Hello,
I've got a problem with my Dec 2009 (2010 facelift) 3.6 TDV8 Vogue, for which any advice would be gratefully received.
A couple of weeks ago, on trying to start, dash went crazy and wouldn't start. Put on charger for a few hours and all was good.
There were no battery dash warnings prior to that morning and none after charging battery. The only thing different was on a couple of occasions prior to that morning, when starting I got a dash message to say "No special programmes on".
I took the car to my local mechanic and he advised fitting a new battery which he did (a genuine Landrover battery)

Everything was fine and no dash warnings for a week. Still starts fine but I now get a Charging System Fault message and the battery icon lit on the dash. My mechanic had a look and across the battery, when ticking over, it was reading approx 14.3v, dropping back a bit when switched off. On the "secret" diagnostic screen it reads 13.4v dropping back to 12.2v. (I've checked daily for the last week).The self test only shows an FM antenna fault
He"plugged it in" and a couple of fault codes came up, one being interior lights I think, which he cleared but there is still the Charging System Fault message.
Since the new battery was fitted the car has only been used for short local journeys. Apart from the Charging System Fault there are no other warning messages and everything drives fine.
I took it to the main dealer today who had a look at it and said it may be an intermittent alternator fault, but didn't sound over convincing. Surely if it was an alternator fault it would be throwing all kind of lights? Have seen some posts about the battery monitoring system needing to be reset. This hasn't been done and dealer didn't mention it.
If anybody has had a similar experience, or has any advice, it would certainly be gratefully received.

Thank you in advance.

it does kind of sound like an alternator fault it should never charge as low as 12.2v, and is normally over 14v especially after starting or using high load systems, if you have a search on here you will find the 3.6 is prone to alternator failure, the diode pack gives up the ghost. They can be refurbished by the committed, however changing the alternator is not for the spanner shy, and is a little bit involved.

get a labour only price and then find a Denso unit from ECP or carparts4less, as it will be the same as the LR one and much cheaper (usually) There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Blimey, that was quick, thank you.
If it is the alternator wouldn't it be setting off all kinds of other warnings? And the voltage readings seem fairly stable.
Have you had any experience with regards the battery monitoring system as it seems strange that I've only had the message after the new battery (although admittedly it did take a week to appear).
Sorry for all the questions, probably clutching at straws!

Thanks

Have you got the AGM battery or a standard one? They updated to the new battery to help with running the FBH. If you have the AGM battery then you need to get charging system reset to tell it that the battery has been changed. If it's a lead acid battery then it shouldn't need telling.

However you need to know what it had before and what it has now. If it had an AGM battery and the mechanic replaced it with a standard one or the other way round, then it may cause an issue. But not too sure on that.

I would keep monitoring the voltage on the 753 menu and watch what happens when it's under load with all the electronical gizmos like the heated screen/rear window/seats etc. Keep it on when you are driving it and monitor it over a period. Mine threw up decent voltages when it was on the way out, it the out put broke down under load  There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
Fiat 500x 1.4 multiair Lounge 2015
2010 LR D4 Commercial 2.7 TDV6

Thanks for the reply and I'll monitor the readings carefully. I didn't make it clear on the first post, on the 753 menu it has been reading 13.3 -13.5v when running and 12.3-12.5 with the engine switched off.
I'll have a look at the battery tomorrow to see what it is, and ask my mechanic if he still has the old one, but I know it was a Land Rover battery that came out and a Land Rover one that has gone back in. I've got quite a lot of old invoices and I can't see any mention of a battery so it may be that mine was the original.
If they are both AGM does that mean the battery monitoring system doesn't need to be reset?
One other thing, the other battery went over night, with no prior warning or dash light leading up to it. Is that the norm?

many thankss

How many miles has your car done?

If it's around 85,000 then I'm sorry to say it's going to be your alternator about to give up.

Well documented on here.

New alternator from Dan is my recommendation. Genuine. Is about £220

Hi Wealy,
Thanks for the reply.
It's done 132,000 but not sure if it's ever had an alternator.
This morning (-4 and kept outside) using the 753 menu I got the following readings:
Dash on - 12v
Started up - dipped to 10.5 quickly rose to 12.5v
Switched on defrost, heated seats, lights etc and down to 12v
Drove approx 1mile (20-30mph) up to 12.5v dipping back to 12v when stopped.
Turned off defrost, seats, lights etc and straight up to 13.4v

Drove to work, another mile, but didn't monitor readings.
After 5 mins went back out in it and got the following:
Dash on - 12v
Started up - down to 10.6v but quickly up to 13.4v
Turned off seats, defrost etc and down to 11.7/11.8v
Drove for approx 1mile (50-60mph) 11.8v
Turned off defrost, seats etc and straight back up to 13.4v (approx 1mile)
I tried switching on just the front & rear screen and down to 12.8 / 12.9v
Switched ignition off and down to 12.2v

Sorry for being ignorant, but who is Dan?

Thanks

That behaviour sounds normal for the 2010MY onwards. The charge controller module looks to be doing its thing which is to vary the charge delivered based on the state of the battery and amount of load. It allegedly saves a bit of fuel by turning down the alternator output when it's not needed.

There is a software update for that module even if you remain with lead-acid battery technology. It has a different update for the AGM battery.

Hi mzplcg,
Thanks for the reply.
Are you thinking that the software update will get rid of the charging system fault warning and the alternator is ok?
(Sorry if I'm being a bit thick!!)

Cheers

Yes, precisely that. The original software made the charge control module too sensitive. The update fixes that.

That's well worth a try then. I'll contact my main dealer and ask them about it (and why it wasn't mentioned before, only new alternator, 5 hrs labour, £1000 + ).

Cheers

Hi mzplcg,
Sorry, forgot to ask:
I presume that the upgrade needs to be done whether or not it is the alternator, so worth trying first?
Any idea why fault message took a week to appear after new AGM battery was fitted?

Sorry for all the questions.


cheers

Update the software and the message will go away. The alternator is fine, if it was not your car would have a new but flat battery.

Why the delay for the message? No idea, but there are still plenty of cars running around with the old firmware and they are fine. Yours happens to be one (like mine) which throws the error.

Thank you. I'll let you know how I get on.

Sorry, is the update f.o.c or will they charge for it?