Immobiliser problem

I am getting myself confused following threads so I hope you don't mind me starting a new one. My freelander TD4 52 plate won't start. The door opens fine with the remote and the.car makes the usual beeping noise when you open it. When you put the key in the ignition it is completely dead, the lights come on on the dash but when you turn the key... Nothing. Not even a click. Previous to this I had an intermittent warm start problem so don't know if it's related. Car had to be towed home yesterday. Breakdown guy said it was an immobiliser prob and checked battery and said it was fine. Can anyone help. Someone said something on a previous threD about a light going out on the dash and if it stayed on it was the immobiliser. What light is it. Could I need a new key for the battery and do you think these 2 problems are linked or separate faults. Anne

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Hi Anne, welcome to the forum.

Easy bit first, the car is NOT supposed to bleep at you when you unlock it, it is telling you that the battery in the remote fob needs replacing. Battery is CR2023, and is available from loads of places, maplins, boots to name but two who are cheaper than halfords.

Secondly, in the middle of the dash instruments, between the rev counter and the speedo at the bottom is a red led (light). When the vehicle is locked, this is the red led that flashes.

When you unlock with a fob with a failing battery, as well as the beeps, it will flash faster than normal.

When you unlock normally, it should just stop flashing and then you start the car. If the red led stays on then it is indicating that the immobilser has well, immobilsed the vehicle.

Is it manual or auto ? If it's auto, check dash display for which gear it's in, as it will only start in park or neutral.

Also been a few instances of ignition barrels going faulty.

good luck with this, keep coming back to us !

Ah brilliant, I will go get a battery tomorrow, there is a napkin in Livingston just a couple of miles from me.. I wondered about the beeping but it has always done it and I just thought it was what it was meant to do. If it is the battery will that fix the problem. Going demented just seems to be one thing after the other. Keep going to sell it but have spent a fortune and I keep thinking nothing else can go wrong. I will check the light in the morning. I really really appreciate your help . Anne

Got a new battery and the red light now flashes when car is locked and there is no beeping when I open it but the car is still dead when I turn the key. Anne

It's time to start testing things I'm afraid?

I'm thinking it's the ignition barrel, does anyone know the average cost of having a diagnostic done ?

Anne2912 said:

I'm thinking it's the ignition barrel, does anyone know the average cost of having a diagnostic done ?

Click to expand...

I had the same problem with mine, easy DIY fix if you are happy to have a go. I just cleaned up the contacts inside the starter switch and gave it a spray with some contact cleaner, job done, 3 months later still no problem starting. Is there no forum members near you?

I live in Livingston, west Lothian, does anyone live near me ?

My friends husband is on his way up to look at it, he's really good with cars.

Well my friends husband came out and took the ignition to bits, it all looked fine but he cleaned it and gave it a spray, still no luck. Anne

Has anyone checked the basics like? Starter!

My friends husband was rocking the car and hitting the starter but it made no difference. Anne

Don't suppose he checked the power at it?

Don't think so, would he need a special tool to do that ?

This may sound daft but could the fob have lost it's coding. On saying that if it had then surely it wouldn't open the doors so I'm prob talking rubbish.

You never said if the red light goes out in the dash?

Yip the red light goes out. It flashes when you first open it, quite quick flashes. When you come out the car and lock it it flashes but it's slower. Anne

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Well it sounds like the immobiliser is working! It needs the power checking at the starter, small wire should be live when in crank position. If it is it's most likely starter if it isn't you need to trace it back checking fuses relays etc. but you need some one that knows a bit more by the sound of it! AA and RAC are normally pretty good for a basic diagnosis like this. Recovery men aren't! (bit of a generalisation) the patrols fix cars recovery men drive trucks! So if you or a family member have membership it may be worth a shot as I suspect you won't get far the way you are going