did cold weather do this to your lr3?

[sdf6hr]

the temps are starting to drop where i live now... this will be the first winter with my '08.
since i 've started running the heater and other cold weather accessories, i've noticed: 1) a decently loud creaking noise coming from the center console when going over bumps in roadway. turning off the rear console vents helps a bit but not completely...
2) my first operation of the heated winshield seemed to blow my pass. side front door speaker

are these things common and fixable? or should prepare to deal with them long term? thanks for any feedback.

 

[CMGRover]

SE? I've noticed neither...but I don't have the heated windshield...

 

[bbyer]

Creaks are normal.

After a few winters, you will not even hear the creaks and snapping any longer. Yes, the noise is normal; the plastic around the radio seems to shrink and the little metal clips relax under protest. I would say it is not bumps or vehicle flexing but just a cold cabin. Once the cabin warms up, the creaks stop until the cabin gets cold again.

I guess it is not cold enough in the UK for the problem to show itself.

I think the door speakers are just back luck and nothing to do with the heated windscreen.

If you have the rear heater setup, in winter, I set it to manual and run the fan at about 75% and the heat set about the same. This way the fan noise is in the back and the front heater serves to moderate front area heat and remains sort of quiet like. At -20C, rather than a jacket, a sweater is enough when highway driving.

What I cannot get used to is the +4C bong everytime I start up. That is annoying as I tend to think it is the air suspension.

Below -20C, you may get air suspension trouble messages - just ignore them as they are normal and eventually cancel themselves. It may come from the battery being cold and hence not quite at voltage or who knows. One thing about winter, you do not worry about the air compressor overheating. I have found the suspension to be quite reliable in winter - no freeze ups, or that sort of thing.

That is good as North of me, the nearest dealer is in either Iceland or Greenland.

Per the link below, I do run a dual battery system and that is a good cold weather option.

Insert disco3 co uk with periods in between where the *** are.

http://www.**************/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=3738

 

[whydahdvr]

As far as I remember from last winter I haven't had these issues you mention on my 08 HSE. However, I may have heard creaks and noises and put it down to a cold cabin and the cold weather. My Tahoe does much the same thing in the cold; rattle, creak, and groan more.

 

[sdf6hr]

thanks one and all for the replies.

but a quick follow up question... about how long a trip would be needed to warm the cabin above the creaking threshold? as i stated, turning off some of the cabin heat seems to improve the situation ... also, i work outside & overnight so for the next 4 months i will be dressed to stay warm, i don't really want to tool around with cabin @ max temp. ...

the good news is that the stereo speaker seems to be functioning normally again...

 

[bbyer]

speaker may be not quite connected

I recall that at about year 3 of warranty, one of each of the pair of either front or rear door speakers, or one of each, (forget just which it was), went silent. It was difficult to convince the Dealer that one speaker of each of two pairs was silent as the thinking was that it depended upon the music, which is sort of true. Anyway, once they agreed, from what I gather, the silent speakers were merely not connected. Dealer reconnected rather than replaced, and all was well.

What I am saying is that if the speakers go silent, it may just be connections within the door. I might also add that removing a door card is not that easy so if still on warranty, get the dealer to do it as I was able to do similar.

I think as long as it is above freezing inside, there are not any or many of the creak noises. You pretty much either have to drive with the windows rolled down or have some heat turned on as the interior of the side windows will frost up. Heated windscreen would be clear however. With a Land Rover, you can drive as if you had a ski doo if you wish, but a bit of heat, say to above freezing should stop the creaking. I think all becomes quiet within the first 15 minutes of startup except when below -40C / -40F and then you should be in Hawaii; driving in January is more fun there, but sounds like you will not be there, nor I.

 

[tlt]

It did in fact do exactly that... first time ever in winter cold weather. The hairdryer trick on one of the links worked the best for me.

t

 

[er1c]

I developed creaks/crackling in various plastic parts in my LR3 last winter. Unfortunately, they didn't go away.

Now that we've had weather between 10F-15F so far this winter, new noises have developed, too. I feel like I'm driving around an old, cheap Geo Metro with 300,000 miles on it. Sadly, I only have 60,000 miles on my LR3.

I assume that the cold weather changes the molecular structure of the plastic, and as a result, the size of various pieces have changed--- causing the trim pieces to rub against one another.

Everything from my front dash speaker trim, my front passenger vent trim, my H-trim, about half a dozen various spots in the cargo area all make loud noises.

I have a bit of 3M black suede material leftover from a headliner (OEM factory gray) conversion I did on my BMW. So, I'm going to cut tiny strips of it and place it strategically underneath the noise culprits pieces--- I'll let everyone know if this does the trick.

 

[morrisdl]

I FIXED MINE! Moved to VA ;-)