Freelander 2 (LR2) Intermittent start/non-start

Hi
Looking for advice please. My son has purchased a 08 plate Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto.
It was delivered to his house yesterday after a 260mile (give or take) trip from Coventry to Cornwall.
He left it outside the house for 45 min and then got in to do the school run. Put the fob in the ignition and it would turn over but not start. Left it and used my car to collect the kids (and me) and when we got back I got in, put fob in, pressed start and she started first time. I left him to it but before I had got the 11 miles home he rang me to say he had driven it 3miles down the road to put fuel in, and it now would not start again. I turned around and went back to help him. This time a message came up on the dash (which had not before) stating HDC Transmission Fault. On looking this up it stated that it needed to go to a garage asap. So, after sitting there for about an hour, put the fob in the slot, pressed button and she started!!! Drove her home to mine and son took mine to his. Today I went out put fob in, pressed button, she starts. Took her down to our local AA approved garage who have put her on the diagnostic machine and nothing has shown as wrong, BUT now she won't start again.
We have notified the garage where he purchased it and asked them what they intend to do about it but in the meantime I wanted to see if any of you lovely people had any suggestions as to what it would be.
Thanks in advance

Sue1962 said:

Hi
Looking for advice please. My son has purchased a 08 plate Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Auto.
It was delivered to his house yesterday after a 260mile (give or take) trip from Coventry to Cornwall.
He left it outside the house for 45 min and then got in to do the school run. Put the fob in the ignition and it would turn over but not start. Left it and used my car to collect the kids (and me) and when we got back I got in, put fob in, pressed start and she started first time. I left him to it but before I had got the 11 miles home he rang me to say he had driven it 3miles down the road to put fuel in, and it now would not start again. I turned around and went back to help him. This time a message came up on the dash (which had not before) stating HDC Transmission Fault. On looking this up it stated that it needed to go to a garage asap. So, after sitting there for about an hour, put the fob in the slot, pressed button and she started!!! Drove her home to mine and son took mine to his. Today I went out put fob in, pressed button, she starts. Took her down to our local AA approved garage who have put her on the diagnostic machine and nothing has shown as wrong, BUT now she won't start again.
We have notified the garage where he purchased it and asked them what they intend to do about it but in the meantime I wanted to see if any of you lovely people had any suggestions as to what it would be.
Thanks in advance

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Start with the basics. Check the battery leads are tight, and that the battery is delivering enough power.

If you can get it to me, I can put SDD on it and run a full LR depth diagnostic on it.

Nodge68 said:

If you can get it to me, I can put SDD on it and run a full LR depth diagnostic on it.

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Well that is an offer you can't refuse surely, could it be the cam sensor ?

Arctic2 said:

Well that is an offer you can't refuse surely

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It's my birthday, so was feeling generous.

Arctic2 said:

could it be the cam sensor ?

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Cam sensor, crank sensor, or throttle butterfly gears stripped would be my guess.

Nodge68 said:

If you can get it to me, I can put SDD on it and run a full LR depth diagnostic on it.

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Wow that is really good of you to offer. If we can get it started today and get it back to my house I will let you know. The problem this morning is my son has gone to start mine and it's now got the same problem

Sue1962 said:

Wow that is really good of you to offer. If we can get it started today and get it back to my house I will let you know. The problem this morning is my son has gone to start mine and it's now got the same problem

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Check the battery old are they ? is yours an FL2 as well

Arctic2 said:

Check the battery old are they ? is yours an FL2 as well

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Arctic2 yes mine is an FL2 as well, son has been using it for the last few weeks until he got his delivered this Wednesday and again now his is at the garage. Mine is an 09 plate and have had it for 12mths. Not sure how old the battery is. I read on the FreeL2 forum that a 2nd earthing strap might help the issue, is that an option to try?

Nodge68 said:

If you can get it to me, I can put SDD on it and run a full LR depth diagnostic on it.

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If we can get the FL started would you mind if we took you up on your offer?

Sue1962 said:

Arctic2 yes mine is an FL2 as well, son has been using it for the last few weeks until he got his delivered this Wednesday and again now his is at the garage. Mine is an 09 plate and have had it for 12mths. Not sure how old the battery is. I read on the FreeL2 forum that a 2nd earthing strap might help the issue, is that an option to try?

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Hi Sue1962.
Yes make sure you have a good battery, and the second earth from the battery to the starter bolt is good idea it help in the cold weather with starting, i did an how to on it somewhere on here, if you can get it or them to John (Nodge) he will be able to guide you to what is going on and how best to sort it out, he may well sort it or them out for you.

FL2 XS TD4.e economy mode? | LandyZone - Land Rover Forum

Free lander 2 battery | LandyZone - Land Rover Forum

Sue1962 said:

If we can get the FL started would you mind if we took you up on your offer?

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Not a problem, although I'll not be available for a couple of weeks now, as the wife has just been released from hospital, and were away next weekend.
Let me know if that's any good.

Arctic2 said:

Hi Sue1962.
Yes make sure you have a good battery, and the second earth from the battery to the starter bolt is good idea it help in the cold weather with starting, i did an how to on it somewhere on here, if you can get it or them to John (Nodge) he will be able to guide you to what is going on and how best to sort it out, he may well sort it or them out for you.

FL2 XS TD4.e economy mode? | LandyZone - Land Rover Forum

Free lander 2 battery | LandyZone - Land Rover Forum

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Artic2 I called the AA for mine and it was defo the battery, new one fitted by them and all sorted now. I am actually now starting to think it may be the battery on my sons that's the problem as mine had exactly the same message flash up.

Sue1962 said:

I called the AA for mine and it was defo the battery, new one fitted by them and all sorted now. I am actually now starting to think it may be the battery on my sons that's the problem as mine had exactly the same message flash up.

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That's good.
The FL2 is hyper sensitive to a failing battery, actually all modern LRs are, so if the battery is more than 4, then definitely do that first.

Any further issues, don't hesitate to ask me to run a diagnostic for you.

Nodge68 said:

That's good.
The FL2 is hyper sensitive to a failing battery, actually all modern LRs are, so if the battery is more than 4, then definitely do that first.

Any further issues, don't hesitate to ask me to run a diagnostic for you.

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Thank you so much - will keep you posted. I hope your wife makes a speedy recovery

Sue1962 said:

Wow that is really good of you to offer. If we can get it started today and get it back to my house I will let you know. The problem this morning is my son has gone to start mine and it's now got the same problem

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You been swapping fobs?? . Sorry, couldn't help it.

My money is on the battery. Once everything is switched off a duff battery voltage can 'recover' after an hour or three just enough to get you started.

Yippeee.....finally discovered what the problem was on sons car. Cam Sensor was loose and 'flopping'. New sensor purchased from local LR dealer, fitted by local garage where we had taken car and now perfect.

As for mine, called the AA and yep it was the battery. Apparently if you don't double lock a Freelander the electrics do not such down....duh!!

Sue1962 said:

Cam Sensor was loose and 'flopping'. New sensor purchased from local LR dealer, fitted by local garage where we had taken car and now perfect.

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So whoever did the timing belt was a moron then.
Glad it's sorted.

Sue1962 said:

Apparently if you don't double lock a Freelander the electrics do not such down....duh!!

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That's normal on any modern vehicle.
The Freelander 2 needs double locking (pressing the lock button twice), so it shuts the various control modules down quickly.
Not locking the vehicle leaves them in standby mode for several hours, if auto locking is disabled, which it sounds like it is.

Nodge68 said:

So whoever did the timing belt was a moron then.
Glad it's sorted.

That's normal on any modern vehicle.
The Freelander 2 needs double locking (pressing the lock button twice), so it shuts the various control modules down quickly.
Not locking the vehicle leaves them in standby mode for several hours, if auto locking is disabled, which it sounds like it is.

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Thanks for all your advice and help, much appreciated as always xx