Sun roof open, console drenched, Transmission Fault

[Emma]

Hi All,
I'm new to the forum and hoping for some wisdom on my LR3. I gather that the sunroof open during storm issue isn't unusual but haven't managed to find all the steps to rectify, hoping to benefit from the experiences of others if I may.

Our windows were up but didn't realise the sunroof was still open when we had a storm come in. Lots of rain. We let it all dry out but didn't open anything up (Didnt realise at that stage that that the terrain switches etc could be affected and just crossed our fingers). A few days later (it's not our regular vehicle) I went to drive it and got the transmission fault, limited gears available.

I searched the forums, gathered we needed to replace the terrain switch. Aside from terrain switch showing no lights and gears showing D not P all other options worked (park break, suspension).

We put in a new terrain switch. No change.

I've checked under glove box and under hood and no fuses appear to be blown. I've completed the battery disconnect process and again no change.

Any suggestions on next steps?

LR3 2005 SE.

Any suggestions on next processes would be much appreciated. Many times on these forums I've saved so much time and money with the experiences and solutions of others, I just haven't read any final ones on this particular problem...

 

[Houm_WA]

Hi Emma, I'd do a thorough search on this forum and on land*****forums.com. (replace the asterisks with "rover") I know that I've read about this exact same issue at least one other time. IIRC, it may be a switch issue or the wiring harness/connectors under the console. There are other switches to consider as well like the EAS height selector and 4-Lo selector. Was the passenger side floorboard carpet wet? There is another significant wiring loom and connector located there.

 

[Codename Duchess]

My wife left the sunroof open shortly before a rainstorm. I caught it just by chance... Still get the jimmies thinking about it.

 

[Emma]

The passenger floor was wet, yes. We removed floor mats to aid drying. I'll check how to lift up now.

I was limited in searching before becoming a member but found a thread in July after posting, it shows another connector to unplug and check for corrosion. I tried to disconnect but having trouble due small space, I'll have another try as I check carpet.

Once I find corrosion is there a fix that doesn't involve towing and replacing entire wiring? I'm wondering if the reason there's not many happy ending posts on the threads is because they had to get towed in and wiring harnesses replaced by professionals anyway. If there's no solutions DIY perhaps I bite the bullet and have it taken in.

 

[Emma]

My wife left the sunroof open shortly before a rainstorm. I caught it just by chance... Still get the jimmies thinking about it.

SOOO lucky. I keep thinking how close I came to not having this issue, if only I had thought to check when I raced out in the rain for the windows. I was "this" close to not having our boat towing vehicle out of action with a costly time consuming problem..

I have a choice: spend a few hundred minimum on analysis or spend that on putting tow bar on our family car and get to the lake.

 

[jwest]

It should just be a simple module that's in the area under the shift knob. This happened to mine last summer when a sprinkler system sprayed in for a couple hours. I was on a trip so I didn't have the opportunity to test my idea that if left alone long enough to 100% dry out underneath, it might all be fine. But I suppose once it's all powered on when trying to start the first time, it gets fried in that moment.

Anyway, it was maybe an $80 fix at the dealer.

 

[catman]

Hi Emma,
Here is a link to the July thread and the picture of how to release that harness.

However, since you are going to need to clean the contact on the gear shift assembly, you may as well remove the 4 large bolts holding it in and lift it up and out, it will make removing the harness easier. You do not need to remove the cable to do this.

Now from there, I am unsure what the ultimate answer is yet. I broke a pin on the shifter assembly (part# UCB500072) becasue it was so bright and sunny when I was working on it outside that I could not see very well and I poked a pin and bent it by accident. Then when I went to bend it back it snapped

I put it back together as-is and it drives perfect at this point, except I get a transmission error message (but not the limited gears error). I do not have the manual shift available and the D is lit all the time when the lights are on (even in P,R, or N). Before I broke the pin the D stayed on 24/7, so that was a change from breaking the pin

I would bet that your transmission issue is with this harness and the shifter assembly.

Whether or not you end up with a D light that stays on D all the time is a separate issue that I have seen others have. It could be the shifter assembly as well, or it could be the actual top plate with the P,R,N,D lights as that is also a replaceable piece with its own circuit board.

I ignored the final fix on this for a while, but I will be replacing my shifter assembly soon and will report if this fixes both issues or not. Good luck!

 

[Emma]

Hi Emma,
Here is a link to the July thread and the picture of how to release that harness.

However, since you are going to need to clean the contact on the gear shift assembly, you may as well remove the 4 large bolts holding it in and lift it up and out, it will make removing the harness easier. You do not need to remove the cable to do this.

Now from there, I am unsure what the ultimate answer is yet. I broke a pin on the shifter assembly (part# UCB500072) becasue it was so bright and sunny when I was working on it outside that I could not see very well and I poked a pin and bent it by accident. Then when I went to bend it back it snapped

I put it back together as-is and it drives perfect at this point, except I get a transmission error message (but not the limited gears error). I do not have the manual shift available and the D is lit all the time when the lights are on (even in P,R, or N). Before I broke the pin the D stayed on 24/7, so that was a change from breaking the pin

I would bet that your transmission issue is with this harness and the shifter assembly.

Whether or not you end up with a D light that stays on D all the time is a separate issue that I have seen others have. It could be the shifter assembly as well, or it could be the actual top plate with the P,R,N,D lights as that is also a replaceable piece with its own circuit board.

I ignored the final fix on this for a while, but I will be replacing my shifter assembly soon and will report if this fixes both issues or not. Good luck!

Thanks Catman. I've had some luck. Hopefully the tip about removing the 4 bolts to get access to the shifter assembly connection helps the next person: I struggled and finally released connector while still in place, but had to find a way to get access to clean recepticle and only then found out the bolts easily release the whole assembly.

That connector was the source of my fault.

I found a way to clean corrosion: one solution of salt/vinegar to clean and one solution of water/baking soda to rinse. I dipped the female end in to clean and blew out and residual and left to dry. The male end was trickier.

Armed with the knowledge of how easy it was to break a pin I very carefully went and broke a pin. It happened when I was initially investigating with a cotton bud while assembly was still attached. Do not prod around where you can't see! Once I removed the bolts I could lift the assembly and have full access.

I straightened the bent pin with tweezers eventually, and am amazed it didn't break.

To clean the male pins I dipped the tweezers into the salt/vinegar solution and gently held each pin with the tweezers, and simply went up and back down on each one. The solution hung to the tweezers and coated each pin and removed the corrosion. I then rinsed the same way. There was no excess solution and I was careful not to drop any where I couldn't rinse.

I've just now put the whole console back together and successfully started with no fault.

But: I have a check engine light and the D is permanently lit.

Hopefully that helps the next person, and if I find any solutions to the D and check engine light or have any other issues I'll report back.

Oh, I checked under carpet on passenger side (pulled back trim along door side edge, there's a floor piece and a wall piece that simply pop up) and there was a significant amount of water pooled along door side in a channel where the wires sat. All the connectors look like they're higher on the wall next to feet so hopefully unaffected. I suctioned the water and let it dry.

Thanks for the tips, my quotes have been upwards of $800 to simply look and replace console parts that were "definitely going to need replacing". As I couldn't stomach such a cost for such a dumb mistake I had to take a look and am so relieved to get some success.

 

[jverbruggen]

Thanks Catman. I've had some luck. Hopefully the tip about removing the 4 bolts to get access to the shifter assembly connection helps the next person: I struggled and finally released connector while still in place, but had to find a way to get access to clean recepticle and only then found out the bolts easily release the whole assembly.

That connector was the source of my fault.

I found a way to clean corrosion: one solution of salt/vinegar to clean and one solution of water/baking soda to rinse. I dipped the female end in to clean and blew out and residual and left to dry. The male end was trickier.

Armed with the knowledge of how easy it was to break a pin I very carefully went and broke a pin. It happened when I was initially investigating with a cotton bud while assembly was still attached. Do not prod around where you can't see! Once I removed the bolts I could lift the assembly and have full access.

I straightened the bent pin with tweezers eventually, and am amazed it didn't break.

To clean the male pins I dipped the tweezers into the salt/vinegar solution and gently held each pin with the tweezers, and simply went up and back down on each one. The solution hung to the tweezers and coated each pin and removed the corrosion. I then rinsed the same way. There was no excess solution and I was careful not to drop any where I couldn't rinse.

I've just now put the whole console back together and successfully started with no fault.

But: I have a check engine light and the D is permanently lit.

Hopefully that helps the next person, and if I find any solutions to the D and check engine light or have any other issues I'll report back.

Oh, I checked under carpet on passenger side (pulled back trim along door side edge, there's a floor piece and a wall piece that simply pop up) and there was a significant amount of water pooled along door side in a channel where the wires sat. All the connectors look like they're higher on the wall next to feet so hopefully unaffected. I suctioned the water and let it dry.

Thanks for the tips, my quotes have been upwards of $800 to simply look and replace console parts that were "definitely going to need replacing". As I couldn't stomach such a cost for such a dumb mistake I had to take a look and am so relieved to get some success.

Did you ever find a solution to the D light always being on, and no manual shifting with transmission fault? I have this same issue, and cleaning the harness did not fix the issue... Thanks!

 

[Emma]

Did you ever find a solution to the D light always being on, and no manual shifting with transmission fault? I have this same issue, and cleaning the harness did not fix the issue... Thanks!

No doubt you’ve reached some resolution by now, but incase someone else is looking: look for every connection you can see, there’s always additional. Then double check your cleaning: just a tinge of green is all it needs to fault.

I bought a whole new shifter/centre console from an online wrecker for $100 as my broken pin was preventing manual shifting and needed replacing.

After my husband used a concrete barrier as a can opener along the whole side of that LR3 I replaced it with a 2006 and then left the sunroof open on that too. At least I knew how quickly corrosion sets in: immediately took everything apart and let dry and no issues. I now have an LR4 I don’t open the sunroof under any circumstances….