POSTED BY: ROBERT PIGGOTT - MELBOURNE - VIC, AUS  21 MAY 2008   PROVIDE FEEDBACK

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Same problem Julio, Southside Landrover Brisbane said they had only seen one or two with this problem & $2000 to fix. Who’s going to pay that only to find out it’s still the same after you get up the road. It seems you would be lucky to find a Disco 2 without this problem.

Clive
POSTED BY: CLIVE - ROCKHAMPTON, QLD, AUS 20/5/2008

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"LANDROVER DISCOVERY SER II 2003: RE: ABS MODULATOR FAILURE (ARE YOUR ABS/TC/HDC LIGHTS ON? - I believe that Landrover are not behaving as good corporate citizens by refusing to recall all Landrovers with the "three amigo" problems. Here is a letter to the Governments Consumer Safety Unit that deals with vehicle recalls. I am hoping that if we all lobby the Government, Landrover will be forced to reconsider its position and issue a recall. Please consider writing to them to register your complaints as well.

(A copy of my letter)
Landrover Discovery Series I and II braking system fault

I purchased a new LRD Series II, on 3 April 2003, VIN Number. Present kilometers are 68,000K.

Three months after taking delivery of the vehicle three warning lights activated in unison; they were – TC (Traction Control), ABS and Hill Descent. The vehicle manual describes the problem as a serious brake malfunction requiring immediate action by a Landrover Technician. I returned the vehicle and the warning lights were reset. The vehicle has been driven under normal Australian Road conditions; no heavy 4WDing has been done. Two years after the purchase date the same three warning lights activated. I returned the vehicle to a Landrover Dealer and the warning lights were reset.

In about February 2008 the warning lights went on again. I became interested in the problem because it had been occurring too regularly to my vehicle and I wondered if anyone else had experienced similar problems. I conducted some internet research and was astonished and shocked to find so many identical complaints. Attached is the link to the relevant website -http://www.motorsm.com/complaints/LANDROVER/default.asp.

I contacted Landrover Head Office in Melbourne on 31 March 2008 about the problem with the car. I was asked to provide a copy of the vehicle service history, VIN Number and current Odometer reading. I was contacted by a Customer Service Officer on 1 April 2008 and advised that because the vehicle had been serviced by a repairer other than a Landrover Dealer they would not be prepared to repair/replace the faulty part. The services that were carried out were done by qualified licensed vehicle repairers. The first one being the 4WD Centre at Taren Point, Sydney and the second time by Roving Mechanical Services at Padstow in Sydney. I believe that the action taken by Landrover Australia to force customers to only engage a Landrover Dealer to carry out vehicle services is counter competitive and a clear monopoly in breach of the Trade Practices Act.

Clearly there is a real problem with the computerised braking technology in Landrover vehicles. There are just too many complaints for it to be anything other than a design fault in the system. The seriousness of the fault is too significant for it to be simply "wear and tear" as Landrover maintains. I understand the part at fault is called a Brake Modulator and its value is around $4,000.00. I believe that the cost of this problem should be sheeted home to its real source – Landrover. Many Landrover owners will be forced to simply ignore the warning lights and continue driving their clearly faulty vehicles. Eventually, someone will be either seriously injured or killed as a result.

It appears that Landrover have made a business decision that the cost of recalling all vehicles with this fault, (and their would be thousands world-wide) is cheaper than dealing with any litigation that might arise as a result of a serious injury or death.

I look forward to receiving your response and advice on what can be done to force a Corporate Giant like Landrover Australia to be a good ethical corporate citizen and rectify this significant safety issue affecting their product.

Yours faithfully

Julio Rego"
POSTED BY: JULIO - HOLSWORTHY, NSW, AUS 2 APR 2008

========== ORIGINAL POSTING ==========
"LANDROVER DISCOVERY 2 1999: ABS MODULATOR FAILURE (ARE YOUR ABS/TC/HDC LIGHTS ON?) - Landrover Discovery 2 owners,

Recently I have joined you in the ABS modulator issue. I was slowing for a light when the 3 little lights (ABS/TC/HDC) appeared on the dash. Once stopped, I re-started the engine and the lights were no longer there. Approximately a week later they re-appeared.

I took the car to a LR service centre and was advised to replace the modulator. ($3000 to $4000) NB: They did however say that although this seems to be a Very common problem in this model, it was not one that would stop me from driving the car. They said the brakes are still usable however the ABS will not work and the brakes may not feel right.

After researching this issue throughout the internet, it has come to my attention that thousands of LR owners are faced with this exact issue. NB: LR service centres will try to say that there could be an array of issues causing the lights to appear on the dash. Although this may be true, all the issues suggested relate back to a faulty ABS modulator. It is a simple fact that the ABS modulators in Landrover’s are faulty.

Please email me if you are having the same issue. I believe Landrover should be helping us (repairing faulty modulators) and would like to take this to consumer affairs with a large group of LRD2 owners to show how big an issue this is.

Personally I don't feel safe in a car that is showing ABS warning lights. (NB: In the owner’s manual, the response to this warning light is to stop the car immediately and call your service centre - that's all well and good, but will they help!)

Hope to hear from you! Alister "
POSTED BY: ALISTER WRIGHT - MELBOURNE, VIC - AUS 11 AUG 2007

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I have a 1999 Landrover Discovery, at approx. 60,000 km my 3 lights started coming on and Landrover would not fix the problem either. Just gave me the same story. Rover Parts in Victoria told me a new shuttle valve switch would fix the problem. They took my money; the new switch didn’t make any difference. When I rang them back the girl said they would ring me back, never did. I wish I never bought the car. I have done only 110,000km and repaired both auto lines the radiator, water pump, injector harnness, fuel pressure regulator, one original air suspension bag and 20,000km later another new bag.

I hope you have better luck.
POSTED BY: MARK DALLINGER - COOLANGATTA, QLD 13/8/2007

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I own a 2002 Discovery and to my dismay I have discovered the three amigos problem as well TC ABS and down hill lights. I took car to dealer and was told ABS module was bad. After researching on computer we are totally being taken advantage of by Landrover. This is so common that a recall is definitely in order. This can happen at any time during the life of our cars. I saw where it happened during our normal 4 year warranty during 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

When it happens during warranty nobody cares so we will have to fight harder for any satisfaction .They should be ashamed that we have to spend a lot of money to put our families into a car which has a braking system with a high rate of failure. Thanks Shaun
POSTED BY: SHAUN FULLER - YONKERS, NY USA 17/8/2007

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I've had the "3 amigos" problem on my 2003 LR Discovery II with 45,000 miles for about 2 months now. Took it to the dealer last week and they suggested a new ABS modulator for 3200. This included 500 for a new switch of some sort for the right front wheel.

They showed me the diagnosis which pointed to some shuttle valves in the ABS switch. I've done some research and in 2006 LR provided a shuttle valve repair kit SWO500030. I'm still trying to find out if this was to address the ABS modulator problem.

I have to believe that the problem is NOT life threatening if LR hasn't issued a recall. I also have to believe that if someone has an accident and the modulator is shown to be the culprit there will be a rapid recall.

Research on the internet shows a lot of people like us in the same circumstances with lack of a concise resolution to the problem. I'll be happy to help in any way I can. I'm still looking for a resolution and my try a few inexpensive things on my own 1st. Keep you posted. Mark
POSTED BY: MARK FERDINAND - FORT MYERS, FLORIDA USA 22/8/2007

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I had this problem for quite some time; the cause on my Disco was that the brake pads were changed without changing the disks.

The disks are designed to be changed when the pads are changed, they are not expensive. If you do not change the disks the pads ride up on the ridges on the disks for a long time and confuses the braking system, this may get better as the pads wear in to match the disks but it will generally still happen intermittently.

Change your disks and pads and I am sure you will see the end of it.
POSTED BY: JOHN JACKMAN - PERTH, WA 23/8/2007

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I had these lights come on. It was caused by a blown stop light fuse (blown by a dodgy hire trailer). New fuse fixed it.
POSTED BY: ANDREW - MELBOURNE, VIC 31/8/2007

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Alistair, I have the same problem with my 1999 Series II TD5. It is however very intermittent. The suggestion by one person on the discussion site that it is associated with new brake pads is not so in my case, as it was many months between fitting of new pads and the problem appearing.

Regards,
POSTED BY: NICK - BRISBANE, QLD 15/9/2007

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I too have a 2001 Disco II. I have owned it for 2 years "The Three Amigos" have been an intermittent problem until recently. Now they stay on errantly.

I would gladly join this cause to bring this problem back to where it came from ... Land Rover. I agree after reading dozens of similarly frustrated LR owners complaints its time Land Rover took care of our problems because they are from Their faulty braking system.
POSTED BY: GLEN WOODS - ALTA LOMA, CA, USA 7/10/2007

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I too have had the ABS failure problem with my Landrover Discovery II. I have been told by the dealer that the only solution is to replace the shuttle valve unit at a cost of nearly $4000. The problem seems to be intermittent and unpredictable. I recently towed a caravan with the car and in 300 Kms the problem did not occur, yet it occurred immediately the car was driven without the van.

I am reluctant to spend the money to repair the fault as I suspect that it may be caused by a sensor rather than the modulator. The experience of the writer who found the problem still there after replacing the unit deepens my suspicion.

I agree that a scan of the internet confirms that this is a world wide problem which Landrover has been **** in the hope that we will all pay up and shut up. I obviously made a mistake in ignoring the long standing complaints about the build quality of Landrover. I am very disappointed that the company refuses to acknowledge that they sold **** vehicles.

I was initially very pleased with my car but I now understand why all my associates said I was crazy not to buy a Toyota.
POSTED BY: ROBERT ADAMS - SYDNEY, NSW 17/10/2007

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I have the same problem with my '98 Freelander.
The first time the lights came on was a couple of years ago. Land Rover fixed the problem when it was being serviced and it was fine for a while. However a few months ago the HDC/ABS/TC lights came back on and, with the exception of a 2 or 3 week reprieve after a recent service, the lights appear to be back for good.

I'd love to know if there is an inexpensive way to fix the problem.
POSTED BY: JOHN ILINCIC - SYDNEY, NSW 24/11/2007

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Can’t agree more! I have a Freelander 1.8 petrol and have had 4 warning lights on for 3 years. I took the problem to the garage who sold it and they tried to hide the problem. On further checks I was told that it is the Engine Management System that was faulty. When I am driving it dies out on me and then kicks back in. I feel like dumping it in a wrecker’s yard. To fix the issue would cost a lot of money that I can’t afford?

I will advise anyone against buying Landrover, they are expensive nightmares. If any one can help or give pointers to where I can go it would be appreciated.
POSTED BY: BILLY PATERSON - SYDNEY, NSW, AUS 19/12/2007

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I too have had the three amigos problem after I bought my 1999 Landrover Discovery Series 2 second hand. I was also getting the run around about what is the cause of this "phenomenon". So I decided to look into it myself, gathered all the info I could, both technical and on various forums and armed with some instruments i.e. a multimeter etc, I proceeded to pull my car apart.

What I discovered with my particular circumstance was that it was indeed located around the brakes. In particular the brake sensors. The front right sensor was faulty (intermittently, of course just to make it harder to fault find). Being in Australia and right hand drive, I do not know if this has any significance. All the other sensors checked out fine, also the ABS Modulator could not be faulted!

When I went to get a new sensor I was told that it was one of the parts that had been updated (Ah Ha, another piece of the puzzle) to now not have a connected join in it but have a long enough lead to go all the way to the computer thus eliminating a potential problem source.

There are a multitude of causes for these three lights to come on and Landrover should have a list of them all, but I could not get one out of them.

Hope my experience has helped someone out there.

One more thing, these three lights have not appeared again since replacing the sensor which was about 18 months ago and I have been all over the place with my Landie.

Every problem has a solution and a cause!
POSTED BY: MZ - BRISBANE, QLD, AUS 27/2/2008

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I too have the same problem with the three amigo's coming on. It started intermittently but now they’re on all the time. There are way too many instances and complaints for Land Rover to ignore. They have to issue a recall notice for this problem. It’s only a matter of time before there is a real failure and someone is either seriously injured or killed.
POSTED BY: JULIO - HOLSWORTHY, NSW, AUS 27/3/2008

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I made a complaint direct to Landrover Australia about the warning lights. They asked for my vehicles service history which I provided. They have just told me that because on two occasions my car was serviced by a Non authorised Landrover representative (I had it serviced by The 4wd Service Centre on advice from ARB on one occasion and by Roving Mechanical Services who specialise in Landrover on another), they had made the decision not to provide any financial assistance to repair the fault.

I was very upset to be told this, why should Landrover have a monopoly over where the car is serviced. I thought it was against the Trade Practices Act to engage in a monopoly. I reiterated that an extremely large number of their customers had the exact same problems and they had only to look online and see it for themselves.

I was told that whilst that may be the case Landrover had deemed the problem not to be a design fault but wear and tear. What a load of rubbish. I'll never deal with Landrover again now and just want to get rid of the car before something else happens.

What a disgrace Landrover!
POSTED BY: JULIO - HOLSWORTHY, NSW, AUS 1/4/2008

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I have a 1999 Land Rover Discovery II with 126,000 miles and I also have the 3 amigos on my dash. The first came on intermittently and then they stayed on. I took it into land rover several times over the course of the last few years. First they told me it was my right front speed sensor. I replaced that and that cleared the issue up for a while then the lights came on again. Then I got the $100 dollar shuttle valve fix that once again cleared things up for a little while. The third time I took it in land rover told me I needed a new shuttle valve assembly with is $700 for the part alone. I just don’t know what to believe anymore. Some body mentioned the break pads riding up on the disk. I did do a brake job with out new rotors so maybe that’s the problem. Should I replace the brakes or should I replace the shuttle valve?

I’m currently trying to sell this LR but these lights are making it next to impossible to sell!
POSTED BY: LAYNE ROSS - LEXINGTON, SC USA 19/5/2008