The TD5 (which has Facelift Headlights) I bought a few years ago had spots added. I have rarely needed to use them but yesterday we had ultra thick fog and thought I would turn them on. There is an isolator switch inside the cab which I turned ON. When I came back I forgot to turn the isolator switch off and just turned off the headlights. This morning the spots came on when putting the full beam on. I turned the isolator switch to OFF but the spots did not go off. Also, the dipped beam on the right hand (from inside the car) is not working but the main beams do work. I checked the fuse for the RH dipped beam and it was ok. Looking through the Headlight glass the RH dipped beam bulb looks ok. Before I start dismantling the front to get at the bulb is there other things I can check to a) get the spots to stop working and b) get the RH dipped beam working.
Disco 2 Spot Lamps problem
- Thread starter bloofer
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brian47
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A couple of questions here:-
If the spotlights are a LR fit, then the problems could be in the control box for them, it's notoriously unreliable.
- Are the spot lights a Land Rover fit or are they aftermarket?
- The "isolator" switch you speak of, where is it fitted and what does it look like?
- Regarding the dipped headlight, have you checked the filament with an ohm meter?
If the spotlights are a LR fit, then the problems could be in the control box for them, it's notoriously unreliable.
Feathers McGraw
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Is there a relay in the circuit which has stuck? Or wires shorting and having the same effect as leaving the isolator switch on?
The spots are aftermarket. The isolator switch is a non Land Rover on off switch mounted below the dash. The bulb is still in place as I haven't attempted to remove the light fitting.
I decided breakdown the problem so I removed the direct power feed from the battery to the spots and, naturally, they went off.
There is still a problem with my RH dip beam so I now I have no choice but to remove the headlight fitting. Are you point me to any articles on removing what is necessary to get at the bulb?
Cheers
brian47
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The routine for changing the bulbs on the front of the Disco 2 are in the Owner's Handbook, but in case you don't have it I've attached the relevant pages here.
Since the spotlights are aftermarket, I'd check that the switch is working and also the relay (if one is fitted), just in case that the contacts haven't welded themselves closed.
On the facelift headlight units, both the dipped and main beam bulbs are H7 (55 watts) types. I would suggest that while you've gone to all the trouble of gaining access to the rear of the light units you replace both bulbs in both of the headlight units. I know that they're more expensive than "ordinary" bulbs, but I would recommend Osram Nightbreakers or Phillips Xtreme +130.
Since the spotlights are aftermarket, I'd check that the switch is working and also the relay (if one is fitted), just in case that the contacts haven't welded themselves closed.
On the facelift headlight units, both the dipped and main beam bulbs are H7 (55 watts) types. I would suggest that while you've gone to all the trouble of gaining access to the rear of the light units you replace both bulbs in both of the headlight units. I know that they're more expensive than "ordinary" bulbs, but I would recommend Osram Nightbreakers or Phillips Xtreme +130.
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Cheers for the info. So I took out the light fitting and behind I found a crock of Sh*t. The previous owner had wired in the spots to the right hand light (drilling holes in the rear of the unit to pass the wires into the bulb). He had removed the Multiplug and ran his own wires to the main beam and dipped beam. Then off to a relay with in line fuse and then to the battery, two earth points and, of course, other wires back to the spots. Every strand connection was just twisted and taped!! Of course, most of the tape has come loose. Although the dipped beam bulb looked ok I swapped it out for a new one but it made no difference. There is probably a bad connection somewhere however, I am not brilliant with car electrics and I think I will take into to a specialist to get it done properly. I could live without the spots but can't drive without the dipped beam due to the time of year. Is a simple wiring diagram you could point me to so that I can by pass the wiring of the spots and rewire as it would have been originally? Happy Christmas 
hi
plus 1 what @brian47 has said ( very knowledgeable)
sounds like it’s going to be a start again project , i just found this and hope it may be of use to u
a haynes manual are very handy if u wish to trace out the basic headlight wiring , so u can at least remove the aftermarket spots and ensure ur dipped / main headlights are all safe and working.
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/spots.html
also found a basic outlay
plus 1 what @brian47 has said ( very knowledgeable)
sounds like it’s going to be a start again project , i just found this and hope it may be of use to u
a haynes manual are very handy if u wish to trace out the basic headlight wiring , so u can at least remove the aftermarket spots and ensure ur dipped / main headlights are all safe and working.
http://www.discovery2.co.uk/spots.html
also found a basic outlay
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brian47
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Unfortunately, the diagram shown by @gstuart isn't a particularly good basic start for the spotlight wiring, it's the diagram for the connections to the Land Rover spot/driving lights controller, so there are a couple of major problems with it:-
Normally such a set of lights is arranged to illuminate only when the main beam headlights are on and switch off automatically when the dipped headlights are in use. Many users also like to be able to switch the spotlights off even when the main beam lights are on. Some other users also like the ability to switch the spotlights on "permanently". If you decide to go the route of multiple switching options then I would suggest that you enlist some assistance.
If you would like to take the job on yourself, let us know and I'll dig out some instructions to help you.
- The dashboard switch shown is very expensive for what it is, the contacts aren't exactly built for switching the high currents required by two 55 watt spotlights. It has another problem in that it is a push button type switch rather than a latching or toggle switch.
- The current drawn by the spotlights in reality require that a relay is used to to do the high current switching, and in the diagram above, there is a "control unit" which contains a relay. Unfortunately, those control units from Land Rover are extremely expensive, probably unobtainable nowadays and totally unreliable in use.
Normally such a set of lights is arranged to illuminate only when the main beam headlights are on and switch off automatically when the dipped headlights are in use. Many users also like to be able to switch the spotlights off even when the main beam lights are on. Some other users also like the ability to switch the spotlights on "permanently". If you decide to go the route of multiple switching options then I would suggest that you enlist some assistance.
If you would like to take the job on yourself, let us know and I'll dig out some instructions to help you.
ooopps, sorry about that , maybe i should stick to D3s , lol
something like this
PS, know what u mean regarding the land rover wiring looms, are seriously expensive
I remade all of the twisted and taped connections with proper terminal connectors today. There was a lot. The last owner rewired all the lights - side, indicator, main and dipped beam. Is that normally?
Anyway, I didn't notice any of the connections that were loose and so for tidyness reconnected the direct feed for the spots. The dipped beam now works. Yeah.
The spots are on all the time the main beam is on despite shutting off the switch.
The only thing I couldn't check is the relay. I will replace this after the holidays.
Of course, I don't know for definite what the problem is.
Anyway, I didn't notice any of the connections that were loose and so for tidyness reconnected the direct feed for the spots. The dipped beam now works. Yeah.
The spots are on all the time the main beam is on despite shutting off the switch.
The only thing I couldn't check is the relay. I will replace this after the holidays.
Of course, I don't know for definite what the problem is.
neilly
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What year is it?
Did it have facelift headlights from the factory or have they been fitted afterwards by the PO?
Cheers
