Defender 300 Tdi starting problems....

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Tim_W

New Member
Posts
9
Hello Everyone,

I have searched the forums, picked the brains of my local Land Rover dealer and tried several repairs and still no luck.

I have a 1998 Defender 300 Tdi with a factory fitted immobiliser and no alarm. I have been experiencing problems with the immobiliser on and off for a year or so. I say the imobiliser because it will intermittently refuse to start back up again after the ignition is switched off. I get all the lights on the dash when the ignition is switched on (including engine managment light) and then when I turn the key to start get nothing. After a couple of tries arming and disarming the imobiliser, taking the key out and putting it back in the engine managment light would be out and it would finally start.

Now here is the main problem:
I popped round to my parents house, it started up fine and first time without any problems. Got there and turned the engine off for about 5 minuites, got back in and nothing. On turning the key I get all the dash lights APART from the engine managment light. The wipers, lights, horn e.t.c work fine but on turning the key to start I get nothing. The key fob will arm and disarm the immobiliser but still nothing on starting.

So I check all the fuses, including the engine fuses and they are all fine. The battery is brand new and so is the alternator and belt (battery is also showing good voltage). I have checked the wires to the starter visually and they appear to be ok as well as having good voltage. I removed the starter and checked it off the vehicle to see if it functions and it engages and spins ok. I also changed the battery in the key fob and still no joy.

I finally give in and have a friend come down who works in a garage. We were getting a clicking noise from behind the clocks on connecting the negative to the battery. Looking behind the clocks we found a green box with two seperate wiring looms with block connectors going into it (which was doing the clicking). There was also a brown relay just behind the drivers side speaker which was quite warm and an odd 15 Amp fuse between a wire that was ok.
We came to the conclusion it could be a problem with the immobiliser and there must be another box we were missing. This is when we read about the immobiliser problem and the Spider box. Having read the article I went and picked up the Spider bypass plug AMR 4956 from my local dealer and after digging out the last part of the puzzle (the spider box). I fitted the bypass plug (which removes the spider from the system) in the connector of the Spider loom and guess what, it still refuses to start.
Just for good measure I took the spider box apart and from looking at the pictures on the guide my circuit board does appear to have the same dodgy connectors.

I am now at a loss on what to do next, I am not electrically minded and I have tried as much as I can. I am without a vehicle and was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction before I have to contact an auto electrician and with low funds at the moment its not an option I can afford.

Tim.
 
not sure on what your bypass plug does but starter relay under fuse panel may need earthing ,check there is ignition feed at pump solenoid and starter solenoid ,if bypassed properly green box behind das can be removed
 
Hello Everyone,

I have searched the forums, picked the brains of my local Land Rover dealer and tried several repairs and still no luck.

I have a 1998 Defender 300 Tdi with a factory fitted immobiliser and no alarm. I have been experiencing problems with the immobiliser on and off for a year or so. I say the imobiliser because it will intermittently refuse to start back up again after the ignition is switched off. I get all the lights on the dash when the ignition is switched on (including engine managment light) and then when I turn the key to start get nothing. After a couple of tries arming and disarming the imobiliser, taking the key out and putting it back in the engine managment light would be out and it would finally start.

Now here is the main problem:
I popped round to my parents house, it started up fine and first time without any problems. Got there and turned the engine off for about 5 minuites, got back in and nothing. On turning the key I get all the dash lights APART from the engine managment light. The wipers, lights, horn e.t.c work fine but on turning the key to start I get nothing. The key fob will arm and disarm the immobiliser but still nothing on starting.

So I check all the fuses, including the engine fuses and they are all fine. The battery is brand new and so is the alternator and belt (battery is also showing good voltage). I have checked the wires to the starter visually and they appear to be ok as well as having good voltage. I removed the starter and checked it off the vehicle to see if it functions and it engages and spins ok. I also changed the battery in the key fob and still no joy.

I finally give in and have a friend come down who works in a garage. We were getting a clicking noise from behind the clocks on connecting the negative to the battery. Looking behind the clocks we found a green box with two seperate wiring looms with block connectors going into it (which was doing the clicking). There was also a brown relay just behind the drivers side speaker which was quite warm and an odd 15 Amp fuse between a wire that was ok.
We came to the conclusion it could be a problem with the immobiliser and there must be another box we were missing. This is when we read about the immobiliser problem and the Spider box. Having read the article I went and picked up the Spider bypass plug AMR 4956 from my local dealer and after digging out the last part of the puzzle (the spider box). I fitted the bypass plug (which removes the spider from the system) in the connector of the Spider loom and guess what, it still refuses to start.
Just for good measure I took the spider box apart and from looking at the pictures on the guide my circuit board does appear to have the same dodgy connectors.

I am now at a loss on what to do next, I am not electrically minded and I have tried as much as I can. I am without a vehicle and was wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction before I have to contact an auto electrician and with low funds at the moment its not an option I can afford.

Tim.

Hi Tim

Did you manage to get this resolved as I have the exact same problem in my 300TDi

Cheers
Roy
 
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