Perhaps so, but to put such in place on existing cars requires the dropping of the tank. AFAIK, there have been as many FBH fires as nibbled tanks - less than a dozen - and many more people have issues with the EPB, yet I doubt there'll be a recall for that either. As long as your replacement has been treated to 'discourage' rodents, you should be ok.Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana
Member Since: 23 Sep 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 30
John Fair wrote:
The part that is good news is that you can in fact repair the old tank when you are sick to the back teeth in trying to explain the laws of probability to LR. I think it cost me about �100 or so
John,
What/who did you use to repair this? I have a local independant with much lower labour rates than the LR dealer so if it is rodent damage I'd like a fix rather than another new tank and also some rodent proofing before it goes back in.
Cheers
3rd Feb 2010 6:47 pm
Bob.
Member Since: 05 Apr 2009
Location: 52�N 2�W
Posts: 94
Nick - I think the fuel tank/filler set up is the same on the RRS - have you seen similar rodent damage on any yet?
3rd Feb 2010 9:46 pm
chrisbowler
Member Since: 30 Jan 2009
Location: UK WALES
Posts: 176
I repaired the damage to my tank with TIGERSEAL and RTV sealant - took about 1.5 hours to drop tank, clean damage, seal and refit - took about 350 miles to get the full tank empty!!!
Chris BowlerChris Bowler
D3 2005 EXPEDITION
D2 Challenge Vehicle
300 TDi Spare car
107" TD5 Comp Safari Motor
3rd Feb 2010 11:41 pm
eagleno36
Member Since: 24 Feb 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 3
Mine has been back to the dealer twice for a warranty inspection/repair for a fuel leak. The leak occurred only when the tank was filled to the brim - leaving it just a couple of litres short of full there was no problem. Got quite good at that after some angry reactions to diesel spills on the forecourt! First 'fix' made no difference, but the second time the dealer fixed a seal in the fuel filler pipe and it hasn't returned since. Was never able to get a satisfactory explanation of what was wrong as it was fixed under warranty.
24th Feb 2010 6:31 pm
NickyC
Member Since: 04 Mar 2010
Location: New Forest
Posts: 3
I've just encountered the same thing today with my Disc 3. Hunters say rodent damage therefore not covered by warranty, insurers dont provide courtesy car, so i'm really stuffed as apparently new fuel tank needed and its on back order - so no-one can tell me when my car is likely to be fixed, or how much it might cost Anyone else who has had this problem - any comments?
Last edited by DrLex on 5th Mar 2010 7:44 am. Edited 1 time in total
4th Mar 2010 6:56 pm
icestationzebra
Member Since: 05 Nov 2008
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 587
NickyC,
Been running my Disco now for a year with this rodent damage problem, just leave the tank a few litres shy of full, you will get used to how much fuel you can put in pretty quickly-for instance £55:00 from a quarter full causes no spillage on my vehicle.
Doesn't seem worth repairing as the vehicle is always parked in same place and the same thing would happen again over winter if repaired, unless some kind of protective sleeve is found. My wifes Honda Civic has also suffered rodent damage to some of the black protective foam pipework so it is not unique to Landrover.
5th Mar 2010 2:58 am
NickyC
Member Since: 04 Mar 2010
Location: New Forest
Posts: 3
Well lo-behold, my husband looked at our tank, and its exactly like all the others mentioned on this site! Here's a photo of the 'rodent' damaged part - look familiar?
Questions -
1) Why is there no other damage other than on this pipe when there are other accessible pipes and rubber materials?
2) The marks in the plastic rotate with the shape of the pipe – how did the rodent get manage to eat the pipe at the same angle all the way round rather than up / down??
3) Has anyone seen an undamaged one? And can they send a picture?
LR are standing by the fact its rodent damage...
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Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated
I'm guessing you've never kept hamsters or guinea pigs?
The projection of the pipe is the easiest point to start gnawing, and then it just circles around the hole.
No other reasonable explanation for the damage; the only surprise is what chemical in the pipe makes it so attractive to the little blighters.Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana
Member Since: 23 Sep 2008
Location: Aberdeenshire
Posts: 30
Join the club. Mine has this too only 8 months after having a new tank fitted under warranty due to a leak from the tank seam. From what I can make out from other threads/forums the rumour is that the manufacturer of the D3 tank went out of business and LR are looking at fitting a D4 tank into the D3. As I say this is rumour but perhaps other members who are closer to LR could confirm?
Best thing to do would be to get the tank back and repair then get it refitted. The hole in mine wasn't as big as the one in your photo so I managed to get some Tigerseal on there as a temporary fix until I get around to taking the tank out. However, as this is the breather pipe for the tank be careful not to restrict it (as I did!) as it makes the tank difficult to fill at the pumps. In terms of repair I was contemplating cutting a plastic plug and using araldite to secure then wrapping the elbow in a protective cover that won't attract mice. Was thinking of a fibreglass wrap then resin to harden/secure however still looking around at options. Been also considering aluminium tape as it would be easier/quicker to apply. I'm sure your dealer would be able to patch like this to get you up and running.
Insurance should cover rodent damage however I found my excess was around the same as getting a new tank fitted so it didn't seem worthwhile to claim. Plus if I fitted a new tank it'd only be a matter of time before the little blighters came back for another feed as I live out in the sticks.
It shouldn't be a problem continuing to drive the D3 even with the hole in place as long as you are careful not to overfill the tank. Also if subject to an MOT make sure to give the whole area a good scrub/degrease to remove traces of the leak as this would constitute an MOT failure.
8th Mar 2010 9:24 pm
NickyC
Member Since: 04 Mar 2010
Location: New Forest
Posts: 3
So thats at least 8 people on this post alone, who all had the same problem with/on one specific part of the tank/car. Does this just not seem a little too coincidental? I wonder how many over D3 owners have also had this problem, and not even known about this forum? (and I only found it by chance when trying to find out the cost of a new tank!)
What's the coincidence? On the evidence so far, one can deduce that there's a constituent in the plastic that's attractive to rodents. The original manufacturer is no longer making the tanks and LR is arranging for the adjustment of D4 tanks to fit D3s.
If you take time to peruse the forum, you'll find many more complaints about turbos, Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) valves and the Electronic Park Brake (EPB). This issue is annoying, but at least the car is driveable and a cheap repair is possible. There have probably been more fuel-burning heater fires than leaking tanks reported here.Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana
Member Since: 23 Feb 2012
Location: halesworth
Posts: 2
mice
I have a 2009 RRS and those mice have done the exact same elbow. I am very angry, have cats etc. This is completely unacceptable and I will take this to the top. Maybe some tv coverage might alert the bosses?
23rd Feb 2012 5:37 pm
jum649
Member Since: 21 Feb 2010
Location: Herefordshire
Posts: 331
Mine leaks if I fill it beyond the first off of the filler pump. As long as I don't go beyond that it doesn't leak. Think I'll check this breather elbow.
Can i reach it to feel the potential damage with the tank in place do you think?
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Anyone else who has had this problem - any comments?
off of the filler pump. As long as I don't go beyond that it doesn't leak. Think I'll check this breather elbow.
