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Apart from its incredible four-wheel-drive system, Land Rover is known for its convenience and ease of handling. Although the continuous maintenance of your Land Rover will help reduce the risk of damage, the wear and tear of some parts are inevitable. The iconic British brand is no exception to this. One of such components that can develop faults over time is the HDC, which is an acronym for Hill Descent Control.
The HDC in your Land Rover is a unique feature of the brand. It functions as a virtual driver assistance program that controls, monitors, and restricts the speed of your vehicle when it is going downhill or through a rough road. In a way, the HDC reduces the workload on the brake of your car. Let’s take a closer look at how this works.
Causes of HDC Failure
As long as the HDC system is in the proper condition, you do not engage your brake in emergencies. The HDC system by itself will engage acceleration or respond to your manual acceleration. Hence, keeping it in good condition through maintenance and repair is vital.
Most land rovers owners might have little or no knowledge of what can cause their HDC system to fail or the signs to look out for when it fails. The HDC system of your Land Rover will fail if you habitually do the following:
- Driving fast: The Land Rover HDC only operates when your vehicle’s speed is below 31 mph. When the rate exceeds the limit, the HDC will stop working temporarily. Your car will respond by displaying “HDC not available, speed too high.” When you see this message, immediately reduce the speed, and the HDC will resume work. However, if your vehicle accelerates above 50 mph, the HDC will turn off, and you’ll have to turn it on manually.
- High-temperature brakes: If the brakes of your Land Rover become overheated, the HDC will become unavailable for use. When this happens, a message that reads “system cooling” will display on the dashboard. The notification is a warning to park your vehicle in a safe spot and allow it to cool down for a while. When the brakes cool down, the HDC will begin operating again.
- High gears: If the gear range of your Land Rover is high, the HDC will not work. The HDC only works in the lower range of your vehicle. When this happens, the dashboard of your car will display “HDC not available in this car.” immediately, shift the gear to a lower range, and the HDC will start working again.
How to Detect HDC Failure
If the HDC of your Land Rover is failing, the dashboard will display a message that reads “HDC fault system not available.” When you notice this message, bring your car to a Land Rover specialist to have it inspected and properly repaired.
The HDC works closely with the reaction control and anti-lock braking system of your Land Rover. Therefore, a fault in either of these two systems can cause the HDC of your vehicle to misbehave. Knowing this, if the brake warning light and ABS warning light are on to indicate brake failure, the HDC might be experiencing problems, too. Hence, whenever you take your car in for brake-related issues, make sure the mechanic checks the HDC system, too.
Daniel’s European for Your Land Rover
Are you looking for a reliable auto repair shop to handle your HDC repairs? Then Daniel’s European is 
the right shop for you. We have been serving customers since 2013, proudly caring for the good people of La Habra with premium repair services for European cars.
Our repair shop is available to communities in and around La Habra, CA in Brea, Fullerton, La Habra Heights, Hacienda Heights, and Rowland heights. All our mechanics are ASE-certified with an ardent knowledge in repairing any issue associated with your Land Rover. We make sure that all our customers leave happy with safe vehicles you can drive with confidence. You can contact us or visit any of our shops to schedule an appointment today. We look forward to earning your business.
* Land Rover Defender Car image credit goes to: Javier Peribanez.