damn freelander - taken as much as i can now

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

mtonks

New Member
Posts
45
Location
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
I have a 2003 K-Series freelander 60,000 miles

it's not actually fired just cranks and sometimes starts for 1 second then cuts out and continues crank, it doesnt attempt to refire unless u lock and and unlock the car, its at a garage and has had following checks:

Temp Sensor
AFM sensor
Choke
Oxy sensor
Lambda sensor
Coil pack + Spark plugs
Immobilisor rings
Fuel pump - has been cleaned and dry tested
Fuel pressures are correct
Tried starting with spare key, same problem
Tested on approved landrover diagnostic found no problem
Cleaned + checked elec feeds
Injectors - Cleaned & Tested.
Ignition barrel etc..

im sick of it now so does anyone out there have any ideas?

dont think its immobiliser as seems to activate and deactivate as usual using the fob

anyone think it could be somthing major like the ecu? because if so i'd quite happily roll it into a river!! i cant stand this car any more it hasn't worked since DECEMBER 2009!!!!!!!

any help would be appreciated soz for long post
 
it's not actually fired just cranks and sometimes starts for 1 second then cuts out and continues crank, it doesnt attempt to refire unless u lock and and unlock the car,

That suggests to me that it is an immobiliser fault, the locking of the car is resetting the immobiliser and allowing it to arm, then unlocking and putting the key close to the immobiliser is not doing the correct job.

I understand that the immobiliser cuts the supply to the fuel pump, if you can set up a multi meter to monitor the fuel pump power supply, hopefully you should get 12v at the pump when cranking, it would be interesting to see if this power supply is intermittent indicating the immobiliser kicking in.

Just a theory though:)

Otherwise perhaps a faulty crank sensor
 
Baffled by your k-series not starting, sounds like an immobiliser fault, but then it wouldn't start at all.

Do you have both fobs in the car, can confuse the ECU.

When did it first refuse to start? Was the fob battery or FL battery dead back then?

A k-series should fire up first time (as soon as fuel reaches the manifold) even after months of dormancy.
 
thanks for the reply northern irelander the crank sensors been replaced and didn't make any difference :( he's going to try fitting a new cam sensor on monday.

The other key isn't inside the car either, so i'm not sure

Before this happened when i turned the ignition to position 1, radio would come on, position 2, all electrics come on, then position 3 (start) and it would make a tick noise then all electircs would cut out and the car acted dead for quite a while before everything would come back again,

this happened a few times then eventually woudln't start at all! I don't know what to do now i passed my driving test 2 weeks ago and i'm eager to drive but the things broken :( driving me crackers haha

thanks for reply tho
 
Go with what mantamad /\/\/\

I don't think it will be the cam sensor, on the VVC, cam sensor can be disconnected and engine will rev out well below the redline, still runs.

a click would indicate lack of power to the starter, either by ignition switch or smaller wire on the starter.
 
I've just inspected the circuits for the K series lump. Its not the immobiliser as this just inhibits the starting motor. From the electronics view it seems that you have just about exhausted the obvious possibilites. I suggest that the problem is either the ECU itself or the power to the ECU. It won't be the first time we've seen a wire loom fail on the Freelander, but to my knowledge the ECU is pretty bomb proof. I suggest as a starting point you use a DVM and monitor the voltage on the back of the ECU connector, pin 913-61 with respect to 913-66. Switch on the ignition. There should be 12 volts on the meter. If the voltage is low or non-existent then theres the problem. If the volatge is there then try and start. If this voltage collapses then theres the problem. This is fed from the ignition switch and these are well known to fail also.

Golden rule of electronic system debugging, the first thing you establish is that the power supplies and clocks are stable, only then do you start looking at the system components themselves. Don't knock the mechanic, he's not an electronics engineer, but to be honest, these days he should be.
 
is the led flashing and the alarm buzzer sounding have you replaced both key fob batteries and resynchronized both key fob's 5 unlock or 5 lock on fob by drivers door as the key set's are same age should be replaced every 3 years mine lasted 7 years but both key sets needed changing
 
is the led flashing and the alarm buzzer sounding have you replaced both key fob batteries and resynchronized both key fob's 5 unlock or 5 lock on fob by drivers door as the key set's are same age should be replaced every 3 years mine lasted 7 years but both key sets needed changing

Fobs only need replaced when faulty, not periodically. Spares can be stored for years with no battery in them.
 
Darmain thanks for that info I was pretty much at the end of it all, he's going to try the cam sensor tommorow although it sounds like we all have our doubts!!
I'll have it towed to a garage with an electrician! Just could do without the extra costs insurance is already a whopper for me!!
And I did have to replace the battery late last year although the car still started ok after replacement.

Thanks for all your response it gives me a little more to think about!

Mike :)
 
Check the ignition switch, there are a lot of threads on here about the switch contacts burning out or going high resistance, also the connector to the back of the switch.
 
If I have read this thread correctly? you are saying; when you try to turn the engine over (third key turn), all the ignition light go out! is that correct?

If you've replaced the ignition (tested the replacement part before fitting) and its still doing the same. Sounds like its 'shorting out' or a bad earth someplace.

Have you check the wires on starter? Someone has already pointed this out. The small connector on my starter motor rotted-off the other day and it wouldn't start either (i'm learning the fun way). If you've had it in the garage, I pretty sure; simple stuff like that would have be check.
 
Check all your main power connections, ie battery terminals,starter motor and main fuses.
When you start a car, the starter motor draws over 200 amps. A small resistance of less than 0.5 ohm will drop your volts at the starter to 2 volts which wont turn the engine over, and will cause all your other circuits to go off.
 
If I have read this thread correctly? you are saying; when you try to turn the engine over (third key turn), all the ignition light go out! is that correct?
No that's what it did at first now it just turns over asif no immobilisation code is been recieved

Had another mechanic on it and he now reccomends that the ECU is sent off, he checked injection manifold and it's been shut down by engine managment asif theres an immobiliser problem?

i had the battery off over 20 times easily throughout the year so unless somthing shorted nd made the ecu forget key codes etc..

what you lot think to ecm/ecu problem

he also said it's deffinetly not the fuel pump and he tested pressures and tested all wiring and said all correct voltages, tried all the sensors not them, not solenoids or starter motor etc.. so must be somthing immobiliser realted... KILL ME NOW haha :(

basically petrol is been prevented from entering the engine its all fine until it reaches the engine then somthings stopping the injection manifold doing its job!!
 
Last edited:
Well, you say that. but these twonks can't seem to fix anything. What are they doing, apart from fleecing mtonks for a sizable lump of cash? :confused:

Luckily he's a friend of ours and he's done it all for free in his spare time i can't fault him for that although we've got a new bloke working on it now who IS charging us so lets hope this gets wrapped up soon ive not actually driven this car yet :doh:
 
2 mechanics are stumped by this piece of sh** car, its now off to the rip off merchant "guy salmon" landrover dealership garage for repair.... Goodbye bank balance!!!!!!!

thanks for all thought/ideas/help people appreciate it :)

will keep you posted with solution if we ever find one! it makes me more mad on the fact the car hasn't been used at all for a year and now its doing this :(
 
Last edited:
Back
Top