Page 1 of 1
-
- garnerj
- Member Since: 13 Jul 2025
- Location: Milton keynes
- Posts: 3
Retro fit centre console cooler fridge - it works
Retrofit centre console cooler - it can be done, and yes it cools things as expected.
I just wanted to drop a note to the group as I have seen a lot of conflicting info on various sources about the above subject.
I have successfully retro fitted a genuine centre console cooler to my 2019 D5. It was a feature I had in all my previous disco’s and I find it incredibly useful. I’m sure many will start to comment about how useless they are and how it’s not worth it but I respectfully disagree, for me it was worth it and it works great.
I overcame a few challenges on the way so I will try and run through these below.
1. Finding the cooler itself - there are 2 models of fridge, the one I needed was LR082529. I have no idea what year they changed to the newer one but imagine it may have been when they changed to the newer gear shifter perhaps. I managed to get one from a trusted breaker I have used many times, Jack at DA Whootton and sons as alway gave me a decent price and shipped efficiently and gave a warranty to boot. 🙂
2. Do I need a new centre console? - Technically the answer to this is yes, because unlike the D3/D4 you can’t lift the cubby out as it’s fixed. I decided not to do this because the price was high and quite simply I couldn’t be arsed to take it all out! 🙂 I couldn’t see it being massively different and I was right, it wasn’t. I actually found a new old story none on ebay for £370 but I decided to modify my own. I bought a second hand one to practice on and away I went. Multitool and 15 minutes and my very first cut was perfect and the fridge fitted in……so I brewed a pair of balls and moved onto the one in the car. I had a rough idea where the cut needed to be but used the pics from the eBay listing to confirm this.
3. Into my car - I first removed the cubby lid and the upper console trim. Loads of info online for these processes but if anyone wants advice just gimme a shout. It was then time to make the cuts. All Went to plan and the multitool was definitely the right tool for job.
4. The electrics - this is where my biggest challenge came, but mainly because I didn’t know and there was not much info around rather than technical issues. The plug for the fridge was already there, but in the CJB (fuse box) behind the glovebox there was no fuse in location 21. Online info suggested it should be fuse 20 but my diagram and wiring showed me it was deffo 21z in the fuse went but still no power to the plug. Very strange. Much deliberation and testing and I eventually world out that the CJB was in fact not wired for fuse 21 with only one side having a pin in it (the other side had a blue plastic piece instead). Online searches showed me that this is a little pot luck as some People reported the fuse added and worked fine but for me this didn’t. So had to think outside the box. For me this one of as an easy one. Just below the cup holders was a usb socket that I will never use so I simply piggy backed off that. I actually left that working just in case but suspect I will never need it. Tested the wires as I didn’t have a wiring diagram and could see that the black cable was power and the other was ground. Cut the plug off that and the plug off the fridge plug and joined everything up. Added on a 10a inline fuse into the fridge branch for good measure and then plugged it in. Hey presto, all working as expected. That charger socket is ignition switched, stays on for a few minutes after the car is powered off and the. Powers off so it’s exactly the same as the factory circuit would function. All joins wrapped in heat shrink and loom Tape and anyone would think it was factory.
5. Put it all back together - no modification needed to anything other than the console carcass and the wiring, everything goes back together as planned, cleaning it all along the way. I now have a working cooler in the console. It WILL cool anything in it, but does through contact so things like cans cook better than the plastic bottles or car board cartons from my experience. Sure, it’s. Nothing like a home fridge, but stick cold cans in there and they are still cool
For many hours of driving. Put warm ones in then they cool but it takes some time.
6. The cost - This will depend on what deal you get on the cooler itself but for me, even including buying a “practice” console it was less that £150 total and a couple of hours work so well worth it.
There will be loads of people out there that say it’s not worth it, the fridge doesn’t work, you
MUST have the console etc etc, but you will find most have never done the process themselves and just want to sit behind their keyboard and troll people. It may not be for everyone, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, if it’s not for you, move on and don’t bother posting negative things, this post is simply meant for people like me that want to do it, can’t find enough info online and want a route to get it done rather than be told It’s not worth it or not possible.
Please do reach out if you want to ask any questions or want any images of the cuts I made as I do still have my test console in the garage, which I would happily pass on to someone for a few beer tokens.
-
- BAZ8046
- Member Since: 23 Apr 2026
- Location: Kent
- Posts: 39
-
Page 1 of 1
DISCO5.CO.UK is independent and not affiliated to Jaguar Land Rover.