New battery for 2010 Range Rover L322

Ymc226

Member
Wife?s RR which the son will be taking to college needs a new battery according to dealer (truck towed there as developed a large coolant leak and couldn?t hold enough coolant to drive home 50 miles)

The dealer wants $408 including 1.1 hours for installation. I?ve installed several batteries in my prior vehicles and the RR battery looks pretty straightforward. Is there anything tricky about the removal or installation and what battery would you recommend?

It will be driven in the cold as well as hot weather in Ithaca NY being a college student, my son may not drive it regularly.

I?ve checked the Interstate battery finder and the recommended MTP 49 H8 was listed at $162.
 

Maine57S1

Well-known member
Not sure if its the same on the 10s but the earlier L322s required you to disconnect the gas struts on the side of the hood in order to get it almost vertical so you can remove the battery.. Other than that i think its pretty straightforward. I got a replacement battery at auto zone..no issues.
 

Z.G

Well-known member
Topix tells you to remove the bonnet. Otherwise, I would probably want to address the coolant issue first.
 

Ymc226

Member
Topix tells you to remove the bonnet. Otherwise, I would probably want to address the coolant issue first.

They told my wife a hose needs to be replaced. 5 hours and $1200. Also getting some suspension parts replaced and rear brakes pads and rotors. I?ll try to save a little by doing the battery myself.
 

Maine57S1

Well-known member
Are there no good indie shops near you? these cars out of warranty will bankrupt you if you keep taking them to the dealer.
 

Roverman2010

Well-known member
Interstate are junk, I just had another fail 2 years and three months on the D3, watch the warrenty and KEEP the recipt. Autozone best warrenty.
 

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
The reason the labor time is that high is because the PCM has to be removed to get the battery out (unless you move the windshield cowl out of the way which unseals it). Also, your Range Rover is fitted with a battery monitoring system that needs to be reset with a diagnostic computer upon replacement of the battery. An hour of labor is pretty standard for replacement with no diag. I would expect there to be an additional diagnostic charge if the battery wasn't obviously bad.
 

Ymc226

Member
The reason the labor time is that high is because the PCM has to be removed to get the battery out (unless you move the windshield cowl out of the way which unseals it). Also, your Range Rover is fitted with a battery monitoring system that needs to be reset with a diagnostic computer upon replacement of the battery. An hour of labor is pretty standard for replacement with no diag. I would expect there to be an additional diagnostic charge if the battery wasn't obviously bad.

Thanks for the info. This is a much more complex procedure in many aspects (needing to unhook the hood pistons, removing the ECU, and reseting the computer) than it should be, especially in a vehicle manufactured 8 years ago.

I wonder if the complexity protects against a surprise dead battery. If not, hopefully jump starting will get you back on the road as a local garage or even AAA would not be able to replace a battery if you are in the middle of a trip.
 

1of40

Well-known member
Wow, anyone have this much drama with other makes/model vehicles? No wonder JLR has all but given up on enthusiast events. Can you imagine facing questions like, what the hell were you thinking when you designed such drama in swapping a battery?
 

LRNAD90

Well-known member
Wow, anyone have this much drama with other makes/model vehicles? No wonder JLR has all but given up on enthusiast events. Can you imagine facing questions like, what the hell were you thinking when you designed such drama in swapping a battery?

The L322 was designed during the BMW ownership period, right? I know BMW X5's (E70 generation an up) also require updating the ECU to 'accept' the new battery..
 

icnsltmfg

Member
My old 2008 L322 I replaced the battery with a Bosch AGM and had no issues pulling it out and the new one in with the hood still open at normal height...a bit of a pain but no problem...also no issue in everything starting right up after the swap...
 

jymmiejamz

Founding Member
Callsign: KN4JHI
Thanks for the info. This is a much more complex procedure in many aspects (needing to unhook the hood pistons, removing the ECU, and reseting the computer) than it should be, especially in a vehicle manufactured 8 years ago.

I wonder if the complexity protects against a surprise dead battery. If not, hopefully jump starting will get you back on the road as a local garage or even AAA would not be able to replace a battery if you are in the middle of a trip.

Its not that big of a deal, but the dealership is justified in their pricing. The only thing that would make it difficult for anyone to do is that the PCM is held in place with a 5 pointed tamper proof torx bolt. You can replace the battery without resetting the monitor, but you may get a low battery message on the display and stop/start likely won't work (if fitted).

Wow, anyone have this much drama with other makes/model vehicles? No wonder JLR has all but given up on enthusiast events. Can you imagine facing questions like, what the hell were you thinking when you designed such drama in swapping a battery?

The L322 was designed during the BMW ownership period, right? I know BMW X5's (E70 generation an up) also require updating the ECU to 'accept' the new battery..

I'd be willing to bet that at least 50% of cars on the road are fitted with battery monitoring systems. For example, Maserati uses the same BMS as Jaguar and Land Rover. I'm guessing most of the FIAT group does as well.

My old 2008 L322 I replaced the battery with a Bosch AGM and had no issues pulling it out and the new one in with the hood still open at normal height...a bit of a pain but no problem...also no issue in everything starting right up after the swap...

Pre 2010MY is a good bit easier as the PCM is not next to the battery.
 
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