Disco Diesel: Turbo Trouble or Boost System Breakdown?

Hey there! I've got some experience with cars, and your symptoms sound very familiar. I had a similar issue with my 2015 Land Rover Range Rover diesel. Quick story: noticed the same symptoms, black smoke, power loss, and that annoying whistling noise. Took it to my trusted workshop, and after diagnostics, they found a faulty wastegate valve on the turbo. Cost me around 860 Euro to fix, but it's been running like a charm since. Based on your Disco's symptoms, it really sounds like the same problem I had. The whistling and power loss are classic signs of a wastegate issue. Would be helpful to know your mileage and if you've noticed any other warning lights besides the engine light? Just to make sure though, have you had any recent turbo-related repairs? Also, what's your maintenance history like?

Thanks for sharing your experience! My Disco has 116978 KM on the clock, and everything was fine during the last service. Haven't had any turbo work done before this. Those symptoms you described match mine exactly, especially that annoying whistle! Honestly, it's a relief to hear someone had the same issue and got it sorted. Did your car also have that rough idle problem? And did you notice if the symptoms got worse over time? I'm hoping it won't cost too much more than what you paid, but at least now I have a better idea of what to tell my mechanic about the wastegate valve. Really appreciate the help!

Hey again! Yeah, absolutely, my Range Rover had that same rough idle issue too. It would shake quite a bit when stopped at lights, which was super annoying. And yes, the symptoms definitely got worse over time, started with just occasional whistling and mild power loss, but within a few weeks, it was giving me all sorts of grief with the black smoke and jerking. Actually, funny you mention the 116K kilometers, mine was around 120K when this happened. I remember putting off getting it checked for about two weeks (big mistake!), and the symptoms just kept getting worse. The idle got so rough that I was worried about stalling in traffic, and that whistling noise got louder and louder. Since you mentioned the service history, mine was well maintained too, but apparently these wastegate issues can pop up regardless. After they fixed it, my mechanic explained that it's just one of those wear and tear things that can happen with turbo diesels. Just a heads up, when they fixed mine, they also recommended checking the turbo actuator while they were at it. Turned out to be a good call as it needed some adjustment too. Maybe worth asking your mechanic about that when you take it in? Still happy with how my car's running now, no whistles, no smoke, smooth as butter. Hope you get yours sorted soon!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! You're really helping me feel less worried about this whole situation. It's crazy how similar our experiences are, even down to the mileage! I'll definitely ask about the turbo actuator when I take it in. Good tip! I've been putting it off for about a week now, but after hearing how yours got worse, I'm going to book it in tomorrow. Don't want to risk having it stall in the middle of traffic! The whistling has definitely gotten louder this past week, and this morning the black smoke was pretty bad during my drive. Really relieved to hear your car's running perfectly now. Given how spot-on your symptoms were to mine, I'm pretty confident it's the same wastegate issue. At least now I won't feel completely clueless when talking to the mechanic about it! Thanks again for sharing your experience, it's been super helpful! I'll probably get it sorted next week and hopefully be back to smooth driving soon.