It appears that Land Rover are now taking the detachable tow ball issue more seriously and have issued a recall. Our colleagues on the Disco3 site are discussing it here http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic121876.html

Mt RRSport is being looked at by the dealer tomorrow. I will report back what if anything they propose to do.

It's funny how it's taken nearly 7 years and several accidents before they pay attention. I know of one lady who lost her horse and box and was told by LR she hadn't inserted it correctly although she had both keys in the boot. And another guy who lost £120000 lambo and car trailer the same way. In both cases the tow ball was still connected to the trailer and had come off the car. I complained for years that when I towed my caravan, I had to keep checking the bar was engaged by detaching the caravan and disconnecting the bar and reinstalling it. 2x TDV6. SE and HSE. Both returned to sender with issues👀
TDV8 Sport HSE...... Gone. Loved it but it didn't love me!!
Now rolling in MY10 Fullfat TDV8 Vogue. Slammed it to go round corners🙈
Cruising daily #56 mph in a Volvo V8. 😱
Lots of other toys in the cupboard...😜

When i was at my dealership on Tuesday, he asked me if i had a towbar fitted as there were some sort of recall for it. I didn't take much notice as my motor doesn't have a bar fitted. So somthing is obviously happening now about this problem. As you say Simon, 7 years and many accidents too late.

Is the problem with the towball or the connection at the chassis?
I have a Thule towball, (who made them for LR) but was not fitted by a dealer.
Just wondering where I stand, as mine gets used for towing horse boxes

Cheers
Dave MY10 TDV6 SE (debadged ), Santorini Black, Flappy paddles, Privacy Glass, 20" Stormers, Mudflaps!

Gone: a comprehensive list of imprezas and a Merc ML AMG

Double post, hands still shakey after last night  MY10 TDV6 SE (debadged ), Santorini Black, Flappy paddles, Privacy Glass, 20" Stormers, Mudflaps!

Gone: a comprehensive list of imprezas and a Merc ML AMG

Like cod father I also have a Thrule tow hitch which I bought from Duckworth Land Rover so are we covered ? After reading the thread on the D3 forum I think they check the reciever in the rear crossmember for wear not the hitch itself. 2008 G4 RRSport TDV8 current
2009 TDCi 90 current
2018 Discovery 5 HSE lux current
1994 Dakar current

Surprise, surprise quote 'there is movement but insufficient to justify replacement under warranty. The movement according to Land Rover's tool is acceptable'. Funny that - only a couple of months ago another dealer said that the towbar required replacement and wanted to charge £400 to do it. I have no confidence in Land Rover on this issue.

My understanding is that it's the connection from car to swan neck. Tow balls wear but unless it's made from butter not far enough to warrant a recall.
The system of tiny pin holding the neck into chassis isn't clever, the full fat has a Thule bar on it supplied by LR which has similar engineered system but uses three balls to lock into housing. Not yet had reason to question iota design or security.
I did read somewhere that the swan neck is only designed to tow 750 kgs, if you want to tow more, you need to instal the heavy duty version with two bolt on stabilisers, only problem with this is it's not mentioned in the hand book!!!!!! 🔫 2x TDV6. SE and HSE. Both returned to sender with issues👀
TDV8 Sport HSE...... Gone. Loved it but it didn't love me!!
Now rolling in MY10 Fullfat TDV8 Vogue. Slammed it to go round corners🙈
Cruising daily #56 mph in a Volvo V8. 😱
Lots of other toys in the cupboard...😜

My swan neck wobbles around in the housing like mad. My understanding is that they are measuring the movement in the locking knob not the movement of the swan neck in the housing. The dealer showed me a photograph of the knob against a scale. In my case the knob at maximum travel was not pointing into the red zone.

If your knob wobbles then there are tablets available.  2x TDV6. SE and HSE. Both returned to sender with issues👀
TDV8 Sport HSE...... Gone. Loved it but it didn't love me!!
Now rolling in MY10 Fullfat TDV8 Vogue. Slammed it to go round corners🙈
Cruising daily #56 mph in a Volvo V8. 😱
Lots of other toys in the cupboard...😜

Just a thought is this checking of the towbar going to become a service item as they do wear, it might be ok this year but what about 2/3 years from now, then will it be changed as per this service action ??
Hello is that Land Rover I've just lost my caravan off the back of my car, its gone across the road and killed 3 people in a car coming the other way. Oh I'm very sorry ,sir but according to our records it was checked back in 2015 and was ok then, maybe you didn't fit it correctly to the back of your car !
In other words not our problem..... 2008 G4 RRSport TDV8 current
2009 TDCi 90 current
2018 Discovery 5 HSE lux current
1994 Dakar current

Last edited by Camelrock on Sat Jan 03 2015 10:13am. Edited 1 time in total

I would be more concerned that it is the receiver that wears, as it is part of the chassis will be a to change.  2x TDV6. SE and HSE. Both returned to sender with issues👀
TDV8 Sport HSE...... Gone. Loved it but it didn't love me!!
Now rolling in MY10 Fullfat TDV8 Vogue. Slammed it to go round corners🙈
Cruising daily #56 mph in a Volvo V8. 😱
Lots of other toys in the cupboard...😜

What they should be doing is designing a new detachable tow hitch that doesn't wear then fall off and replace the lot. They can then claim off there supplier ie Thrule, they did this in the 90's with the TDI Disco's and Range Rover Classic dashes I changed dozens of the things .. 2008 G4 RRSport TDV8 current
2009 TDCi 90 current
2018 Discovery 5 HSE lux current
1994 Dakar current

This 'recall' will remain valid for two years and if any issue is spotted within that time which fits the criteria the towing assembly will be replaced. However they have now issued new guidance on how the towbar should be used which includes for example removing it and storing it in the boot when not in use for towing. If it isn't used in accordance with the new guidelines they may try to get out of replacing the unit FOC. This is like changing the rules of the game at half time! There was no such guidance in place at the point of sale.

So that if owners use their towbar day in day out, can they expect to lose their trailer at some point of the day due to the towbar not being fit for purpose
What an half cocked ruling....