2008 LR3 Dash Failure (Lights Out)

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Pat Devito

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I was driving along on the expressway and noticed my dash go dark and completely shut off. Cars still running mind you. Odometer, Speedometer, Gas Gauge, etc...all shut down as if the car was turned off. This occurred for about 20 seconds and then it popped back on. It couldn't be more dangerous considering I had no idea how fast I was going for that 20 seconds. Now it's occurring more frequently. No faults pop up just lights out. Any ideas what the issue is? Appreciate the feedback.
 

davidfkon

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I had the same issue . . . mine was resolved by changing the battery.
 

bbyer

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There is a single big cable connector on the rear of the instrument cluster that over time works loose. That is probably why you have a "now you see it, now you don't" intermittent kind of problem.

The link below shows a picture of the rear of the cluster and the location of the plug in the top corner.

The trick to is get at the plug but once one does, you just unplug it and replug it back in.

I suggest you disconnect the battery prior to unplugging etc so that you know all the computers are dead so when you restart, there will be other fusses.

https://disco3.co.uk/gallery/albums/userpics/12690/D3_Speaker.pdf
 

davidfkon

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Maybe I got lucky - but I would suggest following bbyer's suggestion as he has soooo much more experience with these vehicles - his insights have proven again and again to be spot on!
 

bbyer

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I had the same issue . . . mine was resolved by changing the battery.
In an LR3, if the battery is more than five years old, and has not been regularly put on a battery maintainer for a week or so a couple of times a year, then installing a new battery can be good preventive maintenance. An LR3 is really a mobile computer masquerading as the worlds best 4x4.

The computers seem to need a strong 5 volts to run them and I have always felt the voltage transformers within the computers were weak and as such, that they required at least 13 volts going in to get a strong 5 volts to the boards.

With an older battery, at startup and shortly thereafter, I just think there is not much left to run the computers and hence strange things can result.
 

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