New Defender News

T-Willy

Well-known member
Its a huge dumpster fire at this point. I'd be surprised they knicked an irreplaceable harness- that just makes no sense. My guess is defender # 2 has another BS electrical problem like defender # 1 did.

I too would like to understand how damaging or destroying a wiring harness renders the Defender a complete loss. I agree that it doesn’t make sense. It seems to conflict with claims that I’ve read here holding that, in order to avoid just this type of crippling centralized failure, JLR avoids centralized “Achilles heels” in its various electronic systems.

This is a remote touring vehicle after all; is there actually a wiring configuration behind the grill or bumper that, if damaged, renders the vehicle inoperable and a complete loss?
 

DieselRanger

Well-known member
When a JLR dealership destroys a new Defender while installing a factory warrantied option, JLR shares in that failure by virtue of its decision to allow that dealership to officially represent, sell and service JLR products.
...and as I said, JLR are keeping score, and there are other dealers in that market. May have been their first screw up. These guys are a sample size of one on that failure, but let's go ahead and hold the entire company up as a failure for that one dealer screw up, shall we?

The engine failure isn't a dealer screw up, that's a production escape, unless the dealer did something stupid to make the engine fail after the first repair attempt.

You know Jeep would have just sent a new engine and sent them on with mismatched VINs and told them to piss up a rope if they complained.

But JLR went and made them whole by delivering them an entirely new vehicle. That the dealer cocked up the winch install on that new vehicle is an independent, separate event. Would many consumers give up at that point? Sure, and nobody would fault them. Does it look bad? Sure does, especially for a brand that has to work as mightily to overcome the Original Sin of its own malaise era, but you have to realize, you are holding up one customer with a bad experience, simply because they have a media platform to scream it with.

And now these squeaky wheels are getting a third completely new vehicle, on the dealer-offered pretense that the wiring harness is damaged so much that it's un-repairable.
 

DieselRanger

Well-known member
I too would like to understand how damaging or destroying a wiring harness renders the Defender a complete loss. I agree that it doesn’t make sense. It seems to conflict with claims that I’ve read here holding that, in order to avoid just this type of crippling centralized failure, JLR avoids centralized “Achilles heels” in its various electronic systems.

This is a remote touring vehicle after all; is there actually a wiring configuration behind the grill or bumper that, if damaged, renders the vehicle inoperable and a complete loss?
On the D5, there is indeed one main wiring harness for power which runs from the battery mounted in the cargo area to the engine bay, but it is tucked so far up under the belly of the vehicle it would take a malicious or incredibly unlucky act to break it. Its about 6" higher than the lowest point of the underbelly of the vehicle, under the driver's left thigh just below the floor of the vehicle.

On mine, it's now also protected by Proud Rhino rock sliders and that aforementioned 6 inches of dead air space.

I also find it hard to believe that loom can't be spliced. I can't believe they would have had to cut into the entire loom to get to the right power and control wires. Kind of makes me think JLR is just making a point of giving them new cars so they shut up about the last problem and get to posting about driving it. Otherwise it's "our Defender is still in the shop, wish we were posting about driving it but nope, here's a Toyota Camry, again..."
 

plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
You a
...and as I said, JLR are keeping score, and there are other dealers in that market. May have been their first screw up. These guys are a sample size of one on that failure, but let's go ahead and hold the entire company up as a failure for that one dealer screw up, shall we?

The engine failure isn't a dealer screw up, that's a production escape, unless the dealer did something stupid to make the engine fail after the first repair attempt.

You know Jeep would have just sent a new engine and sent them on with mismatched VINs and told them to piss up a rope if they complained.

But JLR went and made them whole by delivering them an entirely new vehicle. That the dealer cocked up the winch install on that new vehicle is an independent, separate event. Would many consumers give up at that point? Sure, and nobody would fault them. Does it look bad? Sure does, especially for a brand that has to work as mightily to overcome the Original Sin of its own malaise era, but you have to realize, you are holding up one customer with a bad experience, simply because they have a media platform to scream it with.

And now these squeaky wheels are getting a third completely new vehicle, on the dealer-offered pretense that the wiring harness is damaged so much that it's un-repairable.
You are buying JLRs story??? I think the guy that came up with was the "dog ate my homework" guy. JLR needs to film this achilles heel harness and put out a video so everyone doesnt suffer the same fate.
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
A winch may be a dealer installed option but Im sure Land Rover factory had already designed in the ability to accept the partners product and should also have step by step instructions for the install. Same as the tow package.
 

DieselRanger

Well-known member
A winch may be a dealer installed option but Im sure Land Rover factory had already designed in the ability to accept the partners product and should also have step by step instructions for the install. Same as the tow package.
One would hope that is the case. But a bumbling mechanic can still screw up an install, clearly.
 

DieselRanger

Well-known member
You a
You are buying JLRs story??? I think the guy that came up with was the "dog ate my homework" guy. JLR needs to film this achilles heel harness and put out a video so everyone doesnt suffer the same fate.
It's every manufacturer's story. They all put pressure on their dealers to make sure they are meeting customer expectations. A great example is Hyundai Motors forcing dealers who want Genesis allocations to put millions of dollars into separate showrooms because Hyundai knows buyers view Hyundai dealers as two evolutionary steps above toilet slime.

JLR has also forced dealers to make capital improvements in their service centers and showrooms, dangling allocations for the Defender as motivation.

This launch of the New Defender is perhaps the most important product launch of LR's history. If they're not taking things like this seriously then someone should be fired.
 

mpinco

Expedition Leader
This is the news thread - the rage/hate thread was shut down for a reason. Could all the trolls zip it for those of us who are following this thread for... you know, news?

So open and honest discussion of issues is off the table and only glowing praises are allowed ............

Why even host a forum with those expectations.

And people wonder why there was a "Hello" thread ..........
 

tdhunter13

Observer
This is the news thread - the rage/hate thread was shut down for a reason. Could all the trolls zip it for those of us who are following this thread for... you know, news?

@Corgi_express, since you are one of the very few people in this thread to actually have the new Defender currently I have a question for ya. With the 2nd row folded down, is there enough floor space (length) to sleep comfortably? Or even two? For me it is a legitimate point to check for me as I have had multiple times where I have slept in Lux (LR3) due to rain, cold, etc.
Kinda, like the below...
Bronco Example
 

merrion13

Member
@Corgi_express, since you are one of the very few people in this thread to actually have the new Defender currently I have a question for ya. With the 2nd row folded down, is there enough floor space (length) to sleep comfortably? Or even two? For me it is a legitimate point to check for me as I have had multiple times where I have slept in Lux (LR3) due to rain, cold, etc.
Kinda, like the below...
Bronco Example

See my post here: https://expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/rovids-trial-run.216331/#post-2818930

Short Summary: It's fantastic to sleep in.
 
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plainjaneFJC

Deplorable
This is the news thread - the rage/hate thread was shut down for a reason. Could all the trolls zip it for those of us who are following this thread for... you know, news?
I dunno discussing the new defender purchase by perhaps the largest overall truck review youtube channel seems relevant.
 

al415

Observer
TFL’s original problem is interesting to potential buyers of the truck, given that it could be a manufacturing issue.

Getting trolled by the Semantics Police regarding a story about human error at a dealer, less valuable to people interested in actually owning the truck.
 

gabrielef

Well-known member
TFL’s original problem is interesting to potential buyers of the truck, given that it could be a manufacturing issue.

Getting trolled by the Semantics Police regarding a story about human error at a dealer, less valuable to people interested in actually owning the truck.

^^^this


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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