LR3 Reliability

jwest

Well-known member
May 28, 2006
899
7
WA & NC
I don't think they are holding up well. It has its own fair share of gremlins. I think ALL the dashes crack eventually. They all need lower control arms, suspension compressors, splices, trans shifter bushings, trans pan and connector sleeves. And then some

Maybe some aren't, but that's true in any make due to users. Mine is over 150k now, had it 12 yrs since new.

1-The dash is fine, maybe you've only seen them from the south? or your reading crap on the internet...
2-Control arms are cheap and easy to replace. It's a trade off for what is a pretty awesome suspension considering the other IFS choices.
3-Air compressor was changed to newer model roughly 80,000 miles ago.... they are easy as heck to replace and now not much $. Something like that, used that much, and sort of exposed to elements, isn't going to last forever.
4-WTF is a "splices"?
5-WTF is a "trans shifter bushing" ? unless you mean the little arm and bushing just outside the case that gets corroded and is a maybe $25 refresh kit?
6-trans pan is a dorky design but there is a replacement kit using short neck that is easy to deal with once installed, the little tube/connector isn't so bad to get to and it's once in maybe 100k job.

I think you're making way too much of this. Do you repair them as a business? If so, my guess is you just see it a lot then. As a 12 year user, it's been no biggie to be honest. However, I taught myself to replace all the suspension components to both learn and not be raped by the dealer pricing. I replace 8 control arms, all related/connected suspension bits such as sway bushings, toe and end links, etc, etc, plus v6 sized EBC rotors and carriers to allow 17's, and new front struts.

It's amazing when you get used to a sloppy handler then it feels like a new vehicle again.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
Im not reading any of this on the internet. I even owned an 05 LR3 for a while.
I forgot to mention the heater core that fills up with sludge and causes no heat on the drivers side. And the rear hatch latch with the broken cable that makes the hatch not open. Or the bleeder T near the EGR valve that breaks cause its plastic and empties your cooling system fast. Or the connector at the base of the shifter that catches anything you spill in the center console. The thermostat housing that cracks. The front wheel bearings are shit as well. The bearing on the front of the transfer case have been dropping like flys too.

Splices are electrical connections scattered around the vehicle. More often than not they sit in about 2 inches of water people don't even know is leaking in thru the sunroof drains, the A pillar exterior trim, or the cowl not sitting tight at the base of the windshield.
I guess when I get asked how the LR3 and Sports of the same era are holding up, I just don't think there holding up as well as the newer stuff. The L494 Sport and the L405 Range seem to be better at similar mileage.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
I should add that the Discovery 5 everybody hates is built on a very similar platform as the L494 Sport and the L405 Range. These trucks in my opinion are going to be pretty solid at higher miles. Way more solid than the LR3 at similar mileage.
 

jwest

Well-known member
May 28, 2006
899
7
WA & NC
Im not reading any of this on the internet. I even owned an 05 LR3 for a while.
I forgot to mention the heater core that fills up with sludge and causes no heat on the drivers side.
And the rear hatch latch with the broken cable that makes the hatch not open.
Or the bleeder T near the EGR valve that breaks cause its plastic and empties your cooling system fast.
Or the connector at the base of the shifter that catches anything you spill in the center console.
The thermostat housing that cracks.
The front wheel bearings are shit as well.
The bearing on the front of the transfer case have been dropping like flys too.

Splices are electrical connections scattered around the vehicle. More often than not they sit in about 2 inches of water people don't even know is leaking in thru the sunroof drains, the A pillar exterior trim, or the cowl not sitting tight at the base of the windshield.
I guess when I get asked how the LR3 and Sports of the same era are holding up, I just don't think there holding up as well as the newer stuff. The L494 Sport and the L405 Range seem to be better at similar mileage.

nice list...wish you could type that shit in line item format rather than continuous paragraph ;)

-can the heater core be cleaned out? sounds like a smart thing to do.
-i just replaced the rear hatch stuff before it totally failed but finally started the first symptoms at 149,000 miles. Easy DIY if you do it while hatch still opens.
-Falconworks in AZ makes a slick brass T fitting to replace the plastic one you mention
-inside the shifter housing? why would people be pouring shit on the center console? sorta dumb. I did have the sunroof open once though and a sprinkler came on, shifting was pretty much shot until it was pulled apart and fixed. It is goofy ass design though.How hard would a boot of some sort or even deflecting part have been especially for a vehicle meant to get dirty?!
-thermostat replacement sounds familiar, probably had it done at some point.
-front wheel bearings, i think mine is on it's 3rd srt, but maybe only 2nd.
-trans case bearing doesn't sound cheap to replace... ?

-had the sunroof mod done several yrs ago after passenger floor was soaked.
-front cowling, shit that things has always been crap, big gap in the middle then when you investigate the design, underneath water is pretty much directed into the car LOL Any idea on sealing the cowling better? Someone mentioned adhesive and tape of some sort on some forum. I've been lazy to do it but have a new cowling in the garage.

Many of these are not too big a deal to have done ahead of time or have long enough intervals that the functionality of the vehicle balances them out.... for some people. Though I often threaten that the next vehicle will be a Land Cruiser 200 series.
 

Howski

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2009
1,483
209
Alabama
Have no experience with the new RR/RRS/D5 but the LR3 gives me a hell of a lot more piece of mind than my D2. Guess it all depends what your point of comparison is
 

msggunny

Well-known member
Aug 3, 2007
2,978
3
Holly Ridge, NC
Mine is great, after we had a few things sorted out by the dealer under warranty. 130K on the clock, no issues. I know I am going to have to do the lower control arms soon-ish. Just did the plastic transmission pan delete with the kit from AB. Great on road and off road, pulled a 19ft boat from texas to NC. Going to have it be my tow vehicle for the new 23ft boat. The dash has cracked around the perforation for the passenger side air bag, the A pillar cloth coverings are starting to come loose, the drivers seat heater is inop, but other than that she runs great.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
Have no experience with the new RR/RRS/D5 but the LR3 gives me a hell of a lot more piece of mind than my D2. Guess it all depends what your point of comparison is
But compared to a Disco2 I would take the LR3. I'm not saying the LR3 isn't worth owning. But when you start fixing it, your going to find your failure in my list. I only see the broken ones.
 

discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
1,015
Northern Illinois
nice list...wish you could type that shit in line item format rather than continuous paragraph ;)

-can the heater core be cleaned out? sounds like a smart thing to do.
-i just replaced the rear hatch stuff before it totally failed but finally started the first symptoms at 149,000 miles. Easy DIY if you do it while hatch still opens.
-Falconworks in AZ makes a slick brass T fitting to replace the plastic one you mention
-inside the shifter housing? why would people be pouring shit on the center console? sorta dumb. I did have the sunroof open once though and a sprinkler came on, shifting was pretty much shot until it was pulled apart and fixed. It is goofy ass design though.How hard would a boot of some sort or even deflecting part have been especially for a vehicle meant to get dirty?!
-thermostat replacement sounds familiar, probably had it done at some point.
-front wheel bearings, i think mine is on it's 3rd srt, but maybe only 2nd.
-trans case bearing doesn't sound cheap to replace... ?

-had the sunroof mod done several yrs ago after passenger floor was soaked.
-front cowling, shit that things has always been crap, big gap in the middle then when you investigate the design, underneath water is pretty much directed into the car LOL Any idea on sealing the cowling better? Someone mentioned adhesive and tape of some sort on some forum. I've been lazy to do it but have a new cowling in the garage.

Many of these are not too big a deal to have done ahead of time or have long enough intervals that the functionality of the vehicle balances them out.... for some people. Though I often threaten that the next vehicle will be a Land Cruiser 200 series.

I always wish there was a way to clean out the heater core. I think what would have to happen is getting compressed air into the sludge while your backflushing. It's the standard issue mud that forms in dex cool systems when they get air pockets due to leaks. The only shortcut I know to replaceing the heater core is to pull the heater core off the pipes and just replace the core.

I get a brass barbed fitting at ace hardware or home depot. I think they cost about $2. I've never had to bleed out the system from that T. So I just splice the hoses together.

You will need a new cowl cover to fix the fit at the windshield. Once those fasteners or tabs get tweeked it wont sit tight at the glass. Pull your pollen filter and see if it's wet. Water coming off the windshield and into the cowl goes thru the heater box. If your drains are clear and the leaks not bad water might just pass thru the evap drain.

The shifter connnector was just poorly thought out. It's a latching lever type connector and the opening points straight up. I worked with an engineer on a problem car and he called it a big gulp catcher. If something gets spilled into the center console or the sunroof is open in the rain it will catch enough to fuck it up.
 
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Colin hughes

Well-known member
May 4, 2004
265
2
Cannington, Ontario
Splices, ha, I don't think there was one original wire left in the section of Canbus wires that run through the drivers side rear wheel well by the time I sold my LR3. Why anyone would design a vehicle with such important wiring exposed to the elements, especially road salt here in Canada, baffles my mind. I had that section of wires covered with electrical tape & dialectic grease, a sleeve that was an add-on by LR after so many issues at this spot and more electircal tape but you never knew when the salt and water would get in and bam, Christmas on the dash. Yes, I dealt with some of the other issues too: coolant reservoir (a couple of times), instrument cluster (very expensive), radiator, bleeder T, etc but it was a great truck to drive and pull my trailer. But at 370,000 kms and needing a bunch of preventive maintenance that cost more than what I could have sold the truck for, I sold it on. A good on gas, great for towing Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk now along with a 1998 D1 (always my favorite LR model) that only sees the summer weather (no road salt) and I'm a happy camper. I do keep looking at those LR4's for sale locally although my LR tech tells me if I want something, the L322's are much more reliable.
 
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BDM

Well-known member
May 23, 2005
333
30
OR
One of our service tech's at JLR North Atlanta has 240k on his. His buddy has 360k on his. Stock drivetrain AND proper fluid maintenance ie. not following the factories recommended service intervals for diffs/tcase/trans.

I just did the AB steel pan filter upgrade and fluid at 135k. The last service on it was at 75k.

My diff's run Royal Purple 90w and my tcase runs Royal Purple Auto transmission fluid (found the specs another LR3 user posted on a different forum after his research) and I've had zero issues. Driven both East and West coasts multiple times and across the country with entire family and gear etc. Our truck has earned an excellent rep so much so that my brother bought a well sorted one as well.

I would change diff fluid every 30k. Trans fluid every 50-75k. Tcase fluid every 50-75k. Follow those guidelines and it'll give you lots of life.