Land Rover Defender 02my Owners Handbook 2nd Edition Rover

Driving Techniques
90
CLIMBING STEEP SLOPES
Engage the diff lock and ALWAYS follow the fall 
line of the slope - travelling diagonally could 
encourage the vehicle to slide broadside down 
the slope.
Steep climbs will usually require the LOW gear 
range. If the surface is loose or slippery, use 
sufficient speed in the highest practical gear to 
take advantage of your vehicles momentum. 
However, too high a speed over a bumpy 
surface may result in a wheel lifting, causing the 
vehicle to lose traction....

Driving Techniques
91
DESCENDING STEEP SLOPES
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions may cause 
the vehicle to roll over.
•Stop the vehicle at least a vehicle length 
before the start of the slope and engage first 
gear LOW range with the differential locked.
•Unless it is necessary to stop the vehicle in 
order to negotiate obstructions, DO NOT 
touch the brake or clutch pedals during the 
descent - the engine will limit the speed, 
keeping the vehicle under control provided 
the front wheels are...

Driving Techniques
92
NEGOTIATING A ‘V’ SHAPED GULLY
Observe extreme caution! Steering up either of 
the gully walls could cause the side of the 
vehicle to be trapped against the opposite gully 
wall.
DRIVING IN EXISTING WHEEL TRACKS
As far as possible allow the vehicle to steer 
itself along the bottom of the ruts. However, 
always keep a light hold of the steering wheel to 
prevent it from spinning free.
Particularly in wet conditions, if the steering 
wheel is allowed to spin free, the vehicle may...

Driving Techniques
93
CROSSING A DITCH
With the diff lock engaged, cross ditches at an 
angle so that three wheels always maintain 
contact with the ground. If a ditch is 
approached head on, both front wheels will 
drop into the ditch together, possibly resulting 
in the chassis and front bumper being trapped 
on opposite sides of the ditch.
WADING
WARNING
The maximum advisable wading depth is 
20 inches (0,5 m).
Severe electrical damage may occur if the 
vehicle remains stationary for any length of...

Driving Techniques
94
•With the diff lock engaged, select a low gear 
and maintain sufficient throttle to prevent 
the engine from stalling. This is particularly 
important if the exhaust pipe is under water.
•Drive slowly into the water and accelerate to 
a speed which causes a bow wave to form; 
then maintain that speed.
At all times, keep all the doors fully closed.
After wading
•Drive the vehicle a short distance and apply 
the foot brake to check that the brakes are 
fully effective.
•DO NOT rely on...

Owner Maintenance
Maintenance
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  97
OWNER MAINTENANCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  98
SAFETY IN THE GARAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  99
EMISSION CONTROL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  100
ROAD TESTING DYNAMOMETERS 
(‘rolling roads’)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  100
Bonnet Opening
BONNET OPENING (Td5 models). . . . . . . . . . . .  101
Engine Compartment
Td5 DIESEL ENGINE  . . . . . . . . . ....

96 Clutch
CLUTCH FLUID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   109
Power Steering
POWER STEERING FLUID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   110
Washers
WINDSCREEN WASHER TOP-UP . . . . . . . . . . .   111
WASHER JETS  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   112
Wiper Blades
WIPER BLADE REPLACEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . .   113
Battery
BATTERY SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   114
BATTERY MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   115
Tyres
CARING FOR YOUR...

Maintenance
97
Owne r Ma int en anc e
M aint ena nc eROUTINE MAINTENANCE
Regular systematic maintenance is the key to 
ensuring the continued reliability and efficiency 
of your vehicle.
Maintenance is the owners responsibility and 
you must ensure that owner maintenance 
operations, routine servicing and brake fluid 
and coolant changes are carried out when 
required and according to the manufacturers 
recommendations.
The routine maintenance requirements for your 
vehicle are shown in the Service...

Maintenance
98
OWNER MAINTENANCE
In addition to the routine services referred to 
previously, a number of simple checks must be 
carried out more frequently. You can carry out 
these checks yourself and advice is given on the 
pages that follow.
Any significant or sudden drop in fluid levels, 
or uneven tyre wear, should be reported to a 
dealer without delay.
Daily checks
•Operation of lights, horn, direction 
indicators, wipers, washers and warning 
lights.
•Operation of seat belts and brakes.
•Look...

Maintenance
99
SAFETY IN THE GARAGE
WARNING
Cooling fans may continue to operate after the 
engine is switched off. When the engine is 
hot, the cooling fans may also COMMENCE 
operating after the engine is switched off and 
continue operating for up to 10 minutes. Keep 
clear of all fans while working in the engine 
compartment.
If you need to carry out maintenance, observe 
the following safety precautions at all times:
•Keep your hands and clothing away from 
drive belts and pulleys.
•If the vehicle...