Broke down again today. Car had been fine for a few months, running perfectly and coming home from airport after a 9 hour flight, on the motorway with the family heading home (another 4 hours journey) and got the full HDC failure, suspension lowering, etc etc...

Recovery folk came out and took us the rest of the way home, said he reckoned the car had a fuel problem - either out of fuel or a pump issue. no faults reported on the diags. Don't think it was out of fuel, still had 1/3 tank left in it, 200-odd miles of range reported, and it's running again now I've got it back home.

But that's enough for me. Ive had it - I'm clearly not cut out for this FFRR "ownership experience" so I'm trading it in this week for a Golf or something. This has been the least reliable car I've ever had the misfortune to own. It started badly and I had thought it was sorted but its just let me down again today when I needed it most

So gutted, it was my dream car and it's been nothing but heartache from day one, but it's over now.

If anyone wants a low mileage 2-owner FFRR with some kind of fuel issue PM me. 09 RR Westminster 3.6TDV8 - Stornoway Grey / Black interior - now gone (sad face)
Nissan X Trail 1.6TDCi Tekna
Fiat 500 1.2

There are usually two fuel pumps - one in the engine bay and another on the tank. The one on the tank can go which causes those symptoms. A main agent or good independent would sort that. The same thing happened with a friends TD6 a few years ago. 2021 L405 Vogue SE 4.4 V8 DIESEL ~ #17

I had similar issues on my Sport and it turned out to be the battery. First happened mid journey on the M62. Limped home ok, fine the next day but the same thing happened on starting up the day after. New battery and a reset sorted things out.

Might be worth checking. Current: FF Westminster money pit

Gone:
RRS 4.2 SC
RRS 3.6 TDV8
FL2 TD4

Sounds like you’re having a time

Hopefully it’s easily fixable and you get renewed hope - if not, you should work on the classified ad - doesn’t make compelling reading yet

Totally feel for you. Felt the same about my 1st L322, ended up being a bottomless pit. Keep on telling yourself the next job will be the one that gets it right. Sadly some are just parts whores.

Tugger wrote:

and got the full HDC failure, suspension lowering, etc etc...

Now officially for sale, due to number of PMs I've had about it 09 RR Westminster 3.6TDV8 - Stornoway Grey / Black interior - now gone (sad face)
Nissan X Trail 1.6TDCi Tekna
Fiat 500 1.2

I see that your problem mostly seems to occur when you have an indicated 1/4 > 1/3 fuel left.

Are you sure that the gauge is reading correctly ?

My last vehicle - a VW Transporter T5 (these vehicles fuel gauges are normally unreliable when showing anything lower than 1/3 tank (I've actually run out with 1/4 showing, likewise, I've covered over 100 miles with the gauge on the red).

Just wondering if you have a similar problem ? Could it be worth giving the vehicle another chance & refuelling every time the gauge reaches 1/2 ? 2003 Range Rover Vogue TD6

It could well be something like that, it's only when the fuel is lower than 1/3 tank do I ever get any issue and yet same as you other times it's been down in the red with only a handful of miles range showing and been completely fine. I use the car most days and commute around 80 miles per day three times a week so I get through a decent amount of fuel, usually refilling once a week - I'll normally refill it when it hits about a quarter or less and most of the time it's fine. Its just that one time when it lets you down when you're tired, jetlagged and you and family are standing on by the hard shoulder of a motorway that you decide it's just once too often.

I appreciate it's probably s simple fix - in-tank fuel pump seems the most likely culprit, but as I say, I've just had enough. Time for it to go. 09 RR Westminster 3.6TDV8 - Stornoway Grey / Black interior - now gone (sad face)
Nissan X Trail 1.6TDCi Tekna
Fiat 500 1.2

Sounds like the fuel pump at the tank that's away. I had similar on a Freelander years ago. Everything was fine until I was under 1/4 of a tank.

Switch the if ignition on and you should be able to hear it priming.

Yeah the pump works - the car is running normally again now. Its one of those very occasional intermittent things that means it's probably worth just fitting a new pump. 09 RR Westminster 3.6TDV8 - Stornoway Grey / Black interior - now gone (sad face)
Nissan X Trail 1.6TDCi Tekna
Fiat 500 1.2