1st time LR owner and my list of problems and solutions

Hi everybody!

I've owned my 2006 LR3 HSE 4.4 Bonatti Grey for just over a year now.
It's been the greatest vehicle I've ever owned that has been a pain in my butt since day 1.
I'm addicted to its awesomeness, yet it stresses me out on a daily, weekly, monthly basis.

I'd like to explain I've never been a car/car repair guy before. The LR3 has slightly changed that. I'm no expert or maybe even novice.

I love driving my tank with its rigid steering (no traffic cone test please) and premium gas guzzling all time 4X4.
Somehow it's always been my dream to drive a 7500lb box shaped computer everywhere and anywhere I please...and I didn't even know it!

I've had awesome off road experiences with my LR3. I've had some not so awesome on road experiences.
My LR3 came with coil suspension replacement by the previous owner. It's raised to 9.5" clearance.
My buddy expressed himself in mud rut setting, low gear, uphill struggle while sitting in the passenger experience as: "it's like being on a roller coaster track uphill...click...click...click"

I got lucky on the purchase of my LR. A Dr. was dumping it off cause he heard some banging noise and he was tired of bringing it to the dealership. He gave me a smoking deal to take it off his frustrated hands. I bought my 2006 in 2017 with only 136000km. Since then I've been counting on forums and youtube to save me $.
Banging noise ended up being a stripped spare tire winch, leaving the spare hanging a few inches low.
#1 First LR purchase - Spare tire winch. I believe it was $80ish CAD

Shortly after purchase (expecting some issues and $ to put in) I had my first major issue which was the wheel hub. Should have listened to my buddy (if one goes, most likely both are due) Long story short (after a few off road adventures)
#2 LR purchase - Both front wheel hubs $600ish CAD

So...it seems the LR3 wasn't meant to be driven fast. Since owning my LR3 I don't feel the need to drive fast really...just something about cruising in that tank with the 12 speakers bumping my old school classic rock. I rarely get road rage anymore either...no one tries to cut off a tank!
Problem #1 when driving fast:
I was doing about 120km down the highway and my EPB (electronic parking brake) engaged all by itself! Immediate pull over as I felt the whole rear end shaking. Luckily I was at an exit ramp and able to (with help) push it down into (luckily again) my friend's driveway at bottom of off ramp. I had to leave it there over night while researching the web frantically.
Apparently the EPB is on the passenger side rear wheel, which the rotor was red hot and nearly smoking (I stopped right away which caused no damage)
I read some forums on this issue. After hours of research I found out about manually releasing the EPB. I removed covers next to gear shift, found the wire loop and tugged it with the hook tool provided in the Land Rover tool bag (located in rear passenger side in trunk area) and voila!
I haven't had an issue with this since and I make sure to activate/deactivate the EPB about once a month to try and keep it active.
Cost $0
Second issue I had while going 120km:
I had to pick my buddy up at the airport in Toronto (5hr drive) I wasn't in a rush to get there, but on the way back...
After a an hour or so on cruise control I let it off cc to hit our exit ramp...I lost all power to my gas pedal after releasing cruise control. I could stomp on pedal to the floor and I'd be going all but 5kmph! Got an error code right away (engine light) Limped her at 5k to the gas station at the exit. Had her towed rest of way home.
I put her on the OBDII and it read something with the throttle body. Youtube video revealed throttle body cleaning. I removed air intake hose, sprayed some cleaner in the throttle body and scrubbed with a old toothbrush. Good as new.
Cost $0

I took her in for an oil change. Mechanic reported a coolant leak. I couldn't see anything wrong. A few weeks later my temp gauge was running low. Upon inspection, I found a leak in the thermostat housing. Thermostat itself was all buggered too, seals were worn and cracked.
#3 LR purchase - Thermostat and housing. Approx $45 CAD

All this work under the hood and what's next? the hood won't close!? wtf!?
So my latch and bonnet are working...sometimes. Taking me 10-15 tries to get hood closed. Tried moving the bonnet by 1mm or 2. Frustrating.
After months...found that the coil spring on the driver side bonnet wasn't returning to position. Simple fix...push it back into position with a screwdriver.
I have an original hood latch sensor which I've read has been a bitch for other owners with the alarm triggering. I've had limited issues with this.
I plan on ordering a new latch with upgraded recall sensor and then switching my passenger side latch bonnet with my faulty drivers side and having upgraded hood latch sensor and working coil spring (latch bonnets are interchangeable)
Cost - $38 CAD - Yet to buy

My steering wheel was not returning to proper position through the power steering. Steering was noticeably even more rigid than regular LR steering!
More research led to the lower steering shaft which upon removal and replacement was not moving freely.
This was a big one I could not tackle through watching videos. I needed professional help.
#4 LR purchase - Lower steering shaft - $350 CAD + (luckily from a friend) $100 labour (and some beers)

I've had all the warnings I've seen posted in these forums:
Cruise control not available: Solved by having the wrong voltage tail light bulbs
HDC not available: usually a voltage issue. Battery low charge ( I now trickle charge battery once every few months)
Special programs not available: same issue as above
Reduced engine performance: Same issue as above...again

My newest issue is not starting...sigh
Stuttering to start. Taking 2-15 tries to start.
Of course I replaced battery without reading forums since it was free (battery under warranty) and had no effect to issue.
My thoughts on this issue initially were a parasitic drain. I tried hunting mode, manual lights, removing everything from ac ports, making sure radio, AC, and fridge were all off.
I have just read about possible water leak damage to ground wires to starter/alternator as an issue and will be kept busy with that over next few days. Amongst possible starter issues? even drain clogs from sunroof? oh my!

I'm a busy family man and I don't have time for this malarkey!
My family is an outdoorsy type family though and this vehicle is perfect for us. I've driven up sand dunes and across beaches. Uphill in sand and through mud ruts and across bush lands for deer extractions. I've also extracted hundreds of dollars of goods from Costco and materials from Home Depot. I've towed trailers and moved homes in my LR3!

It's the costs and time this vehicle that takes that makes it so rewarding?
I can't imagine my life without my LR3 now...but how do I stay sane in keeping it going?

With hopes of another and not giving up for another 300,000km.

Thanks for reading,
TML16

 

Update:

I solved the issue with the stutter starting or not starting at all. With all the help from the wonderful people on these forums of course.

I put her on the OBDII and the code came back cam shaft sensor. I eliminated this as an issue by throwing her in neutral and moving her a few inches at a time manually and trying to start her again. If it was the sensor, eventually I would have found the right spot...right?

I read a thread about my issue and found some great ideas about a bad ground strap.
I ran a ground wire from my negative battery terminal and self tap screwed it to the firewall.
She fired up immediately, every time. My dash screen is much brighter and the dash lights are even brighter now.
All ECU codes on dash disappeared and OBDII no longer reads anything about a cam shaft sensor.

Now that I have my temporary fix, I'm going to watch some videos and read some threads on accessing and cleaning the ground strap, or possible replacement.

What would be a day without a new Rover issue though?
It started raining pretty good today and I was traveling down the highway. I activated my rear windshield wiper and it gets stuck! right in the middle of the rear glass of course.
It's been dark since and I've yet to investigate it. Hopefully there's just something stuck in there and it's not the motor. I don't want to add #5 purchase to any lists soon.

And here I was celebrating my victory over another LR issue...

 

Enjoyed reading!

Good luck.....

 

Hi Everyone!
I'm back with an update to this thread. The continuation of a man vs. his LR3! (and the world)

I did some great adventuring with the LR3 this year. Hiking, Cottage, Camping, and off-road trips to remember for sure.
I feel like I could write my own Land Rover commercial this summer
I put nearly 20K on her this summer...and so as expected there has been a few purchases and maintenance on the way.

If you've read my previous posts you'll see I was having issues with my hood latch and bonnet.
LR purchase #5 - Hood latch with upgraded hood sensor
The LR3 is infamous for random alarm set offs. The hood latch sensor was upgraded from the original factory latch. I started having more common issues with the alarm going off. I would get home from work, grab my dog and by the time we got 200m down the street my alarm would set off and we would have to run back to shut it off. When it happened to me 5 days in a row I had enough and ordered the part of e-bay.
Cost - $33 CAD
I've had no issues since installation with the alarm. I did not fix my problem with the hood latch closing properly however. I did switch what I thought was a non-working latch (they are interchangeable from either side) which must be a cable issue, to be further explored.
In the meantime I still have to push the latch back manually on driver side to properly catch hood.

I received another "Cruise control not available" message on the dash.
I realised issues I've had before, checked my tail, brake, running lights and seen the rear passenger running light was out. Replaced bulb with factory recommended voltage bulb and code cleared again.
I'm assuming cruise control and rear bulbs are on the same relay which seems to cause confusion for LR3 owners.
Damn computers! Always check manual for proper voltage bulbs. Especially in rear!

Woke up one day to go to a meeting...She wouldn't start. I couldn't believe it....after all the work...
I tapped the starter with a hammer, slightly moved the starter connection wires and she fired up flawlessly for another week.
I didn't have any more issues, but was about to embark on a 100km round trip off-road adventure and played it safe.
LR3 purchase #6 - Starter motor
I went with a premium grade brand new (not rebuilt) starter. Needed some help with this project.
Cost - $200 CAD plus a case of beer for help from a buddy for installation.
I'll admit I spent a few hours of labour to help my buddy balance the cost of his assistance on this. Not an easy project. The one harness bolt is nearly impossible to reach without proper tools...need a pro.
I can hear the huge difference in the start up timing now. Went from vrrr---rrr--room (slow) to skidditit-bop (immediate)

I'm very happy with the way the LR3 reacted to the harsh environment I subjected her to this year.
I was in such a remote location that we didn't even see another human being for 6 days. Eventually we met up with another group who actually said verbatim: "How did you get that thing here? oh...it's a Land Rover"
I should add some pics/videos when I can. (too lazy...they're on my wife's phone...I was driving ya know)
The truly beautiful north!

My drivers side door latch became loose. Upon investigation I found no screw under the little latch hole in the door latch. I simply replaced with a small screw the same size and made sure it wasn't too long to scratch my window. Worked like a charm.
Cost = 1 Screw

Huge bummer!
Someone stole the trim off my passenger side running boards! you can see where the rivets were popped by a screw driver. They tried to get my passenger, over the tire trim, and rear passenger trim as well, but must have been distracted. It was half popped off when I found it.
I have since added a few tap screws to moldings after re-attaching to ward off theft.
I have warned my neighbours as well and the 12G is ready for any future LR3 part thieves.
I have not explored the replacement costs yet as I'm still too mad.

My rear window wiper still sticks a bit and probably just needs replacement. This will be my next minor purchase before true winter hits.
I need a new snow brush too as my last extension brush broke under incredibly heavy/wet snow last April.

It's Hunting season!
The LR3 is about to embark on it's most serious season. I have duck week, turkey week, and two separate deer weeks coming up within the next month and a half.
I love Canadian hunt season!
I hope she performs without issue over corn fields and some serious Canadian off-road situations without issue.
Let's not forget about the small game an non-migratory birds I get to eat! Maybe even run them over with 18" tire tracks.

It's nearly hunting season and I'm about to put some serious kms on the rover with some rugged off-road adventures.
Hoping she holds up to her standards.

Happy traveling and whatever you do in your Rover!

 

Great read, you actually made me feel better. I am the proud "creator / rebuilder / cash burner (my wife's label of my / there's no turning back now crusader" of a 2007 Lr3 HSE V8. I bought it used 3 years ago from a couple who used it to transport the grand kids around when they came for visits. It was immaculate, despite being "hunter green" My story is much the same as you describe. I am roughly 10.5K into "Frankenstein" (that's what I call the truck, guess why). in replacing, repairing, repairing, upgrading, repairing....everything from bearing hubs to control arms, bushings, alternator, full / complete brake restoration / OEM battery (expensive). not to mention a $600 towing bill as I dumped all coolant with zero notice in the middle of nowhere which turned out to be a $16 plastic valve.....About a month ago i decided it was time to try and find a new truck that would match the power, space, comfort, and enjoyment. I test drove the new Discovery, The Discovery Sport but was left with an over all "meh" feeling which was no doubt influenced by having monthly car payments of $700+ (Cad). SO I decided to keep the monster and celebrated my decision ( which my wife and daughter crowned me King Idiot for) by changing the tired Hunter Green hue and had her vinyl wrapped :


2007 Lr3 HSE vinyl wrapped in Avery Matte Gunmetal Grey

Let me know how you make out!....All the Best from BC

 

...running board trim? Like the metal rub strip that goes around the OE units? Why the heck would anyone do that?

What kind of tires are you on?

 

Yup.The silver strip.
I can't imagine they got it off in one piece, but they got it. Such an odd piece to have to replace. They pretty much tried to steal all passenger side trim.
There may be a whole 5-10 LR3's within a 100km of where I live. I have no idea why anyone would need it.

I'm running 18" Michelin Defenders

 

Michelins, eh? You trying to stick with your French-(Canadian) roots? Just kidding...Michelins are always good tires. I lost both of those rub strips off my old running boards while off-roading. I re-attached them with sheet metal screws. My LR3 looked like Frankenstein's Rover. I eventually removed those running boards and literally threw them in a dumpster. I ended up getting rock sliders and wishing I'd done that from the beginning and salvaged the running boards enough to sell them on CL or something. Oh well....life's lessons.

 

I like the wrap... what did they charge you for that if you don't mind me asking? How long has it been on? Any lifting or other problems?

 

The Whole point of this thread was to make me feel better!
Thanks for taking your time to read. I did months of reading on these forums before I decided to join. I almost felt like I was stealing knowledge without returning some of what I've learned.

^ That's my mantra every time I'm doing a repair on the Rover. I haven't named mine yet, but I do call her "good girl" or "Evil *expletive* bitch" sometimes.
$700 every 6 months beats $700 per month.
Plus, We're saving the environment by driving our older vehicles longer!

I really like the wrap too. I like that matte/flat finish.
I'm lucky my paint is still in decent shape (besides bush scratches...character)
I'm curious to see how the wrap stands up to the elements.

I can't imagine the handling of a LR3 on a winding, BC, mountain road. I do love BC though.

@houm_wa - The previous owner had bought the tires brand new before sale of the vehicle. He actually gave me all his receipts of repair bills over the previous year (over $1700 @ dealership) and the receipt for the tire purchase (made 2 weeks before my purchase @ $1100)
I never mentioned the bad *** seat covers too...which since my dog and kid have made a mockery of.
TBH I've had no issues with the Defenders. I haven't even bought snow tires. The Defenders have easily managed snow, torrential rain, sand dunes, and off-road conditions without issue. They were there by default and may be a future option when I'm looking for new ones since they've served me so well.
Michelin Pilot's on the wife's car however...don't get me started

My wife won't drive the LR3. Never tried...she's intimidated by it.
Had the back row seating up with 5 gymnast/dancer girls in the back in transport to performance. HK stereo bumping songs that I don't know (with all them singing) at level 30 (turn it up Dad!) 5 Gymnast pre-teens bumping to tunes may put more stress on on suspension than off-road.
This becomes your duty once people find out you have third row seating! Damn you mini-vans!
Another curse/blessing of LR ownership. I've become the Rover Dad every kid wants to ride with.

I've actually been keeping a bit of money aside for upgrades rather than repairs and I think the wife is starting to get the hint that X-mas and B-days gifts are about Rover upgrades and hunting gear.
Nothing like a wife that feeds you and semi-supports your Rover habits.