A few more things (Post #144) 5/11/2009

So I’ve been driving the Range Rover this week, on and off. And I have some additions to the “little list” in the previous post. It’s amazing all the things you forget when you don’t drive something everyday.

Additions:

  • Driver’s side door latch is mostly failed.
  • Code 69.
  • Central locking system is toast.
  • Rear center brake light non-functional.
  • Passenger side seat leather beginning to split.
  • Carpets need to be cleaned/replaced.
  • Cupholders, lack there of.
  • Power steering lines leaking.

Getting out of the Big White Bus (BWB) is quite a challenge these days. My daughter has been just jerking on the door release several time very hard to get the door to open. All that is needed is to pull the door to you and then pull the latch. In either event the door needs to be sorted out and possibly the driver’s side door latch needs replacing.

Code 69 has popped up on the on board diagnostic display. That is the position sensor for the automatic transmission lever. In addition to that failure the high-low transfer case lever does not move due to a common failure with the solenoid failing. I had forgotten about that problem. Looks like I will be underneath the middle of the truck for a couple of problems.

The fob to unlock the truck has been not locking the door locks. The weak state of the actuators is probably to blame. I really like pressing a single button and listening to the doors lock. This will be one of the first things I need to sort out. The central locking system is going to be very important if I am to upgrade the sound system.

The rear center brake light stopped working. I know I hooked it up, but I’m pretty sure the slamming of the upper gate by my daughter, knocked the lamp loose and probably damaged the bulb.

No amount of leather feed/leather conditioner is going to stop the passenger side seat leather from splitting. I tried to condition it again this weekend, but until I get the tint on the windows its probably all for naught.

Who doesn’t like clean carpets? The carpets in the BWB need to be cleaned or even better replaced. I’m not sure I have the budget for that so it’s a low priority for now.

The lack of cupholders was pretty evident the last time I drove the BWB as I watched my cellular phone slide off the dash and out the window. Just kidding it just slid into the dash cubby but it scared me just the same. I have invented my own style of cup holder and am debating whether or not I turn a couple more or just install my spare Discovery cup holders. The jury is still out on this one.

The perenial power steering leak is still there. I haven’t bothered to just replace every hose. It doesn’t leak all that much, just enough to make the bottom of everything wet with fluid.

Well that’s about it. At least that’s all I could come up with for now. I’m not sure if I’ll find anything else after I start driving her. As right now if I had all the money for repairs, it would take me 10 days to sort it all out, if I did nothing else. Once again the term “rolling restoration” works very well for the Range Rover LWB known affectionately, once again, as The Big White Bus.