Metal_Detective
Member Since: 10 Nov 2018
Location: Earra-Ghàidheal
Posts: 50
  
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| Should the D3 have a towing mode? |
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So this is a bit of an academic question.
I haven't desperately felt the need for the special modes on my D3 but I do tow with it, boats mostly, but tomorrow it will be Santa's Ifor Williams sleigh.
The more I learn about how smart the D3 is the more I wonder what it's doing that I don't know about.
It got me wondering if it knows it's towing a trailer and whether the vehicle does anything differently.
If the answer's no to these then do you think it should have a towing mode and what would you have it do? 2016 D4 SDV6 Landmark
2006 D3 TDV6 manual (deid)
2003 D2 TD5 manual on B100 (sold)
1998 300TDi manual (sold)
1994 300TDi manual (sold)
1972 Range Rover manual, Perkins engine (sold)
1966 S IIA truck cab, broke in half (sold as a kit)
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 23rd Dec 2020 6:53 pm |
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M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8144
 
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Of course it Knows its towing that’s why the gearbox is called adaptive! - it adapts to whatever it’s doing or moreover what the driver is doing, I can’t see the point of sport mode apart from a sales feature.The moment you hitch a trailer on it knows and adapts by disabling reversing lights, stops the height from lowering or lifting, switches rear sensors off and changes the rear camera to hitch assist, even the characteristics of cruise control change. 
As you tow with it you should know the benefits of low range when starting off on a hill and being able to change to high range on the move. It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
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| 23rd Dec 2020 8:22 pm |
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LT
Member Since: 31 Dec 2005
Location: South West
Posts: 23483
 
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^Sports mode will save fuel and makes for a more relaxing and smoother drive when used on twisty roads. I was told that by a LRE instructor at Eastnor and he was right. The gearbox doesn’t “hunt” so much. 2006 D3 HSE (Original & still the best)-GONE
2010 D4 HSE (A bit bling)-GONE
2014 D4 HSE (Almost too bling)-GONE
2015 D4 HSE (A heated what?)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Written Off)-GONE
2016 D4 Landmark (Surely the last!) PD1881 rims-GONE
2017 FFRR SDV8 Autobiography (now semi-retired)
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| 23rd Dec 2020 8:55 pm |
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SpiderBaby
D3 Decade
Member Since: 21 Sep 2007
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 1399
 
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^^ exactly
Also I was told donkeys back by the LRE guys to use low range when reversing into awkward spots - no need for the throttle in most cases I see no ships........
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| 23rd Dec 2020 10:15 pm |
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TigerRecovery
Member Since: 31 May 2017
Location: Long Stratton, Norwich, Norfolk
Posts: 901
 
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Low range, command shift 1st gear and grass/gravel/snow mode. The TR mode softens the accelerator pedal response (Santa wont fall out). 1st gear command shift will let you get most places on tick over. Cycling between 1st/2nd can cause clutches to over heat at low speed as the torque converter isn't locked so it's slipping and heating the oil. 1972 Range Rover Classic 2 door V8
2013 Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE - SCRAPPED
2016 Land Rover Discovery 4 Landmark
2022 Volvo XC40 T5 PHEV 282HP FWD 3 cylinder!
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| 23rd Dec 2020 10:31 pm |
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Metal_Detective
Member Since: 10 Nov 2018
Location: Earra-Ghàidheal
Posts: 50
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All good points. I'm also thinking of the difference between having a trailer hitched and just having a lightboard plugged in such as those you see when folk have bikes on the back. If the car gets it's trailer status from the 7 pin socket only then it will be right most of the time. 2016 D4 SDV6 Landmark
2006 D3 TDV6 manual (deid)
2003 D2 TD5 manual on B100 (sold)
1998 300TDi manual (sold)
1994 300TDi manual (sold)
1972 Range Rover manual, Perkins engine (sold)
1966 S IIA truck cab, broke in half (sold as a kit)
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| 23rd Dec 2020 11:07 pm |
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TigerRecovery
Member Since: 31 May 2017
Location: Long Stratton, Norwich, Norfolk
Posts: 901
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It detects it more from the load on the back of the car in combination with the suspension, acceleration and braking efforts. If you looked at the electrical load it would be wrong for so many occasions. If you think of a small Erde car trailer or a 3.5T plant trailer with a digger on it there's a world of difference that the trailer electrics can't determine. The load on the hitch will be representative of the trailer being used. 1972 Range Rover Classic 2 door V8
2013 Land Rover Discovery 4 HSE - SCRAPPED
2016 Land Rover Discovery 4 Landmark
2022 Volvo XC40 T5 PHEV 282HP FWD 3 cylinder!
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| 23rd Dec 2020 11:28 pm |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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My D4 recognises when the trailers attached from the electrics being plugged in and you then need to select the trailer type from a menu. So there must be different programs for different trailer types.
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| 23rd Dec 2020 11:34 pm |
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al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10319
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You are all assuming he has an auto, but being a D3 it ,It might be a manual. If it is a manual just use low range if towing/manoeuvring at slow speeds as you won’t then take too much out of the clutch..
Al Volvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
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| 24th Dec 2020 11:27 am |
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garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1115
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We are talking D3 not D4 - the D3 knows there is a trailer (or at least electrics plugged in) by sending pulses through the trailer indicator circuit. If it detects a load from a incandescent light bulb the car does all the above - eg switches of reverse sensors etc. If you have led lights in the trailer the D3 will not detect it so a "pulse buster" box is needed to provide the load.
If you just have a trailer light board connected and it has incandescent lights, the D3 will think there is a trailer connected.
Garry
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| 24th Dec 2020 11:44 am |
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Metal_Detective
Member Since: 10 Nov 2018
Location: Earra-Ghàidheal
Posts: 50
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It is indeed a manual I have and it doesn't seem to know there's a trailer attached at all. My reversing sensors are still active and the reversing lights.
BTW Santa survived despite two dogs and a taxi running out it front of us. 2016 D4 SDV6 Landmark
2006 D3 TDV6 manual (deid)
2003 D2 TD5 manual on B100 (sold)
1998 300TDi manual (sold)
1994 300TDi manual (sold)
1972 Range Rover manual, Perkins engine (sold)
1966 S IIA truck cab, broke in half (sold as a kit)
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| 24th Dec 2020 10:28 pm |
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garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1115
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With the D3 it should not matter if it is an auto or a manual. If the functions are not switching off - and the trailer light on the dash flashing with the indicators then you have an issue.
Does it have the OEM trailer loom in the car? Most D3s came with it from the factory but some did not and when none original wiring is installed by an auto elect the trailer lights work but the car does not recognise it - so if it does not have the OEM loom in the car, take it out and get a LR one. It plugs in behind the passenger rear light - no cutting etc.
Garry
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| 25th Dec 2020 12:18 am |
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Bubblehead
Member Since: 01 Jun 2020
Location: Horndean
Posts: 214
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Mine does not turn off the reverse sensors either when a load is attached. Have to do it manually on the dash if I don’t want the constant beep!! 05 auto D3. 2005 Disco3 HSE Auto 😁
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| 25th Dec 2020 1:06 am |
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aja4x4
Member Since: 14 Apr 2019
Location: Westbury
Posts: 2459
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Have you got a genuine towbar electrics, if its been fitted by an aftermarket fitter they may have used a bypass relay to prevent extra load on the cars electrical system but it will also stop the car communicating with the trailer.
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| 25th Dec 2020 8:38 am |
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garrycol
Member Since: 06 Dec 2010
Location: Canberra
Posts: 1115
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Bubblehead wrote:Mine does not turn off the reverse sensors either when a load is attached. Have to do it manually on the dash if I don’t want the constant beep!! 05 auto D3.
Then you either have non genuine loom fitted or there is a fault.
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| 25th Dec 2020 8:48 am |
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