freelander ignition switch problem

hi all

Another small problem with the freelander, its a 1.8 k series 99 plate 5 door,

problem is intermitant but slowly getting more regular, turn the ignition key to 1st click radio, clock etc, 2nd click all the dash light etc as usual, 3rd (starting position) nothing, after 3 to 5 attempts it works but this is slowly getting worse and getting up to 15 to 20 attempts, now when its playing up and i turn to position 3 the radio goes off and the clock light dims but all the dash light stay bright, there is a very small click from the fusebox under the drivers side dash but no kind of click from the starter. could this be the wireing plug on the rear of the switch or the starter itself? just would like to hear your views and a pointer in the right direction.

regards

Gary

hi

bit of an update now, got time to have a look today and it seems like an immobilser problem, after a bit of head scratching and with the steering cowling removed i have noticed that if i hold the key fob close to the pickup ring that wraps around the ignition barrel then it seems to start every time, so it would seem that when its just hanging on the key ring it doesnt seem to be able to connect with the ring like it should, does anyone know why it cant connect with pickup? always worked before but has got worse over the last month or so, would this be a pickup ring problem or a problem with the key fob itself, not sure if its relevant but changed the battery in the fob and its still the same.

regards

gary

Can you discribe what your key looks like, is it flat with asplit that swivels or rounded with land rover written on it?

hi

its flat with a split and swivels, the key fob is seperate and has two buttons, im guessing that the transponder is in the fob as the key looks to thin and appears solid, its the fob that i hold right next to the plastic pickup ring that seems to make it start, when its just hanging on the key ring is doesent seem to detect it

you may need new fob, if you only have one might be worth your while getting another anyway.

Any idea if a second hand one can be re-programmed or is it a new one from the dealers that I would need? Could it possibly not be the pick-up ring that's gone funny?

I don't think it's a problem with the fob or the immobiliser, first place I would start at would be the starter solenoid if all the electrics are coming on.
First thing you need to check for is when you turn the ignition to 3 is there 12v at the solenoid, there are only 2 connections but it will be a 2 person job to do unless you have long multimeter leads. If there isn't 12v then yes it could be the immobiliser or fob, if there is 12v, give the contacts a real good clean if that doesn't work then your solenoid needs changing which is an easy enough DIY job.
Where about are you as someone near you might offer help.

The immobiliser is disarmed when you blip the remote to unlock and the receiver for it is on top of the instrument cowling so I'm not sure what you're referring to by pickup ring. If it works when you're wiggling / moving the key whist it's in the starting position it could be being caused by slightly dodgy electrical contacts in the ignition switch. This is also a common failure point along with the starter motor solenoid.

by pickup ring i am referring to the plastic ring that is wrapped around the ignition barrel and normally picks up the signal from a chipped key being inserted, as the freelander has a solid plastic key with no chip i am assuming that the chip must be in the fob and has to be close to the barrel when starting, its just with mine the chip and ring do not seem to be connecting or are having trouble connecting as some time it starts and some times it wont, i have noticed that if i remove the key fob and try to start the car then nothing happens and if i hold the key in postion 3 trying to start the car as i bring the fob closer until it touched the ring then the car springs into life, hence my problem as when it is dangling on the key ring it doesent seem to make the distance, but it always worked before, any other ideas?

cheers

I stand corrected - just had a good read of the RAVE manual and indeed the plastic ring is a pickup ring for a transponder in the key. Seems the pickup / key work like a 'coded transformer'. However, the key fob should have nothing to do with the immobilizer, only the alarm.

Does it work if you touch it with anything other than the key fob?

I would suggest one of two things could be happening...

1. there's a faulty connection somewhere - either inside the pickup ring, the connector to the pick up ring or even the ignition barrel itself. By touching the ring you happen to be making the fault connect again.

2. whatever you're touching against the plasctic ring is acting as some kind of amplifier. It says in Rave that the plastic ring has a 'range' of about 20mm - perhaps if this is somehow worn (not quite sure how it would be worn though) that it's not picking up the key and when you press something against it, it's amplifying this signal somehow - similar to the whole sticking an alarm fob on your chin to make it work from further away affect! Perhaps the key fob works as an extremely good 'aerial' for it!

Reading RAVE though, it is clear that the key fob SHOULD not have any affect on it's operation. I'm not near my car to check but maybe someone could confirm whether their car will start without the key fob being nearby the car.

Also, the immobiliser CCU will communicate with Testbook and will throw fault codes if it sees a fault so it may well be worth getting it on a Testbook diagnostic and seeing if anything's coming up.

Ah hang on.... you've got one of the old style keys and I'm not sure if that works the same way, perhaps the immobiliser part is in the key fob on the earlier keys...?

WindyG said:

I don't think it's a problem with the fob or the immobiliser, first place I would start at would be the starter solenoid if all the electrics are coming on.
First thing you need to check for is when you turn the ignition to 3 is there 12v at the solenoid, there are only 2 connections but it will be a 2 person job to do unless you have long multimeter leads. If there isn't 12v then yes it could be the immobiliser or fob, if there is 12v, give the contacts a real good clean if that doesn't work then your solenoid needs changing which is an easy enough DIY job.
Where about are you as someone near you might offer help.

Click to expand...

Having said all that, we could be going up the garden path..... have you checked for voltage at your starter motor?

Also, does your car beep when you get in - would show your battery is getting flat in the key fob?

Hi did you sus this out in the end as my freebie is doing the same thing, now and then it just does nothing on starting the plugs light on the dash comes on and goes of as norm then when i turn the key nothing not even a click then after quite a few lock/unlocks and attempts it starts?

ps the fob must have a transpoder/chip or something cos in the handbook it say it must be on the same ring as the key..

Hopefully this seems to have been fixed for me by renewing the terminals on the starter..