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-   -   Tata Safari Dicor 3.0L VX 4x4 - Leh'd, 105k kms up & Auf Wiedersehen! (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-term-ownership-reviews/18313-tata-safari-dicor-3-0l-vx-4x4-lehd-105k-kms-up-auf-wiedersehen-12.html)

Its crossed 27k kms a couple of days back. The 25k kms servicing was completed last month. The rear brake drums & shoes were showing signs of abnormal wear & tear and were replaced under warranty (I had been hearing a noise of metal scraping from the rear when I braked at high speeds).

Apart from this, the oil & other consumables were topped up & the catalytic converter was cleaned. I got a call from them in the afternoon saying that it would be advisable to replace the Air Cleaner Assembly as it was totally choked. Consulted my guru at the workshop & he confirmed that it would be wise. Later checked it myself & it was definitely needed. The beast is definitely breathing freely again and I think it will show up in the mileage at my next fill (in any case, it has been returning 10 kmpl ever since the winter set in).

Went to pick up the beast in the evening & got a call from Ishan saying that he was going towards the workshop to pick up Gautam (N_C) from the hotel he was staying in. So we met up at the workshop, I collected my freshly (& nicely) washed companion & off we went for a drink to the DLF City Club..........GD landed up as well, but that's another story!

No other updates at the moment, quite happy with the Osram Silverstar +50% that Tanveer had suggested. Oh & yes - there is a long scratch on the left rear door (next to the handle), just can't figure where the hell it came from; need to get it rubbed down the next time I'm at the workshop. The only other recurring irritant is a rattle that comes back (front left door) every 5k kms or so - I think there is some damping that is required to be permanently put in which I intend doing at the 30k service.

Sorry, that should read 26k kms, not 27; also forgot to mention that the routine service included cleaning out the brake pads.

Last Sunday morning, noticed a drop of what looked like oil on the ground, just about under the sump guard of the beast & was like:eek: after remembering all the horror stories floating around the forum about Safari oil leaks!

Decided to observe closely & established at the end of Monday that it wasn't noticeable when the engine was idling but did settle into a tiny wet patch when the vehicle was stationery for a while with the engine off. It obviously wasn't the Brake fluid else I would have felt it & the warning light would have come on. The steering was feeling OK so it shouldn't be the power steering fluid either - tried opening the container but it was so tight that I decided not to risk breaking it! Checked the engine oil level & it was at the "Max" mark & no reductions were visible. So I was perplexed & fixed up an appointment with the workshop with horror stories actively playing hide & seek in my brain.

Next day & the day after, couldn't find the time to go across - the drops continued & the beast continued in its usual style with no changes in performance, nor did any warning lights come on. Each day, I checked the engine oil level which remained the same so I was convinced it was something else.

Valentines Day, decided that I HAD TO GET OUT OF OFFICE and attend to the problem so off I went post lunch to the workshop. They hiked the behemoth on the lift, removed the sump guard, examined it, brought the vehicle down, removed the engine cover & viola! It was the clip holding one of the pipes coming out of the power steering fluid container that had broken. Although I hadn't felt it, the Senior WM had raised his eyebrows initially because he felt the steering to be harder than it should be. The power steering fluid level was almost down to zero:p & it was the only thing that I hadn't been able to open & check! Anyway, the clip was replaced, fluid was topped up, the engine compartment was cleaned out completely, cover & sump guard were fitted back & we were on our way.

Checked this morning for any tell-tale oil/fluid drops but there were none - what a relief! No seals leaking, thank God. I did ask what could have caused the clip to break but I guess that was a stupid question - the way this vehicle is driven, by way of flying over speed breakers, bad patches & (of late) a long kilometer stretch of undulations on the left side of MG Road (a little before Ghitorni), I wouldn't be surprised if something else breaks soon. There have been a couple of occasions at least in the past couple of weeks when one wheel has been airborne & then come thumping back on the ground (I do apologize to the beast but that's one of the side effects of driving back late from Office & having a tough behemoth at your disposal - pedal to metal & to hell with the bumps & potholes).

While the beast was on the lift, I learnt a couple of things that I thought I'd share with my fellow Safari mates (courtesy the Sr WM) -

1) There are a couple of holes in the underside of the front bumper which actually enable the fog lamps (in VX & EX models) to be adjusted for the desired level. You need one of those long handled screw drivers to do the job
2) I had wondered what the digital temperature display (position number 4 on the information display in the speedo cluster on pressing the mode button) was all about because it certainly didn't measure the ambient temperature accurately. I learnt that it was to measure the temperature of the steel on the body, not the atmosphere. It is apparently something that is extremely useful in the colder countries & is primarily meant for the export models but is there in ours as well.

So, useful information to pick up during the course of an afternoon! That's all for the moment folks, will update you when the 30k service is done - will probably be sometime next month. Cheers

that was a relief Suman... for a moment I thought your beast has got the signature 'oil leak'!

am surprised that you did not notice the hardness of the steering.

but have to hand it out to you, your candid way of telling what the beast is actually meant for - pedal to the metal.

But "...one wheel has been airborne & then come thumping back on the ground..." - my GOD!!! You teaching your beast to fly or what! LOL!

Enjoy the drive mate; and guess you are one luck guy to have a WM as the one you have!

Man, you telling me - I was telling myself "no. no.....!"

I was surprised myself (and quite ashamed to be frank :p) but I guess if the fluid had run out completely, it would have definitely been more discernible. And all this including the early morning expressway runs too!

There was this one kilometer stretch (GD will know which bit I'm referring to) where the left lane was like a roller coaster (ups, downs, deep ruts & undulations & even a steel girder that had beecome exposed at one point lol). The left lane would be empty because almost all vehicles would stick to the right lane. So, like an overtaking opportunity at Monte Carlo so to speak:D but at the risk of growing wings lol! They've finally fixed that stretch early on this week thank God!

Thanks buddy & Amen!

Suman,

thanks GOD everything is fine with the beast.

and after reading all those horror stories about oil leak,i believe this is the last thing that any of us would want.

I personally check the beast for oil leak every now and then.

Enjoy the ride.

Umm, as of today there are still some issues. The potholes are gone, but the road still has its share of undulations.

As a biker, I've had more than my fair share of heart stopping flights :D Used to always chuckle seeing the cars slow down there. Will be careful if I see a white safari flying too :p

PS: dumb koshun, but of those 28k km, how many km has the 4x4 come in use? In retrospect, has it been worth the extra lakhtakia? Or would the beast have powered through anyways?

Good to hear the leak was a small issue Suman! And here's a small tip when detecting leaks:

1. Steering fluid will usually be pinkish in colour. I know because my car's rack leaks & I can make out the colour clearly as our driveway is white marble!

2. Engine oil will be dark brownish.

3. Brake oil will be dark reddish.

And there is a difference in their texture when you feel it between your fingers or smell it but that is only discernible if one is experienced to these things (which you are!)

Looking forward to more reports in the near future!

Not much use man, Suman's Safari is silver :p

This power steering clip seems to be the most vunerable part of underbody in all Tata vehicles.
I broke the clip(which led to sudden loss of pressure) of the indigo at an unmarked speed breaker.
Tata should have given better sump guards and placed the power steering pulley etc., a little higher up

Inspired by the jumping Safari ad, as i can see. :D

Thanks guys for your comments!

Heh-heh, probably 10 kms or so overall. I can remember 5 such occasions (one involved the use of 4L), each of which would have been less than 2 kms. But I still think it was worth it because I haven't yet taken it to the places that are on my wish list, nor in the kind of weather where I would be able to do full justice yet! So far it's just been all about crossing deep ditches, high mounds of sand & earth & the like


You are not gonna believe this but lazy old me didn't pick it off the ground, nor smell it - didn't want my worst nightmare confirmed :p

The container is actually way way up & the sump guard probably doesn't protect the pipes which are further back - the sump guard was untouched, probaably the violent jumping caused one of the pipes to be pushed up which in turn may have broken the clip
Now I have a rough idea of how they do it ;)

Relieved to hear it wasn’t the engine oil – otherwise it would have been a long list of check and trips to the TASS (based on my experience). I've actually stopped looking underneath the engine now ;-)

Thanks for sharing your new learnings. I also learnt something recently - it's a major task replacing the fog light bulbs! The local (road side) mechanic took 45 minutes changing both bulbs (that were fused)!!!

Preet, I can tell you I had at least one sleepless night at the thought of that leak!

That's surprising. Week before last, I had my right one fused so I went to the workshop - they took about 10 minutes to change it including getting the bulb from the store. But I think it is tricky because of the way the bulb comes with the wire etc so its not a simple screw on/screw off & perhaps the roadside guy wasn't well versed in that technique.

Completed almost 29.5k kms, planning on taking the beast for the 30k kms service this weekend. This is going to be an expensive service methinks cos the 5 "free" services are over so labour gets charged. Plus, I think the fuel filter is changed at 30k. So, a lighter pocket over the weekend:Frustrati, will keep you guys posted.

The odo read 30,003 as I climbed out of the beast this morning at work. The 30k service was done a couple of weeks ago & did cost quite a bit compared to the earlier ones. Will update later.

I seriously need to get the alloy wheels balanced now that 30k kms are over & the wheels have been rotated twice (once at the 15k kms service & now again at the 30k mark).

The workhorse continues to serve me well & keeps me insulated from the chaotic NCR traffic - thanks matecheers:! I have used the left rear door as a OSRVM strength tester for an Esteem & an Indica - I observed that the Indica's sticks out more & the Esteem's one takes a little more rubbing compound to get off the door but more on that later:D