[Sivakumar]

Hi everyone,

I’m experiencing a significant battery drain issue with my Freelander 2 (2008 TD4 model). I’ve had both the battery and alternator checked by two different mechanics, and they’ve confirmed that both are in good working condition.
However, if I leave the car unused for just a day, the battery becomes so weak that it won’t start without a jump. The vehicle usually responds to the key fob and the dashboard lights up, but today it didn’t respond at all—I had to unlock it manually and jump start it to get it running.
I've also noticed that the alarm occasionally goes off without any apparent reason, and at times, I receive a “bonnet unlocked” warning while driving, even though the bonnet is securely closed.
I’m unsure where to begin diagnosing this issue. If anyone has encountered something similar or could offer some guidance, I’d greatly appreciate your help.
Thank you in advance!

 

[Nodge68]

How old is the battery? Is it the correct type? How was it tested? If the battery is more than 3 years old, replace it with the correct type before moving on to more in depth investigations. If the battery is less than 3 years but isn't the correct type, replace it.
These vehicles have a very high battery draw, which will quickly flatten a battery that is below specification.

The bonnet unlocked warning will be the sensor on the latch. Most people simply put a paper clip in the plug to link it out.

 

[Sivakumar]

How old is the battery? Is it the correct type? How was it tested? If the battery is more than 3 years old, replace it with the correct type before moving on to more in depth investigations. If the battery is less than 3 years but isn't the correct type, replace it.
These vehicles have a very high battery draw, which will quickly flatten a battery that is below specification.

The bonnet unlocked warning will be the sensor on the latch. Most people simply put a paper clip in the plug to link it out.

Hi Nodge,
Thank you very much for your reply.
I got the Freelander from someone about a month ago, and he mentioned that the battery is approximately a year old. It's a Bosch battery, though I'm not certain about the specific type.
Could you please let me know the correct type of battery for a 2008 Freelander 2 TD4?
And also should I Try and unplug the fuse of the radio to rule out the radio being on after car goes to sleep ?
Thanks in advance !

 

[Nodge68]

Hi Nodge,
Thank you very much for your reply.
I got the Freelander from someone about a month ago, and he mentioned that the battery is approximately a year old. It's a Bosch battery, though I'm not certain about the specific type.
Could you please let me know the correct type of battery for a 2008 Freelander 2 TD4?
And also should I Try and unplug the fuse of the radio to rule out the radio being on after car goes to sleep ?
Thanks in advance !

A lot of places recommend an 096 battery, but that's only relevant if the genuine LR battery is being fitted. The LR 096 was more powerful than the standard 096 size listed by battery manufacturers.
For aftermarket batteries, a 110 is closer to the original LR battery in specification, so that's the one to fit. It's slightly larger than a factory battery, but still fits in the tray, and has the correct energy capacity for this vehicle.

As for power drain, the bluetooth module has been known to cause battery drain, but nothing like flattening a full capacity battery over night.
The rear wiper motor has been known to draw power if it hasn't parked properly, sometimes burning out, and sometimes starting a fire. So make sure the rear wiper is doing a full sweep, and stops with a little bit of upwards movement.

Also when locking the car, press the lock button twice. This applies the dead locks, but also forces the computers to shut down in 12 minutes, rather the 25 minutes of a single lock button press.

 

[miktdish]

Typically the battery reccommended for the TD4 is a 60AH type 027.
The Boch variant (Bosch S4005 Battery) fits that criteria.

So 60AH.
This means you can draw 1 amp for 60 hours although the battery will be 'flat' after 40 hours.
You'd need to draw around 3Amps (constantly) to flatten the battery overnight.

A radio wouldn't draw more that 0.5A so with the radio on it should last about 60 to 80 hours before the battery went flat.

It's possible that the battery itself is not holding charge.
You can check this by disconnecting the battery and measuring the voltage and again measuring before you reconnect it.
A low cost Digital volt meter should also have the ability to measure Amps and so you can check to see if there is current being drawn between the + cable and the + post on the battery (ie with the meter in series).
It may not be getting charged correctly, but if the alternator has been checked it may likely not to be the case.

I have a battery tester but you may not be anywhere near me (you haven;t said).

 

[Sivakumar]

A lot of places recommend an 096 battery, but that's only relevant if the genuine LR battery is being fitted. The LR 096 was more powerful than the standard 096 size listed by battery manufacturers.
For aftermarket batteries, a 110 is closer to the original LR battery in specification, so that's the one to fit. It's slightly larger than a factory battery, but still fits in the tray, and has the correct energy capacity for this vehicle.

As for power drain, the bluetooth module has been known to cause battery drain, but nothing like flattening a full capacity battery over night.
The rear wiper motor has been known to draw power if it hasn't parked properly, sometimes burning out, and sometimes starting a fire. So make sure the rear wiper is doing a full sweep, and stops with a little bit of upwards movement.

Also when locking the car, press the lock button twice. This applies the dead locks, but also forces the computers to shut down in 12 minutes, rather the 25 minutes of a single lock button press.

Thank you for your response, Nodge.

I had a look at the battery — it’s a Bosch S5 010, which I believe is the correct type for the Freelander 2. I also noticed a date label marked “1108,” which I assume indicates it was manufactured in November 2008. If that’s the case, it seems to be quite an old battery, although I might be mistaken.

Please excuse me — I’m quite new to the mechanical side of cars but very eager to learn. Just to add, my Freelander doesn’t have Bluetooth, only the basic radio. I always make sure to double-lock the car, and the rear wiper is properly parked.

Given all that, would it be fair to suspect the battery might be the issue here?

 

[Sivakumar]

Typically the battery reccommended for the TD4 is a 60AH type 027.
The Boch variant (Bosch S4005 Battery) fits that criteria.

So 60AH.
This means you can draw 1 amp for 60 hours although the battery will be 'flat' after 40 hours.
You'd need to draw around 3Amps (constantly) to flatten the battery overnight.

A radio wouldn't draw more that 0.5A so with the radio on it should last about 60 to 80 hours before the battery went flat.

It's possible that the battery itself is not holding charge.
You can check this by disconnecting the battery and measuring the voltage and again measuring before you reconnect it.
A low cost Digital volt meter should also have the ability to measure Amps and so you can check to see if there is current being drawn between the + cable and the + post on the battery (ie with the meter in series).
It may not be getting charged correctly, but if the alternator has been checked it may likely not to be the case.

I have a battery tester but you may not be anywhere near me (you haven;t said).

Thank you for your reply, Miktdish.
I’m not entirely sure if I’m interpreting it correctly, but as I mentioned in my previous message to Nodge, the sticker on the top of the battery reads “1108.” I’m assuming that means it was manufactured in November 2008?

If that’s the case, would the battery still be considered usable, or is it likely that it’s no longer functional? Sorry I am newbie to the mechanical thing but I want to fix my car as much as possible by myself and appreciate all the guidance I get and I live in south Wales don’t know how far it is from you.

 

[miktdish]

I had a look at the battery — it’s a Bosch S5 010, which I believe is the correct type for the Freelander 2. <snip>

Thats an 85Ah battery so should tast almost twice as long as my previous estimate.

Given all that, would it be fair to suspect the battery might be the issue here?

I would think that is the case ...
Measure the voltage, Disconnect and measure the voltage again.
Wait over night or 24 hours, measure the voltage and re-connect and measure the voltage again.

You want to see 12.4V (or more) at each stage.
If it drops to 12V or even below that (say11.7V) whilst disconnected then the battery is faulty.

I'm not sure if the lable means it was new in 2008, if that is the case i think it would be fair to say it's seen better days.
I am in Scotland - put your mouse on my Avatar and it tells you about me (cos i've filled it in on my profile) - bit far to come.

Amazon.co.uk : battery tester 12v