Land Rover Range Rover 2004my Owners Handbook Lm 2nd Edition Nas Rover

							Driving Techniques
180
Driving T ec hniqu esDRIVING ON SOFT SURFACES & DRY 
SAND
The ideal technique for driving on soft surfaces 
(dry sand for example) requires the vehicle to 
be kept moving at all times - soft sand causes 
excessive drag on the wheels resulting in a 
rapid loss of motion once driving momentum is 
lost. 
Deactivate DSC (see ‘DYNAMIC STABILITY 
CONTROL (DSC)’, page 158), then select ‘D’ 
(drive) and REMAIN in that gear until a firm 
surface is reached. It is generally advisable to 
use LOW range, as this will enable you to 
accelerate through worsening conditions 
without the risk of being unable to restart. 
Stopping the vehicle on soft ground, in sand 
or on an incline
If you do stop the vehicle, remember:
•Starting on an incline or in soft ground or 
sand may be difficult. Always park on a firm 
level area, or with the vehicle facing 
downhill.
•To avoid wheel spin, select ‘D’ (drive) and 
use the MINIMUM throttle necessary to get 
the vehicle moving.
•If forward motion is lost, avoid excessive 
use of the throttle - this may dig the vehicle 
into the sand. Clear sand from around the 
tires and ensure that the vehicle underside 
is not bearing on the sand before again 
attempting to move.
•If the wheels have sunk, use an air bag 
lifting device or high lift jack to raise the 
vehicle, and then build up sand under the 
tires so that the vehicle is again on level 
ground. If a restart is still not possible, place 
sand mats or ladders beneath the tires.
DRIVING ON SLIPPERY SURFACES
(ice, snow, mud, wet grass) 
•Select ‘D’ (drive) in LOW range. 
•Drive away using the MINIMUM throttle 
possible.
•Drive slowly at all times, keeping braking to 
a minimum and avoiding violent 
movements of the steering wheel.
DRIVING ON ROUGH TRACKS
Although rough tracks can sometimes be 
negotiated in normal drive, on very rough 
tracks, engage LOW range to enable a steady,
low speed to be maintained without constant 
use of the brake pedal. 
						

							Driving Techniques
181
CLIMBING STEEP SLOPES
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 and selecting ‘3’ or ‘4’ using 
CommandShift selection is recommended. It is 
advisable to engage HDC, in case there is a 
need to reverse down the slope to avoid an 
obstacle. If the surface is loose or slippery, use 
sufficient speed in the highest practical gear to 
take advantage of your vehicles momentum 
and disable DSC. However, too high a speed 
over a bumpy surface may result in a wheel 
lifting, causing the vehicle to lose stability. In 
this case try a slower approach. Traction can 
also be improved by easing off the accelerator 
just before loss of forward motion.
If the vehicle is unable to complete a climb, do 
not attempt to turn it around while on the slope. 
Instead, adopt the following procedure to 
reverse downhill to the foot of the slope.
1.Hold the vehicle stationary using both foot 
and hand brakes.
2.Restart the engine if necessary.
3.Engage ‘N’ (neutral) and engage LOW 
range, then select ‘R’ (reverse).
4.Select Hill Descent Control (HDC). 
5.Release the parking brake. Then fully 
release the foot brake and allow the 
vehicle to reverse down the slope using 
engine braking and HDC to control the rate 
of descent.
6.Unless it is necessary to stop the vehicle 
to negotiate obstructions, DO NOT apply 
the brake during the descent - even a light 
application may cause the front wheels to 
lock, rendering the steering ineffective.
7.If the vehicle begins to slide, accelerate 
slightly to allow the tires to regain grip.When the vehicle is back on level ground and 
safety permits, a faster approach will probably 
enable the hill to be climbed. However, DO NOT 
take unnecessary risks, if the hill is too difficult 
to climb, find an alternative route.
WARNING
DO NOT attempt to reverse down a slope 
without the engine running and ensure that 
‘R’ (reverse) is selected. Otherwise, HDC and 
the braking effect of the gearbox will be lost. 
						

							Driving Techniques
182
DESCENDING STEEP SLOPES
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions may cause 
the vehicle to roll over.
•Slow the vehicle and select LOW range. 
•With the transmission in manual 
CommandShift mode, change down the 
gears to select either ‘1’ or ‘2’, depending on 
the severity of the slope, before bringing the 
vehicle to a stop at least vehicle length 
before the start of the slope.
•Select Hill Descent Control (HDC).
•Unless it is necessary to stop the vehicle in 
order to negotiate obstructions, DO NOT 
touch the brake pedal during the descent - 
the engine and HDC will limit the speed, 
keeping the vehicle under perfect control 
provided the front wheels are rotating.• If the vehicle begins to slide, the limits of 
adhesion have been reached, and it may be 
impossible to maintain the minimum speed 
relative to the gear selected. In this case, 
HDC may automatically accelerate the 
vehicle sufficiently to maintain directional 
stability. DO NOT use the accelerator or the 
brakes or attempt to change gear. HDC will 
automatically slow the vehicle down again 
as soon as possible.
•Once the descent has been started, ‘D’ can 
be selected in the main gearbox. HDC will 
continue to operate and the previously 
selected manual ‘gear’ will be retained until 
the descent is complete. 
•Once level ground is reached, the 
transmission will automatically select ‘D’ for 
the next stage of your journey.
H3855 
						

							Driving Techniques
183
TRAVERSING A SLOPE
WARNING
Failure to follow these instructions may cause 
the vehicle to roll over.
Before crossing a slope ALWAYS observe the 
following precautions:
•Check that the ground is firm and not 
slippery.
•Check that the wheels on the downhill side 
of the vehicle are not likely to drop into 
depressions in the ground and that the 
‘uphill’ wheels will not run over rocks, tree 
roots, or similar obstacles that could 
suddenly increase the angle of tilt.
•Ensure that passenger weight is evenly 
distributed, that all roof rack luggage is 
removed and that all other luggage is 
properly secured and stowed as low as 
possible. Always remember; any sudden 
movement of the load could cause the 
vehicle to overturn.
•Rear seat passengers should sit on the 
uphill side of the vehicle or, in extreme 
conditions, should vacate the vehicle until 
the sloping ground has been safely 
negotiated.
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 and always 
keep a light hold of the steering wheel to 
prevent it from spinning free. Deactivation of 
DSC may help in deep ruts.
Particularly in wet conditions, if the steering 
wheel is allowed to spin free, the vehicle may 
appear to be driving straight ahead in the ruts, 
but in actual fact (due to the lack of traction 
caused by the wet ground) is unknowingly on 
full right or left lock. Then, when level ground is 
reached, or if a dry patch of ground is 
encountered, the wheels will find traction and 
cause the vehicle to suddenly veer to left or 
right.
H3856 
						

							Driving Techniques
184
CROSSING A RIDGE
Approach at right angles so that both front 
wheels cross the ridge together - an angled 
approach could cause stability to be lost 
through diagonally opposite wheels lifting from 
the ground at the same time.
CROSSING A DITCH
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. If the 
severity of terrain makes this inevitable, 
selecting ‘Off-road’ height with the EAS to 
increase clearance between the ground and the 
bottom of the vehicle may help.H3857
H3858 
						

							Driving Techniques
185
WADING
WARNING
The maximum advisable wading depth is 
20 inches (0.5m). Wading at a depth greater 
than the maximum advisable wading depth 
regularly, is not recommended.
Severe electrical damage may occur if the 
vehicle remains stationary for any length of 
time when the water level is above the door 
sills.
Severe damage to the catalytic converter 
could occur if the engine is stopped for any 
length of time when the water level is above 
the exhaust tailpipe.
Before wading, ensure the electronic air 
suspension is set to off-road height. 
If the water is likely to exceed 20 inches 
(0.5 m), the following precautions should be 
observed:
•Fix a plastic sheet in front of the radiator 
grille to prevent water from soaking the 
engine and mud from blocking the radiator.
•Remove the CD autochanger.
•Ensure that the silt bed beneath the water is 
free of obstacles and firm enough to 
support the vehicles weight and provide 
sufficient traction.
•Ensure that the engine air intake (located on 
the front wings) is clear of the water level.•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.
NOTE: If deep wading is to be carried out 
regularly, contact your Land Rover retailer for 
advice.
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 the parking brake to hold the 
vehicle stationary until the brakes have 
thoroughly dried out; in the meantime, leave 
the vehicle parked in ‘P’.
•Remove any protective covering from in 
front of the radiator grille.
•If the water was particularly muddy, remove 
any blockages (mud and leaves) from the 
condenser and radiator to reduce the risk of 
overheating.
•If deep water is regularly negotiated, check 
all oils for signs of water contamination - 
contaminated oil can be identified through 
its ‘milky’ appearance. In addition, check the 
air filter element for water ingress and 
replace if wet - consult a Land Rover retailer 
if necessary.
•If salt water is frequently negotiated, 
thoroughly wash the underbody 
components and exposed body panels with 
fresh water.
NOTE: Vehicles required to undergo frequent or 
deep wading conditions will require more 
frequent servicing. Contact a Land Rover 
retailer for advice.
H3859 
						

							186 
						

							187
On-Road Driving
On-Road Driving
INSTRUMENTS AND WARNING LIGHTS . . . . . .  189
POWER ASSISTED STEERING . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  189
WARMING UP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  189
VEHICLE HEIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  189
DRIVING PRECAUTIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  190
FUEL ECONOMY  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  191
BREAKDOWN SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  191 
						

							188 
						

							On-Road Driving
189
On-Road Driving
O n- Road  Dr iv in gINSTRUMENTS AND WARNING LIGHTS
Before driving it is important to fully 
understand the function of the instruments and 
warning lights (see ‘INSTRUMENT PANEL’, 
page 73).
NOTE: Red warning lights are of particular 
importance, illumination indicating that a fault 
exists. If a red light illuminates, always stop the 
vehicle and seek qualified assistance before 
continuing.
POWER ASSISTED STEERING
The hydraulic power-assisted steering is 
progressively geared; when steering straight 
ahead gearing is relatively low, but becomes 
progressively higher as the steering wheel is 
turned.
NOTE: Power assistance is dependent on the 
engine running. If the engine is not running, a 
much greater effort will be required to steer the 
vehicle.
WARMING UP
In the interests of fuel economy, it is advisable 
to drive the vehicle straight away, remembering 
that harsh acceleration or labouring the engine 
before the normal operating temperature has 
been reached can damage the engine.
When the engine is cold, engine idle speeds will 
be faster than normal. Under these 
circumstances, use the foot brake to control the 
vehicle until the engine is warm and running at 
normal speed, and be aware of the need to take 
additional care when manoeuvring the vehicle. 
VEHICLE HEIGHT
CAUTION: The overall height of your vehicle 
exceeds that of ordinary passenger cars. 
Always be aware of the height of your vehicle 
and check the available headroom before 
driving through low entrances. This is 
particularly important if the vehicle is fitted with 
a roof rack or if a sunroof is open.