Land Rover Discovery Series Ii 2003my Owners Handbook Nas Rover

							Traction Control
130
Trac tion  Co ntrolELECTRONIC TRACTION CONTROL
The purpose of electronic traction control is to 
maintain forward or rearward momentum of the 
vehicle when one or more wheels are spinning 
while others have good grip, e.g. if one wheel is 
on ice and others are on tarmac. The system 
works by applying the brake to a spinning wheel 
in order to transfer torque to the remaining 
wheels.
NOTE: Traction control can operate up to 
speeds of 62 mph (100 km/h).
Warning light
The instrument panel has a traction 
control warning (TC) which 
illuminates for a minimum of 2 
seconds whenever the system is active and also 
illuminates as a bulb check (for approximately 
3 seconds) when the starter switch is turned to 
position ‘II’.
If there is a fault with the system, the warning 
light will illuminate continuously and remain 
illuminated when the vehicle is stopped, in 
which case you should contact your retailer at 
the earliest opportunity.
NOTE: Faults with the ETC system will 
invariably cause the Hill Descent Control 
warning light to illuminate too. In most cases 
the ABS and brake system lights will also 
illuminate. 
						

							Hill Descent Control
131
Hill Descent ControlHILL DESCENT CONTROL
Hill Descent Control (HDC) operates in 
conjunction with the anti-lock braking system 
to provide greater control in off-road situations 
particularly when descending severe gradients.
To select HDC
HDC can be selected with the vehicle in any 
gear, but will only operate when the transfer 
gearbox is in low range, gears are engaged with 
the vehicle travelling at less than 31 mph (50 
km/h).
Press the switch (illustrated above) to select 
HDC.
If low range gears are engaged, the HDC 
information light (GREEN) on the instrument 
panel will illuminate (if low range gears have 
NOT been selected, the light will flash and the 
warning chime will sound continuously).
To deselect HDC, press the switch a second 
time (the information light will extinguish and a 
single warning sound will chime).Hill Descent Control in action
During a descent, if engine braking is 
insufficient to control the vehicle speed, HDC (if 
selected) automatically operates the brakes to 
slow the vehicle and maintain a speed relative 
to the selected gear and the accelerator pedal 
position.
When driving off-road, HDC can be 
permanently selected, to ensure that control is 
maintained whenever low range gears are 
engaged. ABS and traction control are still fully 
operational and will assist if the need arises. 
NOTE: With HDC selected, gear changes can be 
carried out in the normal way.
If the brake pedal is depressed when HDC is 
active, HDC is overridden and the brakes will 
perform as normal (a pulsation might be felt 
through the brake pedal). If the brake pedal is 
then released, HDC will recommence operating 
if necessary.
In extreme circumstances, the HDC system 
may cause brake temperatures to exceed their 
pre-set limits. If this occurs, the HDC ‘failure’ 
warning light (AMBER) will start to flash and 
the warning chime will sound continuously. 
During this time HDC will function as normal.
To avoid further cause for brake temperatures 
to rise, engage an appropriate low gear for 
steep descents and avoid descending hills at 
higher than the minimum descent speed. If the 
‘failure’ amber warning light continues to flash, 
the HDC system will gradually fade out (see 
‘HDC fade-out’, page 132) and the HDC 
information light may extinguish.
H4543 
						

							Hill Descent Control
132
HDC fade-out
HDC fade-out gradually decreases the HDC 
brake intervention with the effect that the rate of 
hill descent will increase. If this occurs the HDC 
information light will flash and the warning 
chime will sound for the period that HDC takes 
to fade. HDC will be disabled completely once 
the descent is complete. 
If required (e.g. the angle of the descent levels 
out significantly), fade-out may be achieved 
deliberately by deselecting HDC while the 
system is operating.
If a fault with the HDC system is detected, or if 
the braking system reaches a pre-set 
temperature due to extreme conditions, HDC 
will automatically fade out.
Warning lights
HDC information light - GREEN
The light illuminates briefly as a 
bulb and system check when the 
starter switch is turned to position ‘II’ and also 
when HDC is selected. 
If HDC is selected when the operating gears 
(LOW range) are engaged, the light will 
illuminate continuously.
If HDC has been selected but the systems 
operating criteria are not met (i.e. gearbox still 
in high range or vehicle speed too high), the 
information light will flash and the warning 
chime will sound continuously.
If the light flashes while HDC is active, normal 
functionality may cease and HDC ‘fade out’ may 
be induced.HDC ‘failure’ light - AMBER
The light illuminates briefly as a 
bulb and system check when the 
starter switch is turned to position ‘II’.
If the light illuminates at any other time, either 
a fault has occurred which affects the 
functionality of the system, or over-use of the 
system has been detected, in which case HDC 
may ‘fade out’.
NOTE: System faults which cause the ‘failure’ 
light to illuminate after the initial system 
checks, or whilst driving, will be accompanied 
by the warning chime sounding 3 times. 
						

							Active Cornering Enhancement
133
A ctiv e C ornering E nha nce men t
ACTIVE CORNERING ENHANCEMENT*
CAUTION: If the warning light illuminates RED 
a system fault has occurred that may result in 
serious damage to vehicle components. Stop 
the vehicle and switch off the engine as soon as 
safety permits. Seek qualified assistance 
immediately.Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) is a 
patented feature unique to Land Rover. The 
system is designed to eliminate vehicle body 
lean at low cornering speeds and reduce body 
lean at higher cornering speeds, while 
maintaining a soft, car-like suspension for 
straight line travelling. On uneven surfaces and 
rough tracks, the ACE system will adjust the 
suspension according to the vehicle speed and 
roughness of the surface to provide improved 
passenger comfort.
The ACE system automatically compensates in 
off-road conditions to provide maximum 
articulation and improved traction.
The system is entirely automatic in operation 
and cannot be influenced by the driver in any 
way. However, the functionality of the ACE 
warning light in the instrument panel is very 
important and drivers should be aware of the 
information overleaf.
H4422 
						

							Active Cornering Enhancement
134
Warning light 
The warning light illuminates RED 
when the starter switch is turned 
on (to position II). After two 
seconds, the RED illumination changes to 
AMBER and, after a further two seconds, the 
light extinguishes. This process is a system 
check that takes place every time the vehicle is 
used. Provided the ACE system is operating 
correctly, illumination will not occur at any 
other time. 
If illumination occurs while driving, a fault 
with the system is indicated, as follows:
•If the light shows RED (a flashing red light, 
which changes to constant illumination after 
two minutes, and is accompanied by a 
warning chime): 
This indicates a system fault that may result 
in serious damage to vehicle components 
and reduced ACE performance. You must 
stop the vehicle as soon as safety permits 
and switch off the engine. DO NOT 
CONTINUE DRIVING! Seek qualified 
assistance immediately. 
•If the light shows AMBER (constant 
illumination): 
This indicates a system fault that will result 
in reduced ACE performance, but will not 
leave the vehicle in a dangerous condition. 
You may continue driving, but reduce 
speed, take additional care, and consult a 
Land Rover retailer at the earliest 
opportunity. 
						

							Self-levelling Suspension
135
Self-levelling SuspensionSELF-LEVELLING SUSPENSION*
When the engine is running, the self-levelling 
suspension system (SLS) operates 
automatically on the rear of the vehicle to 
maintain a level or efficient vehicle height 
regardless of vehicle load.
AUTOMATIC OPERATION
If the height of the vehicle is reduced by 
additional loading (passengers occupying the 
occasional rear seats or the attachment of a 
trailer, for example), the SLS system 
automatically increases air pressure to the 
springs to compensate for the additional weight 
or changed attitude of the vehicle. Similarly, if 
loads are removed and the vehicle height 
increases in consequence, the system will 
reduce air pressure to bring the vehicle back to 
a level attitude. 
Extended mode
Off-road, if the vehicle becomes grounded and 
traction control is induced, the SLS system 
automatically pumps more air to the rear 
springs to raise the body clear of the 
obstruction, thereby enabling the vehicle to be 
freed. This is known as Extended mode and 
will cause the off-road warning light to flash. 
Once forward motion is regained, the 
suspension height will automatically return to 
its previous setting and the warning light will 
extinguish.
MANUAL OPERATION
The SLS system can also be manually 
controlled to either:
•Raise the rear of the vehicle by 40 mm 
(approx.) to increase ground clearance and 
improve the departure angle for off-road 
driving. Note that this function operates 
ONLY below a speed of 18 mph (30 km/h) - 
above this speed, the vehicle will 
automatically return to its standard ride 
height.
•Lower the vehicle in order to ease loading, 
or to enable various heights of trailer hitch 
to be connected more easily. 
The SLS system will assume automatic 
control - adjusting the height of the vehicle 
10 seconds after a road speed of 3 mph 
(5 km/h) is reached, or immediately once a 
road speed of 7 mph (12 km/h) has been 
achieved. This feature can only be used in 
conjunction with the remote suspension 
control handset. Consult your Land Rover 
retailer for further information.
WARNING
DO NOT operate the SLS while driving on the 
road, or when the suspension has been 
manually lowered below standard ride height 
- any sudden or unexpected change to the 
vehicles height or attitude could cause an 
inexperienced driver to lose control, or 
disturb the load/weight distribution within the 
vehicle. 
DO NOT select off-road height while towing.  
						

							Self-levelling Suspension
136
To manually raise the suspension
With the engine running and all doors fully 
closed, press the fascia-mounted off-road 
mode switch (see illustration). A single warning 
chime will sound, the off-road warning light on 
the instrument panel will commence flashing 
and the rear of the vehicle will start to rise. Once 
the pre-set off-road height has been reached, 
the warning light will stop flashing and 
illuminate constantly instead. Constant 
illumination will remain while the vehicle is 
operating at off-road height.
To return the vehicle to standard ride height, 
press the off-road mode switch a second time. 
Note that a single chime will sound and the 
warning light will flash while the rear 
suspension is lowered.
NOTE: If axle displacement is excessive, 
selection of the off-road height setting may be 
prohibited. In this case three warning chimes 
will sound. 
NOTE: If changes to or from off-road height are 
prohibited (e.g. door open) the chime will 
sound three times.To manually lower the suspension
To lower the suspension you will need a remote 
suspension control (handset) - see illustration.
With the vehicle stationary at standard ride 
height, and the starter switch turned to position 
‘II’, press and hold the ‘DOWN’ button to lower 
the vehicle. Release the button when the 
desired height has been reached. The SLS 
warning light on the instrument panel will flash 
and a warning chime will sound continually 
while the vehicle is lowering.
To return the vehicle to its standard ride height, 
press and hold the ‘UP’ button on the handset. 
Again the warning light flashes (and chime 
sounds) while the vehicle is rising. All 
suspension movement and warning light 
activity ceases once the vehicle has returned to 
standard ride height.
NOTE: The SLS system will not operate while a 
door is open.
NOTE: At high altitude the system will take 
significantly longer to raise the vehicle.
H4423H4424 
						

							Self-levelling Suspension
137
NOTE: If this feature is subjected to excessive 
use, the system will automatically disable to 
prevent components from overheating. The 
system has a cumulative total of three minutes 
operation at any one time. If this is exceeded 
the system will close down (partial operation 
will return after a few minutes).
Remote SLS handset
If your vehicle is equipped with SLS, the remote 
SLS handset is available as an 
accessory from a Land Rover retailer. 
Battery replacement is similar to the equivalent 
process for the handset key (see ‘REMOTE 
HANDSET BATTERY’, page 33). Battery 
specification is identical. WARNING LIGHTS
Off-road - AMBER
Illuminates briefly as a bulb and 
system check when the starter 
switch is turned to position ‘II’ and 
then extinguishes. 
If the off-road switch is pressed: 
The light flashes while the rear of the vehicle is 
either; rising to off-road height, or returning to 
standard ride height. The light then illuminates 
constantly while the suspension remains at 
off-road height.
In addition, the light will flash while Extended 
mode is induced.    
Sell-levelling suspension - AMBER
Illuminates briefly as a bulb and 
system check when the starter 
switch is turned to position ‘II’ and 
then extinguishes.
If the remote handset is operated: 
The light flashes continually while the rear of 
the vehicle is being lowered, or raised.
If the light illuminates constantly: 
A fault with the suspension is indicated. Seek 
qualified assistance as soon as possible.
While it is possible to continue driving the 
vehicle in this condition, this is not 
recommended as there is a considerable risk of 
causing further damage to the suspension. 
Preferably, the vehicle should be brought to a 
halt as soon as conditions allow. Further travel 
should be limited to reaching the nearest Land 
Rover retailer, or driving to a place of safety 
while awaiting recovery. In any event, speed 
must be restricted to a rate that will guarantee a 
smooth, and totally bump-free, ride at all times, 
ideally traversing only smooth, roads.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Note that the handset will operate 
effectively from inside the vehicle. It is 
therefore important to keep it out of reach 
of children at all times, and especially while 
towing. When operating the handset from 
inside the passenger compartment for the 
purpose of lowering the vehicle to attach a 
trailer, ensure that the underside of the 
vehicle has been checked for obstructions 
before lowering, and that a responsible 
adult has been posted outside the vehicle 
to supervise the lowering process. 
						

							Park Distance Control
138
Pa rk  Distan ce C ontrolUSING THE PARK DISTANCE CONTROL
WARNING
The park distance control is not infallible; it is 
for guidance only! The sensors may not be 
able to detect certain types of obstruction 
(narrow posts or small narrow objects, small 
objects close to the ground and some objects 
with dark, non-reflective surfaces, for 
example).
The parking system assists the driver when 
manoeuvring the vehicle into a parking space, 
or anywhere that there are obstacles that need 
to be avoided, warning the driver accordingly.
The vehicle is fitted with four ultrasonic sensors 
on its rear bumper.
The range of the two outer sensors is 
approximately 2ft (0.6 m); the two inner 
sensors have a range of approximately 6 ft 6 in. 
(2 m).
WARNING
Keep the sensors free from dirt, ice and snow. 
If deposits build up on the surface of the 
sensors, their performance may be impaired. 
When washing the vehicle, avoid aiming high 
pressure jets directly at the sensors from 
close range.Activating park distance control
The park distance control is automatically 
activated whenever reverse gear (‘R’) is 
engaged. When the starter switch is turned on, 
the indicator light in the switch illuminates and 
a short tone sounds after one second as 
confirmation.
Park distance control can also be manually 
selected by pressing the switch on the left-hand 
set of binnacle switches (the indicator light in 
the switch illuminates and a short tone sounds 
as confirmation). A second press of the switch 
de-activates the system.
If a long, high pitched tone sounds and the 
switch indicator light flashes when park 
distance control is activated, a fault in the 
system has been detected - contact your dealer 
for assistance.
Park distance control in operation
The distance from an obstruction is identified 
by an intermittent tone sounding. As the vehicle 
moves closer to an obstruction, the frequency 
of the tone increases proportionally.
When the distance between the sensor and the 
obstruction is less than approximately 1 ft 
(0,4 m), the tone becomes continuous.
H4525H4455 
						

							Towing
139
Towing
TOWING
The torque ranges of Land Rover engines allow 
maximum-weight loads to be pulled smoothly 
from standstill, and reduce gear changing on 
hills or rough terrain. The suspension is 
designed to cope with a heavy trailer load 
without upsetting the balance or feel of the 
vehicle. Details of gross maximum towed 
weights are listed on the following pages and in 
the General Data section (see ‘TOWING 
WEIGHTS’, page 234).
WARNING
To preserve the vehicles handling and 
stability, only fit towing accessories that have 
been designed and approved by Land Rover.
Ensure that the gross vehicle weight and 
maximum rear axle weight are not exceeded. 
Exceeding allowable vehicle and axle loads 
will increase the risk of tire and suspension 
failure, increase vehicle brake stopping 
distance, and adversely affect vehicle handling 
and stability, which may result in a crash or 
vehicle rollover.
To prevent inappropriate height adjustments 
that may adversely affect vehicle handling 
during towing, vehicles equipped with SLS 
should only be operated in NORMAL MODE.
It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the 
towing vehicle and trailer/caravan are loaded 
and balanced so that the combination is stable 
when in motion. When preparing your vehicle 
for towing, pay attention to any instructions 
provided by the trailer/caravan manufacturer as 
well as to the information that follows.
Balancing the combination
To ensure optimum stability, it is essential that 
the trailer must be level with the ground, with 
the towing hitch and trailer drawbar set at the 
same height (note the illustration at the top of 
the page). This is particularly important when 
towing twin axle trailers!
•The trailer should be level with the ground 
when loaded.
•The height of the drawbar hitch point should 
be set so that the trailer is level when 
connected to the loaded vehicle (in the case 
of vehicles equipped with self-levelling 
suspension, the engine must be running, 
the doors closed and the suspension at 
standard ride height).
H4425