Recurring Engine Fault Td5 Defender

[def9087]

I really need some help with this one.
i have been to my mechanic 3 times now to have this problem fixed and they are stumped, really ****ing me off that the "specialist" can't narrow down and fix this. So I'll ask the LR community.

When i'm driving, the engine fault will turn on and i will lose all accelerator. i can floor it and nothing will happen, which is kinda scary when your doing 110km/h on the highway or trying to power through soft sand.
The only way to fix it is to turn off the engine and re start it. i have now mastered the rolling start however i can't do this all the time as its bloody dangerous

The mechanics have checked the faults from the ECU and concluded that i needed to replace the Airflow meter, which gave me more power but no fix.
Next visit they replaced the Accelerator potentiometer, no fix!!

symptoms initially were when i was backing off on accelerator suggesting it was the pedal. But apparently the engine fault on the ECU leads them to think its either of these two aspects which have been replaced.

i have an aftermarket cruise control which once set off the fault light but as it isn't consistently setting it off i disregarded it.

any suggestions would really help as i'm at a loss to why its happening and who is going to help me fix it.
Thanks

[davrac]

i have an aftermarket cruise control which once set off the fault light but as it isn't consistently setting it off i disregarded it.

Have you tried disconnecting the aftermarket cruise, or at least rended it disabled by disconnecting the power from it. I have had a few probs years ago with after market cruise systems on other makes of vehicles with drive by wire systems. (rodeo's and jackaroo's) They were sending irregular signals to the ECU and making the vehicles go into limp home mode. :)

This of course depends on the type of cruise fitted. Some aftermarket ones have a chain thing that mechanically controls the pedal/potentiometer. Some types splice into the wiring of the pedal/potentiomter and send send signals to represent the pedal position. Hope this makes some sense. Good luck with it.

[LandyAndy]

Check for "Oil in the harness"
Red plug on main ECU(under drivers seat)
If there is oil there search "Oil in the harness"
Easy enough DIY fix if there is oil there.
GOODLUCK
Andrew

[strangy]

Check for "Oil in the harness"
Red plug on main ECU(under drivers seat)
If there is oil there search "Oil in the harness"
Easy enough DIY fix if there is oil there.
GOODLUCK
Andrew

X2 , check earth points also, do you get abnormal temp readings and red light with the check engine light? Check also your Crank position sensor for damage/contamination from a leaking fuel reg. Is it a stock ecu?

cheers

[keith]

a friend of mine (also on here "Michael" ) had a similar problem with a 2003 d2 after some years the dealer eventually replaced all the wiring harnesses in the engine bay/cabin to date this seems to have fixed the problem. The dealer had previously tried ecu, potentiometer etc etc.
I hope this is not your problem
Cheers Keith

[Psimpson7]

I had a similar issue where if the car got wet the throttle died and the engine light came on. It was casued by a damaged wiring loom to the throttle pedal. (A dash screw had gone through it) so it shorted out when it got wet.

I ended up changing out the entire wiring loom. Not a particually nice job, but it solved it. (6hrs work one Christmas day)

It took 2 years to find the problem on mine however, and in reality was a lucky find when we did sort it. I temporarily resolved it with a piece of trailer wiring loom through the footwell, soldered into the loom at the plugs until I swapped the entire loom.

In all honesty in your situation I would say its most likely to be casued by the cruise control. Where is it wired into? Did the issue ever occour prior to it being fitted?

Rgds
Pete

[strangy]

Also check relay for the main supply to the ECU (I think under the seat). Captain Rightfoot had a similar problem and changing the relay AFAIK finally sorted it.

cheers

[def9087]

Thanks guys,
i will look at ecu tonight for oil. i have a feeling that the cruise control is off a disco and plugs directly to ECU but will check.
really hope its not the wiring loom.
i bought the Defender mid last year (with it all fitted by previous owner) and cruise control had been working fine the whole time. the first time the engine fault happened was leaving a car park so not even with the cruise control . but now i can put the cruise on and it won't always set it off.

i was out 4wding one weekend and it set off the fault every 15mins odd, then this weekend it happened just a few times on sealed road.

appreciate your suggestions will let you know how i get on.
Jake

[def9087]

Ok i think i have fixed trhe problem.
i checked under the seat at all the wiring loom into the ECU and all seemed clean. wasnt sure about the relays as there are 6 down there and all seem to click on and off ok.
so i followed the stem of the cruise to find 2 boxes. one i diconnected. when both disconnected it didnt drive at all. so one removed one and have had no troubles since. on further inspection i have noticed that the cruise has been spliced onto the throttle cable. i think it might have been here as well as in the box giving me grief so removing the lot and will deal with no cruise control instead.
thanks for ideas on where to look

[fraser130]

Jake,
Are you aware that post 2002(i think) you can simply add 2 switches and some wire and use the built-in cruise control? (it's all part of the ecu, and works better "than a bought one" because it's integrated in the ecu software?

Fraser

[mools]

Frazer,

can you elaborate on that. I've been wanting cruise control on my '06defender so if there's a simple (and cheap) solution I'd like to know what it is and how to do it.

Cheers,

Ian.