QuestionHello there! Merry x'mas! I am Arbe from NJ and I have a 1999 disco II and i have a problem with the brakes, when im driving on a wet road and apply the brakes quick and hard it skids and thier's a sound on the peddals i think its air that is pushing your foot back up specially with snow it doesen't hold that great i can tell there's something wrong with the brakes but when i took it to the dealer cause they change something about the ABS recall thing they didn't say anything about it they said that my brakes are fine. What do you think about this problem?
And with the noise in under the hood. I've been listening to it closely if its coming out from the engine but from my observation its not. The sound is like a hising sound its like a broken bearing but not that loud though its just annoying cause its like whistling. Im not sure if i need to change the belt. What do you think? I thank you so very much for helping me. I really appriciate it. Thank you!
AnswerMerry Christmas, Arbe.
I can tell you that the first problem you describe could be the feeling you get when the ABS is activated. Its a strong vibration on the brake pedal. This is normal. What is not normal is that you mention skidding. Could it be a ceased caliper? A brake specialist can only tell.
IF your LR dealership has told you that the brakes are ok then what you may be describing is the normal ABS vibrations. Remember this above all else, the Disco is a very VERY heavy 4x4. Leave lots of room between you and the vehicle ahead of you while driving. I was once told that the brakes are the weakest component on the LR Discovery and that you'll need lots of stopping distance under most conditions.
The other problem you describe could be a bearing that is about to fail. If its a bearing, you won't have long to wait for it to fail. I've had my power steering pump, tensioner pulley and alternator fail due to bearings and once the whistling starts it takes only a couple of weeks before the affected component finally fails.
Take a close look at your serpentine belt. IF you see glazing on the smooth side of the belt, that's a sign that it is slipping on one of the many pulleys. Also look at the grooved side of the belt. Do you see any cracks or crackling of the rubber? Are the grooves well defined or do they look worn-down and broken?
Normally, if the belt was the cause you'd see either a glazed smooth side, a frazzled edge or edges, the grooved side with have checks, cracks, or worn-down edging. Since it would be slipping, you may even have your tachometer giving out bizzare readings or skipping too high or not moving at all. When this happens, change the belt quickly. It may affect the alternator and that could cost you $450 to $800 or more to replace.
Changing a serpentine belt is easy and you only need one tool (rachet+socket) to release the belt. It can be tricky feeding the belt back properly though...I've seen general mechanics fail on re-installing the Disco belt. Before you attempt such a thing, draw a diagram of how your belt is fed around the pulleys. Start from the top of the engine and trace the belt going clock-wise.
I also suggest you find a repair manual, much like the Haynes manual (#3016) for Land Rover Discovery's. Not much has changed over the years, including your series II.
You can always search the internet for the actual LR repair manuals but it will cost you much more.
Best wishes for 2005,
JohnMc
