You can even install a heated windscreen in the D1. They were an ROW option.

 

I have the heated windscreen on my DII and I love it. Absolutely no need to worry about any ice on the windscreen. Just press the button and it all goes away fairly quick. And I don't have to divert the air up to the windscreen for defrost mode.

 

Great post, and good quotes that I haven't seen before!

The only correction I would make is that while the OP stated "most 7 passenger DIIs were fitted with SLS air suspension" I believe that in fact ALL of the DIIs with provisions for 7 passengers were fitted with air suspension.

I haven't done extensive research or run the numbers, but I think with the location of the 3rd row seats behind the rear axle, the only way the DII can retain its' towing and payload ratings WITH two passengers in the back is if the vehicle has SLS air suspension, since the added weight behind the axle combined with the tongue weight of a trailer (keeping in mind the added length of the DII behind the axle, ie. more leverage on hitch receiver) would almost certainly require air suspension to prevent dramatic suspension sag in the rear.

The second thing is just a suggestion, but if this is to remain a sticky someone should also add the complex bypass cooling system to the "drawbacks" section for the DII - not that it's a total drawback, but it is certainly an added complication and notable difference between the DII and previous models. It's actually the first Land Rover to feature the system and one of the only makes to ever use such a design. As many of us know, while the system offers nearly immediate cabin heat after initial engine start (MUCH faster than my '06 range rover lol!) - the system's design causes limited coolant flow at idle, along with a reduced ability detect temperature rises at idle when the system is "bypassed" - if one of the 4 cooling holes in the thermostat housing is blocked, the thermostat will open even later, resulting in idle temperatures that are usually 10-15 degrees above ideal operating temperatures.

This "failure" and reduced efficiency state is most easily noticeable when the auxiliary fan activates while the vehicle is parked, or while driving slowly at low-rpm (ie. parking lot). This is even true in the middle of winter with extremely low temperatures, the aux fan still turns on! This should NEVER happen as the clutch fan is supposed to provide enough cooling even while towing in extreme summer heat - let alone idling in a parking lot in the middle of winter. Once the bypass spring engages, the tstat relies on "sensing holes" to open the tstat once the coolant gets too hot. If these holes are blocked, the tstat always opens less than it should - resulting in a constant temp increase. The coolant temp sensor detects the rise and triggers the aux fan.

The system also nearly-doubles the number of coolant hoses required and is incredibly complex. Needless to say, no subsequent Land Rover vehicle (or.. honestly, any vehicle that I know of) has ever used this coolant bypass system.

 

Nope Self-levelling air springs were fitted to some models and European type-approval for seven-seat vehicles was only given for air-sprung cars. USA did not require 7 seat vehicles to be air-sprung. So this does stand correct.


I will agree as most would that the cooling system is complex. When the cooling system is maintained as it should be the holes in the t-stat will not be clogged. And the cooling system should not be bypassed as it uses the entire system to cool properly.

 

Okay I think you got me on the SLS thing however I believe you shot yourself in the foot as I think even EU markets offered coil spring specs for the 7 passenger models (I just dug a little deeper into spring rates and found specs on different springs for the 7 pax models lol).

I swore there was something in my manual that mentioned SLS as a fitted on all 7 passenger models! Actually I think it was a 1999 thing when the DII was first introduced, SLS WAS in fact standard on all 7 pax models.

Rear axle load was increased by nearly 500lbs on SLS-equipped vehicles however this stat is listed for speeds 60mph and under so official rear axle loads (and GVWR) for SLS are only 200lbs greater than coil-spring cars. Interesting info that might justify addition. The SLS system also allowed key-fob-activated raising and lowering of the air suspension for hitching trailers - another cool feature for a 14-year-old vehicle.

As far as the cooling system goes, I meant "bypassed" as in the addition of a spring that forces coolant to bypass the entire thermostat and radiator section of the cooling system and only flow through the radiator. 10% coolant flow remains through radiator and thermostat so the system knows when to open the thermostat once engine temp rises. The system also opens bypass spring if the engine RPM (water pressure) increases past a certain level to reduce pressure on the heater core.

There are many drawbacks to the system including a rise in coolant temperatures as high as 50 degrees as noted by the RAVE manual, in certain cold climate conditions due to the 10% return coolant being so cold once is passes over the thermostat that it shuts further, increasing temps. Once RPM increases and bypass opens, temps go to normal.

So no, it's not a matter of keeping the system properly maintained - it had drawbacks and problems even when working perfectly - perhaps even adding to the head gasket failure issues. Why else would land rover eliminate the system on all future models after trying it only once on the DII?

 

Lr2001 just read this, great writeup and very informative.

 

Where is the slide show? Does not show up.

 

I disagree that ALL the 2003 engines were replaced in less than 10000 miles. You can just look at the engine numbers to see there are many "03 models that are "in the zone" and on the original motor.
I recall that 10000 mile claim was made by someone on here, who had no evidence to back it up. Engine numbers are proof however, so the claim that "all were replaced" should perhaps instead read ambiguously as "many were replaced" ?



"The upside is every ’03 motor affected by this flaw suffered the oil pump problem within the first 10,000 miles So every engine was replaced already." INCORRECT - MANY 2003 HAVE FAILED GEROTORS, THAT BY PURE DAMN LUCK BROKE THE OUTER RING AND LEFT IT IN A STATE THAT ALLOWED IT TO CONTINUE BUILDING AND MAINTAINING PRESSURE FOR MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILES, OFTEN UNCHECKED UNTIL DISASEMBLY, OFTEN FOR AN UN-RELATED ISSUE.


"According to one Land Rover service manager, “There was nothing wrong with the motors at all, it was only the timing cover" PROOF THAT SERVICE MANAGERS ARE NOT GOD, NOR REAL ENGINEERS. THE MACHINING OF THE DOWELS IN THE BLOCK IS WHAT WAS/IS AT FAULT. THIS CAN BE SEEN IN THE MACHINIG OF THE COUNTERSINK AROUND THE DOWELS, AND THAT ALL THE BOLTS (HOLDING COVER TO BLOCK) BIAS TO ONE SIDE.


"When Rover ran out of motors, they told us to just put timing covers on the motors if the motor was turned off as soon as the pump failed. Land Rover never called for the old motors back, so alot of the motors that we removed were repaired with a new timing cover and directly put into technicians’ own cars. So if you find a 1999-02 Discovery with a 4.6 in it, chances are it’s an ‘03 motor that blew up with a new timing cover installed.” WONDER HOW MANY ENGINES ARRIVED AT DEALERS WITHOUT ALREADY BEING SEIZED?




And I have a 2003 SE7 that does not, nor has any evidence of SLS ever being fitted. As I understand, all HSE7 had SLS, but it was an option on the SE7 (at least for 2003MY).

 

I think he meant " all motors that had this problem were replaced."

 

My 2001 disci2 has a light on dash board that starts flashing when I drive through mud or sensing slipping. Does that mean it has a diff lick in place? Is there a way to add a manual switch fit it?