Our 2017 D5 HSE Si6 broke down on the road a couple weeks ago. In hindsight, the car gave us several warnings to let us know it needed to be taken in, but I consciously ignored them and ultimately paid the price for it, so figured it would be best to share my experience for this community to learn from my mistakes.

First of all, the car is 58k miles and has been properly maintained following all service schedules and serviced at the local dealer. Last service was in April when it was taken in with a suspension fault and since it was already at the dealer it had it’s annual service done. Then a few weeks ago I started hearing some noise coming from the engine while idling (not sure how to describe them but keep reading as once you learn about the culprit it will become clearer what you should be listening for). The noises would come on and off over time. Also a few days before the failure we had one instance where the AC didn’t seem to blow cold while idling right after starting, but once we drove off it started blowing cold. Then the night before the break down started hearing noises coming from the engine while driving, but once again I stupidly ignored them. Finally, the next day while driving on the highway (for those of you familiar with South FL, this was right in the middle of Aligator Alley - I75…) I first got the alternator light and an electrical charge fault message, followed shortly by en engine overheating message. Needless to say, I stopped right there and then and turned off the engine and after a fun 90 mins of waiting got towed back to the LR dealer.

Diagnosis was a failed idle pulley, which cut the belt and those things together tore apart coolant hoses, connectors and some other stuff, which of course made up for a nice hefty repair bill. Thankfully, everything has been put back together and car is back on the road as parts were relatively easily available, which these days can be one of the aggravating elements of a break down (my other LR, a D90, has been waiting for a part for 7 weeks with JLR looking for it all over the world, and our local dealer has several cars parked waiting for parts as well).

During the down time I created for myself while waiting for the tow truck I went online and did some research and found this seems to be a common failure on the AJ126 engine (which apart from that has proven to be fairly reliable). Could not find documented issues with the D5 specifically, though did find a Special Service Message for several models (including the D5) related to noisy idle pulleys (https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...74499-0001.pdf) that were under investigation. Also, there is TSB for Jaguar cars with that same engine.

So as I said posting this for awareness and to prevent folks from, like me, ignoring the warnings the car gives you. Had I actioned things when I started hearing the noises, this would have been a much simpler, and much less pricier, replace pulley and belt job…

Still, love our D5!! Hey, she went out of her way enough to give us plenty of warning…😉

 

Glad you got it sorted but what a headache. After reading this I am very glad that when I brought my 17 Si6 home last year I decided to take the time to do some preventative maintenance. Hoses, belts, pulleys, radiator, thermostat, front and rear crossover, and waterpump were replaced at 50k just to be safe. (Why I also decided to do the SC performace pulley since I had the SC pulled off). I pretty much went off of the issues I had seen people having with the Lr4s that have the SCv6 and my experience with my 5.0 LR4

I am thankful I could do these myself for sure. I would hate to see the repair bill at JLR for all that work.

 

Idler pulley failure could happen with any car. My 2006 highly vaulted Volvo XC90 with the Yamaha V8 failed. Great engine but it’s in a tight engine compartment. Replacing the alternator would cost $2900, mostly labor.

 

You got me looking under my engine cover.
2017 Si6.
Okay you smart people. What does this cable do?
it references the manual but I didn’t find it there.
Probably some sort of emergency release. Maybe for transmission?

First picture shows general area. Second shows the cable I am asking about. It shows a reference to look in the manual for more information.

 

That is the transmission release. Is what you use to put the transmission in neutral if the car can’t be started (low battery, dead engine, etc.). You pull the lever until it is vertical and that gets you in neutral, but you still need to release the Electric Parking Brake. For that you turn on the ignition (start/stop button w/o pressing the break) and then press the break pedal and pull the EPB release handle (you will hear the EPB releasing). IIRC the EOB will reengage after a few mins. Have had two LRs towed in the past two months, which has meant following this procedure on both…

See this thread for more info D5 and Defender procedures are pretty much the same.

https://landroverforums.com/forum/20...rgency-113811/

 

Thanks for you reply. I thought that might be the transmission release but the manual just doesn't want us to know that.
It would be a good idea for every owner to keek a card in the glovebox detailing how to release the transmission and electric parking brake in case of roadside assistance.