one from the dead as it would be interesting to hear how people have got on since the last time it was at the top.

Touch wood mine has been pretty good so far with one or two minor niggles having been sorted out by the local main dealer (one door seal & rear diff pinion seal). I had the first service done at my local independent which meant that I paid less than half the main dealer price and I could get 'hands on' while it was being done. To be honest I'd rather have done the whole lot myself but appreciate the stamp in the book.

After some protracted negotiation I had the sump replaced by the dealer for a token payment toward the labour cost.

Earlier this year I complained of a bump induced rattle that I know to be the brake pads. Lookers had the vehicle back for investigation and said that they were not sure but think it might be the exhaust front pipe so would order and fit a new one.* That was in July and the pipe has been on back-order ever since - expected delivery early Oct. When I chased them last week they announced that they had been taken over, were closing and possibly relocating, that all back-orders had been cancelled and would need to be re-ordered after the move and they are up and running again! So I'll be off to another dealer and start the process all over again

*During the 1st service last month they / I had the vehicle on the ramps with all the wheels off and there was no sign of any rattle on the front pipe at all but plenty of chatter on the pads and pins.

[TJ101]

Well, mines been fine, and nothing to report since before

Abs sensor

Lead at 600 miles, and 2 visits to the dealer to sort

Sump pan mod,,

Dealer refused to do anything to start with,, but after a short "discussion" with Customer Care,, all sorted, FOC, As they were changing the oil, did pay them to changed the filter at the same time, and finished the service myself !!

That's it,,

[Guest WALFY]

Well a lot has happened since this was last at the top.

Went in for a small leak in the rear load bed floor and a rattle underneath. Rattle was loose prop bolts. If I had looked I'd of seen it but when I'd just spent over 20k for a veh why should I. As for the leak the answer was, We've only had it a day so can't really tell if it has a leak or not. . So took it away, removed all the rear carpets and dried them all out. Dried the rear floor. Replaced all the rear carpets. Within a week it was soaking wet again. Booked it in but before I left it with them I carried out the drying process again. Came back We've cured your leak Sir. It won't leak again. They had removed the rear end of the car and siliconed it to death and rerivitted it back together.

Tried to go to the Pyrenees for a holiday. Other reasons got in the way so didn't quite make it but we did find another leak. This time from around the windscreen seal. So bad that after a heavy rain storm there was a puddle on the drivers mat and when you drove off and went round the first LH bend water ran out of the dash . Also to coincide with this the rear started leaking again.

After getting fed up with the repair bodges and excuses. "It's a LandRover they all leak" I got shot pretty sharpish. Traded it in for a lovely D3. Not had a single reason to complain about it.

[Eduardo]

Well

A backup list of all the failures that I had from the beginning. (Dec 07 until now with 30.000 km)

Some of them minors but I didn't expected this kind of small problems in a brand new car.

1) Copilot window falls in to the door

2) Oil sump damaged

3) Oil leak from the hand brake drum

4) Brake Vacuum pump broken

5) Driver window completely loose

6) Stopper of the copilot door doesnt work

7) Stopper of the rear door doesnt work

8) Crack in the rear door

9) Several bolts loosen or missing in the body

10) handbrake sensor loose

11) Water leakage in to the copilot side

12) faulty Light switch of the rear door

13) Copilot handcuff loose

14) MPG down from 23.5 to 20 (dealers use a motor oil that not fulfill the specs)

15) Draught excluders (it that the word?) loose

16) Felt strip in the rear windows falling of

17) 3rd brake ligth burned

And counting...

Regards

[Daniel TD5]

well its me and yes i still have it after all the problems 07 double cab XS

1.)abs sensor failed

2.)very poor paint work

3.)new clutch at 6k

4.)leaking front Hubs

5.)tail gate fell off

6.)water leaks front foot wells

7.)new clutch at 12 k

8.) new gearbox at 12 k

9.)top half of the engine rebuild 12k

10.)new cd player

11.)gearbox oil leaks

12.)new front driving lamp

13.)under sealed by dealer

14.)water leak top half engine

15.) failed to start alarm problem

16.)all the door seals replaced

and lots more it seems to ok now after 15k and a big rebuild

[Steve Hiatt]

Drivers door window came adrift from the mechanism, rear wiper didn't work, both sorted promptly.

Not happy with panel alignment and, I suspect due to brakes, it clatters as you freewheel to a junction.

5k miles.

Very happy with it.

[David Sparkes]

13) Copilot handcuff loose

Sorry, but I just did a double take when I saw that.

Is this an export model specification, or can you handcuff passengers in UK models as well?

Wait a moment - Copilot - perhaps it's a competition specification?

I'm not knocking you Eduardo, it's just that some translations are funny :-)

[Eduardo]

Sorry, but I just did a double take when I saw that.

Is this an export model specification, or can you handcuff passengers in UK models as well?

Wait a moment - Copilot - perhaps it's a competition specification?

I'm not knocking you Eduardo, it's just that some translations are funny :-)

David,

Well, you always can handcuff somebody in the EX Models

I'm a spanish speaker and sometimes my english vocabulary are not so good (also my grammar as well) ,

I hope that you can forgive me for some funny translations like this one. (at least you laugh )

"exterior door handle" will be a better word for that part?

Regards

[David Sparkes]

""exterior door handle" will be a better word for that part?"

If you meant the handle on the outside of the passenger door, then yes "exterior door handle" is better than "copilot handcuff". At least for me, and I guess most English single language speakers!

Thanks for accepting the humour, and good luck with solving the problems.

Cheers.