Two weeks ago this Monday my 97 discovery couldn't start due to having no electricity. Took it to Sears and they replaced me a brand new battery.

Two weeks later today again couldn't start. This time Sears replaced yet another new battery and told me they detected an electric drain. Both times they said no alternator prob.

Thus I have to take it to a dealer else where. Places I called are very vague on how they will go about it, making it sound like if the first $100 labor fee doesn't detect the source, I will have to pay additional $100s for the 'more advanced' checks. Any tips? Else where I post I am made sorry for considering LandRover.

I basically drive 15 miles a day except weekends. Both times probably the weekend two days all the electricity leaked.

Don't see any idiot light except the 'service engine', which is emission related I think.

I am concerned if this is a difficult problem the previous owner just gave up on.

Thanks

 

Go somewhere besides Sears, the greatest idiots in the world.
Try a local auto parts store they will do a load test on both the battery and alternator. Get the voltage taht the alternator is putting out and get back to us.
Mike

 

Which Sears did you take it to, Rivertown or Woodland?
Take it to AutoZone and have them do a charging system test. They will do this for free.
Sounds to me like your alternator is bad. If it does not charge the battery then when the truck sits with it being so cold the battery will go dead.

 

Hi. I went to the Woodland location.

Weekdays, I have no problem starting and driving to and from work; head lights, wipers, and etc. work as usual, snow or rain. If the alternator is the problem, wouldn't these electric systems fail while I am driving?

It seems it would not start if and only if sitting in the garage for two days over the weekend. My other car sitting in the same garage, which I hardly drive in the winter, was able to start and help jump charge the Discovery.

Thus it seems consistent with Sears' report, that there is an electric drainage somewhere. If not driving for a few days, the battery's juice is slowly depleted.

Right now I am more looking for a reliable mechanic who can diagnoss this leakage problem Of course, I would ask them to test if Sear's twice reported 'alternator no problem' is indeed true.

If there are good local mechanics you can recommend plmk. I assume AutoZone just like Sears doesn't do this? Thanks

 

Ok, with this added info I would agree with you that there is a drain on the battery somewhere.
One of your interior lights is not stuck on is it? Did one of your kids turn on the interior light in the back seat?
How about your CD changer? Some times when they go bad they will cycle through the disc's trying to load them and run the battery down.
Still have the charging system checked at AutoZone and see what they say.
I cannot recommend a good shop here in GR as I do 90% of my own work.
There is a Euro shop right off of Lenoard and US 131. I do not know the name of it but if you drive north from I-196 and look to the east just before the exit you will see it.
But if you go to www.cartalk.com and click the "mechanix files" link, enter your zip and recommended shops will come up.

 

I found something perhaps relevant.

There is a clear plastic ring around the ignition key hole. After turning off the vehicle, the top part of this ring start to flash red as soon as all doors are shut AND the interior lights have dimmed and turned off.

The flashing does not stop, whether the doors are locked or unlocked.

It is very dim and hard to see since it is obstructed by the steering wheel. It stops flashing when any door is opened.

Moreover, a very light clicking sound (just like turn signals) becomes lightly audible with the flashing and is synchronized to it. I would say the flashing/clicking sound happens about twice per second in a consistent beat.

I have not noticed either until now probably because they do not start until the interior lights have dimmed and turned off. By that time I am already outside the vehicle.

I cannot yet find anything on the manual, especially on page 61 where the different key positions are explained. Wonder if this is a warning about any system still active.


Other than that, if I take out the radio, a red light behind it flash consistently. Perhaps that is normal?

 

The red light on the radio is the security light, normal.
The light around the ignition is not supposed to flash like that, it is supposed to go out.
Mine was removed before I bought my truck, I never knew that the ignition was supposed to be lit! My 2001 Montero had a lit ignition, but not my Land Rover...I learned something new.
HA!!
I would dare say that is your problem, I do not know how you would go about removing that, but I bet that will fix it.
It does not take much power but over a couple of days in cold temps...
Let us know how you make out.
Oh yeah, Swansons Auto Service at Wilson and 56th ST in Wyoming is a good shop.
Just north of M-6 and Wilson on the east side of the road.

 

OK, I must retract my statement, this morning when I started my truck to let her warm up before work I noticed that I do have a lit ignition switch.
Things I never knew.

 

Time to spend a little more time getting to know your truck Spike.

I have never heard of the ignition light ring flashing like that, especially red. I always thought they were strictly one color. I'll check the RAVE manual and get back to you if I find anything helpful.

 

Thank you all for looking into it!

Does the entire ring light up for you? Mine only does for the vertical tip of the ring. The light source seems obfuscated behind the ring so I do not know if the entire ring can be lit up.

The intensity of the light is also dim, for example, compared to the alarm light in between the speedometer and the trachometer. In terms of electric usage, the alarm light also flashes indefinitely I think, and probably would not drain the battery completely over a weekend?

Nonetheless, just to confirm, if I disconnect the battery both the flashing and the accompanied somewhat faint clicking sound stop.

Another thing I found is the back window isolation lock switch (the center, different colored switch surrounded by the four front and back windows switches) is permanently down and seems stuck. Then again, even so, the manual says this switch and its group would no longer operate 45 seconds after engine shut off. Hence this switch perhaps is not a cause to drain electricity.