Td5 disco 2 wouldn't start

It has happened before, parked in P and went to turn the key and just nothing happened but this morning was the worst

Dropped my wee boy off and went to start the car, nothing

Checked i was in "p" as I know some gears it wont start in but no, was in park

The battery and oil light were staying lit which I dont know is normal but after googling it and panicking when reading about oil pump failures leading to wrecked engines I panicked!went under the bonnet and plenty of oil

After a mix of locking and unlocking, selecting all the gears it finally started up

What could this be a sign of though please?

If it helps, the key when I bought the car was knackered and it has an after market fob for the locking, so maybe an immobiliser issue or does the battery and oil light being on rule that out?

There was also a rather patterned mechanical sound ever since I have had the car, when I stopped and got out maybe 6 or 7 times, 3 seconds apart a kind of mechanical noise coming from the car incase that signifies anything?

Whether I've only now noticed it because I'm looking for it, after the car starts the battery and oil light go out and I hear 3 beeps

Any help much appreciated!

I’m no expert on this as mine’s a manual, but could be the inhibitor switch that stops you starting in anything but P or N. If it started after you’d jiggled the gear lever around a bit then the wiring to the switch might be dodgy. Hopefully somebody with an auto can confirm/deny? Sorry if this is a bum steer.

Scarecrow3 said:

I’m no expert on this as mine’s a manual, but could be the inhibitor switch that stops you starting in anything but P or N. If it started after you’d jiggled the gear lever around a bit then the wiring to the switch might be dodgy. Hopefully somebody with an auto can confirm/deny? Sorry if this is a bum steer.

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No I appreciate the input

I am convinced it is something to do with that as the car appears all fine just it thinks something is wrong and wont let me start!

Two things,
one, does it start with the lever in N, it should?
two, when you are trying to start it is the immobiliser light, red, centre-bottom of dash still flashing?
Also, put it in N and then try starting it whil pushing or pulling on the lever but NOT pushing the lever release button.
If the problem is with the lever it is likely to be mechanical something like wire stretched or ended up in slightly the wrong position.
If it is to do with the fob, try pushing the unlock button then immediately trying to start. I have had this problem when changing key cases.
Let us know what works and doesn't work.

Ok thank you so latest is...

The m and s lights are flashing on the dash as per the pic

When I go into 3, 2 or 1 gear the light doesnt light up next to the number and it stays a flashing D on the dash

I might be imagining it but when I select R I feel a kind of clunking feeling

This give any better clues?

Millertime_9 said:

Ok thank you so latest is...

The m and s lights are flashing on the dash as per the pic

When I go into 3, 2 or 1 gear the light doesnt light up next to the number and it stays a flashing D on the dash

I might be imagining it but when I select R I feel a kind of clunking feeling

This give any better clues?

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Yes, there is the clue! It sounds like the XYZ switch on the gearbox (it corrodes internally), or associated connectors, and sometimes the loom rubs on the top of the transfer box.

Search the forums for "XYZ switch", "M & S lights flashing". The display on the dashboard should show which gear you are in. The M & S lights flashing is probably because the box EAT cannot make sense of the signals it is being sent by the XYZ switch.

Hope this helps.

PopPops said:

Yes, there is the clue! It sounds like the XYZ switch on the gearbox (it corrodes internally), or associated connectors, and sometimes the loom rubs on the top of the transfer box.

Search the forums for "XYZ switch", "M & S lights flashing". The display on the dashboard should show which gear you are in. The M & S lights flashing is probably because the box EAT cannot make sense of the signals it is being sent by the XYZ switch.

Hope this helps.

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Ok will do thank you

For what it's worth the car started and I went a drive there but, I might just be imagining it, but it struggled to get up to 70 on a motorway

Again pointing to xyz?

Will take a look, thanks again

Millertime_9 said:

Ok will do thank you

For what it's worth the car started and I went a drive there but, I might just be imagining it, but it struggled to get up to 70 on a motorway

Again pointing to xyz?

Will take a look, thanks again

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Well, feeling low on power could have a million causes, but the M & S lights flashing will often put the gearbox into "limp home mode" which generally means it will only select reverse and either 3rd or 4th gears which may give you the impression of struggling.

It would be worth connecting diagnostics such as a Nanocom which will probably show the cause immediately.

I have heard that moving the gear lever from P to 1 and back again (engine off) a few times can sometimes clean the contacts in the switch, but I've no experience of that.

Cheers.

Millertime_9 said:

The battery and oil light were staying lit which I dont know is normal but after googling it and panicking when reading about oil pump failures leading to wrecked engines I panicked!went under the bonnet and plenty of oil

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As said, the only way to properly diagnose M&S lights is to plug in a suitable diagnostic tool - Nanocom, Hawkeye or possibly Foxwell NT530 as there can be many causes including a lack lustre battery. The xyz switch does sound like it could be the culprit though. It is fairly exposed under the truck and not helped by the fact that condensing water from the aircon can pour directly onto the switch causing corrosion.

Regarding the low oil pressure and battery discharge light, these will remain on until the engine starts and the pump provides adequate oil pressure and the alternator starts to charge the battery.

Right I've 99pc worked out the source of the problem

When it doesnt start, the immobiliser or alarm light is on red, so that what is not starting the car

Look at this pic of the key I was given when I bought the car

There was an aftermarket central locking system put in which is worked via the plastic fob, but I still use the key to start the engine

The buttons on the original fob are missing and I dont use them for anything, however just by chance I used a pen to press the tiny button on the circuit board through the missing button hole and low and behold the red light went off and it started!!!

What does that mean then??

Is the central locking working via the aftermarket fob but the immobiliser is working via the old key?

If so why would it just be causing problems now, low battery??

Millertime_9 said:

Is the central locking working via the aftermarket fob but the immobiliser is working via the old key?

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It seems so, somebody made an ugly botch there and it's almost impossible to figure out what's the problem untill we dont know exactly what kind of circuit was introduced and where... the simple fix for you would be to disable the immobiliser with dedicated diagnostic tool

Or you could buy a cheapo, replacement key/fob cover, take the circuit board out and place it in the new one, don't bother to cut the key, and leave the transducer in the old key, keep them both on the same ring, when you put the key in the ignition, press the unlock button on the new fob cover, that'll turn off the immobiliser, then you can start the car.
I've been doing this for months now, it works fine.

Ok excellent thank you

Is it not weird though that it's only become a problem now despite having the car for months?

Is it weird how sometimes the alarm light stays on and its immobilized yet sometimes the m and s light flashes???

Does that not signify something ulterior at fault?

Millertime_9 said:

Is it weird how sometimes the alarm light stays on and its immobilized yet sometimes the m and s light flashes???

Does that not signify something ulterior at fault?

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This might also be a sign of a weak battery.

Does the M&S issue occur if the truck has been left for a few days?
As above, a low battery charge could be giving you the M&S lights and conflating the immobiliser problem. Not sure how it could trigger the immobiliser, but with aftermarket wiring who knows? In any event, battery problems are easy to check and rule out.

I would check your battery voltage with the engine off and then under charge. If the voltage is good after you have driven it and it is charging properly, then there may be a residual current drain which reduces the battery charge and gives you the lights. If you can, measure any residual current flow directly, if not see if the battery charge reduces over a couple of days without the engine being turned on. But as I said previously, there are many reasons why you would get M&S lights and you need a proper diagnostic tool to find the right one. As sierrafery says, it would also give you the chance to disable passive immobilisation.

God sake

Went out to car to unlock it and alarm went off and wouldn't stop!!!

What is going on here!?

The vehicle's alarm reacts ony to the original fob, it seesm it reactivated itself somehow so fix the fob cos you can stop the alarm only with that... who knows what kind of botch was made for the central locking to bypass the original circuit and now something failed in that circuit

Millertime_9 said:

God sake

Went out to car to unlock it and alarm went off and wouldn't stop!!!

What is going on here!?

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Did you unlock it with the separate after market fob? If so, it unlocked the car, the other circuit, the one from the original key probably, thought the car was being broken into and set off the alarm, OR, you unlocked it mechanically with the key which would have been OK until you opened the door.
To STOP THE ALARM, push the unlock button in your original key fob with a nail, toothpick, small item, etc and the alarm will go off UNLESS the battery in the fob is knackerd.
In any case, if you order your replacement key and fob cover, get the one that comes with spare batteries and spare microswitches, which will solve your problem, although it means you will have three things on your keyring. OR, you get the new key and fob cover, swop over the circuit board AND transducer, into the new key, get the key cut then you only need the new key and the other fob to open the doors. Cheapest solution to keep all the options you want to lock and secure your vehicle.

Stanleysteamer said:

Did you unlock it with the separate after market fob? If so, it unlocked the car, the other circuit, the one from the original key probably, thought the car was being broken into and set off the alarm, OR, you unlocked it mechanically with the key which would have been OK until you opened the door.
To STOP THE ALARM, push the unlock button in your original key fob with a nail, toothpick, small item, etc and the alarm will go off UNLESS the battery in the fob is knackerd.
In any case, if you order your replacement key and fob cover, get the one that comes with spare batteries and spare microswitches, which will solve your problem, although it means you will have three things on your keyring. OR, you get the new key and fob cover, swop over the circuit board AND transducer, into the new key, get the key cut then you only need the new key and the other fob to open the doors. Cheapest solution to keep all the options you want to lock and secure your vehicle.

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Ok thank you

Daft question though, its obvious what the circuit board is to swap over into the new original key fob but where is the transducer?