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View Full Version : No power to starter motor - is it the immobilisers fault?



GBE
25th May 2017, 08:44 AM
My otherwise smooth running (well for the last 6 months anyway) 2004 Disco II Classic's battery gave up the ghost when the cool change came through about a month ago.
A couple of phonecalls to RACQ had me jump started and back in my own driveway, and then waiting for them to show up again the next morning with the appropriate replacement - of course they couldn't find the correct one at 9.15 on a Saturday night, hence the jump start.

Fast forward a few weeks and on a cold Monday morning I turn the key all the way and get ...... Nothing!?!
No clicking, no dimming of lights, just nothing.
I turn it off, scratch my head, try again and it starts first go, get to work no problem.

Enter vehicle with trepidation that afternoon but have no problem starting and getting home.

In one of my searches I found a plausible explanation that the immobiliser computer and engine control computer - ECU & BCU(?) can get out of sorts and forget to recognise each others existence and subsequently the power might go to the starter relay but the immobiliser circuit wont let it earth ad hence "the nothing".

The alleged solution is to turn the key to on and then walk away for 5 minutes and let the computers sort themselves out.

For the last two weeks I've not had the problem until lastnight. Instead of waiting the 5 minutes I got out of the car, armed it with the button on the key until the red dot on the dash slowed to usual pace, then unlocked and started easily as soon as the glow plug light went off.

So the questions for those who've made it through all the above;

Is this fault normal? And as my old mechanic suggests D2 immobilisers are a work of satan and just like everyone else he knows who owned a D2 I'm doomed to have the alarm go off of its own accord and fail to respond to the button on the key, or the security code painstakingly entered via the correct number of turns of the lock?

Is it worth even bothering to check relays and fuses or is the above diagnosis of miscommunication of the two computers on the money?

Is this something I should be handing over wads of cash to a LR specialist such as KHOR to fix or is a reliable auto electrician a better bet?

And is this likely to have been brought on by careless use of jumper leads?

ballbag
25th May 2017, 09:47 AM
Are you getting dash lights? If so, do they dim/turn off when key moves to start? If so, low voltage condition ie - flat battery or bad terminal connection.

Read battery voltage.

Check battery terminals if you haven't already.

Check for 12V at starter positive terminal. It should be live at all times.

IIRC, immobiliser cuts fuel only, not starter.

ballbag
25th May 2017, 09:49 AM
If you have >12V across battery and at starter, check for 12V at engine bay fuse box where battery lead comes in. If 12V there, check main/starter relays.

Roverlord off road spares
25th May 2017, 12:55 PM
Is this fault normal? And as my old mechanic suggests D2 immobilisers are a work of satan and just like everyone else he knows who owned a D2 I'm doomed to have the alarm go off of its own accord and fail to respond to the button on the key, or the security code painstakingly entered via the correct number of turns of the lock?


Sorry, I'd change mechanics, he seems to be one of those Anti Land Rover guys. If it was so common as he says why haven't I and all other people I know have had this experience? Why is this not brought up regularly on the forum "Oh the Satan D2 immobilsier!!" Horror Eek

Is yours a V8 or TD5? Do you have power to the starter solenoid trigger wire? TD5 Starters can have solenoid failures, and cause intermittent starts, id solenoid is the problem ( usually the internal contacts are scorched or burnt out. you have put in starter solenoid kits to repair them cheaply. Ashdown and Ingram have the parts, probably for $20 or so.

GBE
25th May 2017, 01:48 PM
I wont incriminate my old mechanic, he's not anti Land Rover just anti D2, and probably anti any Land Rover that he regards as having too many computer circuits that can (and will in his mind) go wrong in the bush.

To update this thread, my TD5 is currently at an auto electricians, if it is not something simple like the starter solenoid keep an eye out on Gumtree[wink11]

As for the Satanic immobiliser threads, they exist [bigsmile1] As does a company promising to exorcise TD5 ECUs - I'm not sure if chicken blood or holy water is involved in the process Dynachip profesional ecu remapping (http://dynachip.co.uk/TD5%20immobiliser%20delete%20removal.htm?gclid=CML HzPOditQCFQwnvQodTcoMjQ)

gusthedog
25th May 2017, 06:29 PM
It'll be your starter solenoid. And many of us have been driving D2s into remote areas without issue for nearly two decades.

Your mechanic can have his simple no electronics car and I'll have my D2 with cruise, climate control, sls and ace any day of the week.

Maintained well a D2 will do anything a Toyota or Nissan will but with more comfort and a better ride and use less diesel too ;)

Ps. Never had an issue with my immobiliser either [emoji12]

Tombie
25th May 2017, 06:33 PM
A simple starter solenoid and you're getting worried [emoji12]

Immobiliser delete is easy to do... but unnecessary...

Very few have trouble... they're a solid unit

bsperka
25th May 2017, 07:39 PM
IIRC D1s have a satanic immobilizer (spider?), so perhaps confused D2 with D1?

Roverlord off road spares
25th May 2017, 09:01 PM
IIRC D1s have a satanic immobilizer (spider?), so perhaps confused D2 with D1?
Probably right there, but non landy blokes wouldn't know the difference they tar them all with the same brush.

DiscoMick
25th May 2017, 09:18 PM
Could be the switch on the auto which prevents the vehicle from starting unless it is in park. We had that problem.

sierrafery
26th May 2017, 05:52 AM
The most common for this intermittent behaviour is bad contact at the solenoid's lucar connector... though if it's at the auto eletrician he should fix it easy cos i doubt it's the immobiliser(which cuts the starter relay's feed btw)

ballbag
26th May 2017, 06:20 AM
Ah, well there you go. Thanks for correcting, sierra.

djam1
26th May 2017, 06:30 AM
I wont incriminate my old mechanic, he's not anti Land Rover just anti D2, and probably anti any Land Rover that he regards as having too many computer circuits that can (and will in his mind) go wrong in the bush.

To update this thread, my TD5 is currently at an auto electricians, if it is not something simple like the starter solenoid keep an eye out on Gumtree[wink11]

As for the Satanic immobiliser threads, they exist [bigsmile1] As does a company promising to exorcise TD5 ECUs - I'm not sure if chicken blood or holy water is involved in the process Dynachip profesional ecu remapping (http://dynachip.co.uk/TD5%20immobiliser%20delete%20removal.htm?gclid=CML HzPOditQCFQwnvQodTcoMjQ)

Find a new mechanic a D2 is very simple compared to a modern car
The starter solenoid problem is as old as the hills and as simple as a Holden 186
even if its not that its not difficult

Not everyone on the internet with a keyboard is an authority

GBE
26th May 2017, 08:21 AM
After owning 3 Land Rovers since getting my P's and regularly filling in JSA's for work my approach tends to be eliminate the worst case scenario and then work downwards.

Thanks Sierra for confirming the immobiliser cuts feed to the starter.

The plot thickens; car is back from the sparky after the starter motor was overhauled to remove contamination from "old oil". Current oil level is normal - no obvious leak, I did have a fuel line decide to turn in to a sprinkler system (and drench every acoustic cover) last year though[bighmmm]

Tombie
26th May 2017, 08:39 AM
Won't be Oil - will be diesel from a FPR leak

GBE
26th May 2017, 10:19 AM
Won't be Oil - will be diesel from a FPR leak

Sounds about right, it was the line to the FPR that decided to come adrift last year

Tins
26th May 2017, 12:58 PM
Immobiliser delete is easy to do... but unnecessary...

Very few have trouble... they're a solid unit

So that's why I know my EKA number by heart. [bigwhistle] Mine has been troublesome since the BCM started to speak another language. When the odo started flashing. That has been fixed, but the immobiliser/alarm has become quite sullen since then. When ( if ) it comes back home I'll have a look for threads on the topic. I have a Nanocom now, if that helps.