Hey all. New LR owner here. 2008 LR3, 85,000 miles.

It has been hovering around 0 degrees F (-17c) all week here in Wisconsin, USA. It's frigid, but even after 15-20 minutes of idling with the air set on full hot, and the AUTO button pressed, it still blows out just coolish air - not cold, but not warm. Then eventually after about 20-25 minutes it really starts getting warm. (I'm speaking of the interior temperature - not the engine warming up...)

Should I be pressing some other button(s) on the console? Or is this just a LR thing?

Thanks,
g

 

Are you driving it or idling it to warm up? If idling, try driving it. Much better warming the engine that way, as well as having the coolant flow faster to heat the truck.

 

I think you guys have a damp cold down there that can feel cold but as far as the three is concerned 0F, is fairly benign.

When the temperatures get around -22F (-30C) here, (cloudy or dark, no sun), I certainly turn the seat heating on at startup and perhaps for the next 15 minutes or so. After that time, the interior is near OK if driving in the City at low speeds, (40 mph/60 kph), and out in the country at speed, (65 mph/110 kph), it might take the cabin somewhat longer to warm up. It really depends upon the cold soak - that is sitting all night or just for a few hours.

I do have the rear area second heater that I keep on manual and have set at about 3/4 fan and heat.

I usually drive with a light vest on, (coat and boots, coveralls etc in the back seat), and the windows are all clear.

I regard my heater as typical of most 3's, hence I think there is a problem with yours. It may be as simple as a thermostat stuck open or something more difficult such has having to do with the heater air doors or blend motors.

Below is a service procedure from a Land Rover HVAC service instruction sheet.

Note also my comments below as to how the procedure actually worked for me a couple of years back. Since then I have also done a software update to the HVAC that I would say fixed a perceived response concern as related to the windscreen split sunlight sensor. Since the update, I do not fiddle with the temp ***** where the sun shifts or disappears - but that is not your problem at the moment.

The motor and flap operation can be checked using the on-board distribution motor self-test function.

The self-test can be initiated by pressing and holding the ECON and RECIRC buttons while turning the ignition switch to the ON position.

The control module will then compare the current motor position with the values stored in the module and will indicate an error by flashing the ECON LED (light emitting diode).

If there are no errors, the LED will go out and the system will function normally.

To confirm that there are no errors, turn the ignition switch to the OFF position, then back to the ON position.

Observe the operation of the programmed defrost LED.

If there are errors present, the programmed defrost LED will flash and the system will attempt to calibrate itself.

My experience was when I did above as described, with the two buttons held down, the ECON light flashed as soon as the ignition was turned on, (engine off), and stayed flashing for nearly a minute or so and then sometimes either just went out, or the fan just started up normal like and the ECONO light went out.

Then when I let go of the buttons and turned the ignition off and back on, the defrost LED stayed off as if there were no problems - never did I see the defrost LED on.

I did the test procedure two or three times and figured it failed to do anything but a few days later, I was not so certain.

Maybe the weather has just warmed up; was only -20C and cloudy, snow overnight however, but now the interior of the 3 seems to warm up more like I recall it used to - fairly quickly.

Also I did some other button pushing - that was cycle a few times, each of the air up, middle air, and foot well air switches that are mounted on the left side. I started with the heater on Auto showing the two little round LEDs illuminated on the fan control; then pushed the left upper air button and let the fan run for maybe a minute; then pushed the middle button and pushed off the upper, and let the fan run for a minute or so; then the foot well button and turned off the middle button.

I did that a few times, each time seeing if air would flow out of the appropriate vents. I also manually turned the fan up to full speed so that when air did flow, there was a real blast.

What I was doing was manually trying to cycle the air doors on the chance that one or more doors just might be sticking and would perhaps un-stick themselves.

I think I may have solved a problem even if I was not certain I had one.

I have seen a few things cause this, from the heater core clogging up, the blend motor failing, and even the blend door flap in the heater box failing, both mechanically, and from the seal melting/deteriorating.

The best way that I have found to test it is as follows.

Turn Econ on, set to a medium fan speed and face level vents, and let the engine warm up.

Set one side to hot and the other to cold(not all the way, but one notch before full hot/cold)

Check temp coming out.

Change one temp to match the other.

Check the air temp again.

Reverse temp selections that were first set, one hot one cold.

Recheck temps, and then both to the same setting as above, and check one last time.

Feeling is usually enough of an indicator, no thermometer needed.

By setting one to hot and the other to cold, you limit the path of air passing over the heater core, so if it is clogging, you will still get warm air on each side by doing this. It might not be as warm one side to the other, but it will be far better then with both sides set to warm.

If the blend motor or door itself has failed, there will not be any change of temp when going from hot-cold to match the other side.

If a blend motor/door issue is found to be the case, the motor can be removed, and the door manually moved. This should give full heat on the side that there wasn't before. If it is not, then it is either the door itself not sealing, or the heater core is blocked up and wasn't checked properly above.

This is a link to a thread on heater concerns.

https://landroverforums.com/forum/lr3-28/lr3-heater-problem-39871/#post450914

If all else fails, install a new engine coolant thermostat. You are not wasting your money as eventually it will need one anyway. Also take the opportunity to pull all new coolant in as well.

 

Are all the rear a/c also heater on the lr3? If so it may be worth me adding since I have it and know the wiring is there

 

I usually conclude that it's an LR3 thing...there's so much air space to warm up.

 

Wow mine is pretty normal I guess. It warms rather quickly. I do get a funny fuel smell on cold days though

 

Check your coolant level. "Burp" the system if necessary. On several of my vehicles I have to block half or more of my radiator in the winter. It gets very cold here (-25 is common at night, we don't typically see above 0 degrees f in Feb. This year has been unusually warm here :-( .

Disclosure: not a LR owner.

 

The days of blocking off the rad are pretty much over now. Given that most radiators have some sort of built in transmission oil cooler, blocking a radiator can be a bit tricky now.

Add in an aluminum engine, and the stakes go even higher.

I collapsed the piston skirts in my Fiat 124 many years back just because the weather warmed up from -30F to about 0F and I forgot about the cardboard and the effects of city driving. No tranny problem of course as it had a five speed manual.

 

Mine takes about 20 minutes idling or 3-4 miles of driving to get comfortable on days like today when it was -15 wind chill.