2003 TD4 Immobiliser & Starting

Hi all,

I am looking for some advice, the hippo is in the garage with an intermittent starting problem (usually when warm) - i was originally told it would be faulty injectors, or the camshaft sensor.

However the garage called today to say that the diagnostics don't show any fuel pressuer or injector errors - all they get is an immobiliser signal error.

Is it possible the reason the car turns over but wont start is immobilser related? Or should that prevent it from turning over at all (i read somewhere it disables some sensors?).

Also, if it is the immobiliser, is there a chip or something in the key? Or just the fob. The reason i ask is, i once got a new key from a dealer that i user as a spare and it will unlock the car, but not start it (think it didnt even turn over?).


Any advice is appreciated - read what i could find but seemed to find varying information.

I've seen the immobiliser fault code set after repeated cranking on a poor starting freelander and it wasn't an immobiliser fault but a cam sensor.

Mechanical fuel injector faults will not be detected by the engine management- need to do a leak back test and injector balance test to confirm they're ok

Also low fuel pressure needs to be monitored as that will prevent starting if it's too low!

Thanks, although i thought it would be injectors or camshaft position sensor, the mechanic seemed to think that if it was the injectors in a big way, the ecu should read low fuel pressure?

Think i will start with the camshaft position sensor - can this be cleaned up or does it have to be replaced?

Is it worth even going down the road of the immobiliser?

For now I personally wouldn't pursue the immobiliser route at this time.

The engine management on Td4 is relatively simple versus later systems and doesn't monitor as many items to enable it to determine faults - look at the number of sensors versus a diesel built today!

Cam sensor generally sets a fault based on my experience but depends on the diagnostic lot your mechanic is using as to whether they can read all the codes. It can only be monitored using an oscilloscope to check it is working properly.


I'd do a simple injector leak back test after monitoring the low fuel pressure reading