Disco 3 (LR3) Question about locking rear diff-Help

Today I looked at a 2007 D3/LR3 with the intent to purchase however I am not sure the locking rear diff is working correctly. I have no experience with these so need advice before purchase.

Driving around a parking lot in low range I could hear and feel the rear diff seemingly locking up but there was no indication on the 4x4 info screen. If the diff was locked I could understand some binding when driving like this on pavement but I didn't think the diff usually locked unless you had wheel spin and I'm puzzled about the 4x4 info screen not showing it locked.

I want this car for offroad driving so the locking diff would be a plus but I need to know it is working correctly. Seller will hold the car for a few days so I can research this issue.
Thanks for any info.

You can find it on utube there are some good videos on the rear locking diff in operation. It will also show it on the 4x4 info screen if it
1. Has it
2. If its working

Locking rear diffs very rare on the d3. Also the 4x4 screen shows an unlocked icon for the rear diff even if you don't have the option fitted.

Gord Wedman said:

Today I looked at a 2007 D3/LR3 with the intent to purchase however I am not sure the locking rear diff is working correctly. I have no experience with these so need advice before purchase.

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Does it have an actual locker on the rear? It was a very expensive option, so 99% of them don't have it.

Agree it is rare. Not probably cost. But you had to tick a box when ordering. So most probably didn’t. Annoyingly in the USA the diff came standard with the tow pack I believe.

I’m also lead to believe the only way to truly tell if it has the locking rear diff is to crawl under and see if it has the pipes going to the diff.

Btw I don’t believe you’d be able to tell by driving it in a car park if it was or wasn’t locking. Not from the drivers seat anyway apart from the screen.

Thanks for the replies.
I have a 2008 full size RR supercharged which does definitely have the rear locker so I drove it around in a parking lot in low range making 90 degree turns and I never heard anything from the rear diff so I'm inclined to believe there is problem with the LR3 diff. I wouldn't say they were common on LR3s over here but they do turn up. Less than $1k as an option so not that expensive.

Wonder looking on the 4x4 screen and putting it into rock crawl if it will then show a locked rear diff

did u happen to plug diagnostic in to see if any errors came up plse

gstuart said:

Wonder looking on the 4x4 screen and putting it into rock crawl if it will then show a locked rear diff

did u happen to plug diagnostic in to see if any errors came up plse

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That is exactly what I did. Rock crawl and low range. Never saw the diff symbols show locking but much drama at the rear diff.

Gord Wedman said:

That is exactly what I did. Rock crawl and low range. Never saw the diff symbols show locking but much drama at the rear diff.

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Have you been underneath to check the diff is actually a locker?
In the UK it wasn't one of the options that most buyers would keen to buy. Here it's more likely to get larger option wheels than a rear diff lock.

Nodge68 said:

Have you been underneath to check the diff is actually a locker?
In the UK it wasn't one of the options that most buyers would keen to buy. Here it's more likely to get larger option wheels than a rear diff lock.

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plus also believe retrofitting one is a massive undertaking

Gord Wedman said:

That is exactly what I did. Rock crawl and low range. Never saw the diff symbols show locking but much drama at the rear diff.

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Do remember the centre diff would also be locked. Driving on dry tarmac will have wound the transmission up, which may well be released by slipping the inside rear wheel. Is this the "drama" you are referring too?