Land Rover Repair: 1998 Discovery - Idles Very High after replacing Fuel Pump, throttle position sensor, sensor tps

Question
One day alst week, my car died as I was driving.  It stopped and I was not able to turn the car over again properly. So then it was diagnosed as needing a  new fuel pump, which they have now installed.  On retrieving our car we drove home only to find the engine was idling very high in the 2000+ range and sometimes higher when stopped at a stop sign. Really high and not as normal before. If you let your foot up the car would move forward.  We took it back and the guy is having a hard time --- maybe because he does not know how -- adjusting the idle -- which seems to be either stuck or not set correctly.  This car was not doing this before he installed the new fuel pump and gaskets, etc.  Can you at least help me know what I should od at this point --- is this major???
Thank you
C Johnsen

Answer
Hi C.

This sounds so much like a problem I had with my Disco and dealership 5 years ago.  I took the Disco in for a rev'ing problem and they wanted to make so many changes that the final service bill would have been over $5000.

I refused.

They did some work ($2500) and I was driving out of the dealers parking lot when the Disco stalled and would not start.  Image my anger!

They took the Disco back into the garage and said they'd look into it.  I asked for a printout of the diagnostic testbook.  That's when I found out...they never connected the Disco to the testbook.  It was all "swap this and see" engine repair.

Not long after...the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS) was found to be the culprit.  $585 later...the problem was finally fixed.  

Lesson:  You have to specifically tell the dealerships what you want done.  FIX it...is not enough.  In your case, they neglected to take the Disco out for a road test.  Next time, demand a road test BEFORE you arrive to pick up the vehicle.

If your having idle problems, its probably a sensor (TPS?).  Somewhere in the chain of events, a sensor is not sending properly.  I doubt that its a major problem.

Last bit of advice, consider finding a garage that will go the distance in solving your vehicles problems. Start looking for a garage that you can trust to do professional work.  Stalling on the way home after service work is not characteristic of a good garage.  Thorough service, road tests, detail explanations are.

Best of luck,

JohnMc