Waving bye bye to the TDV8 RR as it leaves me - on AA truck
Waving bye bye to the TDV8 RR as it leaves me - on AA truck
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Piersman2

Original Poster:

6,676 posts

223 months

Wednesday 11th September 2013
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Fun and games last night, not seen the like before.

Got the OH's house last night as usual, parked in the drive and locked and left, all fine as usual. 5 mins later it starts beeping from the drive. I go out and can't open it, the key won't work and I had a door handle cover covering the key hole so couldn't manually open it.

So, not sure if it's the key or something else, I walk home, pick up the spare key and back to the OH's house. No difference. So, amongst lots of swearing and bad temper, I remove the door handle cover and manually open the door.

Car is dead. Absolutely nothing, no power at all, as though the battery has been disconnected.

So I get the AA out, he tries to use his battery pack to breathe some life in but it's not got enough juice. So he plugs in his big jump leads and checks the amps flowing around, 96 amps are being drawn by my car. eek

He says alternator most likely. So this morning has been spent getting the AA back to remove it from the drive to the local garage, who also think it's the alternator. Thankfully I'd had the sense to disconnect the alternator/starter motor cable and put the battery on charge for an hour as the AA trucks don't have a way for charging batteries. We'd have not been able to get it out the drive without at least some power to put it in Neutral and turn off the handbrake.

It's gonna be a £500+ bill coming my way for this I reckon. frown

camel_landy

5,418 posts

207 months

Wednesday 11th September 2013
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The alternator would appear to be a weak point on the TDV8... When it lets go, it'll short the battery too!!! redface

M

Piersman2

Original Poster:

6,676 posts

223 months

Wednesday 11th September 2013
quotequote all
Well... knock me out, the garage has just phoned. I was expecting a tale of woe and lots of teeth sucking but I should have known better with these guys at Rovertune.

They've only gone and finished it. thumbup

They had an alternator in for a car due to fit tomorrow, so 'borrowed' it and fitted it to mine instead, they'll order another up for tomorrow. They only got my car at midday. smile

So I'm off down to collect and will check whether I should consider getting a new battery as that total drain won't have been good for this one!

Seriously, if you're in the Reading area, give these guys a go.




A.J.M

8,341 posts

210 months

Wednesday 11th September 2013
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Alternators and batteries seem to be a weak point for modern landys as they age.

Mates D3 alternator died on him, refused to start etc, but of a pain tbh.

If your getting a new battery, make sure it's manly enough for the car. Have read and been told of under specced batteries throwing the cars electrics in a huff.. hehe

Piersman2

Original Poster:

6,676 posts

223 months

Wednesday 11th September 2013
quotequote all
They checked the battery and said it was fine. It is a huge beastie though, maybe even bigger than the one I had in the old XJR. But then these cars all use a lot of electrics these days. The powered side steps must use a fair bit on their own! smile

A.J.M

8,341 posts

210 months

Wednesday 11th September 2013
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That's a few quid saved then!
smile

hornbaek

3,814 posts

259 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
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Alternator went on my previous RR TdV8 in November. Had to wait 3 weeks for a replacement as all the alternators had gone to India - seriously.

Piersman2

Original Poster:

6,676 posts

223 months

Thursday 12th September 2013
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hornbaek said:
Alternator went on my previous RR TdV8 in November. Had to wait 3 weeks for a replacement as all the alternators had gone to India - seriously.
Yes, I did some googling and it seems that supply of these alternators can be sporadic. I think I was just lucky that they had one in stock and knew that the local dealer had two more due in today.

I also had a check around in the non-oem parts. Apparently Remy have now listed it but haven't as yet made any so they should be available non-dealer soon.

Triple7

4,015 posts

261 months

Friday 13th September 2013
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These cars are sensitive to 'motion sensing' lights normally located outside peeps homes. They transmit or a near identical freq to the key fob and can 'energise' the car thinking you have just opened it. This drains the battery. Happened a couple of times to me and by moving the car from where I normally parked it, solved the issue....

Bish

809 posts

231 months

Friday 13th September 2013
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I have replaced 3 alternators on 3 different TDV8's..........all seem to occur between 50,000 and 60,000 miles.

anonymous-user

78 months

Saturday 14th September 2013
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Piersman2 said:
Got the OH's house last night as usual, parked in the drive and locked and left, all fine as usual. 5 mins later it starts beeping from the drive. I go out and can't open it, the key won't work and I had a door handle cover covering the key hole so couldn't manually open it.
Didn't your salesman show you how to open your car when the remote doesn't work? Tut tut.

vjj

593 posts

263 months

Sunday 15th September 2013
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I sold my 2008 TDV8 for this exact reason - car left me stranded on several occasions in the middle of winter.

Piersman2

Original Poster:

6,676 posts

223 months

Sunday 15th September 2013
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unrepentant said:
Piersman2 said:
Got the OH's house last night as usual, parked in the drive and locked and left, all fine as usual. 5 mins later it starts beeping from the drive. I go out and can't open it, the key won't work and I had a door handle cover covering the key hole so couldn't manually open it.
Didn't your salesman show you how to open your car when the remote doesn't work? Tut tut.
No he didn't . because when I bought it it didn't have anything covering the door handle. I fitted body coloured covers myself about 2 weeks ago and dithered over whether to fit the cover that leaves the keyhole exposed or the cover that doesn't.

Of course, I chose to fit the non-keyhole cover as I couldn't foresee any time I'd have a completely dead battery.

Two weeks later.... smile