Tom.JTC

Tom.JTC

Active Member
Been having an ongoing, rather annoying problem with the missus Freelander. Trying to cut a long story short - a while ago we went to use it, turned the key, all lights up but no starter. Has always started excellently. Left and used the reliable Defender :D tried all sorts, cleaned starter contacts, wiggling key, battery check and it did decide to work, but 2 weeks later it gave up again. More contact cleaning, and wire wiggling and worked for a day, gave up on us one evening and had to leave it outside the parents, dad went out in the morning and it started straight up instantly, gave it to someone to look at for a week and it started fine with them all week, had the trigger wire and contact cleaned as it was corroded, got it back this weekend and it kept starting fine Saturday morning running around town until it refused to start after hitching on a trailer.

I've heard starter solenoid, but I've also noticed that the immobiliser LED never flashes anymore at all, not a blink. Wondered if it is something to do with that? Anyone any ideas?
 
is there a quiet click when turning the ignition key? when the solenoid is failing it sometimes has enough power to move a bit but not fully engage
 
Thanks for the quick replies guys. When it's playing up there's no click from the starter, only from a relay in the fuse panel by your knee.

Spacemonkey, it's true, honest! :p I do enjoy driving it though. Thanks for your link, looks like it's worth a try, better then having to try a new starter as it starts in a second when it does work.
 
Tom.JTC said:
Spacemonkey, it's true, honest! :p I do enjoy driving it though.
Click to expand...


Uh, huh.... another one out of the closet... :D

But I must admit to having a hankering for a nice MOD soft top 90 or 110 one of these days. And then I slap myself around the head... :doh:

:D:D
 
Ha ha :D

I am just putting in an order for one of the solenoid repair kits, for £10 I can't complain even if it turns out not to be the problem.

Anyone have any experience with a immobiliser light not working? Haven't been able to find any info on it not lighting up, am not too bothered if it's unrelated but can't get the coincidence out of my head especially with the way its failed to start, been left overnight and then started in the morning. I hope its the solenoid because mechanics I'm fine with, electrickery security systems I am not. :(

Thanks for your help.
 
Nope, never lights up anymore, used to. Maybe, would've thought that it wouldn't have given up though being an LED.

The only other thing I can think of to say that might make suspect of the immobiliser system is that it kept starting fine when the car was; parked, turned off, got out of and then locked immediately, then returned to, unlocked and started.

When it stopped starting most recently was after we hitched a trailer on, and it was stopped and left unlocked for 5 mins with the key in the ignition before attempting to start it again.

Don't know. :confused: Hope that it's the solenoid and the LED has given up, that'll be grand. Just can't shake the feeling of it being something else. Solenoid is on it's way, so we shall see.
 
Getting more than annoying now. Had the starter motor out today, new copper contacts and plunger, external contacts all clean, tidy and tight. All back together and nope, nothing.

Turn the key, all lights on, turn to crank, nothing. You get a small click from a relay in fuse panel by drivers right knee, lights on dash don't dim.

Not sure where to go next, it's been sitting where it stopped in the yard since last Saturday, been tried most days but hasn't started. No immobiliser light when locked, with key or fob. It's 2000/2001 year and has the chip in the key. Wiggling key does nothing, locking/unlocking no help, disconnecting battery ditto.
 
Could be the switch unit behind the ignition key....... Had similar issue with my previous like series. Cheap easy fix

Chris
 
C13tay1 said:
Could be the switch unit behind the ignition key....... Had similar issue with my previous like series. Cheap easy fix

Chris
Click to expand...
Thanks Chris, I thought of the ignition barrel switch/contacts but I haven't checked it yet. However, would the clicking of the relay in the fuse box when turning to crank show that the ignition barrel is working as should?
 
I read something in an old Landy mag where an FL1 had all sorts of starting issues like this and it turned out to be the ignition switch. Worth a look at a scrappy to get another cheap?
 
Hi all,

For anyone interested, it seems the cause of the problem was that the immobiliser and engine ECUs had become un-synced, causing the dash light not to flash when locked and random starting as the ECUs struggled to talk.

The immobiliser was re-synchronized and the dash light now flashes as it should when locking the vehicle. Hopefully this was the problem, if it continues then the ECU/immobiliser system has to be looked at.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Stutter and stalling when under load P0336
Replies
4
Views
438
Defender or wife
D
L
Puma not starting. Assumed Immobiliser Issue
Replies
5
Views
708
Lawis
L
P
starting issue
Replies
4
Views
692
Alteredtech
Alteredtech
C
Starting problem
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
J_D
J_D
G
Starting problem
Replies
1
Views
526
Anaconda
A