Just a thought - do you lower your car to access height when you park up? Try it over night and check the battery in the morning before starting up - putting the car into access height before locking up puts all the electrics into sleep mode leaving it in Normal height will only hibernate the electronics and the car will search for the key fob all the time which it won't do if you leave it in access height. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
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Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I normally leave it in normal height but after your advice I've just popped out and put it into access height so I will check battery once again in the morning. I've managed to get hold of a pair of rear lights tonight so will be putting them on in the morning with all new bulbs just as a precaution. Thanks

Just abit of an update. I checked the battery this morning from standing in low mode and the bolts read 11.6 and upon starting it drops to 9.8 and then goes upto 14 .2 when running. I wondered if you could tell me what you think to them reading. Thanks again.

Sounds a bit low at 11.6 i would have thought it would have gone up to closer to 15 volts once started is it a maintenance free battery or can it be topped up with water

Those figures seem to read to low to me personally, I haven't yet read complete thread, to see how old battery is etc.
Have you had the battery checked? From info shown it doesn't look to healthy, but best to check it out first, that would rule it out of equation.  John

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Last edited by Johnski on Tue Jun 13 2017 2:56pm. Edited 1 time in total

Hi. I've not had the battery properly checked. Just done the voltmeter readings on my meter and that's what they were coming up as. I don't no what sort of readings they should be so was completely lost. I've changed my back lights and wiring and got my upper tailgate working. I have no problem changing the battery if you guys think it is lower than it should be. I've found plenty of good deals on batteries which are 105ah and 900cca compared to the 95ah 800cca Lucas battery that is currently on the car. Cheers

It's almost impossible to diagnose a battery remotely, especially as we don't know what you've been up to - on the 11th you went out and put to access mode, I guess you started the RRS to do this? Did it get charged after? The next day you were going to fit lights etc., were doors left open etc. etc.

But yes 11.6V is very low, normally indicating a dud battery with so short a time sitting. But is it the battery, or is it the RRS with a high load drain? Are you able to get a low amp clamp ammeter around the battery cable (or ammeter in series if you know what you're doing - watch for sparks though....), this would tell the load the RRS is pulling? To test the battery properly involves disconnecting from any load and doing tests, but if it is known the RRS isn't pulling excessive high loads then it can be done while still fitted.

Here is a link with very brief battery voltage level meanings. But a low voltage doesn't necessary mean it's dud if it's just been drained - but do get it topped up quick with a charger with decent amperage, recommended of 10% battery Ah if drained so low - https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-t...ar-battery

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Ok brilliant. It's going to my friends garage tomorrow to have the suspension bags on the rear replaced so I'll get him to check everything as it will be with him for a day or 2. I do no that the car had been sat for a few months before I brought it but whether that would make any difference I don't no. I think I'll see what my mechanic says and then just get a battery to eliminate the possibility of it being that. I did start it up and lower the suspension and then it sat overnight. Ive been on a good run today so I'll leave it over night and I'll check again before it goes to the garage. Cheers for your advice

Nico2104 wrote:

I do no that the car had been sat for a few months before I brought it but whether that would make any difference I don't no.

That's really informative cheers. I think I'll just bite the bullet and change the battery. For the sake of £100 it stops the chasing and eliminates that issue so I think it's the best idea. Hopefully with all these bits being changed I won't have the problem again but I'm not holding my breath. I did go on roughly a 50 mile drive today and had no problems at all but like I say it doesn't always do the problems. It did it twice the other day after the car had been sat for a week due to me being in hospital so maybe the battery idea is the best out of it all. Once again cheers for your help and I'll get everything sorted over next few days and then let you all no how it is. Cheers

Tim in Scotland wrote:

Just a thought - do you lower your car to access height when you park up? Try it over night and check the battery in the morning before starting up - putting the car into access height before locking up puts all the electrics into sleep mode leaving it in Normal height will only hibernate the electronics and the car will search for the key fob all the time which it won't do if you leave it in access height.

Just a little update. So far I have changed brake light switch, both rear lights with wiring with all new bulbs, upper tailgate now all working.
I have figured out now that all the faults in my title only come on if I start the car and drive straight off. If I leave it for a minute or 2 no lights come on and doesn't going into lowering suspension mode. One thing that is popping up is upon starting occasionally the engine management light stays on but when switching off and plugging diagnostics in it shows no faults and upon restarting light has gone. It is booked in now for next week to have the passenger rear suspension bag changed but does anyone think that the bag would cause all the lights to come on and go into lowered suspension mode when setting off straight away. It has been confirmed the suspension bag is knackered. Any help would be appreciated. Cheers

Total stab in the dark but multiple issues and a christmas tree on your dash means a dying battery which I'm sure many have mentioned... First thing to do is check the battery grounds and then as many other grounds as you can. Second, do a hard reset. Disconnect batter AS PER THE MANUAL then touch the pos and negative leads together to reset everything.

This will most likely NOT help you but it will not hurt to try.

Why is the air bag being changed is it because it deflates itself over time as if it does then spend no more money until it is changed then once it's done see if the faults come back

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but the valve blocks can leak/valves stick open. This can cause the vehicle to go lop-sided or for one end to sink. Even though the car is turned off the system still tries to keep itself level, it can't put air in and so lets the opposite side down to compensate.

You can test for this by leaving the battery disconnected over night. If the car is down on one corner then you've got an air leak if its level then you need to service your valve blocks (not a massive job, just a few O'rings)

Everything going off on your dash would say battery to me, especially if you let it all sit for a little while (the alternator will have put some life into the battery).