Hi guys hope you can help.

I have had my 2011 4.4RR for 1 year now and the DPF light came on without warning straight to red last Thursday. I went to the garage that the RAC had recommended and who had fixed this the last time (In Jan when I kept putting it off under amber warning).

They charged me triple this time to what they charged in Jan, saying that "DPF clean and Chemical applied 3 times a 3 regens" but when I picked my car up on Tuesday ( they had it since Friday morning but it wasn't ready till Tue afternoon) I noticed dash cam on front had been unplugged but not the back one. When I checked, they had taken the car home the previous night (8+ miles away from the garage) and driven it back the next day, someone had driven at 85mph on 70mph local ring road and 60+ on 40mph inner ring roads. total driving of 38miles while also leaving the engine running for the odd hour and using 40 - 50 miles worth of diesel.

When I left the garage I got a white warning "Vehicle is rising" a few times and by the time I got to the local petrol station less than half a mile it had red triangle saying speed limited to 30mph dues to suspension issue. but when I put some fuel in and started up it allowed me to drive 30+ and error had gone but "Vehicle rising" had come back.
I rang RAC to get it checked as never had any issue with suspension since owning the car until now and they turned up later last night and tried several time raising and lowering the car and running their tablet through the car.

The RAC guy rang the garage owner he said that he knew and suggested that as it know showed "System will raise when system is cooled" and the RAC guy said that because he had lifted and lowered it had overheated it should be ok in the morning as it will have cooled down.

This morning it wasn't so I took it back to the garage at 9:30 and at 2:15 they texted me to say they "Think" it might be an air leak but cant get it on to the ramp as there is another car with clutch gone .


Where do I begin???
Are they allowed to take my car home and do shop runs in it??
driving at speed down the road?
Am I being realistic to expect them to repair the air leak, for free, if it is that, as it only happened after they had the car and went speeding and fixed the DPF?

I tried to ring the RAC for advice but got transferred and cut of 3 times, they have a legal team but have to leave details and wait 24hrs to be called back.

Can anyone advice on where I stand?

I have downloaded all the video from the rear dashcam from when they had it but hadn't unplugged and it has GPS so you can see speed and where it went and how fast.

Hoping someone can advice on suspension problem and wither the garage is taking me for a ride or what.

Thanks in advance


John 2011 4.4TDV8
Autobiography
2007 Freelander 2
2003 Audi A6 2.5TD

I would be disappointed if they hadn’t taken it for a long test run to make sure that the DPF fault was fixed particularly if it took 3 goes to get it working.
Personally I wouldn’t be worried where they took it and the speed they drove it at wouldn’t have done any it any harm, the only damage would be to the driver’s license if you get a letter from the police.
Old cars can develop faults all by themselves, I recently jacked my 2011 up to change the rear brakes and while I was working on it one of the front air bags started to leak. Had it been a garage doing the job I couldn’t have expected them to repair it. I think it would be difficult to prove that the garage have caused your problem.

So what is with them unplugging the dash cam if there is nothing to hide? I hate it if they move my heater controls…..

 2011 Range Rover Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8

Previous cars :
2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6
1999 Discovery Td5 ES
1995 BMW M5 3.8 6 speed
1992 Range Rover 3.9 Efi Vogue
1992 BMW M5 3.8
1988 BMW 735i SE
1989 Ford Sierra XR4x4 2.9i
1981 Ford Fiesta Supersport

It’s a tough one this and I feel your pain, but sometimes you do have to do extended road tests to bring a fault to the surface, I have done this myself on a few occasions, but I always let the customer know why and would not dream of unplugging any of the customers equipment unless it was to do with the job the vehicle was in for, as for speeding, it’s so easy to do in these but arguably not acceptable as it’s not going to help!
Just be sure to keep a record of dates and times the car was in the garage so if you receive a speeding ticket you can forward it on! You could also ask them why they felt it necessary to complete the miles / journeys they have to see what the response is. Also the suspension fault is likely just another issue that was lurking and has now surfaced, but difficult to prove either way.
Hope you get sorted.

I am always very pleased if a mechanic takes my car home! It gives him the opportunity to check it hot, while travelling at speed, and importantly when cold in the morning. Also some faults take time to manifest themselves.
Much better than taking a sub 5 minute 30 mph test drive round an industrial park.

Well, if ever cars are used out of business hours, the owners permission is always sought. 99% of the time the owner is very happy to have their car road tested in any way i see fit (within the law)...

Now dashcams... Hmmm hateful things! I instruct for them to be switched off, preferably removed and placed in the glovebox by the owners... If i had a pound for every time i was asked, why my car hadnt moved within 20mins of it being dropped off? Usually by Evoke or Jaguar owners

If i had a pound for every time i was asked, why my car hadnt moved within 20mins of it being dropped off? Usually by Evoke or Jaguar owners



That made me chuckle on a cold Friday morning, couldn’t have put it better.

Regarding Dashcams, it may have GDPR implications as you are invading the privacy of the person working on your vehicle, so I can understand its switched off during work on your vehicle. But should be on when car is driven as its an obvious aid if you need to contact Insurer etc in case of accident.

This is personal data and you should consider the potential privacy impacts on those caught on camera, much in the same way as you would do when using CCTV.

Taking it home without permission is another matter, I would be horrified that it was left overnight at a mechanics house, so would the Insurer no doubt, if there was damage or a stolen claim!!!!

Someone using it above the speed limit shows very poor respect for your vehicle, (open questions? how did it attain that speed? was it hammered ? over rev'ed in the critical rev range etc), I wonder if the same respect is given while servicing your vehicle? I would show the data to the Manager explaining why you wont be going to them again.

And I would also write to the RAC explain your issue and request said Garage is removed from their recommended list.
Trustpilot is another great way to inform other potential customers what they could be in for, in using said garage. 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Couldn’t agree more Kot…

We actually have a board mounted Camera which is placed on the dash during road tests for just this purpose… Using someone else’s dash cam footage could be difficult? Ownership of said data etc etc etc…

Craig 👍

What a muddle we have got ourselves into when the data protection of people being on a camera is deemed by the authorities as an important enough "right" to make us all so scared of doing what should be normal, sensible activity.

Same applies to destroying service records etc because they have someone's address on. I doubt that is what was envisaged by the GDPR laws at all. Madness and it all adds cost, risk and complexity to ordinary everyday life.

[quote="Kot"]Regarding Dashcams, it may have GDPR implications as you are invading the privacy of the person working on your vehicle, so I can understand its switched off during work on your vehicle. But should be on when car is driven as its an obvious aid if you need to contact Insurer etc in case of accident.

This is personal data and you should consider the potential privacy impacts on those caught on camera, much in the same way as you would do when using CCTV.

If you are using a dash cam in your own vehicle for personal use, you will be exempt from GDPR requirements. commercial companies however fall under the GDPR laws.

Thanks for all the comments. I eventually had my car back, took3 days before they looked at my suspension and decided it was an air leek from the back of the front left air suspension bag.

I told them not to do any work, asked for an email of the work carried out and complaints procedure as advised by the RAC when I rang them up, still no email from them.

The RAC sent a report to me of the night of checking my suspension stating (This is the day of picking my car up after DPF filter is fixed at £342 cost) that "DTC: P040D,Exhaust Gas Recirculation Temperature Sensor "A" Circuit High While it has been sat on the drive way going no where, also, DTC: U0421,Invalid data received from ride level control module.

Don't think should be high temp after just being repaired and sitting in driveway, The dash cam was on when they checked the dpf filter and they lifted the car on the ramp (One with arms that hold it up) and within a few seconds dropped it down then raised it up again. I don't know if its possible tp put the arms in the wrong place and affect the front air nag and this is why they re raised the car. I have taken it to my own garage (Who couldn't do DPF) and asked him to look at the air bag, take a photo and in his 40+ years of business tell me if it looks like it has been done by accident or by wear and tare, and to order a new one and fix. (Around £350 for parts and labour).

While driving to my garage the car suspension has given up and locked to 30mph and suspension is so low wheels are almost level with wheel arches now. the last 1/10th of a mile was like driving on a space hopper.

This way I should know if it was the garage that damaged it I hope. I am still pursuing a complaint about misuse of my car excessive driving and personal use of it. Using RAC legal team and my own motor legal Insurance. I feel I have been taken for a ride.
Will keep you guys updated but thanks for the opinions it has increased my understanding of what you can expect from some garages. 2011 4.4TDV8
Autobiography
2007 Freelander 2
2003 Audi A6 2.5TD

P040D is a code that practically every recent L322 will have permanently - have a search on the forum for details. It will likely have been there long before your car went to the garage.
At 11 years old your airbags have lasted well and the other front one will probably fail in the not too distant future so you would be better off changing both now particularly after seeing what it it like driving it with a failed airbag. Driving it like this also hammers the suspension compressor which could cause you even more expense.
I can’t see how any of this can be linked to a DPF repair.

I had a bag split when on a scissor lift. They age with time and need replacing. Fact. Advanced Factors do a bag only so a quick fix.
P040D is a common sensor fail and rarely causes an issue. Do sa search on here.
Find a specialist independent LR garage  2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
New Defender D300 90 on order so "Rory" will be going to a new home....!
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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P040d is definitely NOT a ghost fault code sir’s… On my last 405 it filled the DPF with unburnt fuel as it kept overfueling as the temperature sensor kept telling the Engine ECU the engine was cold! Granted, some have found the sensor had failed in a benine state BUT others have not! 👍