Discovery 5 Alarm going off, losing coolant quickly and trying to find spare tyre

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
S

Stocky81

New Member
Posts
5
I’m hoping for some help on here.

I’ve had the discovery 5 hse for 2.5weeks and it’s been back to the dealer for the 3rd time today.

- intermittent alarm sounding at all hours 🥴 on the activation info it’s stated ‘bonnet open’.

- coolant level low. Took it back, filled the coolant, light came back on after 1week. They said they have pressure tested in and checked gasket - no leak found. Odd that it would lose so much coolant so soon?

- low spare tyre pressure, the car is looking for a spare tyre but when I came to add air - it has no spare tyre, instead a slime kit. Dealer said it’s doesn’t come with one but if that’s the case, why is the car programmed to look for a spare ?

Any advice is much appreciated

Thank you
 
Last edited:
I check out the bonnet switch. Obvious starting point.
2 The garage are bullsh!tting you, stick with it, the coolant has to be going somewhere. Either a leak or a blown head gasket, which is still a leak. BUT, if it has been after an intervention then an airlock could be the reason.
3 This should be fixable with a few clicks on a diagnostic. But the "Dealer" needs to be an LR one OR have the proper kit.

Welcome to the forum.
Now that you are here you might like to go to the "introduce yourself" part of the forum and do just that.

All the best
Stan.:):):)
 
The alarm is an easy one - faulty switch, quite common, the selling dealer needs to change it.
Coolant level - is it dropping or is it just reporting as being low? they need to test the level sensor circuit then check oil & transmission coolers for internal leakage.
The TPMS is an odd one, it's possible the previous owner had the optional spare wheel, which they kept and the dealer just chucked in the repair kit on the used vehicle prep check - again, they need to resolve - none of it is, or should be, your problem.
 
Stanleysteamer said:
I check out the bonnet switch. Obvious starting point.
2 The garage are bullsh!tting you, stick with it, the coolant has to be going somewhere. Either a leak or a blown head gasket, which is still a leak. BUT, if it has been after an intervention then an airlock could be the reason.
3 This should be fixable with a few clicks on a diagnostic. But the "Dealer" needs to be an LR one OR have the proper kit.

Welcome to the forum.
Now that you are here you might like to go to the "introduce yourself" part of the forum and do just that.

All the best
Stan.:):):)
Click to expand...
Thank you stan.
I feel the dealer (not Land Rover) is fobbing me off. I’ll be persistent and be as much as an inconvenience as I need to be to get it sorted!

They did say it was an airlock, but for it to happen twice in such a short space of time makes me think otherwise. Today they said they pressure tested it and checked the head gasket and all was fine. Time will tell.

Thank you
Jon
 
Stocky81 said:
Thank you stan.
I feel the dealer (not Land Rover) is fobbing me off. I’ll be persistent and be as much as an inconvenience as I need to be to get it sorted!

They did say it was an airlock, but for it to happen twice in such a short space of time makes me think otherwise. Today they said they pressure tested it and checked the head gasket and all was fine. Time will tell.

Thank you
Jon
Click to expand...
A pressure test will not find an airlock, obvs.
Keep banging away at them!
 
Graculus said:
The alarm is an easy one - faulty switch, quite common, the selling dealer needs to change it.
Coolant level - is it dropping or is it just reporting as being low? they need to test the level sensor circuit then check oil & transmission coolers for internal leakage.
The TPMS is an odd one, it's possible the previous owner had the optional spare wheel, which they kept and the dealer just chucked in the repair kit on the used vehicle prep check - again, they need to resolve - none of it is, or should be, your problem.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Good to have this advice so I know what to go back with at least.

The coolant came on only a few days after we got it. I took it back and questioned if a service had actually been carried out as they said it had. They rectified the problem then just at the weekend the warning light of low coolant came of again just a week later (driven 40miles approx, I wfh) in the meantime our mechanic friend had put 2ltrs of coolant fluid in!)

The bonnet open issue that was triggering the alarm was said because it may have had a dirty catch 🙄. I questioned this response and just asked for it to be sorted. It had today, until I got home and off goes the alarm again!

The spare tyre problem, I can’t imagine the car would be programmed to look for the spare if it shouldn’t have one. I’ll raise this again, or perhaps call Land Rover directly ?

Thanks for taking the time to reply
 
Stocky81 said:
What causes an airlock and what will resolve, please?
Click to expand...
Generally it is caused by the system being emptied for one reason or another then not being properly filled.
Each engine has its own idiosyncracies as to how it needs to be filled. they may or may not have bleeding points that need to be used.
I am not familiar with your engine but that makes little difference, the correct procedure needs to be followed.
But having to add 2 litres is a bit much!
Sometimes an airlock will work its way out, but the heater matrix needs to be filled properly and as for the rest, very often you need to ensure the reservoir, with it's pressure cap off, is held up in the air above the rest of the engine, or the filler is extended enough, the engine is warm enough to open the stat and the engine is revved up to ensure any other valves open to allow water and air to pass through. Sometimes certain hoses need to be loosened to let coolant and air out.

I'll let those who know the engine comment more accurately!
 
Stocky81 said:
Thank you. Good to have this advice so I know what to go back with at least.

The coolant came on only a few days after we got it. I took it back and questioned if a service had actually been carried out as they said it had. They rectified the problem then just at the weekend the warning light of low coolant came of again just a week later (driven 40miles approx, I wfh) in the meantime our mechanic friend had put 2ltrs of coolant fluid in!)

The bonnet open issue that was triggering the alarm was said because it may have had a dirty catch 🙄. I questioned this response and just asked for it to be sorted. It had today, until I got home and off goes the alarm again!

The spare tyre problem, I can’t imagine the car would be programmed to look for the spare if it shouldn’t have one. I’ll raise this again, or perhaps call Land Rover directly ?

Thanks for taking the time to reply
Click to expand...
The spare wheel issue is relatively easy to prove - put your VIN into www.vindecoderz.com and it'll list all the vehicle options.

Dirt does not cause issues with bonnet latch switches - but over-lubrication does. It needs the faulting bonnet latch switch replacing.

Two litres of coolant is a lot - and you don't get an 'airlock' unless the coolant system has been drained for work on the vehicle. I forgot to add EGR coolers to the items I mentioned above. In all honesty, given the recurrent coolant problem, and the attitude of the garage, personally I'd be rejecting the vehicle. The law has changed, you do not need to give them xx number of opportunities to resolve issues, and you are in the first month of ownership since purchase. https://www.theaa.com/car-buying/legal-rights
 
Graculus said:
The spare wheel issue is relatively easy to prove - put your VIN into www.vindecoderz.com and it'll list all the vehicle options.

Dirt does not cause issues with bonnet latch switches - but over-lubrication does. It needs the faulting bonnet latch switch replacing.

Two litres of coolant is a lot - and you don't get an 'airlock' unless the coolant system has been drained for work on the vehicle. I forgot to add EGR coolers to the items I mentioned above. In all honesty, given the recurrent coolant problem, and the attitude of the garage, personally I'd be rejecting the vehicle. The law has changed, you do not need to give them xx number of opportunities to resolve issues, and you are in the first month of ownership since purchase. https://www.theaa.com/car-buying/legal-rights
Click to expand...
Thank you.
I’ve called them again this morning as despite the alarm problem being ‘fixed’ it was going off again at all hours last night.
They have said they will order a replacement direct from landrover and replace.

I called landrover direct before calling the dealer to check if the vehicle came with a spare and the reg shows it should. Garage response was, it didn’t come to us with one. I highlighted that wasn’t my issue and it needs one, so we’ll see where we go with that.

As for the coolant, I’ve suggested to the dealer it goes to Land Rover for a full diagnostic at their expense before I make a decision on whether we keep it or not

Thanks for your advice
 
Stocky81 said:
Thank you stan.
I feel the dealer (not Land Rover) is fobbing me off. I’ll be persistent and be as much as an inconvenience as I need to be to get it sorted!

They did say it was an airlock, but for it to happen twice in such a short space of time makes me think otherwise. Today they said they pressure tested it and checked the head gasket and all was fine. Time will tell.

Thank you
Jon
Click to expand...
A quick call to an LR dealer should could help with the spare tyre issue. The dealer will have access to the original build specification, which will list a spare tyre or inflator kit, which ever was supplied.

The coolant issue is a concern.

Personally I'd be returning the vehicle for a refund, as it should be issue free.
 
Either D4orD5 can’t remember which has a known issue with one the bonnet catches sticking so allowing the bonnet to open slightly, this would be enough to trigger the alarm.
I had it happen on one of mine but I change cars that often i can’t remember which model it was.
 
I had issues with my D3 and found that the egr coolant thermostat had disintegrated and parts of it were found blocking the crossover hose.
 
Stanleysteamer said:
I check out the bonnet switch. Obvious starting point.
2 The garage are bullsh!tting you, stick with it, the coolant has to be going somewhere. Either a leak or a blown head gasket, which is still a leak. BUT, if it has been after an intervention then an airlock could be the reason.
3 This should be fixable with a few clicks on a diagnostic. But the "Dealer" needs to be an LR one OR have the proper kit.

Welcome to the forum.
Now that you are here you might like to go to the "introduce yourself" part of the forum and do just that.

All the best
Stan.:):):)
Click to expand...
Hi Just looking for some advice, my partner has a coolant issue with his discovery. the coolant keeps dropping and landrover and other local garages have run all sorts of test to find the leak and have been unsuccessful. they have checked the head gasket and no issues there. the coolant only drops when the car is running so it is obviously leaking when hot. we have no idea where to go forward from here without getting rid of the car.

thanks
Megan
 
Buy THIS kit drive it untill the level in the tank drops then see..... if nothing visible beneath or around the engine see if the exhaust is glowing or not cos it can be a crack in the head or block where the coolant goes into the combustion chamber and burnt hence no trace of it
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

xDParis64
Freelander 1 Converting from wasted spark to distributor (or Visa Versa)
Replies
0
Views
359
xDParis64
xDParis64
Goc3k
Discovery 1 SOLD 1997 300TDI manual D1, Winchester
Replies
16
Views
4K
Goc3k
Goc3k
D
K Series Guide/ Build Log
Replies
7
Views
2K
DanielG
D
G
Freelander 1 V6 soft-top with many leaks - worth it to repair?
Replies
14
Views
2K
GodzillaBoy
G
D
Newby Discovery 5 Owner
2
Replies
21
Views
2K
DRW555
D
Back
Top