flashing lights on dash

hi i have a 01 plate disco td5 auto with 80000 on the clock. whilst driving today 2 green lights were flashing on the dash. letters [a] and [m] also by the oddmeter the letter [d] which shows which gear you are in was flashing.it might be my imagination but when pulling away it seemed slightly down on power.handbook stated stop turn ignition off,start up if lights do not go out consult a dealer. lights did go off and all seems normal. this same thing happened about 2 years ago. has this happened to any one else? is it like my 3 amigos which come on every 4 months or so. switch off ignition start up after about 100 yards or so 3 migos go out then forget about it?.

Had this quite a few times in the last 12 months
I too stopped and started and it goes away.
The lack of power means it has gone into "LIMP MODE" which hopefully protects the engine e.t.c. from further damage but enable you to either get home or to a garage.

alan morgan said:

hi i have a 01 plate disco td5 auto with 80000 on the clock. whilst driving today 2 green lights were flashing on the dash. letters [a] and [m] also by the oddmeter the letter [d] which shows which gear you are in was flashing.it might be my imagination but when pulling away it seemed slightly down on power.handbook stated stop turn ignition off,start up if lights do not go out consult a dealer. lights did go off and all seems normal. this same thing happened about 2 years ago. has this happened to any one else? is it like my 3 amigos which come on every 4 months or so. switch off ignition start up after about 100 yards or so 3 amigos go out then forget about it?.

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You have the classic "M & S" gearbox lights lit. This happens for one of a number of reasons:

1. Your main car battery is starting to show it's age. As a result when you start the engine, power is sucked out of the battery. If you then imediately go to select a gear, the power required by the autobox ECU is not there, so it throws a tantrum, hence the lights. Get your battery checked with engine still and then with engine running to ensure charging circuit is operating correctly.

I advise: start the engine before getting yourself prepared to drive. So, start the motor, then sort out your seatbelt and any other bits of preparation (your lippy) you do, THEN select a gear. This gives a small amount of recovery time time for the battery.

2. The XYZ or gear selector switch needs replacing. Straightforward job - switch costs about £90 from memory.
3. Humidity in the autobox ECU. Unfortunately LR in their infinite wisdom, placed the ECU just below the drains for the aircon. MARVELOUS !! Reposition/lengthen the drain tubes and dry out the ECU.

If you try in the above order, you'll resolve the problem.

thanks big lad.i have looked for the air con drain tubes a while ago when i had a fine mist spray come out of the face leval air vents i never did find them.any idea where they are?

teedeefyveluvver said:

Had this quite a few times in the last 12 months
I too stopped and started and it goes away.
The lack of power means it has gone into "LIMP MODE" which hopefully protects the engine e.t.c. from further damage but enable you to either get home or to a garage.

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thanks for reply teedeefyveluvver. if you see reply to my post from big lad it explaines all. ps ,your handle looks like the letters i allways get when i play scrabble.

alan morgan said:

thanks big lad.i have looked for the air con drain tubes a while ago when i had a fine mist spray come out of the face leval air vents i never did find them.any idea where they are?

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You should see the Electronic Automatic Transmission ECU underneath the sound system amplifier, which in turn is underneath the passenger (lhs) front seat. Check for moisture.

thebiglad said:

You should see the Electronic Automatic Transmission ECU underneath the sound system amplifier, which in turn is underneath the passenger (lhs) front seat. Check for moisture.

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thanks for that. i might be a bit slow but if the drain tubes are by the ecu under the seat do you mean they empty onto the carpet there?

alan morgan said:

thanks for that. i might be a bit slow but if the drain tubes are by the ecu under the seat do you mean they empty onto the carpet there?

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It's not something I've experienced but it is not unknown for the drains to empty out and put water into the footwells.

thebiglad said:

It's not something I've experienced but it is not unknown for the drains to empty out and put water into the footwells.

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hi sorry to be a pest but where exactly are the drain tubes situated in the car

Seems to be a little confusion here.......

The drain tubes are connected to the bottom of the heater box assy and exit through the body tunnel with rubber tubes roughly by your shins, one either side under the carpet.

Now because they exit underneath the car, they can get blocked with dirt and crap and then when the aircons on, the moisture /condensation that is produced on in the heater box cannot drain away, so over time it fills up the box until it overflows into the foot wells under the carpet.

To find and check the drains, get under the car and look up either side of the front prop (about the middle of it), there you will see 2 rubber tubes with a plastic type cross thing in the end (1 either side of prop / tunnel)..... thats your aircon drains, simply stick ya finger, small screwdriver or what ever in the end and see if they are blocked or not, good idea not to be directly underneath them when you do it, or you WILL either get a face full of mud and crud, or water or BOTH lol........

And it is HIGHLY unlikely that blocked drains would be play any part in the Gearbox ECU M&S lights.....It is 90% your vehicle battery, or XYZ switch, if your drains are blocked, then the water that usuallly drips on the switch wont be able to, so that points more to the battery side of things "imo"

ps ,your handle looks like the letters i allways get when i play scrabble.

How did you know where i got my handle from?