Greetings...

[chilli]

Hello out there...

Just signed up for this forum after having read about all the issues I have with our MY2005 LTD XS seems I'm not alone.

 

Bought it as a runabout and only had it 24hrs and was beginning to think I've got a lemon until reading the forum...

 

So far...

1. Both caravan doors only working manually, further inspection revealed wired severed and arcing. I think I need a couple of pre-loved wiring harnesses with 'plastic snakes' lol. Where can I get and how much should I expect to pay?

 

2. Rear drivers side caravan door actuator not working on fob. (door button won't pop up) If I get the sound but it doesn't pop up, is it that the pin hasn't been located in the actuator properly?

 

3. Radio working but no sound (will now check amp in rear qtr panel to see if it has been pulled out) 

Q. How can I have the radio working without flattening the battery, as this seems to be the common fault on here?

If battery and amp are original, as fitted when cars were new, how come they become faulty in older cars in later life? There must be a suitable solution...

 

4. Air bag warning light has just come on (will now check crash sensors, but wish I knew which one might be guilty,)

 

5. Car doesn't like to start first time every time, fires up and putters then dies (any ideas???, glowplugs?)

 

6. When is does fire up, the dials all sweep round and back again (only just started doing this this afternoon) Is this battery??

 

7. How the hell does the Satnav work? Is there no map just directions? What are discs 1 and 2 for and do I need either of them in the CD drive to use Sat Nav? Does anyone have a link to an operators manual please?

 

8. Is is normal for the car to bottom out on UK moorland roads? are the shockers worn?

 

9. How do I know if the self levelling suspension is actually self levelling?

 

8.. On a positive note I've just booked a 75k service with Service Stop for £87.30inc all in saving over £160!

 

I bought this car because of the fantastic space and amazing spec, AA rate it 8/10... after having a Jeep Cherokee for 3 years that stood me a nothing I'm hoping this ain't a lemon...

 

I'm no mechanic, so need a decent independent Chrysler garage or knowledgable mechanic in the Ripon, Harrogate, Leeds,York area, please message me if anyone knows of one...

 

Will let you know how I get on.

 

PS: Great Forum!!! Keep posting...

 

[bignev]

Hi there Chilli !

 

Oh no you are not alone!...........

 

I hope I can answer a couple of your points

 

The sliding door tracks are quite hard to find, I've just been through it with mine after my electrical soldering skills were tested and failed. Twice.

If yours is the facelift model, there is an extra crash sensor on this loom, located at the back of the door opening, green flat ish plastic, so the earlier loom won't do the job.

I bought a new one from the US, from moparwholesaleparts.com but remember it's either a Town and Country or Dodge Grand Caravan on there. The bad news is they are around the £100 mark each.

 

On the central locking it's most likely the actuator, ebay, from China, I believe the record is under a tenner.

 

Not sure on the radio one,

 

but starting and spluttering if it's diesel may be linked to a faulty fuel pressure / non return valve on the rail. Not quite holding enough fuel pressure to keep it going first try.

 

Battery / amp etc unreliable - it's a Yank Tank......... The dials sweeping are an pointer to a low battery charge.

 

Satnav - no idea I don't have the discs, someone said recently there is an updated one, but I'd feel a stand alone unit would be a better bet now.

 

They are a heavy bus, so at 12 years old it isn't impossible the front shocks have had enough.

 

The rear shocks will be much larger diameter than a standard unit if they are the "nivomat" self leveling ones. If you can see a yellow sticker with "Sachs" made in Germany on it and a part number 04743234AA then they should be.

 

Good luck mate, they are a fantastic bus if a little bit of a pain in the toolbox.

[chilli]

Thanks Big Nev

 

All points taken on board. Not sure what the facelift version is yet but mine's a 4th of July 2005, so guessing probably not. Thinking about binning the idea of electric doors due to hassle factor. But will scour salvage/breaker sites for decent replacements.

Actuator, yes maybe I'll keep have a look.

 

STOP PRESS>>> All packed for a trip out this morning and hey ho flat battery!!!! FFS!!

AA on the way so looking to get a new bigger battery this arvo. Need to read the forum now for a battery upgrade.

 

Sat Nav looks prehistoric, but have other options available to me so will disregard the in car one.

 

As for the shocks, I'll have a look when I've time and in a better frame of mind. I love the concept of these vehicles but really am falling out of love pretty quickly with it.

 

I though LR Discovery 3's were complex and high maintenance lol

 

Thanks for the advice.

TTFN

[soupstone]

 Find out whats causing the battery issue though, replacement will mask the issue for a while, but it'll eventually go the same way as this one. 

With mines, I done the battery sensor mod, to make sure it's always charging at over 14 volts. I also had a live feed to the radio through a wire that should only be live with the ignition on. I've currently got this wire disconnected so it doesn't drain the battery. 

Just another consideration for the grounding, mines started grounding out at places it previously hadn't. Couple of dips in the road and when going onto a low kerb outside my house.

 There was fine cracks in the sidewalls of the front tyres. Changed them, and all good again.

Edited May 21, 2017 by soupstone

[chilli]

Cheers for that fella...

 

UPDATE:

The AA man came and replaced the battery. Luckily he had one that fits on his van. Having read about the terminal being the the wrong way I was hesitant...to say the least.

No probs with the +ve lead (as it was) in fact was too long so needed pushing back but the -ve lead was indeed just too short... but he undid the 2no. ECU bolts and brought the -tive lead to the wing side and hey presto!!! New battery, proper job, no removing/butchering the battery tray.. £118 fitted money well spent and guaranteed for 4years.

There is no drain on the battery, so the battery must have been goosed. I have yet to investigate whether the amp is plugged into the rear quarter speaker but at least the damn thing is mobile again.

 

Whilst we were waiting for the car the reach temp (he informed me I'd lost all the fluid in the reservoir after only driving it 115 miles) I mentioned the airbag warning light and his machine pointed at the seat belt tensioner crash sensor. After failing to reset it, I lost the skin on two knuckles whilst giggling wires and connections under the drivers seat and RESULT!!! airbag light out.

Lesson to learn. Do not over extend in either direction the front seats when stowing/getting out the middle seats as is pulls a connector apart and the airbag warning light comes on. Thats fine to ignore until you crash and the airbags wont deploy.

 

On to the bottoming out issue. At 75k gentle miles the shocks are not shot. It would appear that I do have the thicker self leveller kind on the rear.

Further investigation underneath highlighted the spare wheel swinging in the breeze like a pair of b*llocks!!! So its back to youtube to see how to tighen this mother up!!!\

 

Four tyres, 3 brands and differing levels and patterns of tread is too funny (coming from a lifetime of motorsport and off road expedition trips how can people drive cars and put their lives and families lives at risk this way?) So new rubber is on the to do list after the alloys have been refurbed this week.

 

I'm beginning to realise why this forum is so prolific.. having owned the beast for 24hrs and I'm already expert on; why caravan doors fail and how to replace the harness and door actuators, crash sensors and how to find them and giggle them about, spare wheel fastenings and battery fitment and replacement. Not bad eh?

 

I guess if youv'e half a mind to own a Grand voyager...Thats all you need.. Keep smiling there is life at the end of the tunnel e=ven if its just the taxman holding a torch.

[bignev]

Hey up fella, blooming heck you've had a ruddy tough introduction matey!

 

My first one barely gave me a peep of trouble for 4 years. Then it became a git and is still stood at the drive behind my van a year on!!!!!

 

Yeah I agree on the tyres, scary as hell what some people think (or don't think actually) is fine.

 

If you have round front fog lights it's a facelift.

I am guessing it has to be because you mention about stowing the seat, which makes it a Stow n Go version. Only in facelift.

To tighten the spare, if you've not found it there is a nut under the rubber floor cover at the front of the floor console next to the (usually pooe) handbrake.

 

Petrol or diesel?

 

You do have to really like them to put up with them don't you!

I've not driven ours for a few weeks as it's been getting some repairs and plenty of (Ihope) preventative bits on the suspension, but today went out for a 110 mile round trip with my 2 girls to meet other family. Our 2007 Galaxy is nice, but this was effortless, mega smooth 1st class comfort travel.

 

And I like the line about the taxman with a torch!! When I was a kid it used to be "some bugger with more work".

Edited May 21, 2017 by bignev

[soupstone]

Had a learning curve with my first one, the battery drain, cutting out, timing belt failure, handbrake work, thermostat mod.

This one? When I enquired about it, the seller said he'd get the timing belt done if I didn't beat him up on the price. He didn't just do that, he gave it a full service. I'm confident he did, it started cutting out after about 30 miles, and I had to get it recovered.

 

 Caused by a loose fuel filter.

Temperature gauge never went over 1/4, added the second thermostat. Battery charging at 13.8ish, added the resistor to get it up to 14.4.

 

 It's on 115k now, I've just had the auto box serviced to make sure I'm confident in that. 

Need to get the handbrake looked at, and I'll get the radio working again by fitting a switch to cut the battery drain when not in use. 

That aside, these cars do everything I need. Sure they can be problematic, but between this forum and the other one that ends .com, there's plenty assistance for everything that can go wrong. 

[chilli]

@Big Nev

You guess right, round fogs, stow n go, so it must be a facelift model.BTW Its a weasel so getting around 28-31MPG. I'm going out to find this feckin spare tyre nut...thanks for the heads up.

 

@@soupstone

Sounds like you got the sister vehicle to mine!! I had the temp gauge hardly move out of the bottom when I drove her home, so was suspecting thermostat removal myself until the AA man watered her and ran her up to temp...However he did say the clutch on the Air Con was on its way out and if it seizes the car wont go, so I add to the ever growing list of to 'get done' A 'to do' list implies I would be doing myself but those days are behind me...

 

A 75k service + rear brakes tomorrow ensues for Wednesday I'm driving down to Glastonbury so wish me luck!!