Disco 3 problems

Optimiser said:

I took delivery of a new Discovery 3 in January, and was very impressed with it for all of 2 weeks. Then the air suspension started to play up & failed 3 times in following 2 weeks. LR dealership has now agreed to replace it, but in the meantime the Disco they lent me has suffered the same problem. The recovery agent who picked up the loan car told me they're having to collect "hundreds" of new Discos with the same problem - anyone else out there having problems?

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Yes. Me. Mine (my 2005 LR3; I live in Canada) has had three or four occasions of failures now - and has been in the shop for almost a month since I bought it in December. Today it failed repeatedly (suspension fault - normal - suspecnsion fault - normal - etc) twice. I am asking LR for a new LR3.

I would that is not good for the LR name to have all these problems with the new vehicle...looks like they are going to have to go independant again and forget Ford....or maybe team up with BMW again...

I have had my D3 for 2 months now it is a great tool..

Although it did go back for a suspension fault where the front was going soft and spongey..

Whilst it was at the dealership I noticed 5 other D3 with their auto gearboxes on the floor..

Asking the dealer his face went a little red and said you wernt suppose to see that..

Turns out there is some sort of communication fault between the auto gearbox and the MCU.. The gearbox has to come out to fix it..

LR are trying to keep it quiet

I've had my Disco 3 for a month now. All UK ones ordered in September are 2006 build so many of the original bugs have been ironed out. delighted with mine so far and off road has been fine (but I switched the supplied road tyres with General AT2 tyres which are intermediate). My main niggle is that the specs appeared to have changed even between placing the order and taking delivery . No dipping mirrors on reverse even though message centre shows this as an option and the supplementary heater (comes with model S) is not programmable so you can't fire it up half an hour before you get into the car. Very quiet, even at high speed and the diesel engine goes like a rocket as long as your revs are high enough.

my new disco 3 is now going back in for air suspention fault after 3 weeks

i also seen 4 disco3
auto boxes beening replaced at my local lr dealer, also went red faced when asked why so many and wouldnt tell me what was wrong, this is no bull**** all 05 plates . can anyone tell me how many miles to the gallon does the auto do v and how many for the manual

ozzy said:

i also seen 4 disco3
auto boxes beening replaced at my local lr dealer, also went red faced when asked why so many and wouldnt tell me what was wrong, this is no bull**** all 05 plates . can anyone tell me how many miles to the gallon does the auto do v and how many for the manual

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also my suspention has failed.

Speaking about the suspension problems with a dealer here in Bavaria about a fortnight ago, he said that early Disco 3s had trouble with a pump in the suspension system. This has now been replaced with an improved model. The explanation sounds plausible, though it might have been more convincing if my test drive hadn't been delayed (about a month earlier) by a suspension problem on the demo car!

Does anyone know whether there is any truth in this explanation.
Eric

The air suspension pumps have had problems with failing at an early age due to what i would call a manufacturing fault,never changed an auto box yet our dealership has had no problems.But have done 2 clutches on manuals both i must say to driver error and abuse.God forbid LR going back to BMW control they did not do to well on the disco 2 td5 in my opinion and the new range rover electrics are a night mare, but on saying this we only see the broken ones, the disco 3 is a nice car with a few glithes but ford are doing really well in my opinion,were there is a fault they ask for all details and photographs and even send people out not just to remedy the fault but rethink and change problem areas they have done more for customer relations than BMW ever did and problem solving but of course thats only my opinion and i do see the sharp end of the wedge with customers and i give them no bull**** i like to talk straight,tiga

well from what i have heard so far a shogun gives you more for your money and doesnt fail and doesnt have landrovers apalling service support track record.

Tiga,Thanks for your answer. Your remarks of Ford support are comforting! Looking around the Internet, I have also begun to feel that comments on the Disco3 are becoming more positive. Seems to be getting over the teething troubles.Eric

Hi guys, i like you would like to buy a new disco but its the "teething" problems that worrys me too, my mum got one of the new range rover hse in march 2001, so you can tell it was on of the 1st diesels in huddersfield, it came from rocar moores, the car was nice but had a lot of problems so she replaced it september 2004 with a vogue, but made sure that it had the v.i.p. pack which means any problems with it land rover sort for the next 5 years. I like the look and feel of the new disco 3, but my wife (,you know guys no diesel,dirty,broken its my car, clean and full of diesel its her car ) drives our disco more than me and she does not like the rear end look of the disco 3 she says its ugly, i dont care because when iam driving the car i cant see the back but its more the "teething" things that bother me, any way keep us posted may have to have a look at the range rover sport eh or maybe wait a year or two, my disco 2 had a few problems at first but now its brilliant, all the best guys bigcol.

Well well well, so much for technology eh? glad I have my MK1 300tdi, no fandangled wacky microproccessors that keep failing, so as to screw up my driving. Just think about it, every time you take it out, your wondering what's going to happen next? Will it start if I stop it, or can I do anything if I open the bonnet? At least with a 300tdi I am not afraid to open it to see what's underneath it ha ha....have fun D3s D1s rule the day and they just keep on going.

But isn't that half of the fun of being an "early adopter", Tommin? That's the theory, I suppose, but probably there's a point where it stops being so funny. However, my nerve hasn't broken yet; I'm still tending towards ordering a Disco3.

Eric

Yeah I suppose, you have to keep an open mind about it, but as you pointed out and which I (my opinion that is) think hit the nail on the head, "where it stops being funny". To pay LR or their dealers that sort of money knowing there are some serious doubts about the quality and reliability of the D3, well I think you need to see a shrink first. LR need to sort these issues out promptly if they are not to lose what reputation they have left. I don't but all this crap about it being a new concept and there are going to be minor hiccups, get real LR you have been going how many years? No excuse in this day and age, you want our money then produce the goods. Just check this thread in the forum, this is just the tip of the iceberg, how many don't read or indulge in this forum, we will never know. de da do da de da do da welcome to the LR zone where nothing is quite as it seems?

Hi optimiser,dont quote me on it but i think i heard that the base model disco 3 does`nt have the complex system all the others have? It would be interesting to hear if base model owners have avoided the problems..mucky`un.

Ah now then mucky un you may have a point i may investigate your theory, further, If the base model is less complex you can always retro fit the bits and pieces. Lets keep an open mind eh !!!!!

Tommin,
I haven't quite signed on the dotted line but I'm tending that way. Maybe I need a shrink - or maybe I'm just a masochist. However, e.g. on the disco3 web site, comments about the 06 models are mostly positive.
Eric

Hi all the models have the same similar problems except the ones without terrain response and air suspension but who wants to go that cheap,and no dont even try and think about fitting things after as the wiring looms differ and its hell of a job to fit a complete new harness,most of the faults are produced by the production line slicing through harneses and trapping wires and such like they are the ones that need there arses kicking and the ymoan about loosing jobs and plants closing down rant rant,tiga

Yes, I guess I am a masochist . I had another test drive in a Disco this morning and I am probably going to buy.
Eric