Thanks for the clarification - that engine compartment located joint is not so easy to see, let alone lubricated or replace.

 

Ok so I have the same problem with notchy steering. I flushed the steering fluid and lubricated everything I could. I also got above the brake panel to spray the U joint in the steering column. When doing this I pulled the panel off and found a rocker switch. The wires were kinda tight on this switch and caused a spark that blew a fuse under the hood when removing the panel. After that my dashboard lit up with 3 warning lights including ABS and a system fault special programs off notification, the truck also lowered. The lowering is no good as I have larger tires on the truck so they rub when turning and backing up. I looked up the switch and it is what I would imagine to be the 35P suspension fuse ECU shutoff switch to keep the truck at high or low levels. I also looked up the warning lights that ended up telling me to change the brake light switch which I did. I bought a new rocker switch for this but I cannot seem to get the lights to go off and now the truck has lowered. There are 2 smaller gauge red and black wires going to a 3 prong rocker switch. I can get it setup so the light in the switch turns on and off but I cant seem to fix the problem. I also blew a 30 amp square fuse under the hood when trying to put the wires in different spots on the switch.

NEED HELP!!!!!

2006 LR3 SE

 

Also where is that other joint to lubricate?

 

Am I understanding you correctly in that there is a rocker switch in the driver's side knee panel that somebody installed?

You say the switch has three terminals and is illuminated, but only has two wires? That doesn't make any sense unless the illumination function was not being used. Basically, two of the terminals should be for the EAS system if that is what it is hooked up to. When the switch is in one position, it allows for continuity and the EAS system will function normally. When it is in the other, it breaks the continuity and shuts off the system. The third terminal would provide a ground for the illumination function. I believe (and please don't quote me on this) that usually the ground terminal will be a different color than the other two terminals. Also, I think the two terminals that are being switched are normally next to each other.

If the switch was hooked up properly with only two wires, they should be the same color (at least this would be the standard convention). If you're sure that there were only two wires (and a third isn't hiding somewhere), then one must be the +12v source and the other leading to the EAS system (i.e. you don't have a ground for illumination... so if you're getting a light, you have it wired up wrong).

 

From what you say, I gather you are at least the second owner and someone previous to you has installed a rocker switch that connects to unknown circuits - not fun.

The odds are you will have to trace the individual conductors back to wherever they came from to actually resolve the problem.

The good news is that I would anticipate that no serious damage has been done. I think the real problem you have however has to do with tyre size. I know many do it, but having a tyre size such that the rubber jams up in the wheel wells just because the vehicle dropped to the stops can be a real show stopper on the trail - but that is not the immediate problem at hand.

The attached link below is a number of files related to the air system - wiring pdf's etc, so probably now is the time to learn.

I suspect some of those conductors pass thru the firewall to the engine compartment thru a hole provided for the clutch pedal linkage in standard transmission vehicle. The conductor or conductors exits in the engine compartment near the brake booster - near impossible to see, but if you take that left hand side "battery" cover off, and look downwards on the fender side of the brake booster, there may be some wires obviously not of LR origin.

I expect the conductors lead to the fuse box by the battery on the right side. There is a small 20 amp fuse there labeled F26. It is probably blown.

You might be best to first review the wiring diagrams and find F26E and F35P. You will find that F26E is sort of the master fuse and F35P feeds off of F26E. As such, I expect replacing F26E is part of the solution.

I say part as if the current that flows thru F26E has to go thru that switch, then you have to either get that switch out of the circuit or get the circuit back in operation. Since you said there seemed to be no slack in the conductors, it is possible the conductors are shorting somewhere in the circuit - perhaps where the conductors go thru the firewall for starters.

That might be why the big square fusible link went as well; also it shows on the wiring diagrams as well.

Let us know what you find; also a guy in Australia makes a plug and play kit that controls the air suspension in a bit better fashion - more about that later after you get rolling again.

DISCO3.CO.UK Photo Gallery - LR3 Air Suspension fuse 35P ECU Manual Shut Off Switch

Below relates to the brake light switch, but that is not the problem this time but will be so it is good that you replaced it.
DISCO3.CO.UK Photo Gallery - Brake Light Switch Replacement

 

Ok there are 4 wires total going to this rocker switch with 3 prongs. 2 red and 2 black. I can get the switch to work fine by putting both blacks together on the negative. The larger red on the positive and smaller red on the middle switch location.

The tires don't rub unless backing up and turning. I used the Johnson rods to lift the trick and make the tires work but that has never been a problem until this happened. So tires are fine and are on new rims so I can switch back to factory whenever.
I'll have a look for this other fuse beside the battery. The wires were tight to the switch but not tight enough to rub everywhere else.

Thanks for the quick responses.

Matt

 

I was looking at the engine fuse box label and also noted 5 amp F3 as well as being part of the air suspension system - it shows on the wiring diagrams but I had forgotten about it as it plays very little into the problems you have but when blown, it probably matters.

The two jpg's are of the fuse box located near the battery.

I do think you will have to follow those four conductors to see where they go unless you get lucky and discover the others ends of them.

When I did my F35P mod, I used those Littelfuse Add a Circuit fuse adapters so that I was not cutting actual LR factory wire but with yours, I am not so confident you will find anything other than fired fuses in the fuse boxes.

If you see nothing in the fuse boxes, (both the engine and the lower passenger glove box units), other than hopefully blown fuses, then somewhere the circuit conductors have been cut and the switch conductors spliced in.

I say hopefully a blown fuse or fusible link as then at least you know what circuit to be looking at.

Re the tyres, do not get too bothered - it is just I have a thing re non factory sized tyres on any vehicle, be it a bicycle or an airplane.

 

I was just thinking about the advantages of freezing the air suspension system movement using either F26E or F35P.

Initially I wired for F35P because I did not understand F26E. For that I must credit an owner in Australia for bringing it to my attention.

F35P functions when the engine is running; F26E, both when the engine is running and when it is off as well. This can matter if the problem is keeping air in the system so you can get home. The auto level circuits remain alive 7/24/365 sort of, and F26E powers the auto circuits at night.

Hence to truly kill the system, you remove F26E.

The F35P fuse primarily has the advantage that no wiring has to pass thru the firewall for a switch mounted inside. As long as the engine is running, you can inhibit movements of the air system or not from a local switch and the wiring required is relatively easy to install.

What I will say is that if your switch goes to both circuits, that is a bit of over kill. There should be two switches so that one can be operated independent of the other or just one circuit, depending upon what you wish to achieve, should be switched.

Also I would not regard one side of the switch as hot and the other side as ground re insertion into either F35 or F26 as both sides are hot.

The fact that the switch illuminates begs me to ask where the power is coming from? It is either from the battery side of F35 or F26 or somewhere else. These unknowns are a concern particularly when the computer parts of the air system runs on 5VDC rather than battery voltage.

This is a link to the Littelfuse Add a Circuit device I use for this sort of mod.

http://www.littelfuse.com/~/media/fi...fhm02fha02.pdf

 

I took the truck to my mechanic. Steering column was replaced. They checked brake light switch and its not the problem. This little toggle switch seems to be causing the problem but they cant find where or why. Im still getting special programs not available vehicle lowering. 3 lights still showing in the dash and then suspension light now showing up after driving. The truck still raises when started but releases and lowers after driving.