My freelander has just died

Dave, and all, Yep, after spending 18 hours in a car on the journey from hell and then come back, climb in my pride and joy and die on a speed bump, I think we can safely say that all thing and not just my freelander felt the love that day.

OK, QUICK UPDATE....

After dragging it away from work, the kind AA man wired up his box of tricks. confirmed that it was fuse 6 to the ECU was shorting all the time which in turn wasnt allowing the heater plugs to start. Am going away on Monday for a week, so its going to have to sit and wait till I get back to have a look.

@Dave, cheers mate, Have had a good look round the engine bay and cant see any obvious breaks / wear points or any visible kinds of damage. Will have to stick it into a main LR dealer for a proper diagnostic (pound signs flashing before my eyes)

Will post back once I know more

shamus5178 said:

Ok quick update, nope it wasn't the cut off switch, seam to blow fuse No 6 ACU all the time, could be moisture in a cable causing it to shorten. All I did was go over a frecking speed bump.
Anyone any further ideas?

And to those so called LR owners who put down freelanders, I have only this to say to you......

I learnt to drive in a SWB series 2 LR, I passed my test in a LWB series 2 LR. For over 20 years now, I have been in contact with either as a commander or as a driver in everything from a series 2 all the wayyyyy past the newish wolfs to even a WMIK (Weapon-Mounted Installation Kit) consisting of a GPMG and a GMG in one of the most dangerous places in gods green earth. To have someone who owns LR put down another LR who has probably just drove his round a field in deepest darkest Surrey beggars belief.
I own a freelander because I want to, not because its a fashion statement or for the off chance I may want to cross a puddle.

Feel the love

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Great post,puts it in perspective beautifully! I got both a 20011.8 FL (wifes) and a 1995 300tdi and I thoroughly enjoy driving them both. Got a 2007 Mondeo tdi also which bores the hell out of me and am gonna get rid purely because of that reason. My old man had a series 1 in 1950ish and the family have been around LR's since then on and off. They aint perfect by no one can disagree that they are a hell of a lot of fun to own!

Hi Shamus, The glow plugs are controlled by the ECU also so their lack of operation would also be explained. I fear the pound signs are getting closer but your strategy is the best idea.

Best of luck,

Dave

rocket said:

Great post,puts it in perspective beautifully! I got both a 20011.8 FL (wifes) and a 1995 300tdi and I thoroughly enjoy driving them both. Got a 2007 Mondeo tdi also which bores the hell out of me and am gonna get rid purely because of that reason. My old man had a series 1 in 1950ish and the family have been around LR's since then on and off. They aint perfect by no one can disagree that they are a hell of a lot of fun to own!

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Hear hear

Hi Shamus - any updates on this?

He did say -

shamus5178 said:

...... Am going away on Monday for a week, so its going to have to sit and wait till I get back to have a look......

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Have to wait till then. Still sounds expensive to me.

SITREP, Hippo went in to the LR main dealership today for a diagnostic, they are saying they are about a week behind with repairs, however, when I know more, will post details

"Sodomy NON Sapiens"

Shamus

Thanks for the update Shamus. I hope the news isn't too painful.

Me too mate, me too

Shamus must be minted Anyhoo good luck with it.

Darmain said:

FFS, I wonder why it is certain indviduals find it necessary to slag of the Freelander. If you don't like it then fine, drive whatever you drive and good luck. However, if you hate it so much then why are you in the Freelander threads?

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EXACTLY couldn't have said it better myself, though it aint for the lack of trying. Still when your trying to communicate with apes there's bound to be problems.
Shamus, hope you get sorted ok.

could it be that they have had a freelander and are trying to help others escape the same mistake?

Maybe. It depends what you want out of your Landrover really. If you want a machine that is capable of some serious off roading then the Freelander isn't the natural choice. If you want something that gives you the 4x4 experience yet gives reasonable MPG, isn't massive and difficult to park and can tow well, then why not a Freelander? I don't buy the 'its not reliable' pitch because - if I was to buy any car that is nine years old then I would be expecting things to be breaking here and there AND I can't believe that the Defenders, Discos and Ranges never go wrong. Perhaps I could go over to the areas of the forum and laugh at owners of those vehicels that have broken is some way. Actually I have better things to do and enjoying my Freelander is one of them.

The freelander is a poor choice, not because of its unreliability, due to age, but its poor design, shoddy build quality, expensive diagnostics, expensive repair costs and general inability to be all things to all peeps.

A vehicle that suffers on both petrol engines from HGF.
Transmission problems.
Cracking subframe/ Chassis.
Automatic gearboxes which are prone to overheating
IRD's that need to have water cooling.

need i go on? - nothing to do with age - just a mistake with a landrover badge on it.

I agree there are things that could be done better. I agree that the petrol versions are just an invitation to deprive you of your cash and get you walking everywhere. Thats why I own an L series, seems to be the best engine choice based on what I have read here over the last few months.

Having said that the rush to market meant the stock K and L series lumps had to be used as there, undoubtidly wasn't time to develop a complete new traction package. As a result on the L series, according to Haynes, you have to nearly take the engine out to change the timing belts. Not a good design.

Mine has given me several problems and where I can, I aim to not only fix the issue but also improve it so it doesn't happen again. I have great fun driving it, my picasso has more boot space, more cabin space, is much more comfortable and is a hell of a lot more nippier, but it isn't anywhere near as fun.

I love my Freelander, warts and all, and that's my choice.

everyone to their own. A doozil hippoo is the best choice if yuh like the styling, but they still have an awful lot of design faults. Just done go in to it with yo eyes closed.

The Mad Hat Man said:

everyone to their own. A doozil hippoo is the best choice if yuh like the styling, but they still have an awful lot of design faults. Just done go in to it with yo eyes closed.

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Spit!!!!!! . . . . Feck all wrong wiff mine. . . .gunna start er floppy moanin shed if yer keep on. . . . . . .get back in yer slitty

I hear what your saying MHM, I do like the look of the FL1 but that isn't why I bought it. For all the reasons I did buy it it is still the best fit to the problem. It tows well, it has reasonable MPG, its easy to to drive, it suits my needs. However, I have need on several occations where the seven seater Disco would have been very useful, but not the fuel consumption or the size. The best Landy, I would say, has got to be the Defender, except that, and I suspect this is due to the commercial nature of the beast, its price tag seems over inflated, out of my budget anyway. My Mate bought a 98 plate LWB Defender just over 12 months ago, the same week and the same place I bought my FL from. He paid 14 grand for a 10 year old car. It's his money and he is happy with what he got but man....

OK, we have gone slightly off track, which is probably further than most of the disco owners ever do, but here's an update........

After putting it in to a main dealership for a diagnostic, the results are as follows.....

Darmain, you are a god, KUDOS mate, you got it exactly right with "Your quest is to check all the wire looms in the engine bay. You're looking for any kind of damage"

The Gurus at land rover found the following fault "Checked from connector C0203 to alternator, ECM relay, ECM and injection pump. Had to remove air box, fuse box and injection pump. Found slight chaffing on wire to injection pump solenoid. Repaired wire and replaced fuse."

There is no way I would ever have found this buried the way it was, prior to them finding this, they checked the whole wiring loom. They tell me they spent five hours on it, and the final bill came to £259.

I had visions of paying for a new ECU, ECM and anything else which costs a frecking fortune.

They reduced the labour charges as a good will gesture, so am more than happy to say thank you to Barrets land rover, Ashford in Kent.

To those that offered words of encouragement and advise, thank you, my "Hippo" is back on the move. However, to those that felt this was a hate freelander free for all, two things spring to mind, firstly, just because something is different, it doesn't mean its bad, it means its just different.

Secondly, GET. A. LIFE. and get out more, life is wayyyyyyyyyyyy to short to hold a grudge against something which you don't even own.

Yours aye,

Shamus

Shamus. Excellent news. I'm glad you are back on the road and able to enjoy your Freelander again. Sometimes you have to use the garage and part with some cash. Did the same myself recently for an issue on my Hippo. It has been my pleasure to assist. Not too sure about the Deity status but I'm glad our effort are appreciated.

Happy Freelandering,

Dave