Disco 3

Are there many problems with the disco3 like the problems the disco2 has? Are there any problems with the terrain response? I am looking at getting one and want to know what I'm up against. Unlike my disco2. I didn't know what I was getting myself into.

Thanks for any comments.

Rambo

You may be better looking here: DISCO3.CO.UK - Index

Doesn't seem to be many Disco3 owners on this forum yet...

I'm also not convinced (in my experience) that the Disco 2 has any more problems than anything else (despite what jdpower say!). My 146000 miles with a disco2 has been a great experience. A mate who bought a subaru forester the same time (2002) as I bought my disco2 had no end of trouble, including 3 gearboxes before he sold it (and lost a mint in depreciation)...

Thanks for the help Martink.

Are you looking at buying new or secondhand?

There are 2 common faults that I regularly go out to disco 3's for. They are EGR valve blocking up and causing the vehicle to go into limp mode (especially if you do lots of heavy towing), and suspension pressure release valve gunking up. The replacement valve only costs £1.60 but is a pain in the arse to fit on the disco3 but easy on a L322 rangerover. If this fails the suspension will keep getting higher as it can't release the excess air. Then you get stuck in limp mode cos it becomes unstable when stuck at max height.

ere ratty - cud these faults be cured with an oil trap tank?

The Mad Hat Man said:

ere ratty - cud these faults be cured with an oil trap tank?

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EGR valve. YES

Suspension air valve. Possibly

There is a company near me that hires 'event' toilets. Not your small portaloos but the big boxy multi stall jobbies. Whe full they weigh about 2.5-3 ton. Well within the disco 3's 'alleged' capabilities. The engines keep going into limp mode while towing them. I called my mate in who works for landrover assistance to investigate. There is NO fault with their landy when it's not towing. There is no fault with the landy when towing an ifor williams flatbed loaded to weigh 3.5tons. The problem only occurs when towing bulky trailers. My mate then hitched one of their toilet blocks (empty) onto his disco3. He tows brokendown landys all the time. His disco3 also went into limp mode. We are thinking that it is the drag created by the trailer rather than the weight that is causing the fault.
It is well within the design and use specification but is unable to perform the task.

It seems that the drag and low speed causes the EGR valve to clog. As soon as the trailer is unhitched and the engine revved it bloes the blockage out. An oil trap to retain the offending particles will almost certainly help.

The ride height pressure release valve is a small cone shaped device for letting excess air pressre out. The new improved design has a small hole drilled in it to let contaminents out. The older one without the hole would just block up with dust and ****e.

Again an oil trap may work. For now the hole in the cone seems to do the trick and would be a much cheaper fix.

Rambo4 said:

Are there many problems with the disco3 like the problems the disco2 has? Are there any problems with the terrain response? I am looking at getting one and want to know what I'm up against. Unlike my disco2. I didn't know what I was getting myself into.

Thanks for any comments.

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No, nothing in common between the two vehicles, so all the problems are different.

why would anyone want the discovery 3 its crap ! crap looking and full of gizmos to go wrong.

vivnap said:

why would anyone want the discovery 3 its crap ! crap looking and full of gizmos to go wrong.

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Disco 2 tyre life -
Rear - no-one wore them out yet, Front about 70,000 miles at least.

IMPROVED model ...

Disco 3 tyre life -
Rear, 20k miles if you are lucky and drive carefully; Front 12k miles usually.

There is a suspension geometry problem with Disco 3s

Disco 3s wipe out front tyres. They will "contribute" under warranty but only if you squeal at them, and shout about telling all the magazines ....

CharlesY

this limp home thing is always interesting, would a problem with air shocks send a td5 into limp home? how many other things would do this too?

disco dickie said:

this limp home thing is always interesting, would a problem with air shocks send a td5 into limp home? how many other things would do this too?

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Most things the vehicle ECU decides will harm you or the vehicle. If it doesn't get the signal it expects it goes into limp mode to help prevent further damage.

disco 3 best 7 seater I have ever owned had td5 usual water leaks etc., final straw was lay shaft going south . when towing bulky heavy loads keeping the engine at 2000 rpm and above avoids any limp home mode problems , better all round would not hesitate buying another 3 and I do lots of off road driving , MY OPINION

Disco 3 has been a very expensive experience for me. I have had more repair bills in the past 6 months than I had in the previous 15 years and my disco 3 was a good clean vehicle with a full service history it had only 71,000 miles on it. A rear diff cost me £1500 the specialist said the guarantee would cover it but they wouldn't! I had to fit egr valves, an air pump and alternator, new front wheel bearings at over £400 and MOT preparation cost over £1000... the list goes on. Be warned - these are not cheap to maintain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!