“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods.

4x4's They say, Is Passion.
Well I jut think they're just trying to be mild with the words. Its POISION.

There are various different strains of this infection. Some are deadlier than Black Mambas. Some will try to replace your blood with diesel. I was infected way back in April 2017. Thats when I made these threads-

Bitten By 4x4 Bug. Now I Want One

This is when I declared my Friends and Family about it, so lets keep this date official. The actual storm has been brewing in my blood for quite a some time. 2 years to be precise. 2 years was the time it had taken for all symptoms to develop and be publicly visible. The symptoms were very simple to identify if you know what to look for, Such as-

1. Watching videos from Sir Andrew St. Perrie white, Ronny Dahl & Anshuman Bishnoi till late night.
2. Looking on forums for Off-roading shots
3. Watching RFC seasons
4. Making oneself accustomed with off roading technical jargons like Diff locks, MT tyres, Maxx trax and Transfercases.

So it was clear, I had to have a 4x4. Simple.

Contents-

A. Prologue, History and Purchase
a1- History
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

a2- The Hunt
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

a3- Purchase-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

a4-First drive home-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

B. Repairs and mods-
b1- TASC Service-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b2- OBD fun-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b3- Cleaning-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods
Interior polish-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

AC vent & Coil cleaning-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b4- AC Grille repair-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b5- Cabin lamp DIY LED conversion-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b6- Headlight LED conversion
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b7- Rat seals & Foam seals-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b8- Speaker & Music system repair-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b9- Door lock markers-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b10- Power window switch repair-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b11- 4x4 errors-
Please refer to below links for Borg Warner Electric-Shift 4x4 Troubleshooting & Repair-
Borg Warner Electric-Shift 4x4 Troubleshooting & Repair

Borg Warner Electric-Shift 4x4 Troubleshooting & Repair

b12- Camera Repair-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b13- Immobilizer repair-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b14- Adding LED Aux lamps (Cree)
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b15- Adding High reflectivity tape
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b16- DIY Amplifier and Subwoofer (How to make an amplifier for cheap)

b17- DIY Noise & heat insulation for doors-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b18- LED puddle lamps for all doors.-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

b19- Rear wiper servicing-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

B20- Working with Injectors and vacuum Lines-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

B21- Working with Vacuum ball-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

C. Painting-
c1- Body Trims
c2- Wiper sticks
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

c3- Wiper cowl area-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

c4- Wheels-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

C5 The Hub Caps-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

c6- Scuff plates-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

c7- Exhaust & Tail pipe.-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

c8- Driver Height Adjust lever-

C9- Battery compartment &
C10- 4x4 Shift motor shield-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

C11. Tyre lettering.
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

C12- Steering and gear lever.
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

C13 Driver seat height adjustment lever
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

C14- Tar Stains removal-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

D. ODO shots-

E. Vehicle Drive & Review.

XUV Vs Safari short comparo-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

90k Regular service-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

F- Accessories-

F1- Steering grip-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

F2- Seat covers-

F3- LED Brake Lights-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

G- Travelogues-
Bhandardhara, Nashik 28.06.19-
“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

a1. HISTORY-

At first I tried to keep my mind rational. I went to explore and read about various medicines available in India, From different pharmacies. Here is a sneak peak at my Research-

1. Thar- Not selected due to being too crude. Not having well sealed AC cabin.

2. GV 4x4-
+ Highway Driveablity.
+ All time 4x4
+ Disc Brakes

- Not a proper 4x4. Just an Softroarder AWD. The capablities are not much better than XUV AWD. Infact due to poor torque, GV gets stuck where XUV AWD can often manage
- Bad FE
- Spares and relaiblity issues (Assuming vehicles will be quite old)

3. Gurkha 4x4-
+ Bullet proof, Simple
+ Only true competition to Thar

- Impossible to find used in decent condition
- Poor service network
- Curde, just like Thar
- 5 Door, LWB Version misses out on 4wd LOW range (Confusing specs)
- Poor brand image and resale
- Dad owns Older 2wd version (2.6L, non Turbo, non CRDI). Dont like it.

4. Facelifted scorpio-
+ Highway Manners and NVH
+ Great service network
+ Decent creature comforts
+ Decent FE and engine power

- Bouncy suspension, Limited articulation which means Limited 4x4 capability
- Mahindra Niggles
- Shoots Budget a Bit (S6 or S8)
- Less Interior space
- lacks LSD compared to Safari

5. Older scorpio-
1. Shorter overhangs giving better Approach & Departure Angles.
2. Slightly lighter than Safari giving Better BHP/Ton Ratio. Is that correct?
3. Eaton MLD is available for rear axle, costs 35k.
4. Mhawk engine is said to be better than Safari's older Dicor 2.2.

Downsides-
1. Suspension. I may go for a Lift kit & upgrades so that can be fixed. Budget is key.
2. Lack of LSD, can be compensated by MLD
3. Lack of space and Seat comfort
4. Is Scorpio plagued by same niggles as XUV?

6. Old fortuner MT- (2010)
+ Capable 4x4 machine
+ Proven reliablity
+ Resale Value

- Have one. Cannot use due to Family Restrictions. Not Buying again
- Costs a Bomb for Maintainance. Hell breaks loose if Something breaks or cracks. Not confidence inspiring for Risky maneuvers or learning
- Lacks LSD or Diff locks

7. Newer Gen (2015+) Fortuner 4x4- Not fitting in budget

8. Safari TCIC 1.9L- Not considered.

9. Safari 3.0L Dicor
+Absolute beast
+ Available cheaply
+ Had one in past. Loved it [evil]

- Finding decent & Well Maintained specimens is very difficult
- Very heavy vehicle
- Niggles may crop up in such older vehicles

10. Safari 2.2L Dicor
+ One of my Fav Vehicles. Esp pearl white [glasses]

+ Available at decent Prices with Maintenance records
+ Proper 4x4 with low range. Rear Diff is LSD.
+ Powerful engine with decent FE
+ Proven Highway Cruiser. Comfort is better than Fortuner or XUV!
+ Decent space.
+ Tail Mounted Spare wheel- Not only looks macho but is easy to remove if Vehicle is Bogged/failed on Soft surface like Sand. Under-mounted spares are almost impossible to remove.
+ Mod friendly

- Heavy Vehicle, May get bogged down in Loose surfaces
- Lengthy & Bulky design. Poor Approach, Departure and Ramp Break-over angles. Need to be solved with a Lift Kit
- Some tata Niggles may crop up. But Dicor 2.2 is a mature version with Less niggles than 1.9L or 3.0L and has less electronics
compared to Storme 400.
- Misses out on Projector lamps of storme.

11. Safari Stome 400
+ Improved NVH, handling & Driving manners compared to earlier
+ Looks Good too
+ Small Improvements like Projector lamps
+ Carries most +ves of Dicor 2.2

- Spare wheel is underside
- May Not fit in budget. Well Maintained Machines are roughly 8L in VX 4x4
- Glossy and Chromed surfaces may gather more scratches. (I liked Grey Cladding in Older safaris)
- Heavy as usual
- Increased electronics could cause niggles
- Dated interiors and less features compared to Competition like XUV 500.

12. Pajero 2.8L 118HP (2nd gen)
+ Praised by mr Vipul & KKn [evil]

Ha ha.
+ Proven off roader. Off roading capablity is actually better than Fortuner. (Chikmanglur paj vs fortuner video)
+ Brand value

- Finding Accident free and Clean specimens is a task
- Most used vehicles are quite old.
With the Government often inclined to Ban, Spank and Trouble Older diesels, Very old vehicle does not have much life left
- Newer Specimens do not fit in budget.
- Niggles and thin service network. Definitely a No-go for us Villagers. Need to travel almost 170KM+170KM for service. Breakdowns will be hell.

This all worked for a bit. I also had small entry of duster AWD for a meanwhile. But nothing really tickled my fancy. Somewhere in the corner of my heart, I knew where all this was going. The symptoms worsened day by day, And I could not get the 4x4 bug off me. I was Poisoned. I was done for. The Kind doctors at the forums suggested me a perfect Prescription-
1. A decent 4x4
2. Long wheel base & Comfortable seating/ Sealed cabin
3. 300 MG err. NM of Torque or more.
4. Having a Proper Transfercase with Low and High modes.
5. Rear LSD or MLD

This made the choice easy. The requirement that I had to have a low range- Transfercase means that it killed off any AWD imposters. The requirement of comfortable and well insulated cabin also terminated any affection towards Thar, jeeps and Gypsies.

This really left only a few contenders for my cure.
The ultra reliable Old Fortuner 4x4 MT. Quite expensive. I couldn’t afford it.

Source-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_Fortuner

The Bossy Old Ford endeavor 3.0 Hurricane

Source-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Everest

The Legendary Tata safari 3.0 or 2.2 with 4x4

Sources-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Safari

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...wned-tata-safari-3-0-ownership-review-12.html

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...-tata-safari-lx-tcic-2-30-000-kms-review.html

The Desi brainchild- Scorpio 2.6 or 2.2 CRDE with 4x4.

Source-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahindra_Scorpio

My inner child was screaming.
I am one of those people who has been a safari user since 20 years. We had the first safari in town. It was a 1998 model Safari TCIC with 90BHP 1.9L Engine. An Image as rough estimate- (We didn't own cameras back then)

The vehicle was legendary when It came out. Turbocharged Engine. Power steering. Power windows. Double barreled headlights. Fog lights! But the best part? That Motorized antenna which used to operate at the touch of a button. We had her roughly 150,000 Kms. The only gripe was 90 BHP being so much an Hatchback-class engine, was way too underpowered for 2.5 tonne beast. For those can remember, Safari 1.9 TCIC was longer and heavier than current storme. The rearmost compartment had side facing seats. One bench seated two and other side seated one, with a strong ac vent as companion. This made the SUV and effective 8 seater. This long variant which we had was never seen much later than 90's. With safari being always a 7 seater from them on.

Somewhere in 2005, Tata ploughed in a 3.0L 2956CC 116 BHP truck engine from the 407! The Torque went up to 300 NM!. Sure, we missed the double barreled headlights, The longer last compartment and few knick knacks, but a more powerful engine in the Safari was a perfect recipe!
Before anyone knew, people saw us rushing towards the nearest metro city with a cheque book just like someone rushes to get tickets at usual Railway booking counter.

My Safari 3.0L 4x2-

We also had this beast for about 160,000 Kms before it was traded in for Foruner 3.0 MT 4x4. A sad day that was. Almost in every journey with the fortuner, The discussion used to break out about how comfortable the Safari was. And how cheap was the Maintainance. We had upgraded to a vehicle thrice the cost! Still Safari was very much alive in corner of our hearts.

I guess Opening the threads as just a Bahana. My heart knew that inner child would win. So Yours truly once dared to buy this third Safari. Yes you heard it right, 3rd!. It has been 20 years since the fantasy started. And it was very much alive. It was time to fall in love again. It was time to buy a Safari 4x4!

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

A2. The hunt-
A job too simple , I thought.
Many Safaris Available for peanuts, I thought.
Car buying is now easier due to OLX, I thought.
Wrong, I thought.

Although Entire OLX and other similar Websites are flooded with Cars, Buying one is quite a task. The More than a year gap in Original thread and this ones explains perfectly. As I went on with my hunt, Few interesting facts came to mind, Often from Insider Info.

1. Only one among about 100 to 150 Safaris is made as a 4x4.
2. Among those lucky ONE in 100, Most of them are exported or are for Police/ Military orders
3. Most 4x4s listed on OLX turned out to be 4x2s!. Many people did not even know what 4x4s are! Some people put a jolly 4x4 stickers on their 4x2s to justify. I was like, where the hell is front diff? “Pata nahi sir” was the usual reply.
4. Among the lucky folk that actually brought a 4x4, hardly ever used it. Which means the 4x4 was'nt working. The shift motors or entire transfercases where jammed shut. This is signaled by the infamous “4H & 4L Lights coming together” Scenario. No one knows TF and front Diffs need an oil change once in a while. And at times Rats did their number in the 4x4 wiring. Different causes, Same result.
The final taking of this entire hullabaloo was that there were as low as 0.05% of Safari 4x4s on the Road. Much less if I am talking about WORKING 4x4 systems.

I Was looking for Safari 4x4 on the OLX every evening. Like a religion. Admins of SOUL Whatsapp and FB Groups where also initiated. Sadly, Even those groups had a flood of 4x2s. Infact entire OLX was flooded with Safari 4x2s. Even the price is quite low. So take a hint fellas. For the ones who want to “Reclaim their life” with a used Safari, Better do it now. Prices are all time low and if you don't mind a 4x2, there is a wide range of choice available.

Nanofreak · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

Hahaha I enjoyed the 4*4 bit explanation, "pata nahi Saar" even with a 4*4 sticker on the side panels.

Like some years ago when I too had the Jeep khujli 'itch', and asked the disposal dealer why you remove the 4*4, he said this also does the same job, and went on to explain 4 wheels aur charo chalti hai.

Enjoy your ride.

Regards
Vinod

mayankdixit · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

Iam all eyes and ears. Waiting for more pictures and knowledge from your side ,with bated breath.

Akash1886 · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

The evergreen Legend of an SUV, Safari. I for one will surely, definitely and seriously be hooked on to the progress of the SUV & this thread. Now, you kindly update your whatsapp DP to that of SAFARI. Just a funny / innovative caption from my side: TATA Safari "Bharat Ki Sabse Shaandar Savari" [:D]

Regards

Akash

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

A3- Purchase

It was only about 5 Safaris I looked at closely. Here are a few worth Mentioning-

1.Pearl white 2011 Dicor 2.2 VX (Mr. P)
A very STOCK and well maintained specimen. Apart from rear bumper with LED type reverse lights, There were no changes. The owner had Continental Cross contact Ats quite newly installed. Interiors as well as exterior was immaculate.
The owner quoted 5 lakhs.
Take 4.5 I said. Nah!
Take 4.7 I said. Nah!
Accha 4.75 me nipta dete hai! Naahh!

The owner was stuck on 5L That too by full DD even before papers were made. All one shot payment. I had to walk away. The sad part- The same car was recently traded on SOUL groups for even less than what I had originally quoted. A Sad tale. Perhaps a year of waiting had taught the owner to be back on ground. A but too late for me. Sigh.

2. Modded Safari 2.2 (Military print)-
Asking 6L
Somehow could not ge heart on this one. The car was fully decked out. Lift Kit. Winch. Military type wrap on sides. Knobby MT tyres. Perhaps I would do all these mods myself. Also that the speciment was roughhoused on OTRs kept me away.

3. White 2010 2.2 Dicor (Mr. A.D)
Asking 4.38L
The dude still had car in 1st owners name. He was in the process of getting papers cleared. After on and off 6 months of Whatsapp chatting, we both lost interest.

4. Black 2011 2.2 Dicor VX-
Asking 5L
Was owned by an agent. Sold before I could even communicate (Aint this the usual Broker thingy?) Very glossy, Fresh black. Looked gorgeous. But that was it.

5. White 2008 VX 2.2 4x4.
Now that brings us to the specimen I somehow ended up buying.
A Facebook & Soul lead had let me into touch of this guy. Enthusiast. Owns many cars. I had talked with this about 6 months ago, But had dropped the specimen as it was quite beaten up. Service history was unavailable. There were dents and scratches everywhere.

After sometimes, Another lead made me bumped me into the guy. For some time I did not recognized. Then the guy sent me whatsapp chat history. Oh my god. We had talked a lot before. Then the car had slipped by me. Our second meeting brought a discount of roughly 50k to an already mouth watering price. The owner clarified Vehicle is in excellent mechanical shape. But thats it. Interiors and Exteriors had lots of red flags. A bit reluctantly, I somehow booked tickets to Bombay and to check it out.

So how was it?
Well take a look yourself-

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

Looks Rosy?

Well take a closer look-

Well.
My heart sank. Upon personal inspection, Every minor scratch, dent and blemish is clearly evident. Forget scratch, There were gouges and cracks in places. Parts had started to rust. As I was about to back pedal to my home, I just called up the wife saying how disappointed I was. And I wasn’t even trying to conceal my sadness. It was evident all along. And something strange happened-

Here goes the call-
Me- Gaadi thoda Khartara type dikh raha hai. [anger]

W- You always wanted a project car na? This could be one.
Me- Yeah but this is too much work. Every panel is scratched. The car looks quite beat up. I usually do not buy such cars.
W- It means you could try your hand at painting and learning custom mods.
Me- You sure? Dad wont like it.
W- One life. Live it.
Me- (Don't know what to say. Dumbstruck)
W- Hello?
Me- Yeah yeah.. I'm bringing her home.

The seller Threw in about 10k discount a few goodies. A new Spare tyre (Bridgestone) and battery was added to the deal. Front and rear fogs (which appear cracked in some pics) were installed new. And he also filled me with 10L diesel. Very professional I must say.

So there goes fellas. A twist in the tale. It was dusk and it was getting dark. I visited the lawyer to make Papers done (Sale deed with affidavit). And at almost as the last streak of sunshine was to go away, I made a healthy Advance to the seller. Remaining would be paid upon NOC. And so we were driving her home. TONIGHT. Unknown car with unknown history. 300Kms. Unknown roads. No GPS. We were coming home.

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

A4- The drive home.

It was dark.
The Bombay brought out its worst shape in the form of traffic and jams. The Owner (Now previous owner) Guided us to nearest turn. And there we were stuck about 2 hours due to kalyan flyover work/ jam. The 10L of diesel was dying away. Damn! I need to find a pump fast. The low fuel Red light was continuously on. I was nervous. Only after exiting bombay, I could engage 3rd or 4th. We stopped at first fuel station. She took in a heavy diet. Cleaned the headlights and adjusted the seats. The clutch was as heavy as a truck. She was a truck. Never I had seen Bombay traffic and even taxis yield to a car this way before. She was a monster. I Knew it, and I was smiling. [clap]

The fog lamps were'nt working. What I had were the dim and faded factory 55w Low beams and 60w High beams. Then came the ghats. How's Limp Mode for a change? Wow!
The Service light came on. Engine refused to Revv beyong 2k RPM. Somewhere on the sidelines of ghat and jungle, we stopped. Inspected. Nothing much. Called prev owner. Perhaps the diesel you filled is adulterated. Tanked up again after the Kasara Ghats. No avail. The Limp would come the moment we crossed 80. Turbo would get turned off, and the engine note would change. It was getting all too common now. Almost at every turn.

(Some random Pics thrown in as placeholders-)

Infact, now the Limp modes were becoming so common, that I had the dare to Hot-cycle the car when running! For those who don't know what I am talking about, Better keep it that way!. Its extremely dangerous. But It gave me much needed oomph to haul this heavy beast. Decided to stop near hotels on outskirts of Nashik for quick dinner. The pizzas were delicious. Yumm!
Wasn;t in the mood of taking much shots. We had to come home. It was already way past 11 now. Continued driving. 12 came on clock soon enough. So did 1.

Mom was right. We should've booked a hotel. But the fools that we were, we drove along. Nashik was the last chance. Called my friend for a bed and little Zzzz. Could not work it up. Went further.
Took a quick power nap at one of the fuel pumps, also tanked her up. Nada. The damage was done. Something else was wrong. So here we go fellas. We brought her home. Actually, LIMPED home.
Service lights glowing (AKA MIL/ Check engine lights for other brands). It was past 2. She was very difficult to park. Somehow did. And Hit bed straight away.

Akash1886 · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 review & mods

bhvm said:

This conversation!!! Man, you should thank your good deeds and thank your guardian angels to have such a understanding better half!!! I am sure you'll never forget this conversation. May you always enjoy the Safari and this one is a gentle giant.

Regards

Akash

Nanofreak · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

Congrats bhvm on your white giant, what an imposing truck.

Your dialogue with Biwi is like, 'gaadi wohi Jo piya mann bhaye'.

I'm sure you'll do a great job to bring it back to glory, of the last decade.

Subscribed to your thread.

Regards
Vinod

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

Nanofreak said:

Thanks sir!
What happened to your Jeep itch now? I heard these do not die simply. Worse than cancer I can say.

mayankdixit said:

Thanks Mayank ji! ! I knew you'd be among the first ones to like and comment! [clap]

Akash1886 said:

The forums are filled with threads and discussions.
"Ek baar to leni hai yaar" My neighbours also say the same. That charm is known as the Safari!
This legend is the one which introduced some Macho SUVs so India in 98! And that was my first love. (One more Tata car came earlier, Called Sierra, But it is a station wagon)

Akash1886 said:

Yes, Thats now Etched in memories forever. Just like those drives that I've had with my Earlier Safaris. Sadly I noticed I have zero pics of my TCIC 90BHP
BTW, My wife sure did forget those conversations (or atleast says so!) But she has already reminded me I spend way too much time with the truck now! Ah ha ha!.
Thanks once again!.

Nanofreak said:

Yes, She is well aware of how much a Car-freak I am. She also know Whenever I am on laptop, i am on TAI.
BTW about the truck, even Previous owner won't recognize it now! It has been totally transformed. You can get a sneak peak if you dig my other threads. But thats all the hint I can give.

mayankdixit · Oct 13, 2018

Man it's like a suspense thriller!!
Many many Congratulations for the safari.
Why was it going in the limp mode again and again??
What was wrong with the car?
Why are you calling it blue elephant when the colour is white??

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

mayankdixit said:

Thanks, Mr Mayank for being with me on this journey.
Yes the Limp modes were scary!. Jesus Christ! I was really scared. All sorts of things started rolling in my mind. It was dark. I was driving alone. I started doubting if I had made a wise choice? Is something seriously wrong with the engine? Have I been mugged? Cheated? [frustration]

I had just redeemed some of my hard earned money (Policies) for making a fat advance for this car. I Wanted to Reclaim my life!. God just let me please.

BTW, Now that the beast is standing in front of me, It is gleaming. And I can see that the gleam is in Blue! [clap]

I guess Its only fair to put a teaser for you folks-

bhvm · Oct 13, 2018

Re: “The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

B. Repairs and mods-

b1- TASC Service-
74k Service-

Jobs done-
1. Timing belt, Cooling pump, Tensioner, Idler etc everything new (Proactive Peace replacement)
2. Sorting out Limp Mode
3. Suspension renew (Front & Back)
4. Sorting up MIL
5. power window & Mirror adjustment buttons repaired.

Service experience-
The first thing I wanted to do after bringing the Elephant home was getting complete service done. I had heard about sudden timing belt failures on these models of 2.2 Dicors (With Catastrophic Failures both mechanically as well as a disaster for wallet) which could cost upto 1.3L to sort out. So That was high on the list. Got it done for roughly 10k including Coolant change. I was also happy that my old timing belt was in tip top shape with no fraying or wear. Still replaced at my will.

Next came was the Limp mode. It was getting really on the nerves. I dropped my car for 3 days at TASC dhule to get it sorted. And they did. The Initial diagnosis was some vacuum lines had jammed/Conked off, causing limp. I was really happy they could bid it goodbye for once and for all!
There is still one more error code- P1253. Which will require further investigation (Skipped for now) The Limp was being caused by P1254 which was sorted.

Next, They also updated the software on Factory Immobilizer as it was having some trouble recognizing the key (Relays would click but would'nt start). That was also pleasant.

Now, Since the SUV was going to stay with doctors for about 3~4 days, I thought I could get done entire suspension replacement. The steering was vague at best. There were heavy vibrations upon changing directions or Sudden braking. Basically the whole front end would nose dive on braking. There were vibrations past 80 KMPH and brakes were very poor. So got front & rear suspension re-done for an expense of about 30k. This includes Front wheel bearings, Hub greasing, Ball joints, Shim adjustment, All bushings and arms.

Also Got All front and rear DIFF Oils changed. Gearbox Oil Changed.
Please note that most of these replacements are proactive and could be skipped. But the peace of mind matters.

Entire bill came somewhere in the range of 45K more or less.

80K Service & 81K Service-

Lots of itty-bitty works in the list.
Basically could not do much despite 2 visits. Got regular Oil change done. (This is cheap when compared to XUV oil change) All diff and TC oils inspected. Got a new key since the old key was acting finicky for roughy 2.5k.

Went with STP Engine oil Flush and then additive (Brought online). Does not feel like much. But Tata recommends flushing old vehicles so went ahed. I thought the Oil additive will bring down the NVH, but I fail to observe anything significant.
Total bill came to roughly 10k Including key
The Pics-

Sent a prompt complaint to TML for sub par service as below-

“The Blue Elephant” My Safari 4x4 Review & Mods

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